Fink [Explicit Lyrics] [Import]

Fink [Explicit Lyrics] [Import]

Track Listings

1. Generic

2. Repetition Works

3. Already Dead

4. Whole

5. Ugly People

6. Bridges Burn

7. Principles of Mass Suggestion

8. Big Picture

9. Just Passing Through

10. More Different Than Different

11. Being Ripped Off

12. Open

13. What About Them Injuries

14. Sein

15. Clock Is Ticking

16. I Want to Be White

17. Hollow

18. Ninety-Nine

19. I Will Say It

Fink,Groinchurn,Pavement Records,Death Metal/Black Metal,Heavy Metal,Pop,Rock

Phobia
Average customer rating:

A handful of memorable songs help elevate this otherwise forgettable album

Took Me By Suprise

Breaking Benjamin Has Created a Masterpiece

good music

What happened?

Phobia
Breaking Benjamin
Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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One X

We Are Not Alone

Saturate

Come What(ever) May

The Open Door

ASIN: B000G6BL7E
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

Intro
The Diary of Jane
Breath
You
Evil Angel
Until the End
Dance with the Devil
Topless
Here We Are
Unknown Soldier
Had Enough
You Fight Me
Outro

Customer Reviews:

A handful of memorable songs help elevate this otherwise forgettable album.......2007-07-17

My first exposure to Breaking Benjamin was with their mainstream breakthrough hit, "So Cold". I liked the song quite a bit, but since I never heard anything else from the album I liked, I passed on buying "We Are Not Alone", so I'll say up front I have next to no knowledge of the band's previous albums. Upon first hearing the catchy, fast paced "Diary of Jane", it immediately replaced "So Cold" as my favorite song by the band, and I was somewhat interested in their new album, "Phobia". Then "Breath" came out, and though it wasn't as instantly memorable as "Diary of Jane", eventually it grew on me big time, and I again had a new favorite song by the band. So after becoming hooked on the first two singles off of "Phobia", I decided it was time to make my first Breaking Benjamin album purchase. However, after multiple listens of the album, "Breath" and "Diary of Jane" are easily the best songs, and there are only a few others that are worth noting.

The album begins and ends with the pointless "Phobia (Intro)" and "Phobia (Outro)" tracks, and after the "Intro" we are given the two best songs right off the bat, those being the aforementioned first two singles. "The Diary of Jane" is a hook filled heavy rocker, seemingly about a guy desperately trying to get the attention of a girl(Jane), yet "somethings getting in the way". "Breath" is a uniquely arranged song that steadily builds up to its climactic chorus, and is possibly about an unhealthy relationship where both seem to hate the other, yet they can't live without each other.

Moving on, back to back filler tracks "You" and "Evil Angel" quickly bring the album down from the high of its first two songs, with "You" possibly being my least favorite song of the album, and though "Evil Angel" has some intriguing lyrics about just wanting to be put out of one's misery, the song just doesn't stick. Thankfully "Until The End" brings the album a little out of its rut, as a song about perseverance no matter what, its uplifting message definitely stands out against the dark and depressing tone of most of the album. It's one of the lighter songs on here, and it has a memorable chorus. Following this is "Dance With the Devil", my favorite song after "Breath" and "Diary of Jane". This is a very dark and atmospheric song, and I hope this is released as a single.

"Topless" is a heavy rocker with some rather explicit lyrics, this is another song on the album that I do like, and is a good aggressive rock song. Next comes "Here We Are" arguably the only "ballad" on the album. This is a decent song about someone wanting his significant other to put more effort into keeping their relationship alive, but it's fairly generic among all the other rock ballads, and kind of seems like its there just for the sake of having a power ballad. The remaining three songs ("Unknown Soldier", "Had Enough", and "You Fight Me") are all mediocre at best, with "Unknown Soldier" probably being the most memorable of the three.

All in all, if you like current heavy rock, "Phobia" is probably a worthy purchase , due to the fact that there are a few really good tracks to be found, but in the end too much of the album is forgettable for me to really praise it. I'd recommend Three Days Grace "One-X" over "Phobia" for fans of mainstream rock looking for a fairly recent album to buy. As it stands my biggest thing to fear about "Phobia" is that it simply won't have a lot of longevity. 3/5 stars

My Top 5:
1. Breath
2. The Diary of Jane
3. Dance With the Devil
4. Until the End
5. Topless

Took Me By Suprise.......2007-07-13

I ran across a link to stream this album before it's release, and I wasn't a big fan of BB before, but I figured why not? Make my friend jealous I heard it and he didn't, but after listening to it, I fell in love with the cd and I haven't stopped listening.
Intro-
Diary Of Jane- Starts out the album dramatically strong 5/5
Breath- Helps progress the cd into a better sound 5/5
You- A song that's harder to adjust to, but still amazing 4.5/5
Evil Angel- A lyrically brilliant song that shows the brains of Ben 5/5
Until The End- The best song of the cd, and arguabbly of the year 5/5
Dance With The Devil- Another lyrical genius is showing here 5/5
Topless- The worst song on the cd, worth skipping 1/5
Here We Are-A softer song and still brilliant 5/5
Unknown Soldier- Still fighting side by side with a slower song and brilliance 5/5
Had Enough- A song about their former drummer for them, and a song about anyone to us, amazing! 5/5
You Fight Me- One amazing way to end a cd, it makes you beg for more, but there is unfortanetly none 5/5
Outro
Diary of Jane (Acoustic)

The best album of the year...Period!!! This cd is the beginning of this band that will make them evolve into something amazing!

Breaking Benjamin Has Created a Masterpiece.......2007-06-30

Aside from two bad songs(Until the End and Here We Are), this is Breaking Benjamin at their best. Every song on this album other than the 2 previously mentioned could be a hit single. Once you hear this album you won't be able to stop replaying over and over again, it is almost inhuman how great this band is. Includes some of the best songs ever made from THE BEST rock band currently around: Diary of Jane, Breath, You, Dance with the Devil, Topless, Unknown Soldier, You Fight Me. Your life simply is not complete without this album. GO BUY IT NOW!!!!!!

good music.......2007-06-12

can listen to this one over and over again

What happened?.......2007-06-08

Minus one star right off the bat for having a lame intro and outro. Diary of Jane is the only great song on this album. 2 or 3 good songs, and the rest just sounds so generic and uninspired. We Are Not Alone was a great album and so was Saturate. It sounds like the energy was lost in this album. I'm not counting the band out yet, but if you want your BB fix stick with the first two albums.

Average customer rating:

Breaking Benjamin Rocks!!!
They've had better
great debut, even better follow ups
too short for the money...
Eh.. its OK...

So Cold
Breaking Benjamin
Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Saturate
We Are Not Alone
Phobia
Phobia
Three Days Grace

ASIN: B0006BGXD6
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Tracks:

So Cold (acoustic)
Blow Me Away (from Halo 2)
Lady Bug
Away (live)
Breakdown (live)

Album Description

New EP that features an acoustic recording of So Cold + "Blow Me Away" which was written for the Halo 2 video game.

Customer Reviews:

Breaking Benjamin Rocks!!!.......2007-01-06

Breaking Benjamin are awesome, I love all of their stuff and this CD is no exception. The acoustic version of 'So Cold' is great as are the other 4 songs on the CD. If you are a fan of BB you should definitely find yourself a copy of this CD, you will not be disappointed.

They've had better.......2006-08-07

The first 2 songs are great, but the last few are live so of course they don't sound as good. But I still love the band and the CD.

great debut, even better follow ups.......2006-03-25

a great debut for an amazing band. These guys do not fail to impress!

fav track: ALL OF THEM

like the band? check out saturate, We are not alone, and their new cd coming this summer, you'll enjoy every minute of it

too short for the money..........2006-03-15

Way too short for the money. I liked the live version of So Cold, but the rest of the songs on the albulm were just eeh...

Eh.. its OK..........2006-02-08

Just to let you all know, I am a HUGE Breaking Benjamin fan (and not because my name is Benjamin), but that doesn't stop me from looking at Cd's with an impartial view. So let me say now, this CD, not that good. It's not because of the songs, these are some of my favs, Blow Me Away right up there, but it's the live. To be brutally honest, Ben Burley sounds like he has the Flu. Honestly, if you play the studio version of So cold next to the accoustic version, there's no comparison. So heed this advice, Just download Ladybug and Blow Me away from iTunes, and get the others from WANA.

Average customer rating:

Excelent Performance
For Thy Pleasure: Yeap, It is Very Enjoyable
Amazing Guitars...And Then Some!
Pleasure For Your Musical Soul
Just amazing playing!

For Thy Pleasure

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Best of L.A.G.Q.
L.A. Guitar Quartet: Dances from Renaissance to Nutcracker
L.A. Guitar Quartet: Evening In Granada
LAGQ's Guitar Heroes
LAGQ: Latin

ASIN: B00000070S
Release Date: 1996-09-26

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 6: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6: II. Adagio ma non tanto
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6: III. Allegro
The Well Tempered Clavier: Prelude
No. 1 In C The Well Tempered Clavier: Fugue No. 1 In C
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: III. Allegro
The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
The Well Tempered Clavier: Fugue No. 3
Abdelazer: Rondeau
Monteverdiana: I. Toccata
Monteverdiana: II. Balletto
Monteverdiana: IV. Sonata
Fantasia Upon One Note
Little Fugue In G Minor
Concerto for Four Violins: I. Largo e staccato
Concerto for Four Violins: II. Allegro
Concerto for Four Violins: III. Adagio
Concerto for Four Violins: IV. Vivace
Canon In D: The Pachelbel 'Loose' Cannon

Customer Reviews:

Excelent Performance.......2007-01-10

What can I say about Bach played by LAGQ but The Perfect Combination. The only thing reprochable is that some tracks like the "Loose" Cannon by Pachelbel ends in fade out instead of a real ending. I wish this was a two CD set.

For Thy Pleasure: Yeap, It is Very Enjoyable .......2006-10-25

For the first time, I listened to LAGQ from Vermont Public Radio while I came back home. After listening to "Little Fugue In G Minor", I could not get it out of my mind. I like the original version of Bach's organ music but the LAGQ version gave me a different feeling of music: True melancholy.
Buying the cd gave me a lot of joyful time. All the music in the cd were excellent. I believe there are a lot of musicians who are techically perfect but only a few of them can give me this kind of pleasure. All the music are beautiful and graceful. On top of that all of them are absolutely enjoyable.

Please try the last track, "Canon In D: The Pachelbel 'Loose' Cannon" when you are blue.

Amazing Guitars...And Then Some!.......2006-10-17

As a guitarist(mostly metal, neo-classical, rock, and blues), I have always been seeking that one 'classical' album that is just guitars working out entire orchestrations; no violins, cellos, etc(nothing personal, mind you...). This is that album. From the subtle to the intense, these 4 players work effortlessly together, putting together some faithful and authentic renditions of some familiar(some not so familiar)classical pieces. I was amazed at first just by the blinding technique, but began to appreciate the much more hidden aspects of this CD on multiple listenings. It has inspired me to look into a whole new style of playing. This is a really good starter CD for someone like myself who is just looking for some nice classical guitar ensembles.

Pleasure For Your Musical Soul .......2006-02-22

I listened to this CD three times straight to make sure I heard every outstanding note. The arrangements were superb, and the talent....
This CD is a must for anyone who loves guitar and arrangments that will have you humming in your sleep!!

Just amazing playing!.......2005-05-17

This cd is great, the repertoire isn't played very much, and these four gentlemen play it so well! My personal favorite track on the disc is the "loose" cannon! Just a fun arrangement of one of the most popular classical songs of all time, and it's virtuosic in every way! Another great CD. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Fine Brahms Songs
Gloriously Committed Singing

Brahms: Lieder

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

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Songs by Mahler, Handel & Peter Lieberson
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs
Russian Album
Dvorak: Lieder

ASIN: B000L439ZI
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Bei Dir Sind Meine Gedanken
Wie Melodien Zieht Es Mir
Sapphische Ode
Feldeinsamkeit
Nachtigall
Verzagen
Alte Liebe
An Die Nachtigall
Das Madchen Spricht
Dein Blaues Auge
Geheimnis
Standchen
Von Ewiger Liebe
Der Tod, Das Ist Die Kuhle Nacht
Auf Dem Kirchhofe
Die Mainacht
Anklage
Spanisches Lied
Madchenlied
Am Sonntag Morgen
Liebestreu
Vergebliches Standchen
Das Machen
Therese
Madchenlied
Der Jager
Der Scmied
Der Gang Zum Liebchen
Sonntag
Madchenlied
Wiegenlied

Amazon.com

No fewer than 31 Brahms songs are performed here by a superb duo: the exquisite Argentinian mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink and the versatile British pianist Roger Vignoles, who has accompanied Fink memorably in several previous recital discs. Singing in impeccable German, the singer steers her velvety voice through one gem after another. The more popular songs range in mood from movingly dramatic ("Von ewiger Liebe") to lighter-than-air ("Vergebliches Ständchen"). In "Wie Melodien zieht es mir," Fink is able to shade the sound with complete naturalness while putting the song, not herself, in the foreground. The less immediately recognizable material includes "Der Schmied," in which the description of the blacksmith's hammer and bellows lets out Fink's full voice with no hint of roughness or exaggeration. She's unmatched today for delicacy (listen to the ravishing "An die Nachtigall") and disarming simplicity (as in Brahms's eternally fresh lullaby). Fink can sparkle, too, deliciously characterizing the girl singing about her lover, the hunter of "Der Jäger." Vignoles is as expressive and technically adroit as his partner. Harmonia Mundi contributes its usual immaculate sound. Like the Fink-Vignoles CDs of Schumann, Dvořák, Wolf, and Spanish repertoire, this disc is a joy and not to be missed! --Roger Pines

Customer Reviews:

Fine Brahms Songs.......2007-05-07

This collection of many of Brahms' most popular songs is a wonderful listening experience, which I have been playing over and over. The piano accompaniments are a major part of the success of the disc and the singing is very finely nuanced. Die Mainacht is my favorite but all of the lieder are well done.

Gloriously Committed Singing.......2007-04-30

This disk is self-recommending, for Bernarda Fink has emerged as one of the world's preeminent Lieder singers. Hers is a voice of shimmering beauty and intensity, distilling interpretations of uncommon emotional integrity. Her distinction in Lieder is all the more impressive in view of her accomplishments in opera, oratorio, and early music.

Anyone who heard her maiden Lieder recording, the Schumann recital on harmonia mundi france that included Frauenliebe und -leben, will have high expectations of her Brahms. This album does not disappoint. Her noble performances put her in the company of my favorite Brahms interpreters: Olaf Bär, Janet Baker, Elly Ameling, Jessye Norman.

For me, Brahms's Lieder, while utterly beautiful, are less compelling a body of work than Schubert and Schumann. Despite their indebtedness to Schumann, they seem to inhabit their own fragrant sound-world: one of dense harmonies, folk overtones, melodies that are both beautiful and reticent, suffused with melancholy and charm. Unrequited love and separation are constant themes. Fink and Vignoles are in complete accord with the composer, offering in each song a sensitively drawn miniature portrait. Every emotional nuance in verse and music is acknowledged and shared with us.

The first half of the disk includes several songs that are fairly uncommon in recital, with less assertive melodies and shifting harmonies. These are exquisitely realized by the duo. Also perfectly inhabited are favorites like "Von ewiger Lieber" and "Liebestreu" with their heavy burden of melodrama, or the ravishment of "Mainacht." Fink sings with an immediacy that renews familiar songs without ever alienating us. This is perhaps most touchingly evident in the famous Lullaby that closes the recital.

The recital includes more modest songs -- no fewer than 5 have the word "Mädchen" in the title, including 3 entitled "Mädchenlied." These are given fine, honest portrayals -- the setting of a text by Kapper (the second-to-last song on the recital) is especially haunting, as is the "Sapphische Ode" early on. Several songs in a more characterful enliven the second half half of the recital: "Der Schmied," "Vergebliches Ständchen," and "Sonntag." Fink's voice, so tender elsewhere, easily sallies forth with robust tones on these occasions.

One might lament the absence of the Op. 91 pair (Gestillte Sehnsucht, Geistliches Wiegenlied) that are so beloved of mezzos. For me, I would have relished hearing the exuberant "Meine Liebe is grün" in the context of this program. But these quibbles only accentuate a perfection that can't help but leave us wanting more. As I said, the disk is self-recommending. There are no weaknesses in evidence, just gloriously committed singing.

Average customer rating:

best recording of a Mozart opera, period.
A box of sweets lined with lace
Wonderful re-vision of my favorite opera
Wonderful performance, beautifully packaged

Mozart: Così fan tutte

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

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Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro / Gens · Ciofi · Kirchschlager · Regazzo · Keenlyside · McLaughlin · van Rensburg · Abete · Rial · Concerto Köln · René Jacobs
Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito
Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart: Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute)

ASIN: B000A169JU
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Amazon.com

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Too long considered an erotic trifle, this masterpiece of psychological insight is on a par with Shakespeare's bittersweet comedies. The keen, witty direction of René Jacobs brings us a magnificently bracing, but never fussy, period-instrument interpretation. And the bonus CD-ROM allows you to explore the context and character of Mozart's opera in fascinating detail. --Thomas May

Amazon.com essential recording

However the characters of Così fan tutte behave, interpretations of the work certainly belie its title ("They're All Like That"). And this is one of the most bracing, exhilarating new recordings of a Mozart opera to come along in a while. Here you won't find any of the self-conscious uptightness that mars too many period-instrument undertakings. Rather, the attention that René Jacobs and his performers lavish on "historically informed" Mozartean style is as gloriously revealing as the brightened contours of a freshly restored fresco. Just take the startlingly crisp attack in the overture's first bars: it announces what will prove an unfailingly energetic, tart, and witty approach to Mozart's score, and one with an ultimately moving payoff. The Concerto Köln--including some giddily inventive accompaniment on period pianoforte--plays with hair-trigger precision and stints neither on the ironically winking nor the elegiac moments. Jacobs has assembled a superlative, stylish cast, from Pietro Spagnoli's mordantly cynical Alfonso to Véronique Gens's winning way with the high-flying opera seria poses struck by Fiordiligi. Most importantly, this cast forms a true ensemble: there is incandescent sotto voce singing in the Act I farewell scene, while at the end of the opera the antics boil over into a scene of poignant reconciliation. Finally, this set includes a bonus interactive CD-ROM crowded with information about the opera's structure, background, and interpretation, all of it engagingly presented. This is a package no lover of Mozart should miss. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

best recording of a Mozart opera, period........2007-06-24

If my username doesn't say it all (yes, folks, in this one Don Alfonso is a major player), let me add: if anyone out there knows of an opera recording better than this, I'd love to hear it.

A box of sweets lined with lace.......2006-04-09

The linear quality of the music in this recording is so well drawn out and detailed that I heard lines of music I had never heard before. It's very graphic and at the same time very coloristic. The vocal performances are extremely well proportioned and balanced creating an elegant ensemble whole. The pianoforte accompanment is like a lace lining to the work. As one other reviewer has said the feeling is like seeing a favorite fresco re-cleaned.It is an exquistely balanced and proported interpretation which creates a symmetrical musical whole in an intimate "repertory type" company production. It is also an interpretation that opens up views into the past(the Baroque) and forsees the future (Romantic). I think this comes from Jacobs' long successful work with Renaissance and Baroque opera, and with his work with late Haydn. There is a sense of the infinite in this interpretation. It has captured something of the endless potential inherent in the work. This recording together with the Bohm/Schwarkopf version will give you a sense of the potential of this work. (P.S. I found that the page numbers in the index of the accompaning book beside the track numbers to be all wrong (bad proof-reading) Shame on you Harmonia Mundi!

Wonderful re-vision of my favorite opera.......2006-03-29

This is one of my favorite recordings of Cosi. I love how fresh and transparent it sounds. Even though the singers aren't superstars like Schwarzkopf or Fleming, they certainly give them a run for their money. This is the most intimate and light of all the Cosi recordings I own, and one that focuses on the drama the most.

The only complaint I have about this set is the quintet in Act I (Deh scrivermi). The tempo is grotesquely slow here, which is almost shocking, considering that the rest of the recording moves along at a healthily brisk pace.

All in all, it's a very satisfying and pleasant recording, and deserves to be one of the top-ranked Cosi's of all time. But I'm not sure it's a good first-timer's choice, because its somewhat atypical. For one thing, Jacobs encourages his singers to employ appoggiatura (improvised decorations of the vocal lines), far moreso than most conductors; the results are somewhat mixed, because, though it definitely gives the performance a unique and distinctive feel, I feel that sometimes the singers make some poor choices in their improvisation. But that is only a minor point. Also, the pianoforte, which usually only accompanies secco recitatives, can be heard chiming in during other times, along with the orchestra. I felt it was a charming and original touch, but I can imagine some people might find it too odd for their palate.

In short, I think this recording is a must-own, along with the Bohm, Solti, and Mackerras versions. None of these recordings are perfect, but they each have an element that is the unrivaled best.

NOTE: This is just the re-release of this recording: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000I8DY/qid=1143623562/sr=11-1/ref=sr_11_1/102-8917568-4027355?n=5174

Wonderful performance, beautifully packaged.......2005-12-26

I have a good collection of opera CDs, but this is fast becoming my favorite. Rene Jacobs has become justifiably famous for this interpretation of Cosi Fan Tutte (as well as his Le Nozze di Figaro). This rivals the classic recordings with Bohm and others and may even eclipse them all. I intend to try out his Le Nozze soon. If HM packages it like this Cosi, that would be all the better.

Harmonia Mundi has done a spendid job of packaging this "Mozart Edition" version as a slip-sleeved jewel case sized 278 page hard bound book with the three audio CDs in separate CD sleeves at the front and back. This is the best presentation of any multi-CD recording in my library. If only other music publishers would take a lead from Harmonia Mundi here, we could be forever rid of the fragile and user unfriendly plastic CD jewel case. The book includes libretto as well as commentary and synopsis in four languages with plenty of colorful images.

This is a beautifully presented treasure.

Fargo (1996 Film)/Barton Fink (1991 Film)

Average customer rating:

Chilling..............
Grade A mood music.
I saw the movie too! 1
Burwell's pure surreal winter glorification for us in hell
brilliant

Fargo (1996 Film)/Barton Fink (1991 Film)
Carter Burwell
Manufacturer: Tvt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000GTE
Release Date: 1996-05-28

Tracks:

Fargo, North Dakota
Moose Lake
A Lot Of Woe
Forced Entry
The Ozone
The Trooper's End
Chewing On It
Rubbernecking
Dance of the Sierra
The Mallard
Delivery
Bismark, North Dakota
Paul Bunyon
The Eager Beaver
Brainerd, Minnesota
Safe Keeping
Fade In
Big Shoes
Love Theme from Barton Fink
Barton In Shock
Typing Montage
The Box
Barton in Flames
Fade Out - The End

Amazon.com essential recording

This disc combines two of Carter Burwell's best soundtrack efforts for the Coen brothers, Fargo and Barton Fink. It's a study of contrasts: Fargo is filled with somber string arrangements and a full orchestra playing in minor keys. Barton Fink, meanwhile, sounds more adventurous with offbeat instrumentation (a very gamelan-sounding keyboard prevails) and a simple score that Burwell recycles into different arrangements. Fargo, especially, sounds dark and reserved--"The Ozone" and "Chewing on It" are both underlined by melancholy--while Barton Fink is just as lyrical but more mysterious. Many of these tracks are short--the two soundtracks together add up to less than 45 minutes of music--but all are poignant, and some of Burwell's best. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Chilling.....................2003-10-27

I saw Fargo in the theater and was immmediately struck by the music that perfectly accompanied the film. The opening track I don't think I will ever forget. Plus "Ozone" is a fantastic song, I just wish it was longer. The Barton Fink material isn't as great, but also isn't as prevelent on the disc. I love listening to this while doing homework or just writing. The music sets the tone and the atmosphere.....the album just cannot be played in the summer.

Grade A mood music........2002-08-30

Writers will love these two scores, particularly the one for Fargo. Enjoy writing horror, morbid, or gothic tales? Than this is the perfect cd to write to. Enjoy.

I saw the movie too! 1.......1999-12-14

what the other two guys said.

Aka: p-->q ~p _____ ~

Burwell's pure surreal winter glorification for us in hell.......1998-12-13

Rich cool music without any limits. It's gothic and modern at the same time. It spans Fargo and Findadia in an earthy genuity.

brilliant.......1998-10-09

the fargo soundtrack is one of the best i own my fave track being no,16, safe keeping.

Average customer rating:

Biscuits for Breakfast
Fink
Manufacturer: Ninja Tune
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000I0QL1E
Release Date: 2006-10-31

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Album Description

"Fink blends folk, soul and dub song styles to make a great disc for Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. For fans of Jose Gonzales, Jack Johnson and John Martyn."

Average customer rating:

We Can't Get Enough of this CD!
Grandkids love it!
Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange Review
We love this cd!

Scat Like That: A Musical Word Odyssey
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AMJEGY
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Scat Like That
Flip Flapjacks
I Love Pie
A-E-I-O- And U
50 States
The Limerick Song
A Pirate's Life
Pig Latin Polka Dance (Igpay Atinlay Olkapay Anceday)
Dagnabbit
A Riddle In The Middle
Black Socks
Is Not, Is Too!
It Only Take A Minute
IM4U

Album Description

Wordplay becomes big fun in Scat Like That: A Musical Word Odyssey. Sing along on tongue twisters, scat singing, limericks, yodeling, Pig Latin and more. Clever, witty, playful and adventurous, this musical journey travels through big band swing, polka, blues, folk, old-time country and Latin sounds. These songs are guaranteed to provide fun at home, in the car and in the classroom.

Customer Reviews:

We Can't Get Enough of this CD!.......2007-05-15

For the past few months we have listened to "Scat Like That" at LEAST once a day (no exaggeration!). With no TV, music is widely featured in our home and this music has been like our life soundtrack. My daughters have lots of CDs to choose from (75+), but when I ask them what they want to hear they both yell "Scat Like That"! There is really something amazing about this CD. No matter how many times we listen to it, we find new things to enjoy about it - and it really gets us dancing (sometimes we even get up to dance in the middle of dinner). We have many Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer CDs and enjoy them all depending on our mood and situation, but "Scat Like That" is magical!

Grandkids love it!.......2006-11-10

I bought 3 copies, one for each family of grandkids. They love it! Their parents love it more because the songs keep them busy singing and dancing along. Great CD.

Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange Review.......2005-12-20

[...]

I have always appreciated albums that respect children's ability to handle a variety of musical styles, and this is definitely one of them. From the "scat" of the title track, Cathy and Marcy branch out into a Latin rhythm, a polka, blues, even a sea shanty, taking kids on a musical adventure over land and sea.

The value in this collection of tunes comes not only in the diverse genres from which it is drawn. Interspersed between and within these delightful cuts are a variety of sound and word plays as well. Have you ever been around a kid who's just discovered knock-knock jokes? There's no doubt that the material here will be just as intriguing to the elementary-aged set. Limericks, yodeling, tongue twisters, riddles, and more spice it up to get those brains stretching and tongues wagging-in a good way! That's right-this collection of CDs has the added benefit of being (...Shh! Don't tell your kids!...) EDUCATIONAL!! Literacy, geography, social skills, Spanish, they're all here, with an extra helping of silliness that makes it more fun than anything to kids.

Here's what I found:

Scat Like That - "Ba bee ba da doo'n dee da'n doo da." Have you ever wondered how they do that?? This celebration of improvisational jazz singing, invites kids to exercise their "syllables, consonants, rhythm, and design."

Flip Flapjacks - Tongue twisters! Kids of all ages will enjoy wrapping their mouths around "double bubble gum, shredded swiss cheese," and more...

I Love Pie (Pastel) - A bilingual celebration of pie (pastel) to a rhythmic Latin beat!

A-E-I-O and U - A yodeling song! Yodeling from both the American West and the Swiss.

Fifty States - This song, written by Sally Rogers to the tune of Yankee Doodle, will put kids in the mood to march their way through the states. As an educator, I think this song can be considered a great one for helping to make memorization fun!

The Limerick Song - This one had my 15-year-old-daughter asking "Wait a minute...What did she say? How can that be?" New sillies in the old tradition of the limerick.

A Pirate's Life - A just-bawdy-enough sea shanty for the younger set, complete with all the right lingo. Now go swab the deck, matey! ARRRR!

Pig Latin Polka Dance - "Old Mac's" farm animals use a secret language to plan a secret "Igpay Atinlay Olkapay Anceday" and an unexpected guest shows up!

Dagnabbit! - A blues style exercise in "appropriate" and creative language, as a child on "time out" tries to come up with less offensive ways to express anger. An instrumental portion featuring blues harmonica (played by Howard Levy, with Ralph Gordon on bass) finishes it off.

A Riddle in the Middle - Classic plays on words, all to the hummin' of the fiddle and the strummin' of the banjo and mandolin. Kind of a kids' "Arkansas Traveler."

Black Socks - The "old camp song" performed in a round by the University Park Elementary School Ensemble.

Is Not, Is Too! - Written by Bill Harley, this cut highlights the struggle with learning to move beyond the dead-end "I'm right/you're wrong" argument and into a place of listening and really hearing each other in a dispute. As in "Dagnabbit!," Cathy & Marcy convey a child's perspective, creating safe ground from which to explore developing social skills.

It Only Takes a Minute - A one-minute exercise in how to say "I love you" twenty different ways, whether with a smile, with a "meal that's divine", or by saying it in Hawaiian (Aloha wau ia oi).

IM4U (by Jose Melis & Sev F. Marino) - A 10-line song made up of a letter and number puzzle!

Kids-and adult fans of music for kids-won't be disappointed by this upbeat collection of tunes, for which they have received their 11th GRAMMY nomination! Fortunately, all of the lyrics are included, 'cause you and your young ones might need a little help learning some of the more "strenuous" parts. I did! And, like me, I'm confident you'll have a blast doing it!

We love this cd!.......2005-11-03

From the first moment I put on this CD, my house was awhirl with dancing girls. Kalli and Mackie immediately jumped up and started dancing - on the beds, on the floor - and didn't stop till I made them come take a bath (bad timing on my part). Mackie, age four, even insisted on getting dressed up for the music and changed clothes three times. Now that's enthusiasm! Kalli, age seven, immediately announced that she would play it at her 8th birthday party.

I've never listened to scat in my life, and if you'd asked me a couple months ago if I liked it, I wouldn't know what to tell you. Now, however, I can say that we are a family of scat fans! "I like the doogedy doogedy doogedy part!" says Mackie. Despite the title, however, there's a whole lot more to this CD. How does yodeling grab you? (Kids love it!) Ever done a Pig Latin polka dance? (Kids love it!) What about big band swing? (Kids love it!) Get the idea?

Fink and Marxer are two-time Grammy Award winners, and the only children's recording artists to win the Grammy two years in a row. This CD is a playful mixture of tongue twisters and word games set to a fantastic variety of music. I asked Kalli which song was her favorite and why, and she chose "A-E-I-O and U" aka The Cow Song. It also happens to be the yodeling song (what did I tell you?). She pointed out the following lyrics about singing to cows to illustrate:

One day my sister decided to change
Our patterns and our emphasis
Expanding the range of our vowel exchange
With a yodel inspired by the Swiss

She especially loves that she has the words so she can sing along. And she just told me to add that "Fifty States" is her other favorite song. We're planning a roadtrip across the U.S. next year, and we'll definitely be taking this one with us on the road. Visit Cathy Marcy's website for extras including a recommended related reading list, a download of "The Limerick Song" that kids can sing their own limericks to, and a "Pirate's Mini-Dictionary" to go with the song "A Pirate's Life" (truly cute).--Melanie Wilson

Mozart: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626 [Hybrid SACD with CD-ROM track of Mozart's Original Manuscript]

Average customer rating:

The Mozart Requiem performed like a great lost opera--bravo!
A Requiem to Rely On
Neither great nor terrible
What in the world?
Mozart's Requiem in D Minor

Mozart: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626 [Hybrid SACD with CD-ROM track of Mozart's Original Manuscript]
W. A. Mozart , Kurt Streit , Gerald Finley , Concentus Musicus Wien , and Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00022UO9I
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

Requiem
Kyrie
Dies Irae
Tuba Mirum
Rex Tremendae
Recordare
Confutatis
Lacrimosa
Domine Jesu
Hostias
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Lux Aeterna

Amazon.com

Beethoven called Mozart's Requiem "wild and terrible," and that's what we get in Harnoncourt's new recording. Ominous dread hangs from every note of the dark opening measures, the Rex tremendae and Confutatis are driven with terrifying strength, and the supplications of the Lacrimosa, with their weeping stabbings of the orchestra, are freighted with emotional power. The Tuba mirum duet of bass soloist and trombone has a beauty almost never achieved in other readings. Nor does Harnoncourt overstep the stylistic boundaries of this classical-era work; rather, the intensity is heightened for being in the idiom of its time. Call it a Romantic reading of a Classical piece that looks forward to a more unbuttoned era. The soloists couldn't be better; the orchestra is first-rate, the chorus, sensational, singing with a sense of color, line, and emotion,. Harnoncourt uses the Beyer edition of Süssmayr's completion of the work, and Mozart's unfinished original manuscript can be accessed via a CD-ROM track, which scrolls as the music plays. This release gets my vote as the best Mozart Requiem on disc, all the more impressive for being a live concert performance in excellent sound. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

The Mozart Requiem performed like a great lost opera--bravo!.......2006-08-27

Harnoncourt has a long history of troulbing ideas that either thrill or disturb the listener. This is particularly true in his Mozart recordings, where Harnoncourt almost recomposes the music to make it sound drastic, conflicted, and turbulent. Is this a modernist breakthrough or an insult to Mozart's serene genius? In this live 2003 recording of the Requiem, I think Harnoncourt's intervention, which is as extreme as ever, justifies itself. Every section, virtually every bar, is phrased and shaped in new, incisive ways that wake up the listener's ears.

To Harnoncourt, the Requiem displays Mozart in transition, groping for a more succint yet 'catchy' style. His conducting is certainly succinct--phrases gasp and stagger, almost lurching along. To overcome the blandness of Sussmayr's much-maligned completion, Harnoncourt extends Mozart's intentions, giving each section a contrasting personality, almost as if we are hearing scenes from an unstaged opera of the soul's struggle. Being himself such an imaginative musician, Harnoncourt's stylistic notions are often brilliant and always effective. You'll never mistake the Requiem for a familiar, comfortable church piece again.

As to the performers, I admire the period excellence of Harnoncourt's own Concentus MusicuS Wien, the ensemble he first made his name with. The porfessional Arnold Schoenberg Choir is a revelation in their ability to sing with the flexible expression of a single voice. In the vocal quartet, the standouts are bass Gerald Finley and soprano Christine Schafer, but the whole group sings with alertness and conviction.

I would rank this new CD as the top Mozart Requiem I've heard, albeit I will still return to its exact opposite, the monumentally Romantic version under Bruno Walter on Sony.

A Requiem to Rely On.......2006-06-07

So, I've never done a classical review before, so I thought that I would begin with one of my favorite works. For those so inclined, I'm going to include a bit of history on the work itself. If you'd rather skip that, go on ahead. Most know that Mozart died while working on this, his final piece. Those who got that information from "Amadeus" will be shocked to find out that Salieri had quite little to do with the final penning of the work. There was no dramatic scene of Salieri sitting at Mozart's bedside, actually penning some of the work. The work was, in fact, never completed by Mozart (or anyone else) during his lifetime. The work as completely finished by Mozart breaks off after 8 bars of the Lacrimosa, leaving only bits and pieces of the Domine Jesu and the Hostias.

After his death, his widow Constanze Mozart was anxious to have the work completed and to collect the second half of her husband's comission. She first enlisted Josef Von Eybler to complete the work. After much trying, he gave up, saying he was not up to the task. After Eybler gave the manuscript back to Constanze, she gave to work to Mozart's pupil Franz Xaver Süssmayr, who completed the work and added the Lux Aeterna. And it is Süssmayr's version that has become the traditional performed Requiem.

This version uses the Süssmayr manuscript, was some additions by Beyer. The Lacrimosa is very different from the Süssmayr edition, and the Sanctus has a new ending. This is my favorite edition of the Requiem, and this disc my favorite recording of it (Honorable mention goes to the Christopher Hogwood recording of the Maunder edition).

The conductor is Nikolas Haroncourt, who does a masterful job orchestrating one of the most challenging pieces in the classical repertoire. The truly cinematic and epic feel of the piece is well preserved (if not highlighted), yet he never lets the orchestra run away from him. He deftly spins this whirlwind of a piece, and his efforts most assuredly pay off.

The orchestra plays flawlessly almost to a fault, in a VERY Vienna Philharmonic style. Anyone overwhelmed by the brass section (and apparently there are a few) should go seek out a different interpretation, but I believe this to be quite close to what Mozart originally intended. The Daes Irae is truly terrifying, and the piece fits together marvelously. The loud, almost bloated brass is used as a device to convey the message, not simply for the sake of "pretty" music.

The soloists are adequate, but not overwhelming. They fit into the mix seamlessly, which is a more difficult task. While not NEARLY as gorgeous as the performance's on the Hogwood recording, these singers fit neatly into Haroncourt's direction.

Now, I certainly don't have any glimmer of a hope to comment on the work itself. Let it suffice to say that this is my second favorite classical piece (only to Verdi's Requiem....hmm, theme?). If you haven't heard it, go buy it. If you don't want to buy it, borrow it from me. If you're not a fan of classical music, don't write off the genre until you've heard a good version of this amazing work. This one will suffice.

Neither great nor terrible.......2006-05-10

I find the praise European and American critics heap on any new recording from Harnoncourt tiresome in the extreme. What I find equally as tiresome are exhibitions of Harnoncourt's ego, which are on display in his notes to this issue.

"...time after time in my days as an orchestral musician (Harnoncourt was an orchestra cellist before ascending to the podium) I was forced to play (Mozart's G minor music) in such harmless and sugary interpretations that in the end I couldn't bear this misunderstanding of Mozart's music any longer. I had no choice but to leave the orchestra and take up the baton myself!"

Is the world better off for this? Some think so but not me. I find an annoying sameness to many of Harnoncourt's recordings. The fault tends to lie in his wayward reading of scores, his habit to merging passion with unemotional personal involvement, and tendencies to make himself larger than the music he presents.

Prima facie evidence of that exits on this recording in the "Hostias" section of the Offertorium, where he drives the chorus to finish in 3:02, which must be a world record for this section. Elsewhere, I found this interpretation varied uncomfortably between operatic approaches by the soloists and objectivity by the conductor, mated to an SACD recording that isn't very special by 2006 standards.

Recorded during concert in Vienna's Musikvereinsaal in late 2003, the performance includes some big name soloists -- soprano Christine Schafer, alto Bernarda Fink, tenor Kurt Streit and bass Gerald Finley -- Harnoncourts Arnold Schoenberg Choir and Concenuts Musicus Vienna, his regular band and chorus. For those of you not conversant with period performance style, you may not like the sour sound of the band's brass and woodwinds.

I think the singers and chorus do fine but I find little in the overall interpretation that is very memorable. For all Harnoncourt's talk in the notes about the Requiem being a revolutionary work that even put off Beethoven -- whom Harnoncourt claims called the score "too wild and terrible" -- I found nothing individual outside that terrible Hostias and Harnoncourt's usual tendency to emotional detachment.

The super audio recording is OK by 2006 standards but doesn't come close to the better choral recordings I've heard (check my reviews of Mozart's Missa Solemnis and Verdi's Requiem by Ormandy). I don't have my 5.1 system hooked up for surround sound but I listened to the back speakers in my den and didn't hear anything different that what came out the front.

Harnoncourt's brief essay about the music is interesting and there is a CD-ROM of the score for those of you that like to play disks in your computer.

I played my current favorite recording of this music -- the one recorded by Bruggen and forces in Japan in 1998 -- immediately after hearing this one. I like Bruggen's emotional attachment to the music far more than this one. While the Bruggen recording is in concert stereo that is only half as good as Harnoncourt's, it is still more appealing and a more satisfying musical experience.

Harnoncourt has certainly done some great work in the past including his masterly recording of Schubert's D. 950 mass. But, for this one, my advice is to stick with whatever your favorite is and borrow a copy from your library before investing your money. After hearing this, there is no justification for the hyperbolic critical press it has received. I don't think it will long stand the test of time as part of your collection.

What in the world?.......2006-03-19

First I will start with the positive (and only reason it got anything above a star). The chorus in this was terrific, wonderous, and beautiful. Their voices were perfect, and their talent... unquestioned.

However, what is to be questioned... is the conductor and the orchestras talent. Which confuses me because Harnoncourt's Brahms cycle is very good... this, is not. A poor waste of SACD if one asks me.

So, where does it go wrong?

(1) The horns are awful. They are like piercing beasts which rip through ones soul. Terribly out of place, and played with such force as to approach ugly. If this is what Harnoncourt intended... then it was an awful intention. The chorus is almost totally drowned out by their blairing voice.

(2) It seems that there is no balance, nor true dynamic range in this piece. It seems that Harnoncourt has forced everything in this narrow lane and doesn't allow a chorus to realize its full potential. I'm sorry but "artistic creativity" can only take one so far. It can't, and shouldn't, be allowed to cover for either poor playing, poor performing, or good old stupidity.

(3) Finally, these effects come together to create something of such awful quality that I've only run across one requiem that was worse (Hogwood's). Such a terrible interpretation and performance should be buried and forgotten.

If you want quality, seek out Marriner's interpretation.

Mozart's Requiem in D Minor.......2006-03-13

An absolute wonderful rendition of Mozart's work. I am presently using it in my rehearsal of the same work that will be performed by the Battenkill Chorale located in beautiful Cambridge, New York May 6th and 7th of 2006 under the direction of Janet McGhee. I would recommend this CD to anyone interested in gorgeous Chorale work

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
Superb recording of Handel's first smash hit in London in 1711
Handel Handled by Masters Led by a Soaring Daniels

Rinaldo
Christopher Hogwood , Cecilia Bartoli , Ana-Maria Rincon , and Academy of Ancient Music
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel: Rinaldo

ASIN: B00006YYJ1
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Rinaldo: Ouverture - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Delle nostre fatiche siam prossimi alla meta (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Sovra blaze scoscese e pungenti (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Signor, gia dal tuo senno (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Combatti da forte - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Questi saggi consigli accogli net tuo sen (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Ogn'indugio d'un amante e una pena - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 2: Signor, che delle stelle emuli i pregi (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 2: Sulla ruota di fortuna va girando la speranza (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 3: Sibillar gli angui d' Aletto (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 3: Goffredo; se t'arrise sin qui fortuna (Argante, Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 3: No, no, che quest'alma scontenti non da (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 4: Infra dubbi di Marte resta sospeso il cuore (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 4: Vieni, o cara, a consolarmi (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 5: Furie terribili - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 5: Come a tempo giungesti, cara (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 5: Molto voglio, molto spero (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 6: Augelletti che cantate - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 6: Adorato mio sposo, vieni a bear quest'alma - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 6: Scherzano sul tuo volto le grazie vezzosette - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 7: Al valor del mio brando cedi la nobil preda (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 7: Prelude - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 7: Cara sposa, amante cara, dove sei? - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: Ch'insolito stupore lega gli sensi tuoi (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: Cor ingrato, ti rammembri, e non scoppii di dolor? - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: lo all'ora impugno il brando (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: Col valor, colla virtu or si vada a trionfar (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 9: Di speranza un bel raggio ritorni - Christopher Hogwood
Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 9: Venti, turbini, prestate le vostre ali a questo pie - The Academy Of Ancient Music

Tracks:

Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 1: Siam prossimi al porto (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 2: A quei sasso bramato (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Per raccor d'Almirena i piu doici respiri - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Il vostro maggio de' bei verdi anni - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Qual incognita forza mi spinge (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Il Tricerbero umilato - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Signor, strano ardimento! (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Scorta rea di cieco amore (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Cio fu indegna vittoria del barbaro Acheronte (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Mio cor, che mi sai dir? (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Armida dispietata! (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Lascia ch'io pianga mia cruda sorte - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Ah! sul bel labbro Amore di possente magia formo le note (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Basta che sol tu chieda (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 5: Cingetemi d'allori le trionfali chiome (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 6: Perfida, un cor illustre ha ben forza bastante (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 6: Fermati - No, crudel (Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 7: Crudel, tu ch'involasti al mio core la calma (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 7: Abbruccio, avvampo e fremo - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 8: Dunque i lacci d'un volto (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 8: Ah! crudel, il pianto mio, deh! ti mova (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 9: Riprendiam d'Almirena il mentito sembiante (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 10: Adorata Almirena, ogni breve dimora (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 10: Vo' far guerra, e vincer voglio (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)

Tracks:

Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 1: Quivi par che rubelle la terra s'alzi (Eustazio, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: La causa che vi spinge in si remota parte (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: Sinfonia - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: Qui vomita Cocito tutta sua nera peste (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: Andate, o forti, fra stragi e morti - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 3: Mori svenata - O Numi! (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: Nella guardata soglia come osaste portar sicuro il piede? (Armida, Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: Sorge nel petto certo diletto (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: Al trionfo s'affretti senza ritardo il corso! - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: E' Un incendio fra due venti - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 5: Chiuso fra quelle mura langue il comun valore (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: Per formentar lo sdegno a fronte d'un sleal anco mi trovo? (Armida, Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: March - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: In quel bosco di strali (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: Al trionfo del nostro furore or corriamo (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 7: Di quei strani accidenti se la serie ripiglio (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 7: Bel piacere e godere fido amor - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 8: Signor, l'oste nemica con barbari ululati s'avvicina (Eustavio, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 8: Di Sion nell'alta sede (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 9: March - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 9: Se cio t' e in gardo, o Prence (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 9: Or la tromba in suon festante mi richiama a trionfar - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 10: Miei fidi, ecco la in campo colmo di mille furti (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 11: Magnanimi campioni, ecco l'ultimo giorno delle vostre fatiche (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 11: Solo dal brando, dal senno solo della vittoria (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 11: Battaglia - The Academy Of Ancient Music
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 12: Gofferdo, ecco il superbo in lacci avolto (Argante, Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 13: Ecco, german, la cruda (Eustazio, Argante, Armida, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)
Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 13: Vinto e sol dalla virtu degli affetti il rio livor (Armida, Eustazio, Argante, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-11-20

Of George Frederick Handel of England, born Georg Friedrich Handel of Germany, an English critic wrote,"He did bestride our musical world like a Colossus." He was 18 when his Father died, thus allowing him to drop the Law mandated by his father, and turn to music which was his first love. After serving several apprenticeships in various places, including the Hamburg Opera, he went to Italy (1706), and for three years he absorbed Italian music, which powerfully influenced his own writing. It is not known for certain what prompted him to make London his home, but nevertheless, in 1720 he went there, and for 10 years contributed musically to England. And so the international German who wrote like an Italian became a naturalized Englishman in 1726, though he never lost his German accent.

The first opera Handel produced for London, and the first Italian opera specifically composed for London stage- was 'Rinaldo',which opened at the Queen's (later King's) Theatre in the Haymarket on Feb.24,1711. Giocomo Rossi wrote the libretto for 'Rinaldo' loosely based on episodes from Torquato's epic poem 'Gerusalemme liberta', a fantastically elaborated account of the First Crusade(1096-99) in which Tasso describes how Christian forces led by Godfrey of Bouillon captured the city of Jerusalem from Muslim rule. Handel partially ensured the success of the music by drawing much of it from the best works he had written earlier in Italy. There is , however, plenty of freshly composed music in the score as well. Handel, taking advantage of the many skilled instrumentalists available in London, used a wide variety of them to create a wonderful range of orchestral color.

The emotional depth which this music brings to the characters is no less striking, and is especially apparent in the role of Armida (Luba Orgonasova) first of a line of Handelian sorceresses, whose propensity for evil is conquered by true love. Rinaldo's (David Daniels) own aria of lament in Act 1,'Cara Sposa', is even more intense, and who can sing this better than Daniels??????This particular role suits him so well; not only does he sound good, he also projects the characterization of a true mercenary.Almarena's(Cecelia Bartoli) charm comes strongly to the fore in her birdsong aria 'Augelleti' and in 'Bel Piacere' which she sings at breakneck tempo; magnificently, of course! The aria (also sung by Almarena)'Lascia ch'io pianga' is a wonderful example of Handel's ability to convey a sense of despair with the simplest of means.

In addition to the singers mentioned above, there are several others of equal ability:Bernarda Fink as Goffredo-Daniel Taylor as Eustazio and Gerald Finley as Argante. If that line-up doesn't convince you to hear this recording, nothing well!!!!!

Superb recording of Handel's first smash hit in London in 1711.......2005-10-21

It is instructive to remember that when Handel went to Italy in 1707 to further his studies of composition and to study Italian Opera, that Opera was only a century old. It had begun in Italy in the early seventeenth century and was beginning to spread to other cities and courts in Europe. Opera was still sung in Italian and continued in that language simply because the great singers were Italian and preferred singing in their own language. When the popular arias were published, they were usually done in translation and sold by the ton making the publishers, and sometimes the composers, a great deal of money.

While it is not exactly clear how and why Handel was brought to London, he soon made a name for himself with the smash hit "Rinaldo". This opera is a fantasy or fairy tale based upon the notion of the Crusade to take Jerusalem around 1100 AD as a duty of Christian faith. As in most operas, the plot is quite convoluted in order to provide the maximum opportunity for the various kinds of singing the great singers could provide. One of the interesting features of opera at this time was the notion of two contrasting styles. There was the brilliant singing of great virtuosity and then there was the slower singing of great emotion. Many people were a fan of one style or the other, and many singers specialized in one or the other. It was dazzle them or make them weep. The greatest singers could do both. This opera provides every lead character with opportunities for both styles of singing and says a lot about the quality of singers Handel had at his disposal.

Handel's operas were not sung for a long time because of another feature of Italian opera at this time: the castrati. Young boys who were brilliant singers (and remember singers were servants and often drawn from lower classes) prolonged their career by having their testicles destroyed in a variety of ways in order to keep puberty from ruining their brilliant voice. So, they not only continued to sing at the high register we nowadays associate with women (but were not so then), they also developed greater lung capacity and vocal skill. They were among the most popular and sought after singers of their time. They did not sing in falsetto like Frankie Valli, but in a very strong full voice.

In the 1920s, Handel's operas began to be revived with women singing the roles of the castrati and later a male voice we now call the counter-tenor developed. In the past few decades some very brilliant counter-tenors have come on the scene and one of the greatest, David Daniels, sings the role of Rinaldo on this recording. It is also interesting that not all male roles went to males. From the very first performance the role of the commander of the Christian forces, Goffredo, has been given to a woman and wonderfully sung by Bernarda Fink here.

So, what is the opera about? Goffredo is leading forces to take Jerusalem from the Muslims. He offers his daughter, Almirena (sung by the acclaimed Cecilia Bartoli) to Rinaldo if he will help them take the city. The Muslims are lead by Argante (the superb Gerald Finley) who uses the powers of his sorceress wife, Armida (the terrific Luba Orgonasova) to kidnap Almirena and later ensnare Rinaldo as he comes for his betrothed. In captivity, Rinaldo and Almirena sing forlornly. Armida is smitten with Rinaldo and takes on the form of Almirena to deceive Rinaldo, but he is not deceived. Argante goes after Almirena. Both hero and heroine resist the seductions. Armida again takes the form of Almirena to trap Argante in his betrayal of her.

Goffredo and his brother Eustazio (the fine Daniel Taylor) go to a Christian magician and receive magic wands with which they destroy the castle and free Rinaldo and Almirena. The fight between the forces is finally engaged and Rinaldo captures the city and wins the day. Argante and Armida flee, but are captured. She renounces her powers and they convert to the Christian faith. All ends with the usual ensemble singing about evil being defeated by virtue alone and happiness only coming to a heart with purpose.

Think about all the dramatic possibilities! Sorceress flying in the air, smoke, thunder (the thunder machines were terrific in 1711 and are used in this recording), lightning, destroying castles by magic, armies, horns, despair, pathos, heroism, and victory. The stagecraft was fantastic and was exploited to the hilt, although that is not available to us in this recording.

This is a fine opera and you will find much to enjoy. The disks come with a fine booklet that contains a good history of the opera and the libretto in Italian and English.

It was not for nothing that Beethoven called Handel the greatest composer who ever lived and that he would uncover his head and kneel down at his tomb.

Handel Handled by Masters Led by a Soaring Daniels.......2004-11-23

This is a magnificent recording with an absolute dream cast. Despite its historical context within the late 11th century battles between the Crusades and the Saracens, Handel's "Rinaldo", written in the early 18th century, is actually a fanciful tale of love, devotion and betrayal populated by kings and warriors, fair maidens and sorcerers. It has all the elements of a great period action movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

You need a real vocal swashbuckler in the title role, and countertenor David Daniels is ideally suited with a rarefied voice that is alternately heroic and romantic. With his stunning coloratura and dramatic intensity, it would be hard to imagine anyone better as the conflicted Christian hero Rinaldo, who can lead an entire army to take Jerusalem but still have trouble taking his true love Almirena away from the hands of evil magicians. Daniels is particularly convincing with the music that reflects his deep love for her, in particular, with Rinaldo's famous lament, "Cara sposa, amante cara, dove sei?". The beauty of his timbre really flows out of him in what seems like an effortless manner, and provides proof positive that his is a special talent. As great as he is here, Daniels actually surpassed this performance two years later in David Alden's audacious update of the opera, staged in Munich in 2001 and luckily captured on DVD two years later (also strongly recommended). While not the most ideal interpreter of Handel, superstar mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli displays her supreme technique as Almirena. Her style is famously full of dramatic fire, but one gets the sense that a more plaintive manner would be more appropriate for such a lovelorn character. I kept thinking she could have been better cast as the sorceress Armida were it as important a role. At times, her presence is so overwhelming that she singes some of the more openly yearning arias with her bravura technique and amazing range. Ironically though, she and the more delicately toned Daniels meld together perfectly on their brief duets, notably "Scherzano sul tuo volto", and she certainly delivers the goods on the sonorous "Lascia ch'io pianga", likely the most definitive recorded version on the market now.

In a "pants" role, i.e., a female playing a male, mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink convincingly plays the Christian army general Goffredo, who almost acts like the chorus for all the action. Although the role is a bit passive, she lends a beautiful tone to all her pieces. Soprano Luba Orgonasova plays Armida, a sorceress that requires a singer to convey a concurrent sense of sensuality and melodrama, especially as she seduces and then falls in love with the stalwart Rinaldo. She falls a bit short though not at the sacrifice of communicating the fury of feelings which cause her change of heart. Quite impressive is baritone Gerald Finley, who is pitch perfect and provides clear diction as Argante, the King of Jerusalem. Perhaps because his voice is so dramatically deeper than anyone else's in the cast, he fully captures the dominating presence of his character. Amazingly there are two other countertenors in this stellar cast, which just shows how versatile this voice type truly is. Bejun Mehta brings a velvety quality to his aria, "Andate, o forti, fra stragi e morti"; and Daniel Taylor, with his choirboy innocence, does as well as he can in the least interesting role of Goffredo's brother Eustazio, especially with the lovely "Siam prossimi al porto", which opens Act II.

I love how characters will sing successive couplets culminating in some amazingly dulcet tones. Sound effects of thunder and battle and even simulations of birdsongs provide effective bridges between pieces and acts. Special praise should go to conductor Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music for the authentically dramatic sound of the period instruments. This is one of Handel's great early works, and we are lucky to have it preserved in such an exemplary manner here. Make sure to reserve three hours of your time to listen to this opera in total as it should be experienced. An absolute must-have for Baroque music aficionados.

Music Info:

Music Info

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