Scottish Fire

Scottish Fire

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Bonnie Rideout is an American who has mastered the art of Scottish fiddling. Scottish Fire is a selection of tunes that cover almost the entire range of traditional Caledonian music. There are marches, complete with bagpipes and drums, dance tunes of every variety, including reels, strathspeys, waltzes, hornpipes, and slow airs. Rideout plays them all with equal facility but she really shines on the unaccompanied slow selections like the heartbreaking "Lude's Lament." The instrumentation includes the now standard guitar, cittern, and bodhrán, as well as the more unusual viola da gamba. As on her previous releases such as Soft May Morn and Celtic Circles, Rideout has unearthed tunes from old manuscript collections in Scotland. Many of these melodies haven't been heard for centuries and Rideout has done us all a favor by bringing them back to life. --Michael Simmons

Product Description
With Scottish Fire, the shining star and internationally renowned leading female Scottish fiddler, Bonnie Rideout sets the standard for the millennium. Praised as "one of the world's leading Scottish fiddlers." (Bob Edwards. NPR's "Morning Edition"). Bonnie's fiddling of airs, strathspeys, jigs and reels ignites the fire and passion of Scotland in her breathtaking new release. From the driving opening track "Grant's Rant" to the soulful Gaelic air "An Gillie Donn," Rideout dazzles the listener with her sense of passion, pensive longing, vital beauty and poignancy. She is joined by some of the finest Celtic musicians performing today on Highland pipes and drums, guitar, cittern and viola da gamba. Musicians:BONNIE RIDEOUT Fiddle & Viola;JERRY O'SULLIVAN- Uilleann Pipes & Scottish Small-pipes;MIKE GREEN - Great Highland Pipes;AL PETTEWAY -Guitar;ROBIN BULLOCK - Guitar & Cittern;MAGGIE SANSONE- Hammered Dulcimer;TINA CHANCEY - Viola da Gamba;PADDY LEAGUE - Bodhran, Snare, Udu & Djembe;JON QUIGG - Snare & Bass Drums.

Scottish Fire

Tracks:

Grant's Rant / The Brown-Haired Daughter / Innes of Sandsides' / The Gentle Milkmaid / Stuart's Rant
The Champion of the Seas / Over the Isles to America / Pop Goes the Weasel / Rossie Castle
Oh Onochie O
Grace Hay's Delight / Dunkeld House / Mrs. McGee's Reel
The Highlands of Scotland / The Lowlands of Scotland /
Lude's Lament
The Brown-Haired Lad / O My Boatman
Tibby Fouller O' the Glen / The Lonach Highland Fling / Miss Shepherd / Dr. Gordon Stables' Reel
Brose and Butter / Cuzle Together / Elsie Marly
What the Devil Ails You! / Loch Ness
The 156th Brigade at the Battle of Romani
Purser's Air / Fishing off Eilean Na H'airde / Drinan Jig

Amazon.com

Bonnie Rideout is an American who has mastered the art of Scottish fiddling. Scottish Fire is a selection of tunes that cover almost the entire range of traditional Caledonian music. There are marches, complete with bagpipes and drums, dance tunes of every variety, including reels, strathspeys, waltzes, hornpipes, and slow airs. Rideout plays them all with equal facility but she really shines on the unaccompanied slow selections like the heartbreaking "Lude's Lament." The instrumentation includes the now standard guitar, cittern, and bodhrán, as well as the more unusual viola da gamba. As on her previous releases such as Soft May Morn and Celtic Circles, Rideout has unearthed tunes from old manuscript collections in Scotland. Many of these melodies haven't been heard for centuries and Rideout has done us all a favor by bringing them back to life. --Michael Simmons

Album Description

With Scottish Fire, the shining star and internationally renowned leading female Scottish fiddler, Bonnie Rideout sets the standard for the millennium. Praised as "one of the world's leading Scottish fiddlers." (Bob Edwards. NPR's "Morning Edition"). Bonnie's fiddling of airs, strathspeys, jigs and reels ignites the fire and passion of Scotland in her breathtaking new release. From the driving opening track "Grant's Rant" to the soulful Gaelic air "An Gillie Donn," Rideout dazzles the listener with her sense of passion, pensive longing, vital beauty and poignancy. She is joined by some of the finest Celtic musicians performing today on Highland pipes and drums, guitar, cittern and viola da gamba. Musicians:BONNIE RIDEOUT Fiddle & Viola;JERRY O'SULLIVAN- Uilleann Pipes & Scottish Small-pipes;MIKE GREEN - Great Highland Pipes;AL PETTEWAY -Guitar;ROBIN BULLOCK - Guitar & Cittern;MAGGIE SANSONE- Hammered Dulcimer;TINA CHANCEY - Viola da Gamba;PADDY LEAGUE - Bodhran, Snare, Udu & Djembe;JON QUIGG - Snare & Bass Drums.

Customer Reviews:

Prolific recording artist who respects the tradition while keeping it fresh........2007-07-20

An American musician who does the Scottish fiddle tradition proud -- Bonnie Rideout delivers. This album delivers the whole package -- the lyricism of Alasdair Fraser, the drive of Natalie MacMaster, and the eclecticism of Capercaillie (the more roots-oriented of their work) -- this is a great album.

Masterpiece.......2007-03-27

A Very good job by a master of the craft, recomended for listeners to all types of music, a great listen!

outstanding!!.......2006-08-23

Bonnie Rideout is outstanding and like her other works, "Scottish Fire" is absolutely breath-taking! For anyone interested in genuine Celtic music, this is the only choice.

Great Fire.......2006-08-02

Great movement in the music; enjoyable recording but would be better as a studio recording in lieu of a concert with player and audience ad hoc vocals.

beautiful music.......2005-08-09

I bought this cd for background music for my wedding reception. The wedding and reception was at a Scottish style Inn in North Carolina, and, after listening to the music samples, I thought it would be perfect. I liked it because not only is the woman extremely talented, but because it is engaging and unobtrusive, and it does not sound like your typical discount rack Celtic music. I listened to a lot of music, searching for just the right thing, and this was simply the best. This woman has real talent!

Fire In The Kitchen: An Appalachian Celtic Journey

Average customer rating:

Beautiful
I do not have the cd but....

Fire In The Kitchen: An Appalachian Celtic Journey

Manufacturer: Leonard Studios
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Fire in the Kitchen: The Journey Continues

ASIN: B000BMRZR8

Product Description

Hammered Dulcimer, Flute, Guitar, Strings. Includes: Liberty, Drowsy Maggie, Jamie's Ramble, Dennis Murphy's/John Ryan's Polka, June Apple, Simple Gifts, So Lonesome I Could Cry, Ragtime Annie, Castle Kelly, Danny Boy, Temperance Reel/Flowers of Edinburgh, Wayfaring Stranger, Red-Haired Boy, Blackberry Blossom

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-01-19

I ordered the CD after listing to them perform on PBS. It is lovely.

I do not have the cd but...........2006-07-18

I heard them on pbs very late at night and they are beautiful musicians.

Average customer rating:

A fine introduction, with some quibbles

Virtuoso

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Trumpet Concertos of Haydn, Hummel, Torelli, and Bellini
Virtuoso Trumpet
Caprice - Alison Balsom
Bach: Works for Trumpet

ASIN: B00004C4MM
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

Allegro Assai
Allegro
Finale: Allegro
Sicilienne
Gigue
Badinerie
Rondo
Allegro
Polovtsian Dances
Danse Bacchanale
Rondo Alla Turka
Allegro Grazioso
Dance Of The Comedians
Grave
Sibley Sanctus Lydian
Romanza
Ritual Fire Dance

Customer Reviews:

A fine introduction, with some quibbles.......2000-10-26

"Virtuoso" is a compilation CD, a shot at a "best of" classical trumpet player Rolf Smedvig. Seven of the tracks on this CD are drawn from three CDs Rolf Smedvig recorded for Telarc as a trumpet soloist (two with orchestras, one with pipe organ). The other ten tracks were taken from six of the many CDs Smedvig recorded as lead trumpeter with Empire Brass, Rolf's evolving brass quintet supplemented, at times, with other instruments. If you already have several Smedvig or Empire Brass CDs, compare the track listings for this CD with those you own before deciding to buy "Virtuoso". Sadly, there are no new previously unreleased bonus tracks included for long-time fans. Also, this full-price compilation CD clocks in under an hour; Telarc could have easily chosen an additional quarter-hour of material at little additional corporate expense.

I was very familiar with all the Empire Brass tracks included on this CD, but not with the solo tracks which aptly demonstrate the lovely lyrical warmth in Smedvig's playing. It's always been there when he plays with Empire Brass, but it's more striking in his soloist performances. He draws on personal romantic sensibilities in his interpretations without ever making those works that are baroque or classical sound like romantic period pieces, a tough row to hoe. Particularly haunting for me was the unfamiliar Maria-Theresa von Paradis' "Sicilienne".

The Empire Brass selections, however, puzzled me. The lightning-fast last minute of the Borodin, off-and-on brief sections of the Saint-Saens, and all of the Mozart track lack the effortless rhythmic fluidity that is found in virtuosi playing and can be heard in many orchestral or piano performances of these works. This small flaw these tracks share is particularly highlighted by their consecutive sequence on this CD. Three selections from "Firedance", while fairly good, are arguably not Rolf's or EB's best performances on that CD or others. And "Sibley Sanctus Lydian", from "Passage", which features an uncredited melodic line better known as the trumpet solo Respighi employed for his Roman pines near the catacombs, is well-played but a relatively easy solo for trumpeters. My Empire Brass choices to make the case for Rolf Smedvig as virtuoso would have been very different.

Tracks:

Mister Issac's Maggot, Chestnut (Dove's Vagary)
Woodycock
Death's Second Self
Jack's Health, Vale Of Years, Jack's Health Reel
Come, Gentile Night
Departe, Departe, The Cobbler's Hornpipe, Third Act Tune
But Let Them Go, Ladies, Sight No More
In A Garden So Green, Childgrove
Fire, Burn, and Cauldron Bubble
The Asp
Rumble Thy Bellyful
Pastime With Good Company, O Lusty May
Irish Lament
Joy To THe Person Of My Love
The Winter's Tale Set: Love's Winter Light, Apples In Winter, Drive The Cold Winter Away, Jenny Pluck Pears
Lilli Burleo
The Scottich Play Set: Life Is But A Walking Shadow, Mill, Mill O', Pawky Adam Glen
Heart's Ease, Now That The Spring, Gathering Peascods
No Longer Mourn For Me

Customer Reviews:

Ensemble Galilei's music is lilting, elegant and unexpected!.......2002-11-29

With their soulful playing and artful, sometimes even ephemeral arrangements, the six women of Ensemble Galilei convey a rare depth of emotion. In the insert notes, gamba player Carolyn Ann Surrick describes their creative process: "[In making this recording, we engaged in]...a kind of work that is so focused and intense that years can go by in one afternoon... Extraordinary music-making requires trust... [We] live for the times when the only thing that exists right then is the music--when the instruments are speaking as if we don't exist, and they are having their own conversation." Thank you, Ensemble Galilei, for allowing the rest of us the privilege of coming along for the ride! It's simply delectable. This chamber ensemble, featuring fiddle, harp, gamba, oboe, pipes and percussion, can also be heard on their other Telarc release, "From the Isles to the Courts", and "The Mystic and the Muse: Celebrating 600 Years of Women in Music", on the Dorian label.

beautiful.......2001-01-22

Sheer beauty, as a lover of English music I found this to be one of the most beautiful of all Shakespearean albums. Such harmony, such subtlety, one wishes that the gentle night will never stop.

Excellent!.......2001-01-04

Ensemble Galilei provide some excellent arrangements of English renaissance compositions. I believe that John Playford (English Dancing Master) fans will be particularly satisfied with the renditions presented here. It is very unfortunate that E.G. did not provide more arrangements from such early music sources. Some of E.G.'s own compositions seem very weak and not in the renaissance spirit of the rest of the CD. Nonetheless, this CD is highly recommmended.

It will bring about many gentle nights.......2000-11-22

I found this album to be solid. Very sweet, but not afraid to use percussion which makes it livelier and more fun. I adore the quiet, peacefulness of the music and the flawless execution of these renaissance songs.

Visualizing Beauty.......2000-08-20

I recently had the good fortune to direct a performance of King Lear--the ENTIRE five acts, in a community theatre, non-profit setting. I used twenty-four fully committed non-actors, who for the love of the ideas, participated in this performance. The first and main challenge that I faced was, how do I go "behind" the words, and invoke the right emotions, etc., to give these actors the range and tools needed for an effective, powerful performance? Critical to this performance was the beauty and brilliance of this recording, which I used throughout the various scenes of the play. This helped the performers tremendously, creating the different tapestries in the mind of the Bard. In short, this work is real genius, that I was so happy that I stumbled across. I am now putting in our performance programs, along with our most heart-felt thanks to E.G., the name of the recording and I have copies from Telarc to sell at each performance!

Celtic Harpestry: A Contemporary Celtic Collection

Average customer rating:

Celtic Meets Classical
Excellent Celtic Cd
Just lovely!
Amazing
The best harpestry CD!

Celtic Harpestry: A Contemporary Celtic Collection

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Harpestry: A Contemporary Collection
Faces Of The Harp: Celtic & Contemporary
The Celtic Harp: A Tribute to Edward Bunting with the Belfast Harp Orchestra
The Mystic Harp
The Water Is Wide

ASIN: B00000DLV8
Release Date: 1998-11-03

Tracks:

Bright New Morning - Belfast Harp Orchestra
The Humours Of Ballyloughlin - Maire Ni Chathasaigh
The Golden String Hornpipe - Rudiger Oppermann
A Walk On Belfast - Belfast Harp Orchestra
Star Of The County Down - Deborah Henson-Conant
The Old Woman's Dance - Sileas
My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme From Titanic) - Belfast Harp Orchestra
The Chestnut Tree Medley - Maire Ni Chathasaigh
The Butterfly - Rudiger Oppermann
Londonderry Aire (Danny Boy) - Deborah Henson-Conant
Seallaibh Curaidh Eoghain - Sileas
Breton Medley - Cheryl Ann Fulton
Brian Boru's Set - Belfast Harp Orchestra
Robert Jordan - Maire Ni Chathasaigh
The Minstrel Boy - Deborah Henson-Conant
May Song - Rudiger Oppermann
Earth, Water, Wind And Fire - Belfast Harp Orchestra

Amazon.com

The pristine tones and lilting melodies of the Celtic harp are immediately inviting. Celtic Harpestry, a companion to a PBS performance special, explores a sound both traditional and modern in a tasteful and evocative collection. This isn't a purist's album--half of the harpists aren't even from the Celtic isles, and among the album's old Irish chestnuts is "My Heart Will Go On," the love theme from Titanic. The otherwise-joyful Belfast Harp Orchestra tromp through the James Horner tune, almost pulling some subtlety out of its overwrought themes. Turlough O'Carolan, the blind patron saint of the Celtic harp, might wish he were deaf as well, if he could hear it. But the bard would be thrilled to hear the 12-piece BHO playing the traditional "Brian Boru's Set" or one of founder Janet Harbison's zephyrlike originals. Her "Earth, Water, Wind and Fire" elicits shifting textures and colors that belie their traditional roots. The song also exemplifies the ethereal side of the Celtic harp explored on Celtic Harpestry with artists like Rüdiger Oppermann. Playing a wire-strung harp accompanied by bass and keyboards, the German harpist soars through crystalline melodies whether he's playing traditional tunes or originals. The most traditional sound actually comes from the American players. Cheryl Ann Fulton gives a straight-up rendition of "Breton Medley," and jazz harpist Deborah Henson-Conant is refreshingly restrained, faithfully rendering "Londonderry Aire (Danny Boy)" and "The Minstrel Boy." Although Celtic Harpestry focuses on slow airs, there are robust performances here, including those by Máire Ni Chathasaigh's group and the harp and vocal duo of Sileas. Outside of the Titanic love theme, Celtic Harpestry is an elegantly wrought collection. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Celtic Meets Classical.......2007-07-12

Hard rock it ain't. Celtic Harpestry: A Contemporary Celtic Collection may cite "contemporary" in its title, but the style is classic. Rich harmonies and intricate musical textures rise to a crescendo in "Earth, Water, Wind And Fire," the final cut, performed by the Belfast Harp Orchestra.

This collection overlaps several genres. Celtic, classical and New Age meet in what may be the instrument most associated with classical melodies.

If you are a fan of Rap or Hip Hop, keep looking. If you want a hoedown, this is not going to be your cuppa joe. But if you are looking for something elegant - background music for a business or important meeting, for example - this is a wonderful, understated choice.

Excellent Celtic Cd.......2006-12-30

A sibling to "Harpestry," this is a wonderful cd. I am a harper and head up a Celtic Harp Choir at my church (I'm a fulltime church music director), and I have used this cd as a model for my musicians. It's very pleasant to listen to, and you definitely get a good feel for the Celtic style. I highly recommend this!

Just lovely!.......2003-05-25

This uplifting compilation CD from Imaginary Road Records, actually the soundtrack to the public television special "Celtic Harpestry at Lismore Castle, Ireland", is simply beautiful. Especially wonderful are the five numbers by the Belfast Harp Orchestra, an ensemble of 12 harpists who demonstrate remarkable intonation and stunning coordination as they play together on instruments that are difficult enough just to play alone. What a great concept, and what great musicianship! Also featured are individual performers such as Maire Ni Chathasaigh on Irish harp, Rudiger Oppermann on wire-strung harp, Cheryl Ann Fulton on a contemporary lever harp, the harp and song duo Sileas, and Deborah Henson-Conant on a "Camac `Baby Blue' Celtic electroharp". Other instruments, including Uilleann pipes and whistle, violin, viola and concertina, occasionally join in, but the focus is on the harp itself. In all its many forms and combinations, the harpestry on this recording remains soothingly delicate in timbre while at the same time scintillating in technique--in short, a pure delight. If you enjoy "Celtic Harpesty", you're sure to like it's companion release, "Harpestry: A Contemporary Collection", featuring more of a worldwide assortment of harpers. Another great harp compilation CD is "Faces of the Harp" from Narada.

Amazing.......2001-08-30

I always had a desire to learn to play the Celtic harp...and the PBS special and especially this CD made that desire boil over. Don't buy another harp CD before you've listened to this one!
No matter how many times I have listened to this recording, I ALWAYS break into a smile when the Belfast Harp Orchestra begins to play. Nothing prepares you for that 12-harp sound!
Order this CD with overnight shipping!!!

The best harpestry CD!.......2001-07-23

One day in a music shop, my hand knocked three CDs off of a rack. The first CD, though the case was cracked, caught my eye. I bought it five minutes later. In this sweetly harmonized collection, nearly all the songs are wonderful. I would have bought the CD for only My Heart Will Go On-the song is a skillful take of the Titanic (movie) theme, and it seems almost to have a voice of its own. This is a must-have for any harp music lover!

Average customer rating:

One of the best etudes ever composed
Rautavaara Looks Back at Bruckner

Einojuhani Rautavaara: Works for Piano

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Rautavaara: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3
Rautavaara: Symphony No. 7 "Angel of Light"
Rautavaara: Cantus Articus; Piano Concerto
Rautavaara: Violin Concerto; Angels and Visitations; Isle of Bliss

ASIN: B00000JMYG
Release Date: 1999-07-20

Tracks:

Etudes, Op.42: Thirds
Etudes, Op.42: Sevenths
Etudes, Op.42: Tritones
Etudes, Op.42: Fourths
Etudes, Op.42: Seconds
Etudes, Op.42: Fifths
Icons, Op.6: The Death Of The Mother Of God
Icons, Op.6: Two Village Saints
Icons, Op.6: The Black Madonna Of Blakernaya
Icons, Op.6: The Baptism Of Christ
Icons, Op.6: The Holy Women At The Sepulchre
Icons, Op.6: Archangel Michael Defeats The Antichrist
Prlds, Op.7: 1. Elastically Hammering
Prlds, Op.7: 2. Slowly Enough
Prlds, Op.7: 3. Nervously But In Rhythm
Prlds, Op.7: 4. Chor And Var
Prlds, Op.7: 5. Fugato
Prlds, Op.7: 6. Shivering
Prlds, Op.7: 7. Alla Finale
Partita, Op.34: 1. (Untitled)
Partita, Op.34: 2. (Untitled)
Partita, Op.34: 3. (Untitled)
Pno Son No.1, Op.50 'Christus Und Die Fischer': I. (Untitled)
Pno Son No.1, Op.50 'Christus Und Die Fischer': II. Attacca
Pno Son No.1, Op.50 'Christus Und Die Fischer': III. (Untitled)
Pno Son No.2, Op.64 'The Fire Sermon': Molto Allegretto
Pno Son No.2, Op.64 'The Fire Sermon': Andante Assai
Pno Son No.2, Op.64 'The Fire Sermon': Allegro Brutale

Customer Reviews:

One of the best etudes ever composed.......2006-08-03

This is 20th century music, so "Mozart or nothing" fans need not apply. Rautavaara's typical piano style consists of two basic forms: dazzlingly dense and sparse/muted. Both occur in his large pieces. Tveitt, in his later piano concertos, is somewhat similar to Rautavaara in his concertos. Fans of one should check out the other.

The "Thirds" etude alone is worth the price of the disc. It is one of the best pieces of music I've heard. If I were a pianist, it would be part of my debut recital programme. The rest of the etudes are good, particularly the fast ones, but not absolutely perfect like the first one. "Icons" is a scintillating collection that is reminiscent of Satie, albeit with many more notes in fast sections and a greater emphasis on chromaticism. Rautavaara's musical language on this disc is apparent in his piano concertos. The often harsh Preludes are reminiscent of early Ornstein. As with the Etudes, the pieces are arranged so that an energetic, even frenetic, piece is followed by a slow and sparse piece. Partita is a bit reminiscent of Allen Sapp, particularly in the third movement. The first Sonata has a very unusual structure. It's opening movement could be mistaken for a central movement and vice-versa, although the final quarter of the movement has a dense progression of notes like the 2nd concerto or some of the faster etudes. The second movement opens in a rapid expository fashion that one would expect from a first movement and abruptly becomes spare and spacious, space that continues into the brooding third movement, which closes with a bell-like motif. This sonata is very unique among those I've heard, being difficult to recognize as a sonata. I don't yet consider it a strong piece; perhaps further listening will change my mind. The second sonata is absolutely different. It opens with typical sonata expository "pull", albeit with Rautavaarian flurry-of-notes language that you'll find in the concertos. This opening transitions to a lovely and very simple progression of chord, which go from heavenly to dour. The second movement is more abtract, with rather sparse and dour chords in the first third, climaxing with two brilliant "white noise" chords that consist of every note vertically and horizontally in a large space between hit simultaneously, and the flurry-of-notes structure. A somewhat macabre dance comes later, reminiscent of Ornstein and perhaps Stravinsky, while being still thoroughly Rautavaarian. The first movement's chordal progression returns, but it is changed, being more ethereal, as if the notes are moving into plasma (or flame). The second sonata is more accessible, despite its harder edge, because it contains more emotive material than the first. The ending may be a bit anticlimactic, however, since the chordal progression in the first movement and the climax in the middle of the second movement are perhaps more effective, but the ending is rather haunting. Perhaps if the chords were given more space in performance it would be even better...

Rautavaara Looks Back at Bruckner.......2000-10-04

Finland (through its Swedish-speaking minority) gave the twentieth century one of its towering symphonic masters, Jean (born Johann) Sibelius. Others, like Leevi Madetoja and Uuno Klami, tended to live in the master's colossal shadow. After Sibelius' death in 1957, Finland's other composers began to emerge, at least as far as the rest of the world was concerned, from undeserved obscurity. The younger generation especially benefited from what one might call a leveled playing-field. By the late 1950s - and at the very latest, by the end of the 1960s - Joonas Kokkonen (recently deceased) and Einojuhani Rautavaara (born 1928) seemed to offer the most striking profiles. Aulis Sallinen and Kalevi Aho had not quite come into their own. Kokkonen maintained steadfast consistency as a composer, cultivating a modified, even a mollified, type of serialism while dealing in quasi-tonal harmonies and clear outlines that made him accessible to a fairly broad audience. Rautavaara, by contrast, showed himself Protean, beginning as a serialist and then, commencing around 1960, returning, via an admiration for Bruckner, to a more conventional idiom. The Naxos disc of Rautavaara contains three works, including the one that indicated his retreat from the earlier avant-garde orientation: The Symphony No. 3, Opus 20. Sharing the program are the Piano Concerto No. 1 (1969) and the Cantus Arcticus (1972), a "Concerto for Birds and Orchestra." The Third Symphony's opening movement comes dangerously close to parodying Bruckner, emerging out of a slow horn-call and developing into climaxes dominated by chorale-like orations in the brass; it is not finally a parody but a reinvention, as one might say, of Brucknerian "Ruhigkeit" in modern terms. The slow movement combines Brucknerian rhetoric with Scriabinesque birdsong-imitations in the woodwind. The scherzo looks again to the Austrian for its model, as does the final movement, with the familiar marking, in German, of "Bewegt" ("With Motion"). The Cantus Arcticus, Rautavaara's most popular work, uses tape-recordings of Northern birds carefully integrated into the orchestral textures. The description sounds corny but the effect is remarkably natural and beautiful. Here Rautavaara is closer than ever to Sibelius. Cantus Arcticus definitely foreshadows Rautavaara's development over the last decade, during which his idiom has become more tonal, lyrical, even mystical. The Piano Concerto serves up thicker fare and shows the composer in his modernist mood, complete with tone-clusters played with the palms smashing down on the keyboard. This is a great introduction to an important contemporary composer.

Harmony: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Classical Album

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Harmony: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Classical Album

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Unity: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Album
Summon the Heroes
American Journey - Winter Olympics 2002

ASIN: B0002IQGXK
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Tracks:

Olympic Dream (Eden Mix) - Maksim
Adiemus - Adiemus
Time To Say Goodbye - Sarah Brightman
Adje Jano - Nigel Kennedy And The Kroke Band
Maria Elena/Corazon Corazon/Fina Estampa - Placido Domingo
Romeo And Juliet: A Time For Us - Andre Rieu
Qui Radames Verra O Patria Mia - Maria Callas
Voca Me - Libera
Chariots Of Fire - Vangelis
Happy Valley-The 1997 Re-Unification Overture - Canessa-Mae
Po Karekare Ana - Kiri Te Kanawa
Mull Of Kintyre - The Celtic Tenors
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church
Sarabande And Variations - Julia Thornton
Song Of Our Homeland - Izzy
Angus Dei - Karl Jenkins
Auld Lang Syne - Helmut Lotti

Average customer rating:

A CD you must have
Great music!
Very moving Scottish folk music

Fire in the Glen
Andy M. Stewart , Phil Cunningham , and Manus Lunny
Manufacturer: Shanachie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Caledonia's Hardy Sons
Wild & Beautiful
Kiss the Tears Away
So Many Partings
Dublin Lady

ASIN: B000000E7O
Release Date: 1989-06-27

Tracks:

Treorachadh/I Mourn For The Highlands
The Gold Claddagh Ring
Fire In The Glen
The Spare Shillin'/The Viszla's Rambles/The Lying Dew
Nil Si I Ngra
Watkins' Wee Red Whiskers/All Hail To Mevagissey/The Girls At Martinfield
Young Jimmy In Flanders
Brighidin Ban Mo Store
Ferry Me Over

Customer Reviews:

A CD you must have.......2003-06-26

This is a great CD overall. Sure there are a few songs I tend to skip over, but there are some I can't live without. It's worth owning for "Fire in the Glen" alone, but "Nil Si I Ngra" and "Ferry Me Over" are fantastic songs as well. If you like traditional style Scottish/Celtic music then you need this CD. It's music 100, 200, 300+ years old in style, and often in origin (they write new music and perform traditional songs). It's what I call 'the real thing.'

Great music!.......2003-01-19

Man I really love this kind of music and there are so few bands that play it any more. I've had this CD for a few years and I never get tired of listening to it.

It you are tired of the same old stuff on the radio and want to hear something with a little more soul to it, give this CD a try. This is folk music that is deeply rooted in Scottish culture. It's like nothing I had ever heard before. This isn't bagpiples and drums. These are songs about love, war, and loss. These are songs that range from ballads about the struggle for independence to laments for lost love. There are songs in both Gaelic and English. Listen to a few samples and I think you'll buy this CD. BTW, I recently found out most of these guys came from Silly Wizard and so now I've found a new favorite band!

Very moving Scottish folk music.......2002-12-10

Andy Stewart of Silly Wizard fame is just incredible on this CD, and Manus Lunny sounds wonderful when he sings in Gaelic (though he doesn't sound quite as good in English!). There are some great songs! Listen to the Fire In The Glen sample. It's one of the best songs on the CD. If you are looking for something a little more down to earth than a lot of "new age" Celtic music, then this is for you. These guys sing about the things that still burn in the hearts of their countrymen, like the destruction of their farms and their slaughter in WWI. There is just nothing like it.

The Songs of Robert Burns / Songs of the Hebrides

Average customer rating:

Elegance in sound
Scottish Songs for a Lifetime
Simply exquisite!
Love and frustration

The Songs of Robert Burns / Songs of the Hebrides

Manufacturer: Dutton Labs UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Very Best of
The Tartan and Scottish Saturday Night
The Decca Years: 1955-1975
Kenneth Mckellar's Book of Hymns [Australia]
The Songs Of Robert Burns, Volumes 1 & 2

ASIN: B0006840KC
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Customer Reviews:

Elegance in sound.......2007-05-13

McKellar has one of the finest tenor voices I have heard. There is a range that is broad, while keeping a very masculine sound. I learned that he was trained classically and gave up opera after a season or two to do concert singing. These songs have lush or spare orchestral arrangements as the occasion demands. They are dramatic, even Hollywood-like, arrangements verging on schmalt, but a second hearing convinced me that he was among the finest tenors of the 20th century and the arrangements are "just right."

Scottish Songs for a Lifetime.......2007-05-12

If I was to be only able to carry one CD with me to a desert island, this one might be my choice. The poetry of Robert Burns is entirely inspiring. The vocal performance of McKellar is adequate to Burns' work. The orchestration is rich and appropriately simple. These songs will "stick to your ribs" and leave you longing for a visit to the old sod to personaly perceive the beloved ambiance they evoke.

Simply exquisite!.......2007-05-06

Who can sing like this today? Vocalion has done it again -- two of Kenneth McKellar's wonderful Decca recordings from 1961 and 1962 brought together for a wonderful vocal treat. There are things the lover of the English art song and ballad cannot be without -- Jennifer Vyvyan's lovely renditions of Michael Head's Foxgloves and Roger Quilter's Love's philosophy; Eileen Farrell's stentorian Sing to me by Sydney Homer; John Mark Ainsley's rhapsodic performance of Quilter's Go, Lovely Rose, and Kenneth McKellar singing Land of Heart's Desire, Sleeps the Noon in the Deep Blue Sky and Robert Burns' My love is like a red, red rose. Happily, these songs are preserved on this terrific release. McKellar had a wonderful, powerful and lyric tenor voice. His operatic and oratorio singing is moving on top of being very musical -- dynamics, portamento, etc., scrupulously observed and artistic; however, his sining of art songs, folk songs and ballads is exemplary and always, underscored ALWAYS moving and right on the mark. McKellar had a real affinity for this music and it simply erupts from the grooves (oops, I'm dating myself)!

The Songs of Robert Burns is lovely -- I defy anyone to listen to McKellar's rendition of My love is like a red, red rose, and come away without a tear in the eye. In my opinion, however, the true gem is the release of McKellar's Songs of the Hebrides. Vocalion includes McKellar's spoken introductions to these songs and it is incredible. One might think that it would sound trite, but McKellar is right on the mark and the introductions make the songs that much more memorable. Marjory Kennedy-Fraser is surely smiling down from heaven as this is the most beautiful and atmospheric recording of her Songs of the Hebrides. McKellar scales down his powerful voice for Land of Heart's Desire and it is ravishing. No one comes away unmoved. Again, who can sing like this today? I tried to think of any tenor or baritone singing today that could come close to this kind of a performance -- I could not think of one. Thank you Vocalion for bringing these performances back to light. Speaking of the recording, it is lush, with that beautiful early stereophonic sound preserved. For the lover's of the art song, ballad or folk song, you MUST have these performances.

Love and frustration.......2007-03-08

This recording has some wonderful Scottish songs by a super Scottish tenor. The difficult part for me is that I need the sheet music to go with one of the songs, but I had no luck locating it anywhere. There are other versions of the song ("My heart's in the highlands") available but none like this one. Is there any chance you could help me find it??

Sincerely,
Lyndall

Titanic And Other Film Scores Of James Horner (Film Score Anthology)

Average customer rating:

Expecting More- Getting Less
nice sampler of Horner's work
James Horner as Best Movie Composer
James Horner and John Williams are the best!!
James Horner joins John Williams as the 2 greatest composers

Titanic And Other Film Scores Of James Horner (Film Score Anthology)

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Trek | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Legends Of The Fall: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film Music Masterworks: Original Soundtracks
Titanic: The Essential James Horner Film Music Collection (Film Score Re-recording Compilation)
A Beautiful Mind: Original Motion Picture Score
Apollo 13: Music From The Motion Picture

ASIN: B000009QKY
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Titanic: Distant Memories/Rose/Take Her To Sea. Mr. Murdoch - John Debney, Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Chorus
Apollo 13: The Launch - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Chorus
Casper: Casper's Lullaby - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Chorus
Courage Under Fire: Theme - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Once Around: A Passage Of Time - James Horner
Cocoon: The Return: Returning Home - James Horner
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan: End Credits - Cliff Eidelman, Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Aliens: Futile Escape - Cliff Eidelman, Royal Scotish National Orchestra
Brainstorm: Michael's Gift To Karen - James Horner, London Symphony Orchestra & The Ambrosian Singers
Braveheart: End Credits - Joel McNeely, Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Expecting More- Getting Less.......2006-03-16

The sound quality is excellent. The choice in music is disappointing. I can name FOUR Horner movie scores or background music that is breath-taking enough that they should have merited inclusion (but alas were not recorded here).

I don't know the dates when these music pieces were released, but it could have been within a couple of years apart. Why? Because this collection has a few tracks that sound VERY SIMILAR. Hence, this CD does NOT fully explore the extent of this great composer's talent.

nice sampler of Horner's work.......2005-08-15

I had most of these tracks on other CDs, but this is a good sampler of Mr. Horners career on a single CD. There are some tracks which are from Original soundtracks in the Varese back catalogue, but most of hte tracks are re-recorded by the Royal Sottish National and Seattle Symphony Orchestras conducted by Cliff Eidelman, Joel McNeeley and John Debney. Also check out Heart of the Ocean (Sonic Images) and Titanic: Essential James Horner Collection (Silva America) for other overviews on Mr. Horner's career.

James Horner as Best Movie Composer.......2000-02-05

To say that James Horner is the most talented soundtrack composer would be an understatement. To my count he has written more than 10 scores. The score for Titanic is as exciting as it is relaxing. This soundtrack is so well made, that I bought the second one! Like the movie, each peice on the soundtrack builds up to the climax. If I had it in front of me, I would be sure to give specific examples, but unfortunetly, I don't. However, I will say that the peice, Rose, which I believe is #4, captures the true meanig of this outstanding movie, and therefore proves how well a composer James Horner has proven to be.

James Horner and John Williams are the best!!.......1999-04-08

At one time I belived the one and only great modern day film composer was John Williams, this album proved me wrong. James Horner, to me is still not as good as John Williams, but dangerously close. Horner in this album has basically summed up sum of his gratest songs ever written. The greatest song in this album is either Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kahn End Titles, the Courage under Fire Theme, or Apollo 13 (The Launch). Some other honorable mentions include Aliens (Futile Escape), Titanic(Southampton,Rose , Take Her to Sea Mr. Murdoch,and Braveheart's End Credits, and Cocoon: The Return (Returning Home). Mr. Horner has done a fabulous job in expressing emotion almost as good as John Wiliiams. These 13 collabarations dsisplay emotions such as hope, fright, compassion, and courage. This albums only problem's were the fact it left out the music of some other of Horner's best work(Land Before Time, Glory, and An American Tale). The album ignored Horner's "Rock" titles which include Red Heat, Commando, and Gorky Park. This has to be one of the must buy's of the year. Two Very Honest Thumbs Up For James Horner and Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus.

James Horner joins John Williams as the 2 greatest composers.......1999-04-07

I have thought John Williams was the number one film composer, but now I think he has met his match (Williams is still number 1). James Horner can display different emotions in all of his music. From the martial tone of Courage Under Fire (one of my favorites) to the mystical feeling of Casper and Cocoon: The Return. There is heart pounding Futile Chase from Aliens, and of course the heart wrenching melodies of Titanic. Braveheart gives you the tone of Scottish (the bagpipes, you can't miss them) victory. Both Brainstorm and Once Around, to me, give the feeling of hope. How do you forget the feeling of sucess in Apollo 13 or the intergalactic victory in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn. This is the perfect album if you want to hear just the great songs. Horner brings out the true emotion in films just the same way that John Williams does. The only change I would make is to add a couple songs from Land Before Time in this album. Those songs would put this album to a 5. Two Thumbs Up!

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