Of My Native Land

Of My Native Land

Editorial Reviews
epitonic.com, Jesse Ashlock
In an era where musical appropriation and cross-pollination have become the virtual norm, Praetzel and co. have accomplished something truly unprecedented and wonderful -- and something deeply meaningful to anyone with an appreciation for the American folk tradition.

Product Description
Neo-traditionalists Conrad Praetzel and Robert Powell stake out their claim in the Americana landscape with an eclectic mix of ambient folk and acid/alt country. Clothesline Revival blends electronic and acoustic beats with dobro, mandolin, guitars, lap and pedal steel guitar, ebow, atmospherics and more to create a captivating new sound with an old-time haunting quality. Included are adaptations of historical field recordings (several recorded by the legendary American musicologist Alan Lomax) including performances by Leadbelly, Ora Dell Graham, and an unidentified old train caller. Vocalists Wendy Allen and Tom Armstrong lend their talents to songs by Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Onie Wheeler, Anne Briggs as well as to traditional American folk songs. Wendy Allen, from North Carolina, is a mesmerizing singer and interpreter of American roots music, while Tom Armstrong's vocals recall classic honky tonk and country crooners of the fifties like Wynn Stewart and Letfy Frizzel.

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 3

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The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 2
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Charles Ives: Songs

ASIN: B0000049MM
Release Date: 1995-02-16

Tracks:

He Is There!
Weil' auf mir
The Cage
My Native Land
The Childrens' Hour
Old Home Day
Soliloquy
Illmenau
The See
Autumn
Pictures
Walt Whitman
Mists
Walking
A Farewell To Land
Luck And Work
Camp Meeting
Charlie Rutlage
His Exaltation
Watchman!
Vote For Names
From 'Lincoln The Great Commoner'
Lick A Sick Eagle
From 'The Swimmers'
At The River
Requiem
Afterglow
General William Booth Enters Into Heaven
To Edith
Religion
The New River
Down East
The Things Our Fathers Loved
In Flanders Fields
Tom Sails Away
They Are There

Average customer rating:

Rysanek is a goddess.
A great recital disc!!!
Unbelievable
Astonishing
A SHINING SOPRANO IN A STUNNING RECITAL

Opera Arias

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Handel: Arias

ASIN: B000003GB6
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

La forza del destino:: Pace, pace, mio Dio
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
Aida: Ritorna vincitor
Aida: Qui Radames verra; O patria mia
Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta
Turandot: In questa reggia
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Otello;: Canzone del salce
Otello;: Ave Maria
Un Ballo in Maschera: Ma dall arido stelo divulsa
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro, ma prima in grazia
Macbeth: 'Nel di della vittoria...'; Vieni! t'affretta! accendere
Macbeth: La luce langua
Otello: Gia nella notte densa

Customer Reviews:

Rysanek is a goddess........2006-06-05

As a few other reviewers have written, this was also my introduction to Leonie Rysanek. My dad bought this disc for me when I finally realized that Beverly Sills wasn't the be all, end all of the opera world, and I had started listening to Nilsson, Callas, and Sutherland. He said that I should check out this soprano, so I happily took the CD and listened to the whole thing straight through. It starts with one of Verdi's most exciting and gorgeous arias for Dramatic Soprano, "Pace, pace, mio Dio," which showcases a lot of Leonie is about. Beautiful pianissimo high notes, which became one of her trademarks, and then a thrilling high note at the end.

I was instantly in awe of her voice. I eagerly listened to the rest of the recital CD. I think the highlights of this recital are the arias from Macbeth and Otello. Even though Leonie specialized in German Rep, singing roles like Chrysothemis in Elektra, The Empress in Die Frau Ohne Schatten, and Salome in Salome, she also made Lady Macbeth and Desdemona her own! "Nel dì della vittoria...Vieni! t'affretta! accendere," is the best track on the album. This is Leonie at her best, singing the role she made her Met debut singing. She handles the runs with ease and hits every note thrillingly. Leonie always said she was intimidated by Nilsson and refused to sing Isolde and Brunhilde for that reason, but Nilsson has nothing on her as Lady Macbeth.

Leonie does have her weaknesses, but they're easily looked over once you hear her HUGE upper register, and in roles that her voice fits very well in, the sharpness and breathiness in her lower and middle register are not as evident. She is a soprano that every opera fan should know and listen to. She and Nilsson truly are, in my humble opinion, the greatest Wagnerian Sopranos of the post war era...well...besides like Flagstad...but whatever. Anyway, get this recital disc, and once you're done with it, buy any Die Frau Ohne Schatten with Leonie, preferably the early one, and one of her Salome recordings. You won't regret it!

A great recital disc!!!.......2003-11-01

This recital was my introduction to the fabulous artistry of Leonie Rysanek. Having read so many good things about this soprano, I decided to buy this disc and hear for myself. This disc was a very pleasant surprise.

Rysanek has a huge, rich, soaring soprano voice. Her voice's glory is its intense, powerful, immense upper register. Hearing her top B's, B-flats, and C's on disc definitely makes one wonder about the effect this voice had in the opera house. The speakers of my stereo were barely able to contain her awesome high notes. Rysanek's voice has two other registers and they, unfortunately, are not as strong as her upper register. Her middle register is a bit thick and slow-moving, while her lower register is almost non-existent. As a result, low notes, such as the ones in "Mai nessun, nessun m'avrà" in "In questa reggia", are barely audible. Her tendency to sharp on middle register notes is well known and is evident here. However, nothing here goes terribly awry pitch-wise. Hearing her glorious, soaring high notes is ample compensation. Rysanek's middle register did eventually strengthen and her lower register did fill in, which allowed her to embark on a second singing career as a mezzo-soprano.

Besides her wonderful, if slightly marred, singing, what impresses me most about her is her dramatic commitment. Every aria here, as well as the duet from "Otello", is given its dramatic due. Her interpretation of each one is unique. From hearing about Rysanek being a true creature of the stage, one can only imagine how effective she must have been in an opera house. I really wish that I could have been able to see her in a live opera performance in her prime. Oh well.

A few of the disc's highlights:

There is a beautifully floated, pianissimo high B-flat in "Pace, pace, mio Dio". A powerful high B-flat at the end of "Vissi d'arte". Gorgeous soft singing in the last section of "Ritorna vincitor". A super-powerful forte high C at the climax of "O patria mia" that leaves the listener breathless with awe. Believe me, after hearing her blast out this note, you will be glad that she didn't follow Verdi's pianissimo marking for this note. Great high notes in "In questa reggia". The aria itself is beautifully sung, with Rysanek sounding like a vulnerable princess instead of sounding like a cruel and ice-cold one. A very affecting Willow Song and "Ave Maria", both full of shimmering pianissimos. Dramatically exciting and vocally thrilling accounts of "Vieni! t'affretta!" and "La luce langue", complete with blazing high notes. Her reading of the letter reveals a beautiful speaking voice and perfectly pronounced Italian. A wonderful "Già della notte densa" from "Otello". Jon Vickers, despite sounding a bit strained, is wonderful in this duet and Rysanek really shines as Desdemona.

A few drawbacks:

Some unidiomatic Italian diction is present in her singing. Her account of "Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa" reveals this. Rysanek does not pause to prepare for the final "Signor" in "Vissi d'arte". This lessens the excitement of the following high B-flat. The difficult last phrase in "O patria mia" is broken up for breath, which dampens its effect. Montserrat Caballé, in her studio recording of "Aïda", takes this phrase in one breath and the effect is marvelous.

I have greatly enjoyed listening to this disc and recommend it to all fans of great singing.

Unbelievable.......2003-10-02

You'll never believe that anyone can sing like this. Magnificent. The top B's, C's and D flats are taken with conssumate ease. It is as if no difficulties exist for Rysanek. This would rank with Joan Sutherland's "The Art of Prima Donna" as one of the best ever recital committed to recording.

Astonishing.......2003-08-30

Leonie Rysanek was one of the greatest dramatic sopranos ever. Sad to say, her recorded legacy is kind of sparse. She disliked the recording studio and chose not to record a lot of her parts in studio. For example, she declined recording Chrysothemis with Birgit Nilsson in Solti's Elektra, which is really a great pity because her presence would have made that set unbeatable. Thankfully, she recorded Leonore with Fricsay (DG), Senta with Dorati (Decca), Lady Macbeth with Leinsdorf (RCA - some arias included in this selection), Desdemona with Serafin (RCA), Sieglinde with Bohm (DG), the Empress with bohm (Decca & DG), Elektra with Bohm (Unitel film soundtrack). And we have 'live' recordings from broadcasts in superb stereo of her incomparable Salome with Bohm (RCA) and Kempe (Golden Melodram) and her Klytamnestra. We have her Herodias with Sinopoli (DG), her 'live' Chrysothemis with Nilsson, James Levine at the Met on DVD, her Ortrud again at the Met on DVD. Sad to say, she never commercially recorded Aida, Turandot, Tosca or Amelia or La Forza del destino, the Marschallin or Ariadne. This recital disc helps to fill that gap. Here, we have arias from La forza del destino, Tosca, Aida, Otello (from her recording with Serafin), Macbeth (from her recording with Leinsdorf), Un ballo in maschera, Turandot, Andrea Chenier and Cavalleria rusticana.

The recording is in superb stereo and her rich voice comes through thrillingly. Leonie Rysanek says "If there is a single record with which I'm largely satisfied, it is this recital of Italian arias". This coming from Rysanek herself, who disliked the studio, is an understatement. The fact of the matter is that her performances here are all on fire - thrillingly intense. Those high C's and top notes are rich and super intense - something only Birgit Nilsson can match. It is really sad that really good singers often get overlooked while squally singers get their name on every other opera recording of commercial recording companies. Leonie Rysanek could have sung Brunnhilde, Isolde, Elektra (she did but not on stage or on CD but on a film sound track), triumphed in all those roles and given Birgit Nilsson a run for her money. But she did not. Thankfully, we have this recital record and some of her other 'live' radio broadcasts. Do I recommend this? Of course, it is compulsory listening for all opera lovers. You don't know what is a dramatic soprano is capable of until you hear this!! (Birgit Nilsson was a different type of dramatic soprano and most opera listeners have heard her in her full splendour as Isolde or Brunnhilde or Elektra or Turandot).

Also compulsory listening for opera lovers:
Rysanek's Salome with Kempe on Golden Melodram in superb stereo.
Her Leonore with Fricsay on Deutsche Grammophon, her Sieglinde with Bohm on Philips, and her Empress with Bohm on both Decca and Deutsche.

If you want further listening apart from the compulsory list above, get her Lady Macbeth, Senta, Chrysothemis, Elektra, Klytamnestra, Desdemona and Ortrud as I listed above.

A SHINING SOPRANO IN A STUNNING RECITAL.......2000-05-08

Although remembered today as a Wagner and Strauss specialist, Leonie Rysanek, who died last year at age 71, sang many Italian operatic roles in the earlier portion of her career, and still retained a few of them well beyond then. She had, in her absolute vocal prime, the exact type of voice that Richard Strauss loved to write for ----- high, clear, radiant, at at it's best, thrilling. These are the precise vocal qualities that Rysanek brings to the Italian operatic arias heard on this CD. All of the Verdi arias presented here (from Aida, Ballo, Forza del Destino, and Macbeth) are performed with vocal mastery and complete authority, and the "Cavalleria Rusticana" has the sound of real heartbreak and pathos. The highlight of this recital for me was the "In Questa Reggia" from Puccini's "Turandot", which concludes with one of the most spectacular top C's I've ever heard from ANY soprano. Certainly the versions of all of the arias and scenes heard here have been performed with great distinction by such great sopranos as Tebaldi, Callas, Price, Nilsson, Milanov, etc, but there is something very unique and special in the way Rysanek performs them. There is some truly stunning singing to be heard here from a great artist whose career is now remembered for having specialized in a vastly different repertoire, but it is the very unique sound that made her so suited to the Wagner/Strauss repertoire that makes these Italian operatic items so interesting and special.

Sergej Larin - Songs by The Mighty Handful

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Sergej Larin - Songs by The Mighty Handful
Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov , Cesar Cui , Alexander Borodin , Mily Balakirev , Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky , Sergei Larin , Eleonora Bekova , and Alexander Pushkin
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

It Was Not The Wind Blowing From Above
The Octave
The Nymph
Clearer Than The Singing Of The Lark
The Scurrying Bank Of Clouds Disperses
On The Hills Of Georgia
Of What In The Silence Of The Night
Captivated By The Rose, The Nightingale
Silence Descends On The Yellow Cornfields
A Pressed Flower
A Statue At Tsarskoye Selo
The Burnt Letter
The Fair Maid Has Stopped Loving Me
For The Shores Of The Distant Homeland
You Are Full Of Captivating Bliss
Barcarolle
Look, My Friend
Songs And Dances Of Death: 1 Lullaby
Songs And Dances Of Death: 2 Serenade
Songs And Dances Of Death: 3 Trepak
Songs And Dances Of Death: 4 The Field Marshall

Average customer rating:

A weird new twist on some cool old music
music for lonesome cowgirls at midnight.
Easily the Best Album of 2002
Smart Music

Of My Native Land
Clothesline Revival
Manufacturer: Paleo Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Long Gone
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West

ASIN: B00006JKJX
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Ramblin' Man
Cow Cow Yicky Yicky Yea (vocal LEADBELLY 1944)
Gypsy Laddie
Wade in the Water
My Home Is Not a Home
Bodie
The One I Love Is Gone
Little Maggie
Story About William Riley Shelton (narration DOUG WALLIN)
The Turtledove
Dixie Flagler (vocal UNIDENTIFIED TRAIN CALLER 1936)
Pullin' the Skiff (vocal ORA DELL GRAHAM 1940)
My Sweet Love Ain't Around
The Time Has Come

Album Description

Neo-traditionalists Conrad Praetzel and Robert Powell stake out their claim in the Americana landscape with an eclectic mix of ambient folk and acid/alt country. Clothesline Revival blends electronic and acoustic beats with dobro, mandolin, guitars, lap and pedal steel guitar, ebow, atmospherics and more to create a captivating new sound with an old-time haunting quality. Included are adaptations of historical field recordings (several recorded by the legendary American musicologist Alan Lomax) including performances by Leadbelly, Ora Dell Graham, and an unidentified old train caller. Vocalists Wendy Allen and Tom Armstrong lend their talents to songs by Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Onie Wheeler, Anne Briggs as well as to traditional American folk songs. Wendy Allen, from North Carolina, is a mesmerizing singer and interpreter of American roots music, while Tom Armstrong's vocals recall classic honky tonk and country crooners of the fifties like Wynn Stewart and Letfy Frizzel.

Customer Reviews:

A weird new twist on some cool old music.......2003-04-10

An unusual roots album that blends old-timey themes (and even some remixed archival recordings from the Library of Congress, such as the original Leadbelly vocals on "Cow Cow Yicky Yicky Yea...") with oddball, modernized sonic backgrounds. Arrangers Conrad Praetzel and Robert Powell use a few electronic "beats," although many tunes seem more ambient or even world music-ish. It's certainly a novel approach to the material, reverential yet strikingly innovative. The opening tracks, particularly those featuring vocals by Bay Area honkytonker Tom Armstrong, are pretty cool, though the second half of the album seems to meander and lose focus. Still, this album opens up some really interesting possibilities for a new approach to this old-fashioned American music.

music for lonesome cowgirls at midnight........2003-02-13

clothesline revival. conrad took all this country music and ... it up in the most astonishing way. beats, loops, effects. it's alt alt country and it's the kind of thing i want to listen to on dark nights (as opposed to um what, light nights? good gracious) when it's warm enough to have the windows open. it's like when you were a kid and your mom told you a scary story that's pretty at the same time, and you're haunted for years.

Easily the Best Album of 2002.......2003-01-12

If there were clips here for you to listen to, I wouldn't need to write anything: you'd hear the music and you'd buy the disc. I got turned on to this CD at the zine Puremusic.com, where there was first a review and more recently interviews with all the key players--they also have a nice selection of clips, so you might zip over there for a listen and then come back and purchase. If you don't hear the sound, you can't know what I mean by "traditional" or "experimental" or "beautiful" or "intelligent" or "terrific turned up in the truck." The music has many layers of interest, but my first thought was "This sounds great!" rather than "This sounds unusual." Really, you've got to hear it to know.

Smart Music.......2002-12-12

Clothesline Revival
These guys should get a lot of attention for this great album. Its unlike anything you've heard before - not country, not new age, not in a category. Original, each track interesting in its own way, great to listen to. Some cuts both complex and footstomping at the same time. Other cuts both mellow and edgy. Its just amazing fresh new music. One of the best CDs I've heard in a long time.

Average customer rating:

These songs must have been written for Amaize

Pora! Russian Romances
Alexander Borodin , Modest Mussorgsky , Sergey Rachmaninov , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , and Odekhiren Amaize
Manufacturer: Msr Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Customer Reviews:

These songs must have been written for Amaize.......2004-04-07

My gripe with most recordings of "art songs" is that the performances are boring, as if the music has been fed through a vocal processor, technique overrides heart. This is never the case with Odekhiren Amaize, who makes each song his own. For my money, there is no voice or heart more perfectly suited to interpret these deep, rich Russian songs than his deep, rich Bass-Baritone...the combination of Rakhmaninov and Amaize is nothing short of amazing, and I was moved to tears on more than one occasion even though (not speaking Russian and not first having read the English translations) I didn't have a clue what the text was about. Absolutely stunning!

Average customer rating:

Ghiaurov rules....! And he deserves more than 5 stars!
The worst cd
nicely done!

Russian Songs

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

None But The Lonely Heart Op.6 No.6 - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Not A Word, Oh My Love Op.6 NO.2 - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Don Juan's Serenade, Op.38 No.1 - Nicolai Ghiaurov
It Was In The Early Springs, Op.38 No.2 - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Mid The Noisy Stir Of The Ball, OP.38 No. 3 - Nicolai Ghiaurov
I Bless You, Woods, Op.47 No.5 - Nicolai Ghiaurov
For The Shores Of Your Far-Off Native Land - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Midnight Review - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Melody - Nicolai Ghiaurov
The Worm - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Nocturnal Breeze - Nicolai Ghiaurov
The Old Corporal - Nicolai Ghiaurov

Tracks:

The Cliff - Zlatina Ghiaurov
The Volga BVoatmen - Zlatina Ghiaurov
The Little Oak Cudge - Zlatina Ghiaurov
A Ukrainian Stringed Instrument - Zlatina Ghiaurov
Stenka Razin - Zlatina Ghiaurov
Along Petersburg Street - Zlatina Ghiaurov
In The Dark Forest - Zlatina Ghiaurov
Dark Eyes - Zlatina Ghiaurov
Dear Little Night - Zlatina Ghiaurov
The 12 Brigands - Zlatina Ghiaurov
Farewell, Joy - Zlatina Ghiaurov

Customer Reviews:

Ghiaurov rules....! And he deserves more than 5 stars!.......2002-04-29

I used to have a great deal of this material on vinyl LP, so I'm grabbing this up as soon as possible. London's transfers are usually impeccable, so I expect no problems with the sounds- and the sound on the originals was spectacular. Ghiaurov seemed to me to have a fine feel for this music and the voice is something to die for- huge, robust, soaring... yet capable of subtle beauties many other basses ignore.

Frankly, Ghiaurov is the standard by which I judge other basses in this genre. Maxim Mikhailov and Mark Reizen come to mind as incredible voices and interpreters, as well as Boris Gmyria. Reizen especially had the quintessential basso cantante voice, with a beauty and range of dynamics that is hard to resist. Nicolai Ghiaurov was a fine successor to these lofty singers and I doubt anyone who loves this music will be disappointed. The Song of the Volga Boatmen is superbly done, with beauty, compassion, and a soaring vocal line that really has to be heard to be believed. Stenka Razin also is highly recommended.

I remember listening to these songs over and over; not knowing what most of them were about, but getting lost in the emotions and majesty of this music. In other words... you like this genre? And bass voices? Buy this!

The worst cd.......2002-02-20

The cd has nothing going for it if your american because you can't understand anything and there is no beats.

nicely done!.......1999-02-11

Any Russians out there? If not, that's ok too: the beauty of Russian romances presented here can be understood through your heart. While the first CD consists of piano-accompanied songs written by great Russian composers (Tchaikovsky, Borodin, et al), the second CD is rather a cross-over album of Russian (and one Ukrainian) folk songs, including, of course, the famous "Dark Eyes". Both albums are true jewels. With perfect clarity and diction, Ghiaurov's splendid bass glows over exquisite melodies; his passion for them is real and heartfelt. From tragic "For the shores of your far-off native land" to satiric "The worm" Ghiaurov's interpretations are just as gripping as Chaliapin's. The vocal skills are amazing: listen how he tenderly softens his voice on "Amidst the noisy stir of the ball" and expand it thunderously on "Sten'ka Razin"! It is undoubtedly one of the best song collections coming from the best Boris Godunov of our time. Don't miss it.

The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 1

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The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 2
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Lotte Lehmann: The Complete Victor Recordings (1935-1940)

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Lotte Lehmann: The Complete Victor Recordings (1935-1940)

Manufacturer: Romophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000001S3G
Release Date: 1995-11-22

Tracks:

An Chloe, K.524 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Die Verschweigung, K.518 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Die Schone Mullerin: Ungeduld, D.795, No.7 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Im Abendrot, D.799 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Die Kartenlegerin, Op.31, No.2 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Liederkreis: Waldesgoesprach, Op.39, No.3 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Der Tod Das Ist Die Kuhle Nacht, Op.96, No.1 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Therese, Op.86, No.1 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Meine Liebe Ist Grun, Op.63, No.5 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Anakreons Grab - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
In Dem Schatten Meiner Locken - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Do Not Chide - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
My Native Land - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Midsummer - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Fa La Nanna, Bambin - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Canto Di Primavera - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Ich Liebe Dich - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Schlafe, Mein Susses Kind - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
D'Une Prison - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Vierges D'Athens - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Gretel - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Selige Nacht - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Storchenbotschaft - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Der Gartner - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Du Denkst Mit Einem Fadchen Mich Zu Fangen - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Fur Musik, Op.10, No.1 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Gute Nacht, Op.5, No.7 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Lehn' Deine Wang' An Meine Wang' - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Gretchen Am Spinnrade, D.118 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Schlafe, Schlafe 'Weigenlied', D.498 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Du Bist Wie Eine Blume, Op.25, No.24 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Liederkreis: Fruhlingsnacht, Op.39, No.12 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh

Tracks:

Alte Laute, Op.35, No.12 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Botschaft, Op.47, No.1 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Das Madchen Spricht, Op.107, No.3 - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Mein Madel Hat Einen Rosenmund, No.25 From 49 Volkslieder - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Visions (Tonerna) - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Drink To Me Only - Lotte Lehmann/Erno Balogh
Gebet - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Nun Lass Uns Frieden Schliessen - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Fruhling Ubers Jahr - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Auf Ein Altes Bild - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
In Der Fruhe - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Auch Kleine Dinge - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Und Willst Du Deinen Liebsten Sterben Sehen - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Peregrina I - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Der Knabe Und Das Immlein - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Heimweh - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Er und Sie, Op.78, No.2 - Lotte Lehmann
So Wahr Die Sonne Scheinet, Op.37, No.12 - Lotte Lehmann
Unterm Fenster, Op.34, No.3 - Lotte Lehmann
Familien - Gemalde, Op.34, No.4 - Lotte Lehmann
Ich Denke Dein, Op.78, No.3 - Lotte Lehmann
Winterreise: Die Nebensonnen, D.911, No.23 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Die Post, D.911, No.13 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Der Sturmische Morgen, D.911, No.18 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Der Lindenbaum, D.911, No.5 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Der Wegweiser, D.911, No.20 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Die Krahe, D.911, No.15 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Das Wirtshaus, D.911, No.21 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Tauschung, D.911, No.19 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Mut! D.911, No.22 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: In Dorfe, D.911, No.17 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky
Winterreise: Ruckblick, D.911, No.8 - Lotte Lehmann/Paul Ulanowsky

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Try Listening to Borodin's Songs!

Borodin: Complete Songs and Romances

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005B16X
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

The Pretty Girl No Longer Loves Me - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Irina Molokina/Yuri Serov
Listen To My Song, Little Friend - Marianna Tarassova/Irina Molokina/Yuri Serov
The Lovely Fisherwoman - Konstantin Pluzhnikov/Irina Molokina/Yuri Serov
Why So Early, O Sunset? - Andrey Slavny/Yuri Serov
The Sleeping Princess - Marianna Tarassova/Yuri Serov
My Songs Are Poisoned - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
The Sea Princess - Marianna Tarassova/Yuri Serov
The False Note - Konstantin Pluzhnikov/Yuri Serov
The Song Of The Dark Forest - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
From My Tears - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
The Sea - Konstantin Pluzhnikov/Yuri Serov
Pride - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
For The Shores Of Thy Far Native Land - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
Those Folk - Andrey Slavny/Yuri Serov
The Magic Garden - Marianna Tarassova/Yuri Serov
Arabian Melody - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov

Customer Reviews:

Try Listening to Borodin's Songs!.......2003-09-18

As an admirer of the music of Alexander Borodin, I borrowed this wonderful CD from a friend and listened to it several times completely. It is a wonderful compilation.

An amateur cellist in his time, Borodin included that instrumental accompaniment, along with the piano, in several of his songs. The cellist plays very beautifully and tenderly, adding a gorgeous, haunting touch to these songs. The piano also does a very fine job of bringing out Borodin's rich, exotic harmonies, unlike those of anyone else and influential on later composers, notably Maurice Ravel.

The CD features three different Russian vocalists (a tenor, baritone, and soprano, I believe). They all sing wonderful characterizations, whether they are singing playfully, mournfully, angrily, or flirtatiously. The diction is very good, and the thick, dark, Russian sound is always evident.

Admittedly, the lyrics of many of these songs are cheesy and corny, especially Borodin's own for several of his songs, but they all come of nicely in a musical fashion. The recorded sound is excellent.

I recommend this CD to the dedicated vocalist and/or music listener. It is full of beautiful, rare Russian songs that will provide much listening enjoyment. Also, it helps give us a more complete picture of Borodin, other than his orchestral works, "Prince Igor," and the two string quartets. If you can ever get a hand on Borodin's lesser-known chamber music (string trios, string sextet, piano trio), I recommend them, also!

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