The Well

The Well

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Loneliness, loss, displacement, and death loom large among the topics covered in the 15 Yiddish poems set to melodies by popular Israeli folk singer Chava Alberstein, and arranged by New York's exploratory Klezmatics, on this deeply sad and beautiful album. Anyone familiar with the Klezmatics' more rambunctious side will be impressed by the inventive delicacy and subtlety they bring to these elegant vestiges of fading Yiddish culture, virtually reanimating it with tangos, Hasidic melodies, polkas, and festive freylekhs that recall its vibrant past. Alberstein's low voice meshes beautifully with Lorin Sklamberg's high tenor, adding extra emotional resonance to a series of poems in the middle of the album that evoke the genocide twilight that enveloped the writers' world half a century ago. Their tragedy is redeemed in The Well. --Richard Gehr

Tracks:

The World
Alcohol
Waitin On A Woman
Ill Take You Back
Shes Everything
You Need A Man Around Here
Out In The Parkin Lot (with Alan Jackson)
Rainin You
Flowers
Love Is Never-Ending
The Uncloudy Day
When I Get Where Im Going (Featuring Dolly Parton)
Easy Money
Time Warp
Time Well Wasted
Cornography (featuring James Burton & the Kung Pao Buckaroos)

Amazon.com

Brad Paisley's previous release, Mud on the Tires, was the sort of landmark album nearly every artist has difficulty topping. Not so this time. On Time Well Wasted, Paisley's voice--never overwhelmed by overmixed instruments (a problem dogging many current vocalists)--remains keenly focused. There's quality material in abundance, heavy on originals and delightfully quirky bonus tracks. The album's first hit, Paisley's self-penned "Alcohol," has the potential to become a lasting anthem in a genre where booze songs long ago became an art form. Guy Clark's "Out in the Parkin' Lot," a duet with Alan Jackson, sounds more organic, less contrived than most Music Row pairings. The same applies to "When I Get Where I'm Going," a spiritual duet with Dolly Parton. As in the past, Paisley's country-jazz Telecaster prowess (phemonenal on the dazzling instrumental "Time Warp") remains remarkable, as does his insistence that his sidemen get ample space to shine. Such assets set Paisley apart, as does his ability to make real creativity commercially successful in a Nashville concerned mainly with the latter. --Rich Kienzle

More Brad Paisley

Who Needs Pictures

Part II

Mud on the Tires

Album Description

Time Well Wasted reunites Brad with producer Frank Rogers for a 16-track collection sporting 10 selections from Paisley's pen, including first single, "Alcohol," the fastest-rising chart single of his career. Look for multiple guest stars, including Dolly Parton (featured on "When I Get Where I'm Going") and Paisley labelmate Alan Jackson, who duets on the Guy Clark/Darrell Scott gem, "Out in the Parkin' Lot."

Customer Reviews:

Another Fine Piece of Music for Your Collection.......2007-07-19

This is a very diverse CD with some great music that should be a welcome addition to anyone's music collection. Brad's unique sense of humor always comes through in his music and make his CDs fun to listen to. A nice mix of the fun and serious lyrics that keep you listening over and over. Another great piece of work by Mr. Paisley.
If you have not seen him in concert it is a real treat - he is a master musician and his wonderful sense of humor makes your concert experience a fun one.

Bright Paisley.......2007-06-24

When I first saw Brad Paisley I thought he was a hayseed singer with a hat too big for his head. That was though until he opened his mouth and sang. He has a warm honey voice that throughly enjoyable to listen to. This CD is varied with ballads, up-tempo to humorous. His funny songs are a favorite of mine. I don't think anyone will be disappointed in this CD

Time Well Wasted- Brad Paisley.......2007-06-13

This CD arrived very fast. I listen to it constantly and really like it. I appreciate that Amazon.com sold it to me for considerably LESS than Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Target, Silver Platters or any other retailer where I had priced it at.

Thanks, Amazon!

Jennifer L. Nance
Seattle, WA

Quality listening.......2007-05-15

I really enjoy the songs on this
CD. My favorite is "When I Get Where I'm Going"

love this cd.......2007-05-12

the shipping was prompt and this is a great cd will be buying more from amazon thats for sure

Average customer rating:

The best album yet.
Decent - Some songs superior and strong, others forgettable
Nothing short of awesome!
"Take a ride in the new Chevelle!" (possibly the dumbest review title possible)
Sublime Work: Hardness & Feeling

Vena Sera
Chevelle
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Minutes to Midnight
Cannibal
Year Zero
Alpha
Them VS. You VS. Me

ASIN: B000NJLM3C
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Antisaint
Brainiac
Saferwaters
Well Enough Alone
Straight Jacket Fashion
The Fad
Humanoid
Paint The Seconds
Midnight to Midnight
I Get It
Saturdays

Customer Reviews:

The best album yet........2007-07-28

I have all the Chevelle ablums and I am confident that this ablum is the best they have released. I have all the songs repeating since the day I bought it.

Decent - Some songs superior and strong, others forgettable.......2007-07-18

I guess I'm not as enamored with the new release as others, in saying that I'm glad that so many fans have embraced the new album with such acceptance. When I first heard the final song "Saturdays" I was very impressed, I simply loved this song! The lyrics were especially meaningful to me, particularly the verse "Now we all belong...In the Saturdays of our youth" and that coupled with the sonic soundscape and simple yet prophetic songwriting made this a song I really, really enjoyed.

Perhaps I'm being too critical, and that song to me is a 15 on a 10 scale and should not hold a bias for me when judging the rest of the songs on this album. The problem is that some of the songs don't have much of a connection with me, instrumentally or lyrically. At times I enjoy the edgy guitar riffs but for the most part I felt like a lot of these songs just float by instead of reaching out and grabbing me like "Saturdays" did. The song "Well enough Alone" is memorable as its razor sharp opening leads into some emotional singing, and again I am excited in hoping there are more on the album like it.

Then I started giving it time to grow on me, and it did. The song "Humanoid" has some great changeups with regards to varying riffs and also a song that seemed to stick with me at its very first listen. The song "Paint the Seconds" is stoic at times and although the riffs on this particular song seem to be too familiar in connection with other songs on the album, the chorus has a great crescendo to it that makes it different enough to add to the overall driving power it has. The song "I get it" is also very likable and puts the songwriting and vocals a bit more in the forefront, including an infectious beat found throughout.

Chevelle has managed to stay visible on the front lines of new rock bands that have emerged in this decade among the remnants of a "rock" industry that is always trying to find a new identity, but all too often having its poster child fall off a cliff as the assembly line pushes forward, not heeding that the bridge is out ahead. There is still enough talent within these guys to blaze new trails and I look forward to their next release, while continuing to enjoy albums in their past discography.

Nothing short of awesome!.......2007-07-16

This is going to be short.
As anyone should have expected the new Chevelle cd is perfect. Yeah, they lost a member (brother). But the member (brother-in-law) is such a perfect fit that I doubt anybody even notices. As long as Chevelle keeps pumping out the great cd's that they have been, I foresee another great band. Go ahead & purchase this cd, you will not be let down.

"Take a ride in the new Chevelle!" (possibly the dumbest review title possible).......2007-07-13

Is this the album that Linkin Park (or at least their fanbase) wishes they had released?

Confident yet not lazy in their niche in today's rock scene, Chevelle has a satisfying 3rd major label LP with Vena Sera. You think Pete Loeffler has run out of fingers to point? You think wrong. He, brother Sam, and brother-in-law Dean have yet to run out of ways to manipulate their signature booming, detuned sound to condemn the masses and sell rock records that stand head and shoulders above their contemporaries in their intensity and quality songwriting.

Unlike parts of TTOT, this record proves easily listenable from beginning to end. The middle offers the most intense and creative songs. "Straight Jacket Fashion" manages to switch with fluidity between a punk beat and their oft-reliable and smooth ¾ groove, the place the song comes in for its landing. "The Fad" and "Humanoid" are the darkest cuts on the album, the latter employing an old-school rhythm and turning it into a blistering hook reminiscent of a quicker "Family System". Second single "I Get It" deserves a mention as well for its prominent acoustic guitar (believe it or not) in the verses and its seething, sarcastic tone throughout.

Don't think you're going to gain any new insights into the meaning of the songs nor who the arrows are aimed at - just like the past records, Pete's lyrics are inscrutable. Even so, you have to admit that he manages to create some of the catchiest choruses in radio rock, even if you have little idea who he's pissed at. It's actually rather nice, especially in Chevelle's genre, to have some mystery in the meanings of the songs. (And isn't that the point of art anyway, to interpret it for yourself?)

Critics have always come down on Chevelle either for Tool/Helmet imitation or just for lack of deviation from the nu-metal masses. While Vena Sera is not likely to silence the critics, those who do "get it" should be very pleased...Chevelle at least is not trying to break into the Top 40 like other rock bands going through identity crises.

Sublime Work: Hardness & Feeling.......2007-07-09

For all those who're only looking for hard sound I should suggest them just to listen to other genres like Death Metal. This incredible alternative band has been able to to create with new and absolute peculiar experience about expressivity and feeling through the Metal's hard sounds. Each song is a unique treasure yelled and sung from the deepest of three alternative hearts. Delighting.

Relaxation Body Scan & Guided Imagery for Well-Being

Average customer rating:

Extremely Relaxing!!!
Better of the relaxation CD's I've tried
expert quidance in relaxation

Relaxation Body Scan & Guided Imagery for Well-Being

Manufacturer: Carolyn McManus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Progressive Relaxation & Autogenic Training
Journey into Deep Relaxation
Creating Calm In Your Life: A Guided Meditation and Stress Reduction CD
The Gift of Relaxation - Stress Relief * Sleep * Wellness
The Ease of Being: Guided Meditations for Centering and Healing

ASIN: B0000AGUCJ
Release Date: 2003-06-01

Tracks:

Relaxation Body Scan
Guided Imagery for Well-Being

Album Description

The ability to relax your body and calm you mind is necessary for health and well-being. This recording helps you discover your capacities for relaxation and inner calm.

Relaxation Body Scan introduces you to simple breathing exercises that relax your body and calm your mind. Guidance to relax each muscle group in your body is provided. The program concludes with awareness of your entire body resting in a state of relaxation.

Guided Imagery for Well-Being begins with a brief relaxation body scan, followed by a guided journey to a calm and peaceful place. You are invited to experience peace, balance, well-being and any positive feeling or quality you would like to strengthen within yourself. The program concludes by guiding you to experience these positive feelings and qualities in your body in the present moment.

Customer Reviews:

Extremely Relaxing!!!.......2007-02-14

I am a stay at home mother with a very high needs baby. I suffer from chronic daily headaches and was looking for a CD that would help me relax.
I've tried meditating but my mind always wanders. This cd was excellent in helping to keep my focus on my breathing. After a session I feel absolutely renewed!

Better of the relaxation CD's I've tried.......2006-01-18

I'm constantly looking for a good progressive muscle relaxation cd because when I make them for myself, I just laugh at myself while listening to it. :) This CD is great because Carolyn's voice is soothing but somewhat plain/neutral, so she doesn't come across as overly cheesey. I've also had some experience with subliminal relaxation tapes, and I found progressive muscle relaxation to be more effective. As a psychotherapist, I use this myself and recommend it freely to clients. Great purchase!

expert quidance in relaxation.......2004-05-20

"Relaxation Body Scan & Guided Imagery for Well-Being" is the best tool I know for learning the skills of relaxation and body awareness. Carolyn's insructions are clear and easy to follow. Her calm voice is wonderfully soothing. Her experiance as a Physical Therapist and Psychotherapist clearly makes a difference in her ability to create a guided relaxation technique that really works. I highly recommend this CD to anyone wanting to relax.

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

Average customer rating:

the most relaxing classical music in the university
Relaxing Classical Music
Stress-freedom
Greatly enjoy!
the most relaxing classical music in the universe

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Johann Sebastian Bach , Ralph Vaughan Williams , George Frideric Handel , Gustav Holst , Samuel Barber , Edvard Grieg , Jean Sibelius , Antonin Dvorak , Franz Liszt , Charles Gounod , Fryderyk Chopin , Alexander Borodin , Maurice Ravel , Vivaldi, Antonio , Satie, Erik , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe
Mozart for Relaxation

ASIN: B00008RH16
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Canon - Pachelbel
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik-Andante - Mozart
Fur Elise - Beethoven
String Quartet #1 - Tchaikovsky
Clair De Lune - Debussy
Idyl for Strings - Adagio - Janacek
Adagio in G Mnor - Albinoni
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair - Debussy
Air on a G String - Bach
Greensleeves - Vaughn Williams
Largo from Xerxes - Handel
Prelude in C - Bach
The Planets - Venus - Holst
Goldberg Variations - Aria - Bach
Adagio for Strings - Barber

Tracks:

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun - Debussy
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Holberg Suite - Sarabande - Grieg
Valse Triste - Sibelius
Concerto in F Minor - Largo - Bach
Serenade for String - Moderato - Dvorak
Liebestraume - Liszt
Ave Maria - Bach/Bounod
Etude in E Major - Chopin
String Quartet No 2 - Nocturne - Borodin
Arabesque - Debussy
Pavane for Dead Princess - Ravel
The Four Seasons - Largo - Vivaldi
Gymno0pedie 1 - Satie
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio - Beethoven
Piano Concerto No 21 - Andante - Mozart "Elvira Madigan"

Customer Reviews:

the most relaxing classical music in the university.......2007-05-12

All my favorites. I can start the CD player, which is wired to speakers in every room of my house, and just let it play, along with "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World" and "The Most Relaxing Classical Guitar in the World." I enjoy an awareness of familiar and beautiful strains of my favorites all day long and never get tired of it.

My brother visited me recently and noticed it right away. That will be another order for this fabulour music.

Relaxing Classical Music.......2007-01-08

I was not really a classical music fan but I am now. I purchased this cd for my 14 year old grand-daughter, not knowing we would both enjoy the music so much. She has always enjoyed classical music along with all of the other teen music, rap, rock, country, etc.
Also, it really helped being able to listen to parts of the music before purchasing.

Stress-freedom.......2006-03-14

Perfect music to end the work day. After listening to this I can face the evening. If the morning is hard, a little at lunch time gets me through the afternoon.

Greatly enjoy!.......2006-02-23

I first developed a taste for this music a number of years ago when my daughter started playing in the orchestra. The reason I made this purchase however, was because I have a great deal of difficulty with anxiety and I was looking for ways to find help. I love these CDs. It helps so much to sit and close my eyes and enjoy the music. The CDs are full of beautiful music.

the most relaxing classical music in the universe.......2005-09-21

it's the best next to the first one...

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1966 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Jaques Brel still lives
Fabulous Show
Jacques Brel lives on through English Translation of his songs
A Little Night Music....
Fine Singer / Actors Do Brel Justice

Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1966 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Jacques Brel , Ocr , Elly Stone , and Mort Shuman
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Brel Vol. 1 (Master Serie)
Infiniment
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
The Fantasticks (Original 1960 Off-Off Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000067AS5
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Tracks:

Marathon
Alone
Madeleine
I Loved
Mathilde
Bachelor's Dance
Timid Frieda
My Death
Jackie
Desperate Ones
Sons Of.
Amsterdam
The Bulls
Old Folks
Marieke
Brussels
Fanette
Funeral Tango
The Middle Class
You're Not Alone
Next
Carousel
If We Only Have Love

Amazon.com

At the time of this show's 1968 Greenwich Village debut, French singer-songwriter Jacques Brel's body of theatrically insightful ballads was already an obscure but deeply influential treasure trove for many American musicians. The revue's success would go on to influence artists as diverse as Leonard Cohen, Bowie (who covered "Amsterdam" shortly thereafter), and Sinatra, and it may even be responsible for one-hit wonder Terry Jacks's revival of "Seasons in the Sun".

More important, the pioneering musical-without-a-book helped introduce Brel's oft-brooding, ever evocative art to a wider American audience--and arguably had an evolutionary influence on Broadway itself. This complete reissue of the 1968 boxed set cast album offers up a rich cross-section of Brel's songs about life, death, and love--and typically sharp-eyed observations about the human follies that season them--deftly performed by a cast that includes Elly Stone, Alice Whitfield, Shawn Elliott, and, crucially, rock pioneer, Brel associate, and co-producer Mort Shuman. This new edition fleshes out the set with the sessions' only unreleased song, a sprightly take on the deliciously cynical "The Middle Class." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Jaques Brel still lives.......2007-04-02

The CD of the original cast is still fresh and still gives Brel's music the most fitting rendition

Fabulous Show.......2007-02-22

This compilation of Brel's songs remains one of my favorite musicals. I would recommend it to everyone!

Jacques Brel lives on through English Translation of his songs.......2007-02-12

Although I've never heard but one Jacques Brel song in French (song by he, himself on the DVD - which is a MUST BUY), I heard this "album" shortly after it came out, in the early 70's. My dad got me turned on to this music and it's stayed with me all these 40+ years. This is very special music to me and I'm thrilled to have both the CD and the DVD.

A Little Night Music...........2007-01-23

I can't explain why I might review this...it's been a long while since listening. Yet it was a show that was transformative obviously not just for me. I'm thinking Bowie and other thoughts that way...and it shaped my hopes and dreams and now, older and not so well, I listened to this tonight at 2AM, not sleeping again, recalling how I heard it then, how I hear it now.
I had a good friend who was in the show for one summer, maybe 79 or 80. Just a sad staging in a little town in Appalachia trying on some Paris. We had a dinner theater in our town, which meant an old building , some tables, small area and a stage kind of and some curtains. Rather ambitious for the town, they staged summer shows of Brel. And other things too, finally. My girlfriend as she often did hooked me into her evenings and I made drinks there as well as gave a few musical efforts and some easily forgotten attempts at choral support. On nights someone didn't show. You actually also made the food and sang the show, in those days for your audience, who tended to tip fairly poorly and be the local lawyers and med school doctors dragged out by wives seeking a cultural night of dinner theater. It was a kind of starving kids for ten bucks sing, act, cook, serve vodka/tonics, smoke and tell you the story of Boheme life while mixing blue cheese from packets of powder and creme in a frenzy preparing to figure out who plays the piano well enough as the player won't being pissed over low wages and a remark made about his big derrière. That kind of a summer. Songs probably wasted on the young.

All that said, it was/is a lovely collection of songs. Even better an experience when you learn and sing the French and can then argue incessantly about the translations and "feel" of the shows on two continents. I loved then to sing them, and find a tune floating in my head tonight from no where-just there- when "No. Love You're Not Alone" actually woke me. The American film was awful, the show best seen in revival and smoky nights in clubs. Then, in 1980 or so, it made my life richer, it's probably a good thing Susanna was such a friend...though I didn't understand, we dragged ourselves to a lot of meaning.And that rather odious experience in the Bahamas.

I think this worthy of time and listening. And a big moon would be cool, to walk on the shore and hear it once more. Think I'll slip out awhile.

Fine Singer / Actors Do Brel Justice.......2007-01-15

In 1966, an American producer named Nat Shapiro introduced Eric Blau to Mort Shuman. Five years earlier, Mr. Shapiro had introduced Mr. Blau and his wife, Elly Stone, to the songs of Jacques Brel. After hearing a recording of one of Brel's concerts, Elly Stone informed her husband that Brel was the greatest songwriter of the 20th century, and she induced him to be the very first to translate Brel into English. Shortly thereafter, Elly Stone premiered Brel's love song, Ne me quitte pas (Don't Leave Me) to American audiences in the off-Broadway revue, O Oysters, along with the first English Brel translation, Carousel, showcasing Brel's melody for La valse a mille temps (The Waltz A Thousand Times As Fast) and loosely translated lyrics.

Unbeknownst to them, about the same time Elly Stone heard her first Brel recording, Mort Shuman was undergoing something of a revelation across the Atlantic. In the midst of a successful career writing rock and roll songs (including hits for Elvis Presley, and the ubiquitous teenage anthem, Save The last Dance For Me), Mort Shuman had been wandering restlessly around Europe, and came to settle for a time in Paris. There, he became acquainted with Brel's music, and, later, with the man himself, and the two became close friends. Shuman convinced Brel that he should be allowed to translate some of his better-known songs into English, and bring them to America. More on the strength of their friendship than Shuman's reputation as a songwriter, Brel agreed, but a problem soon emerged. Although Shuman had mastered French surprisingly well, he was finding the task of translating Brel's songs quite daunting. After several attempts, Shuman found his English versions sorely lacking. He realized that it was not only that he had become too enraptured with Brel's work to find the objectivity required to do them justice, but it also became apparent that Brel's songs reflected too much of the French philosophy and politics to appeal to an American public largely besotted on syrupy, trite love songs.

Shuman returned to America, vowing to find a way to introduce Brel's songs to an English speaking public. By this time, Nat Shapiro had heard Elly Stone perform Eric Blau's first translations of Brel, and wanted more. In November 1966, Nat Shapiro persuaded Mort Shuman to hear Elly Stone perform at Julius Monk's Plaza 9, despite Shuman's reluctance, which derived from his belief that only a male singer could do Brel justice. At a table with Shapiro and a very nervous Eric Blau, Shuman applauded politely. "She's good", he told Blau, "the translations are real good". It must have rankled him somewhat that it was Blau and not Shuman who first successfully translated Brel to English.

Nat Shapiro also had the idea for the perfect venue to introduce Brel to America - an off-Broadway show. Not exactly a revue, since that implied that the songs had been heard before, what eventually took shape was the first "libretto-less" musical, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. In addition to Elly Stone and Eric Blau's enthusiasm for Brel's music, Elly's amazing talent had won Shuman over and convinced him to work with Blau on the translations. Two years later, their labor of love finally introduced Brel's songs to an American public that was as ready for Brel, as Brel's songs were ready for America.

I am somewhat puzzled by the negative reviews by those who insist that Brel's songs can never be appreciated in anything but the original French. When Eric Blau realized, as Mort Shuman had earlier, that Brel's songs could never be translated exactly to American English (steeped as they were in French life and politics), they agreed to go for the next best thing. They opted to translate Brel's songs as closely as they could, but, when this was not possible, they kept Brel's melodies while attempting to retain the spirit of his writing, if not his actual words. What resulted were often very good translations indeed. One only has to compare the French text of songs that became Jackie, the Old Folks, Brussels, the Middle Class, Madeleine or Amsterdam to realize that, for the most part, the narrative and spirit (and sometimes even the lyrics) closely matched Brel's originals. Two additional translations, Song For Old Lovers and My Childhood, which also resembled the originals, were recorded by Elly Stone on her (now very rare) self-titled Columbia album. Miss Stone also recorded Goodbye My Friends for her second album, which was arguably a superior version of Brel's Le Moribond than the dreadful version by Rod McKuen, Seasons In the Sun.

In other cases, the translations altered Brel's songs in such a way as to make them more palatable to American tastes, while retaining Brel's concept. Thus, Jef, a song in which a man tries to cheer up a drinking buddy who has lost a great love, becomes a love song, in which one partner attempts to bolster the melancholy spirit of their beloved. In fact, some would argue that the beautiful prose of No Love You're Not Alone not only equals the poetic imagery of Brel's original lyrics quite adequately, they are actually an improvement. Conversely, When We Only Have Love was transformed from a love song to an anthem for brotherly love, yet did not destroy Brel's concept or his "poetry", but successfully built on it. Brel, by the way, often pointed out that, in his culture, it would be unforgivably vain for a songwriter to compare himself to a poet. To the French, poetry is not only a much higher art form than songwriting, Brel did not consider songwriting an art at all, but merely "a craft". All told, there are, in fact, only a few songs in this show where the lyrics, content, spirit, tone and / or subject matter were completely altered from Brel's originals.

When the show premiered in Canada, the creators were terrified that they would be taken to task by the French Canadian press for daring to present Brel in English there, as Brel is highly prized in Canada. Instead, it was the English Canadian press who savaged the show. But the French Canadian journalist, Rudel-Tessier (a bi-lingual writer, quite familiar with Brel in French) stated flatly that, although in translating the work, some of Blau / Shuman went in and some of Brel came out, he found it marvelous to have Brel in English at all. And, he gently chided his peers by pointing out that, while Shakespeare is quite popular in French, the Bard will never be quite the same in French as he is in English. So, to those who say you cannot appreciate Brel's songs in anything but French I reply, this show was written for those who never have, and never will, understand a single word of French. Does anyone really think that those who only speak French should be deprived of Shakespeare?

Even if none of this were true, I would like to point out that Jacques Brel himself, armed with exact French translations of the English lyrics, personally approved every song that was written for the show before the decision to produce it was finalized.

Besides, the passion and reverence that these performers feel for Brel and this material is evident in every song, and to those who claim that this show is an insult to Brel, I answer that it's an insult to the efforts of this fine cast to suggest that they had anything but his best interests at heart, and, as someone who is quite familiar with Brel in French, I believe they succeeded brilliantly. And as fine a songwriter as you can argue that Brel is in French, well, Elly Stone is equally as fine a singer in any language, and I bemoan the fact that she virtually squandered the balance of her career championing Brel's work, when she could have made a major name for herself, based solely on her own talent. Having seen Elly Stone perform live many times (in and out of this show), I will attest to the fact that, in her prime, she had the most impressive voice I have ever heard in a concert hall.

And in the end, it was Brel himself who gave the supreme complement to this effort. At one point, Eric Blau fretted when, in order to more closely translate Brel's lyrics to la Mort (My Death), he and Shuman had to alter Brel's melody. When they sent the new song to Brel, he responded, "You have improved it; it's better than mine". A year after the show opened, Brel flew in to New York to see it. That night, he led a standing ovation for the performers, and modestly told Blau and Shuman repeatedly that they had not only exceeded his expectations, in many instances, they had improved his work. He also told Elly Stone that she was, "the finest lady performer" he had ever seen (including Piaf, whom she was often compared to unfairly) and he told her that he wanted to write new songs specifically for her. Unfortunately for us, he never had time, but it was a testament to her talent and artistic integrity that Brel offered.

And if Brel himself was pleased with the translations featured in this glorious production, why should anyone quarrel with that?

Average customer rating:

This should never have worked at all
A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS
Chess
One of my favorites!
Concepts get better with practice

Chess
Bjorn Ulvaeus , and Tim Rice
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Chess (1988 Original Broadway Cast)
Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast)
Evita (1978 Original Broadway Cast)
A Little Night Music (1973 Original Broadway Cast)
Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000002GLR
Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

Merano - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Murray Head
The Russian And Molokov/ Where I Want To Be - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley
Opening Ceremony - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Bjorn Skifs
Quartet (A Model Of Decorum And Tranquility) - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley/Bjorn Skifs
The American And Florence/Nobody's Side - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
Chess - LSO/Anders Eljas
Mountian Duet - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg
Florence Quits - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
Embassy Lament - Tommy Korberg/The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas
Anthem - Tommy Korberg

Tracks:

Bangkok
One Night In Bangkok
Heaven Help My Heart
Argument
I Know Him So Well
The Deal (No Deal)
Pity The Child
Endgame
Epilogue: You And I / The Story Of Chess

Amazon.com

Chess is a musical that sounds like it shouldn't work but instead succeeds surprisingly well. This is the original concept album that was recorded before the musical was staged in London. Chess is the story of a love triangle told against the backdrop of an international chess tournament during the height of the cold war. The composers are Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the Bs in ABBA) and the lyrics are by Tim Rice, who supplied the words for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, as well as Disney's Aladdin (with Howard Ashman), The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. The six-member cast does a beautiful job with the songs, which are a combination of ballads, rock, and operatic choruses. Murray Head's version of "One Night in Bangkok" became a surprise hit in the mid-'80s and it still turns up on the turntables in dance clubs around the world. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

This should never have worked at all.......2007-06-18

And on that basis alone, you've got to cut it some slack. Fortunately, not all that much slack turns out to be necessary.

While "Chess" may be a document of an era that no longer exists, there's a lot more going on than the surface metaphor. It holds up very well indeed. When it aims for humor, it generally succeeds, and likewise when it aims to devastate. What more can you ask for?

A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS.......2007-03-04

`Chess' is a musical that should be counted among the best of what the 1980-is had produced: side by side with `Cats', `The Phantom of the Opera', `Les Miserables' or `Miss Saigon'. The score as heard on this concept album, written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (formerly of ABBA) and with the exceptional lyrics written by Tim Rice, stand proof to this. And yet, due to various reasons, like the changing of the director half way through London staging; a heavy rewrite for Broadway and a pan review from Frank Ritch (a.k.a. `The Butcher of Broadway'), `Chess' seems to be unjustly neglected.

This concept album is the main reason why the show has so many ardent fans until this day. Tim Rice wanted to write the show with the main plot revolving around chess for years and after his long time partner Andrew Lloyd Webber remained uninterested, he found the new collaborators in Ulvaeus and Andersson. The subject matter follows two international chess players in a championship, a Russian (Tommy Körberg) and an American (Murray Head) and a woman called Florence (Elaine Paige) who is a manager to the American but falls in love with the Russian. The story also draws a parallel between the game of chess and the cold war/real life situations.

This concept album was recorded in 1984, two years before the original London production took place. As the authors noted in the accompanying booklet, it was a work in progress and thusly the story is not quite readable here from the musical numbers alone. Despite that fact (which is amended by the synopsis included in the booklet), this album remains a winner. The score (played here by the London Symphonic Orchestra) itself makes an intriguing bland of the famous ABBA sound, the classical; the rock and the pop enhanced by the orchestral solo passages and the strong choral parts. The lush orchestrations add an epic touch to it and on the whole it is melodic and hummable, packed with great tunes. Some of the songs achieved huge success outside the musical: `I know him so well', a duet between Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson, held the number one spot on the UK singles charts for 4 weeks in February 1985 and won Ivor Novello Award as the Best Selling Single; Murray Head's `One night in Bangkok' became one of the biggest dance hits of its time, often heard today. Some other notable tunes include `The Anthem' (Russian's deliberation on his homeland); the soaring rock songs `Where I want to be' and `Pity the child' (in the former, the Russian reflects upon his life under the spotlight; in the latter, the American ponders about his own unhappy childhood) or the gentle `Heaven help my heart' (in which Florence weighs up her relationship with the Russian).

A special reference must be made to Tim Rice's excellent lyrics. With `Chess' he managed to keep up to the high standards he set himself in `Jesus Christ Superstar' and Evita'. Again in this case he shows he is a lyrical wizard, with his familiar cynical touch. `The story of chess', in which he gives a history of the game in a couple of crafty verses, is a pure masterpiece. The same can be said of the song `I know him so well', where the two women reexamine their relationship with the same man. As a whole, `Chess' owes a lot of its appeal to Tim Rice's written word.

The cast on this album ranks the high standard of the material. The principal parts (sung by Elaine Paige, Tommy Körberg and Murray Head) are delivered in a strong and impeccable fashion.

This 2-disc edition comes with a booklet containing a note from the authors, a text about chess, a full synopsis and a libretto, together with the photos of the principal singers.

Anyone interested in the modern musical theatre should find `Chess' to be a great score with great lyrics, which should be enough to satisfy any aficionado.

Chess.......2007-01-15

A magnificent musical, i have enjoyed the music since i first heard it and read the storyline. Had been unable to find it in our local music stores.Very pleased to find it on your site.

One of my favorites!.......2007-01-12

I love "Chess"! I still remember the first time I heard the single "One Night in Bangkok" on my car radio. I thought it was so unusual and so very cool, so I tracked down the album and bought it. Then I taped it onto a cassette, which is what I've been listening to for years, so I finally broke down and got it on CD. Of course, it's on my iPod now. I've seen the musical, and I loved that, too.

Concepts get better with practice.......2006-11-27

I love this show! That said, I do not care for this version of it. The inclusion of the word "concept" in the title means it is just that. This was, thankfully, not the final version of the show that would later spawn the hit song, "One Night In Bangkok".

With most Broadway musicals, the musical numbers tell the basic story of the show. If you listen to the recordings of Phantom, Mama Mia, Beauty and the Beast, you can discern the basic storyline of the show. Listening to this particular recording of Chess, though, will leave you wondering "What was that?" The Broadway arrival of Chess saw a much needed reworking of the storyline and arrangement of the musical numbers. This recording seems too much like a mish-mash of songs that don't really relate to each other.

For musical fanatics (like myself), I say "yes, you should have this recording in your collection", if only to understand how much work went into the show before it opened on Broadway.

If you are only buying the album because of "One Night In Bangkok", purchase the Broadway recording instead; you'll be much happier with the performance by Phillip Casnoff rather than Murray Head.

Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung

Average customer rating:

Beautiful music
Andrea Bocelli-Sacred Arias
An "experience" of sacred arias more than "listening" of sacred arias
amazing talent
Perfect arias for the perfect voice

Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung
George Frideric Handel , Giulio Caccini , Charles Gounod , Franz Schubert , Cesar Franck , Gioachino Rossini , Giuseppe Verdi , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Richard Wagner , Pietro Mascagni , Louis Niedermeyer , Franz Xaver Gruber , John Francis Wade , Jean-Paul Lecot , Myung-Whun Chung , and Andrea Bocelli
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romanza
Andrea Bocelli - Amore
Sogno
Cieli di Toscana
Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria

ASIN: B00002ND9N
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Caccini/Mercurio: Ave Maria
Mascagni: Sancta Maria
Gounod: Ave Maria
Schubert: Ave Maria
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Rossini: Cuius animam
Verdi: Ingemisco
Mozart: Ave verum
Wagner: Der Engel
Handel: Ombra mai fu
Niedermeyer: Pieta signore
Rossini: Dominus Deus
Schubert/Mercurio: Mille Cherubini in coro
Gruber/Mercurio: Silent Night
Wade: Adeste Fideles
Gloria a te, Cristo Ges

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias, the release of which coincides with the first English-language biography of the singer. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful music.......2007-01-12

This is my second copy of this CD, I burned the first one out!!
Andrea Bocelli has a very gorgeous voice that is a gift from above. His voice is not affected or braggadoccio but naturally magnificent. I could and do start my day listening to this spiritually uplifting CD almost everyday. It is a wonderful way to get off to a pleasant peaceful start, but also a nice way to come home in the evening if you have a CD player in your car. I highly recommend it to all.

Andrea Bocelli-Sacred Arias.......2006-08-25

Excellent listening. Voice quality and tone is superb. Brings tears to my eyes when I envision listening to this in a church setting.

An "experience" of sacred arias more than "listening" of sacred arias.......2006-04-28

I bought this CD's special edition with DVD, and I am impressed by bocelli's singing in this album. I have heard many voices singing sacred songs, and christmas songs, but very few singers can achieve the "sacred atmosphere" that bocelli devotes when he sings. He may not have a "strong" voice as opera singers, but I think singing these sacred songs, devoting the "sacred atmosphere" to the audience is much more important, the voice actually is just a tool that helps a singer to achieve the result. For real, I have heard some CD by some chorus that perform sacred arias, but they did not move me as much as this CD does, mostly not even close. Personally I like "O come all ye faithful", "silent night", all "ave maria"'s, "domine deus", "cujus animam" the most. When I listen Bocelli's singing I focus on what he tries to devote in singing more than his voice color, because in terms of voice color he surely cant be compared with pavarotti or domingo, so why compares? The way of listening him and listening real opera singers is different man. But the reason I gave only this CD four stars is that I have heard several sacred arias from this album performed by his voice teacher, the legendary tenor Franco Corelli. I tried not to compare both...but I cant, not because Bocelli sings bad, he is already excellent, just Corelli is TOO excellent that cant be described by human language (well I think even Pavarotti is not even close to Franco Corelli, but this is just my opinion). Anyway if you want to "experience" the true beauty of sacred arias, this CD is highly recommended. And this is also a very good sacred aria album for beginning listeners who want to broaden their musical taste to sacred arias.

amazing talent.......2006-03-25

worth the price the songs are breathtaking and talent is indescribable

Perfect arias for the perfect voice.......2006-03-04

These are just terrific. How does Andrea acheive the range he does, and the power he has, without sounding too heavy or too light? His voice sounds like the perfect voice for these perfect arias.

I have noticed one concern with the CD. I have heard several clicks scattered here and there in the songs -- but the CD is clean and I feel confident it is not the machine. Has anyone else noticed this?

The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I

Average customer rating:

Passion
Best CD I Own.
Your Inner Voice is Calling
Fascinating
Gould's unique sound

The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
Johann Sebastian Bach , and Glenn Gould
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II
A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Art of the Fugue - 70th Anniversary Edition
French Suites - 70th Anniversary Edition
Bach: The Goldberg Variations

ASIN: B0000028NI
Release Date: 1994-01-11

Tracks:

Prelude And Fugue No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 847: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 847: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Major, BWV 848: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Major, BWV 848: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 5 In D Major, BWV 850: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 5 In D Major, BWV 850: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 851: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 851: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 7 In E-Flat Major, BWV 852: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 7 In E-Flat Major, BWV 852: Fuga
Prelude In E-Flat Minor And Fugue In D-Sharp Minor No. 8, BWV 853: Praeludium
Prelude In E-Flat Minor And Fugue In D-Sharp Minor No. 8, BWV 853: Fuga
Prelude Fugue No. 9 In E Major, BWV 854: Praeludium
Prelude Fugue No. 9 In E Major, BWV 854: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855: Fuga Fugue No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855
Prelude And Fugue No. 11 In F Major, BWV 856: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 11 In F Major, BWV 856: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 12 In F Minor, BWV 857: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 12 In F Minor, BWV 857: Fuga

Tracks:

Prelude And Fugue No.13 In F-Sharp Major, BWV 858: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.13 In F-Sharp Major, BWV 858: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.14 In F-Sharp Minor, BWV 859: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.14 In F-Sharp Minor, BWV 859: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.15 In G Major, BWV 860: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.15 In G Major, BWV 860: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.16 In G Minor, BWV 861: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.16 In G Minor, BWV 861: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.17 In A-Flat Major, BWV 862: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.17 In A-Flat Major, BWV 862: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.18 In G-Sharp Minor, BWV 863: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.18 In G-Sharp Minor, BWV 863: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.19 In A Major, BWV 864: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.19 In A Major, BWV 864: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.20 In A Minor, BWV 865: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.20 In A Minor, BWV 865: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.21 In B-Flat Major, BWV 866: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.21 In B-Flat Major, BWV 866: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.22 In B-Flat Minor, BWV 867: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.22 In B-Flat Minor, BWV 867: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.23 In B Major, BWV 868: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.23 In B Major, BWV 868: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.24 In B Minor, BWV 869: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.24 In B Minor, BWV 869: Fuga

Amazon.com essential recording

It's rather amazing today, when recordings of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier practically fall of the shelves, to recall just how unusual it was back in the 1960s for a pianist to undertake to record this amazing work. It's probably fair to say that until Glenn Gould got his fingers around it, Bach's music was used for teaching purposes more than anything else. What Gould proves in this essential set is that Bach is decidedly not just a threat to hold over the head of budding pianists but a joy to listen to. One of Gould's very greatest recordings. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Passion.......2007-07-29

I recently listened to an MP3 recording of Bach's WTC Book I by Glenn Gould. I know the music well having listened so many times to the recordings by Andras Schiff and Angela Hewitt. Gould's recording was a revelation. While there is a considerable amount of backgound noise (perhaps Gould humming as he has in other recordings), the sound of the piano is bright and forward much to my liking and considerably better than the distant and muffled sound from Schiff's effort. What makes the recording remarkable, however, is the definite passion Gould seems to present in this recording. I do not at all agree with the review by Mr. Lee of last year. Gould was clearly an iconoclast in some ways; yet his approach to so many of Bach's great works using his unique sense of rhythm, timing, and emphasis brought out a living presence not found in the recordings of others that I have listened to (at least with the WTC). I hope to obtain a CD as soon as possible.

Best CD I Own........2007-07-13

If I could give this album 10 stars, I would. To me it is the platonic ideal for music. These 24 pieces from Bach are important fundamental building blocks for all of music, and Gould interprets them in ways that allows their greatness to come through. These performances never get stale. I started my toddler kids off in listening to both WTC Book 1 and 2, and they loved them immediately. Even now, if given a choice of what CD to put on they will usually choose one of the WTC CD's. I tend to be underdramatic, but when I listen to this composer and this performer and see how my kids respond, I feel like its a gift from God.

Your Inner Voice is Calling.......2007-03-01

Let's admit it right off the bat - these are individualistic recordings that do not sound like anything you've ever heard. That's probably why I value them so much, that and their brilliant artistic temperament. Bach can sound boring, particularly by those who insist on a rigid (rather than flowing) tempo and an emotionless rendition that approaches machine-like quality. This is NOT the WTC you are used to but it is a work of art unto itself.

Whether it is a Brahms Intermezzo, a work by Scriabin or these creations, there is no one who can bring out that inner melody with such clarity and perfection. It's almost as if his fingers operated totally independent of each other in a way we have yet to discover. At times, he manages to find inner voices that cannot be seen even when looking at the music. Then there is his technique of focusing a work - from the entire piece to a movement to a section, phrase, chord and finally a single note. You know that every single note sounds as it does for a reason known only to Gould. As usual, I have trouble choosing a "favorite" although I admit that I prefer the minor over major because of their alleged "richness".

Questions of authenticity or "how they were meant to be heard" are irrelevant. Chopin wrote for a small pianoforte, not the Grand we hear today. Who wants a tiny "original" chorus of Handel's Messiah or Julius Reubke's Organ Sonata heard on a pre-French Romantic organ? By all means, this is a recording for the ages - buy and enjoy.

Fascinating.......2007-02-13

I was quite surprised to read other reviewer's comments about Gould not following Bach's 'intentions'. Given that there is one prelude with a tempo mark and almost no dynamic markings in the entire 48, it would be hard to find his intentions except by assuming that the tradition is 100 % accurate. I find this recording interesting, most of all because of the lack these days of originality. Gould was original, but that was not his goal. He had a connection with the music of Bach and felt that he had something to say with it that no one else had. It's refreshing to hear something so sincerely original as these unconventional renditions. The fugues are especially amazing. His control over each voice is nothing short of spectacular. I highly recommend this to anyone who is tired of hearing the Prelude in C major played the same way by everyone else.

Gould's unique sound.......2006-06-02

No pianist has been able to play these pieces as steadily and with as much control as Gould, nor with his reverence and clarity in fugues such as the c# and e-flat minor. In the C# major prelude in Book I Gould plays a wrong note in bar 37--a b natural for b#--but this more minor-sounding wrong line actually sounds interesting and maybe even better, and it contrasts with bar 45. I did not realize this elusive sound was a wrong note until relistening after a break of many years. It had to be either a deliberate change or a finger slip--no edition of the piece contains that note. There is also a finger slip in the C# major fugue on the 'and' of beat one in bar 17 where Gould bumps into an f#--that could not be deliberate. These are the only note errors I have found in Gould's recordings, and I don't know that any outtakes have been released of the WTC.
Carefully listening one can also detect the splice between takes in the a minor fugue in Gould's Book I, and other splices in II. Other controversial things await the listener in this immortal record.

Average customer rating:

It might as well be swing
"More Than The Simple Words I Try To Say . . ."
Sencillamente brillante
Swing Indeed!
Are there more than 5 stars?

It Might as Well Be Swing
Frank Sinatra , and Count Basie and His Orchestra
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sinatra-Basie
Sinatra at the Sands
Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! And More
Ring-a-Ding Ding!
Come Dance with Me!

ASIN: B00000AG9F
Release Date: 1998-09-08

Tracks:

Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
I Wish You Love
I Believe In You
More (Theme From Mondo Cane)
I Can't Stop Loving You
Hello, Dolly!
I Wanna Be Around
The Best Is Yet To Come
The Good Life
Wives And Lovers

Amazon.com

This 1964 release was the second collaboration between Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, and features a much higher percentage of swing-oriented arrangements (courtesy of Quincy Jones) than the previous Sinatra-Basie. This time around, the Count Basie Orchestra gives the swinging treatment to such contemporary numbers as "More," "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Wives and Lovers," and "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)," and Sinatra responds with plenty of exuberance and gusto. It's got a good beat, and you can dance to it; out of all the tracks, only "Hello, Dolly!" fails to stand the test of time (or repeated listenings). --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews:

It might as well be swing.......2007-08-01

I received your product (DVD -music) and It was in excellent condition. It came to my mailbox earlier than I had anticipated, hence, I have been enjoying many hours of great music.(a blast from the past) Thank you guys , so much!!!!!

"More Than The Simple Words I Try To Say . . .".......2007-04-11

"Frank Sinatra is so personal a singer. Nobody can imitate him. Frank is unusually sensitive. He is so flexible musically that he fits easily into every situation. And when he has an idea he wants to incorporate, he is able to immediately absorb the whole musical context surrounding that idea. He utilizes every asset he finds, and he's an expert at eliminating stumbling blocks. ~ Quincy Jones ~

Imagine Frank Sinatra with Quincy Jones and Count Basie and his Band doing one of the greatest swing sessions of the century and the result is one remarkable CD such as this, "It Might As Well Be Swing." Before this project came into fruition, Quincy Jones has always wanted to work with Frank Sinatra and got the thrill of his life when he finally worked on this recording, which is a showcase of ten outstanding swing numbers starting off with Bart Howard's very famous song, "Fly Me To The Moon" down to Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Wives And Lovers."

This presentation promises the listeners a whole lot of fun with the Chairman's zesty, bubbly, spirited and swinging performances with splendidly upbeat arrangements by a great arranger/conductor, Quincy Jones, backed by a jazz pianist Count Basie and his Band. "Hello Dolly" takes you back in time to the Roaring Twenties, the Flapper Era and evokes images of a Ballroom with ladies sporting bob-cut hair and dressed in flapper fashion. The rest of the selections will surely bring nostalgic moments as Mr. Sinatra, with his enigmatic vocal artistry, charms you with "I Wish You Love," "The Best Is Yet To Come," "The Good Life," "I Wanna Be Around" and my all-time favorite ditty, a theme from the movie "Mondo Cane," simply titled "More."

"More than the greatest love the world has known
This is the love I give to you alone
More than the simple words I try to say
I only live to love you more each day

More than you'll ever know
My arms long to hold you so
My life will be in your keeping
Waking, sleeping, laughing, weeping

Longer than always is a long, long time
But far beyond forever you'll be mine
I know I've never lived before
And my heart is very sure
No one else could love you more."

This well-produced CD with its great performances, strong material and exuberant arrangements is a worthy addition to your Sinatra collection. For more enjoyable and highly-spirited listens, please check out Come Dance with Me!, Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! And More and Frank Sinatra: On the Swingin' Side of the Street.

Have a swingin' listening experience!

Sencillamente brillante.......2007-03-27

Increibles novedosos arreglos excelentemente interpretados por la orquesta. Exquisito el sonido stereo, pareciera grabado ayer. Y la incomparable VOZ en su mayor esplendor.

Swing Indeed!.......2007-01-30

It is true that not every single song is a "classic", but you have Sinatra's voice nd unique style, combined with the Basie band, which makes for a powerful, swingin' collection.

Are there more than 5 stars?.......2006-09-21

I LOVE this album. I wasn't a big Sinatra fan, but I can understand his appeal. His voice had (at one time) perfect pitch. I bought this for Fly Me to the Moon, but I absolutely love "Hello Dolly, "Wives and Lovers", "More", I Wish you Love", and I Believe in You." The arrangements are stunning and timeless. Beautiful sound, perfect for background.

Average customer rating:

nice to remember
It is amazing!!!
The best Latin music I've heard
60's and the Latin Mass
Latinlover

Catholic Latin Classics

Manufacturer: Gia Publications
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004YRAW
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

Ave Maria
O Salutaris Hostia
Panis Angelicus - John Eskola
Tantum Ergo
Ave Maria - Lorelei McDermott
O Sanctissima
O Bone Jesu
Ave Verum Corpus
Jubilate Deo
Confirma Hoc Deus
Adoro Te, O Panis
O Esca Viatorum
Veni, Jesu, Amor Mi
Emitte Spiritum Tuum
Adoremus In Aeternum - William Combs
Ave Maris Stella
Regina Caeli Laetare
Adoramus Te, Christe - The Cathedral Singers/Richard Proulx T
Tantum Ergo
Ecce Sacerdos Magnus

Customer Reviews:

nice to remember.......2007-01-04

Takes my husband & I back to the 60s........not a bad memory......

It is amazing!!!.......2006-11-10

I am very happy with my purchase. This item is better than what I was expecting. It was amazing how fast I received my order, I highly recommend it and hope that more people order it.

The best Latin music I've heard.......2006-04-18

The music in this CD is done beautifully! If features "Panis Angelicus", which if you like Charlotte Church singing it, you will like this- with a man's voice! There is no goofy revisions and modernization done to the music that I can tell. (I only say that in case some smart 15th century music history scholar comes around and disagrees!) It is very peaceful and will help anyone to calm down and give thanks to God. I think because the music is in Latin you will not grow tired of it as easily, and not to mention the fact that this music will continue to inspire you and put you in the presence of Christ better. OHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! How I wish we were singing this sort of Latin music instead of "All our Welcome" and "Sing a new Church"! Let's keep the same Church Christ established thank you! And let's keep the Latin!!!!!!!

60's and the Latin Mass.......2006-03-15

I am one of those 60s people. We did not throw out the Latin mass. Why would we? We liked it. I served most of the high masses of the holidays. It was a small cabal of newly ordained priests and bishops in the Vatican II committees who threw it out. They wanted to be more like their Protestant bretheren; have the congregation face them instead of God. Read the book MISSING MARY while you are listening to this CD. They threw her out at the same time; no women in high places - their answer to the feminists of the 60s.

Latinlover.......2005-12-18

As a devoted lover of Catholic Latin hymns, I was disappointed at the enemic presentation of these beautiful hymns to God. I believe that the singers had the best of intentions but I would suggest to look for other versions of these wonderful songs to heaven.

Music Review:

Music Review

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