Judith

Judith

Track Listings

1. Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

2. Angel, Spread Your Wings

3. Houses

4. Lovin' of the Game

5. Song for Duke

6. Send in the Clowns

7. Salt of the Earth

8. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

9. City of New Orleans

10. I'll Be Seeing You

11. Pirate Ships

12. Born to the Breed

Tracks:

Overture; Why Can't The English?
Wouldn't It Be Loverly?
With A Little Bit Of Luck
I'm An Ordinary Man
Just You Wait
The Rain in Spain
I Could Have Danced All Night
Ascot Gavotte
On The Street Where You Live
You Did it
Show Me
Get Me To The Church On Time
A Hymn to Him
Without You
I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face

Amazon.com

This recording was produced more than 40 years ago, only in mono, but from the day it was released it was a deserved phenomenon. It out-grossed the mega-hit show for months, and it still holds the record for the most weeks as a Billboard Top 40 album: 292. The reasons are many. Start with the 20-year-old Julie Andrews in peak voice, singing no fewer than eight sensational Lerner and Loewe songs, soaring most memorably to high C in "I Could Have Danced All Night." Rex Harrison perfected the art of talk-singing in a clutch of equally captivating numbers written especially for his voice, of which the most indelibly delivered is "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face." And Stanley Holloway brought the best English music-hall style to an eager American audience with "A Little Bit of Luck" and "Get Me to the Church on Time." There were no scene-changers in Frederick Loewe's best score, and Alan Jay Lerner managed to fashion his libretto and lyrics so close to the language of George Bernard Shaw (on whose play Pygmalion the musical was based) that experts couldn't tell where Shaw left off and Lerner took over. Every song created character and advanced the plot. My Fair Lady was a show you "got"--and still get--on first listening--without having seen it. The London cast album (with the same leads) can give you stereo; the movie version, a fuller orchestra, Harrison and Holloway in full sail, and Marni Nixon dubbing Audrey Hepburn. But the Broadway cast album is still the one to have, and the one absolute must in any musical collector's CD library. --Robert Windeler

Customer Reviews:

a flawless recording.......2007-07-29

in terms of musicals, some are beyond famous. along with The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Singin' in the Rain, Oklahom and The King and I ranks My Fair Lady. the story of eliza doolittle and henry higgens is beyond being a classic, its a legend. but why? and does it deserve such recognition?

for proof that My Fair Lady deserves all of its fame look no further than this cast album. this is a true gem of musical theater and every cast recording should be done this well.

SONGS
the music is great. its strength is in subtlety. the background orchestral pieces are all soft and the strength is placed on the performers, which works great. a lot of the strength here goes to the witty lyrics of "why can't the english" and "i'm an ordinary man" (basically rex harrison's pieces!) or the soft crooning lyrics of "I Could've Danced All Night" and "On the Street Where You Live." the songs are fresh, original and pretty well done here.

SONGS 5 out of 5

PERFORMERS
a lot of credit falls on the steller cast here since most of the focus is on them. harrison is wonderfully and witty as henry higgens. julie andrews is, well, perfect as eliza. she is the greatest eliza ever. her vocals are all brilliantly done. the rest of the cast succeds in bringing humor or romance to the show wherever it is required. this is a top-notch cast the easilly outdoes the 1964 movie. if for no other reason than the sheer energy that is captured here.

PERFORMERS 5 out of 5

most broadway fans should own this just because it's My Fair Lady, but beyond that, this is a great show and this album captures all that brilliance perfectly. if you need just one recording, THIS IS THE ONE!!!

Excellent Sound Track.......2007-06-27

I found My Fair Lady full of beautiful arrangements and excellent vocals. Can't get better then the sound of Julie Andrews!!!! Although Julie did not get the movie roll this makes me appreciate the movie even more.

Great gift!.......2007-06-01

Bought this as a gift for a friend.Received it quickly and she was delighted.

Good, but not for the Family.......2007-05-29

I initially really enjoyed the movie my fair lady and wanted a sound track so I could continue to enjoy the music. However, upon recieving the cd, I was especially disappointed with one aspect - the language. I knew Professor Higgins and others had used profanity on the film, and was ok with it. You hear it once and move on. However, I don't want a cd playing around my family that my kids are learning to dance, sing, and act out a song that has rather obvious swear words. After 1 listen I picked out at least three instances of swearing, the worst being I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face (my otherwise favorite song!) The song starts out d--n, d--n, d--n! It's shouted.

fantastic.............2007-05-16

MY FAIR LADY, one of the most well-loved and beautifully made musicals, was a definitive vehicle for the career of (then) twenty year old Julie Andrews, as the "loverly" Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle. Between Andrews' soaring soprano (which is especially poignant to hear, today, considering that she can no longer sing as she once did) and the great supporting cast, lead by Rex Harrison, as Dr. Henry Higgins, the bored professor who takes her under his wing as a special project to mold into a dignified lady, this is a five star show!

The story was actually based on PYGMALION, by the late, great playwright, George Bernard Shaw, inspired by Greek mythology. In the original Greek play, Pygmalion is the sculptor who creates a depiction of a woman, out of ivory, and falls in love with it. He prays to Venus, and then his sculpture is brought to life, as Galatea. In the musical, the gist is similar but the journey and characters veer from this concept considerably. For starters, no one starts out as a piece of stone--especially not Eliza Doolittle. She has definite opinions and a distinctive personality (saucy language and all), that Dr. Doolittle is very keen on shaping up for society. The music is perfectly in synch with the mood of this great play, which is in some ways a true parable about human behavior and the treatment of women in society. Some of the most beautiful music by Lerner and Loewe is featured here. The songs include "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face," and "Get Me to the Church On Time." This is brilliant. Buy this today! I am not sure how great the sound quality is on audio cassette, in comparison to the original recording on vinyl that I heard, as a little girl. I have a feeling it's pretty spectacular though!

Average customer rating:

far too good to be a secret
Return to form

Happy This Way
Judith Owen
Manufacturer: Courgette Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000NVIGIY
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Conway Bay
Painting By Numbers
Nicholas Drake
Sympathy
Cool Life
Carry
Happy This way
We're Only Human
Love Has 2 Faces
Dark Clouds
My Father's Voice
Bonus track: Enough (remix)

Amazon.com

On Happy This Way, Los Angeles- and New Orleans-dwelling Welsh singer-songwriter Judith Owen pays homage to her native Britain. The album is co-produced by Owen and John Fischbach, engineer of Stevie Wonder's classic 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life, and ranges in mood and style from the fun British Invasion pop-rock of "Painting by Numbers" to the wistful chamber-pop of the strings-laden "Conway Bay." The album features a number of Owen's compatriot friends, including her frequent collaborator Julia Fordham, jazz vocalist extraordinaire Ian Shaw, and others.

Customer Reviews:

far too good to be a secret.......2007-07-11

I'm weak on torch singers, saloon musicians, crooners of songs that require only a piano and bass for backup. But I knew that Judith Owen is the wife of Harry Shearer --- the brilliant commentator [...], legendary member (Derek Smalls) of "Spinal Tap" and multi-voice of "The Simpsons."

And so I wondered: What kind of singer would this sharp-eared, hyper-critical guy marry?

Well, a very talented singer. And a kindred spirit.

Harry Shearer was a child actor. Judith Owen's father was, for 35 years, an opera singer who performed with many of the greats while his young daughter watched from the wings. Handel Owen --- what a name! --- had eclectic taste for a classical musician; Judith grew up listening to jazz and gospel. (Though the Owens lived in London, the Beatles were completely off her radar for this self-described "opera brat".)

When she was 15, her mother died. For refuge, Judith took to songwriting. She had an eccentric genius as a pianist: "I have a perfect ear and I can hear everything; I can't read or write music as I am symbol dyslexic." All she needed was the urge to perform. And once that came....

Judith Owen has spent years and years on the verge. James Brooks, the noted writer-director, heard her sing at a party and had her record "Hand On My Heart" for "As Good As It Gets". Her versions of "Eye of the Tiger" and "Smoke on the Water" --- as a ballad --- are cult classics. But she's hard to pigeonhole; she refuses to record a CD in any single genre. And so industry mavens don't quite know what to do with her.

Great musicians do. Richard Thompson, k.d. lang, Cassandra Wilson --- they happily record with Judith Owen. To them, she's Joni Mitchell, incarnated as a torch singer. Rickie Lee Jones singing scat. And, like her husband, a sharp-tongued ironist with a big sentimental streak.

All the sides of Judith Owen are on display in "Happy This Way." She begins with a song that evokes her Welch heritage, and soon finds herself paying homage to doomed English singer Nick Drake. She sounds like an LA hipster when she gives advice to the Paris Hilton set: "Your face in magazines/don't make it look like work." And like an old soul soon after: "I need some sympathy for myself." And, in a lovely song to her father on his 80th birthday, she's all modesty as she describes her friends' reaction to his singing:

I'm proud and I'm pleased
That through him, they must see me
I'm the acorn, he's the tree

I'm aware enough to know that jazz now favors female singers, and that, each year, we get a new one to marvel at. We never seem to get Judith Owen. Our loss. I'm correcting it a tiny bit here: You don't have to sit in a club nursing Jack Daniels to appreciate the deep sensitivity, the good taste and the exceptional voice of Judith Owen

Return to form.......2007-06-23

I've always thought that "12 Arrows" was the best Judith Owen album, but "Happy this Way" is a return to form. Her two previous CDs lacked variety, so it was good to hear a couple of up tempo numbers on this album "Painting by numbers", with some tasty guitar from Richard Thompson, and "Happy this way". The other standout tracks are "Nicholas Drake", also with Richard, and "My fathers voice" which prviously appeared on Judith's "Christmas in July" album. The only downside is a quantic remix (whetever that is) of "Enough" which was done a lot better on Judith's album "Lost and Found".

Average customer rating:

Hyponotic music from an early great composer
One of my favorite albums of all time.
Luminous
Heavenly
Short, but still the very best of Hildegard of Bingen. Buy It.

Feather on the Breath of God

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstasy
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Luminous Spirit
Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen

ASIN: B000002ZGD
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

Sequentia de Sancto Maximo: Columba aspexit
Ymnus de Sancta Maria: Ave, generosa
Sequentia de Spiritu Sancto: O ignis spiritus
De Sancto Ruperto: O ierusalem
De sancto Euchario sequentia: O Euchari
De Sancta Maria: O viridissima virga
Sequentia de Sancto Dysibodo: O presul vere civitatis
De Undecim Milibus Virginbus: O Ecclesia

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the record that started the Hildegard craze back in 1982--and you need only listen to Emma Kirkby glide and soar through Columba aspexit (the opening hymn) to understand why. Gothic Voices performs the music very simply, either alternating soloists and unison choir over a drone or using a single unaccompanied voice. The singers render Hildegard's extravagant poetic imagery and melody not with the rhythmically fluid, ecstatic approach favored by Sequentia, but with equalist rhythm and a calm, meditative quality. Gothic Voices' straightforward approach is less likely to send you into a rapturous trance than is Sequentia's, but in the hands of such fine singers as Kirkby, Margaret Philpot, and Emily van Evera, Hildegard's extraordinary texts and melodies are captivating--and clear enough to linger in the memory as melodies rather than just sensations. This record is still Hyperion's bestselling title by far--try it and find out why. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Hyponotic music from an early great composer.......2007-03-10

The Abbess Hildegard of Bingen wrote hypnotic, haunting music a thousand years ago (she lived from 1098-1179). The notes from this CD state that: "This recording draws upon Hildegard's large collection of music and poetry. . .which she continued to enlarge and enrich throughout her life. It contains some of the finest songs ever written in the Middle Ages. . . . The songs are conceived on a large--sometimes a massive--scale; it is in superabundance that Hildegard found herself both as poetess and composer." Hers is a very different style of music from what we are used to today. And the voices of Emma Kirkby and "Gothic Voices" (a group) appear to capture the spirit and soul of this music well.

Kirkby has a crystalline clear and clean voice. In "Columba aspexit," Kirkby and supporting voices paint a musical tapestry that is hypnotic (a common phrase that can be used across the songs). In "Ave, generosa," Kirkby sings the hymn solo and without any instrumental backing. An enchanting piece. Three tenors from "A Gothic Voice" essay "O ignis spiritus." Their voices meld together well and their take on this has a spiritual element. A final example (no need to mention each of the cuts on the CD). . . . "O Jerusalem" features both Kirkby and some members of "A Gothic Voice." The voices play off one another well. Another nicely done work.

This is a good introduction to ancient but interesting music. Kirkby once again shows her skills off to good effect, with an assist from "A Gothic Voice."

One of my favorite albums of all time........2007-03-06

This is the best Hildegard von Bingen recording I have heard. It features the marvelous English soprano, Emma Kirkby.

This is an older recording. I first bought the album on vinyl. I bought it again on CD. Now it is in heavy rotation on my ipod. This is simply one of the best pieces of vocal music ever recorded, any age, any genre.

Enjoy.

Luminous.......2006-11-27

Landmark recording of the early Kirkby glorying in this beautiful music. Ears that can do East and West may like to sample 'Shruti' by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay - a similarly evocative and remarkable recording.

Heavenly.......2006-11-15

This CD is a Masterpiece. I often play this before I go to sleep. If you want a CD that will totally relax you and clear your sole then you can't go past this great piece of work. The music and voices are Heavenly. I really admire Hildgard and her work. She was very ahead of her time. I very highly recommend this CD to anyone who loves beauty.

Short, but still the very best of Hildegard of Bingen. Buy It........2005-12-20

'A feather on the breath of God' is a performance of eight 'Sequences and Hymns' by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen' which has been lauded by Gramophone Magazine as a 'Best of' in the year it was released.

I have heard two other performances of Hildegard of Bingen compositions and to my amateur ear, these are the best. With soloist Emma Kirkby plus the instrumental backup, they are certainly more interesting than the a capella treatment by the Anononymous 4.

Very highly recommended.

Fauré · Duruflé - Requiem / J. Blegen · J. Morris · Atlanta SO · Shaw

Average customer rating:

Faure Requiem
The Faure is Great, Not so Much the Durufle
Fast and in a very good condition
French Choral Classics
5 stars for amost every review, what does that tell you?

Fauré · Duruflé - Requiem / J. Blegen · J. Morris · Atlanta SO · Shaw
Gabriel Fauré , Maurice Duruflé , Robert Shaw , Judith Blegen , James Morris , and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Sergei Rachmaninoff: Vespers (Mass for Unaccompanied Chorus)

ASIN: B000003CU2
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Requiem, Op.48: Introit & Kyrie
Requiem, Op.48: Offertory
Requiem, Op.48: Sanctus
Requiem, Op.48: Pie Jesu
Requiem, Op.48: Agnus Dei
Requiem, Op.48: Libera me
Requiem, Op.48: In Paradisum
Requiem, Op.9: Introit
Requiem, Op.9: Kyrie
Requiem, Op.9: Domine Jesu Christe
Requiem, Op.9: Sanctus
Requiem, Op.9: Pie Jesu
Requiem, Op.9: Agnus Dei
Requiem, Op.9: Lux aeterna
Requiem, Op.9: Libera me
Requiem, Op.9: In Paradisum

Amazon.com

The chorus is at center of Shaw's reading of the score, presumably the more lightly scored 1893 version that Fauré, himself created (Telarc does not specify). The account flows very well, and the work of both soloists is highly satisfying, particularly Judith Blegen's airy soprano in Pie Jesu. The recording dates from 1985-86 and is one of Telarc's best, with excellent presence overall and real bass in the organ. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Faure Requiem.......2007-05-10

A very professional performance.I used it to prepare for the performance of this number by our oratorial society. I wish we could do as well.

The Faure is Great, Not so Much the Durufle.......2006-02-16

The Faure Requiem (Op. 48) in D minor is a soft, gentle requiem unlike the powerful Verdi, Berlioz, and Durufle. The delicate qualities of this requiem are captured beautifully on this recording.

The Durufle Requiem (Op. 9) is one of my most favorite compositions of all time and it is not performed well on this disc for one reason: the solos are sung by the choir and that is not what I want to hear when I want to hear Durufle's requiem. Piquemal's version is still my favorite and I recommend that over this one.

Fast and in a very good condition.......2006-01-15

Fast and in a very good condition

French Choral Classics.......2005-11-30

This disk has set the standard for performing the settings of the Requiem mass by two great French masters, Gabriel Faure and Maurice Durufle. The Faure setting is an intimate one with occasional moments of tempestuousness. This particular recording features the more heavily orchestrated edition (for an excellent chamber version see the Cambridge Singers under John Rutter). Put in seven parts, additional features include two baritone solos and a lovely soprano solo. The choral parts are not difficult, but require a delicate touch with great articulation, all provided here. The harmonies gently shift with occasional color changes and chromatic mediant relationships. The concluding movement (In Paradisum) sums up the experience with a satisfying contemplative moment devoid of bombasticity. A masterwork not to be missed.

The Durufle Requiem is a horse of a different color. The rhythms and harmonies are not so classically straight-forward like the Faure; far from it. Not only do the rhythms constantly shift, the melodies aren't classically structured, but instead, quote and are reminiscent of chant, making the rhythmic changes seem natural. The harmonic setting is heavily steeped in church modes, but Durufle's lush orchestrations make this anything but old-fashioned. Much more thickly textured, Durufle doesn't fear to leap into occasional revelry and joyousness; Durufle has a knack for timing his climaxes just right, more moments of exuberance than Faure exhibited. This edition is the fully orchestrated version, and while there is a nice organ accompaniment edition, I much prefer the grandeur of the orchestra. Robert Shaw chooses not to have soloists, but instead have the choir parts sing the solos. This version is still highly exciting and lacks nowhere (unless you want soloists). You might want to choose to have an all Durufle choral CD (Michael Plasson in EMI classics is a good choice), but this pairing of two classics is an equally fine program.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus have not put out such a successful CD as in this 1987 digital Telarc classic. The sound is full and virile, the heightened sense of drama is apparent and can't be beat by any other recording, certainly not by another American choir. Nearly two decades after its release, this still remains the standard.

5 stars for amost every review, what does that tell you?.......2005-10-01

I'm not going to tell you about the phenominal audio quality of this CD ($300 head phones work best) or the culmination of the incredible artistic performance of the late Robert Shaw (master extraordinaire). However, I will mention that if you are looking for deep soul searching composition's who's performances faithfully match the composers ideal interpretation of their vision of the here-after, this is your recording.

Faure & Durufle being the earliest predicessors of todays contemorary music, lay a foundation of perfection that few composers can build upon, and even fewer can surpass. Don't buy the latest recorded version of these Requiems, buy Robert Shaw's version. I guarantee you won't want another. Gary Dissette-Denver Colorado

Average customer rating:

Maybe Judy's best singing effort
"JUDITH": JUDY COLLINS' MELTING POT MASTERPIECE
Oh, and those eyes...
I went and did it again...
One Album You Will Keep and Enjoy Forever

Judith
Judy Collins
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

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In My Life

ASIN: B000002GW3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
Angel Spread Your Wings
Houses
The Lovin' Of The Game
Song For Duke
Send In The Clowns
Salt Of The Earth
Brother, Can You Spare A Dime
City Of New Orleans
I'll Be Seeing You
Pirate Ships
Born To The Breed

Customer Reviews:

Maybe Judy's best singing effort.......2007-01-03

Judy Collins' voice is in wonderful form on this album. The song picks were excellent & the arrangements wonderful.

"JUDITH": JUDY COLLINS' MELTING POT MASTERPIECE.......2006-12-13

On Judy Collins' twelfth album, she brings all of her diversity to the plate, creating a pastiche that really defines the title, "Judith"; for as her professional beginnings in pure folk are evidenced, they are joined by her classical, pop, rock, country and theatre leanings as well in a perfectly seamless blend.

See, Judy Collins is such a strong musical presence that she is able to take this wide gamut of musical styles and make each song her own.

"Judith" opens with Jimmy Webb's "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" on which her vocals soar above her beautiful piano accompaniment. "Angel, Spread Your Wings" is an airy, breezy folk-rock number on which she really does sound angelic, pardon the pun. She has also included here two countrified gems, Steve Goodman's "City Of New Orleans" and "The Loving Of The Game" as well as a rollicking version of The Rolling Stones' "Salt Of The Earth". These modern classics are balanced with the classic standards "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime" and her breathtakingly gorgeous version of "I'll Be Seeing You".

Judy had started her own songwriting upon Leonard Cohen's advice in the second half of the 60's and three of the songs here are her own magnificnet compositions: "Houses" is a lush, orchestral quasi-classical piece; "Song For Duke" is a beautiful epitaph for Duke Ellington; "Born To The Breed" is about her now-deceased son, Clark, and his coming of age at the time.

Of course, the really big show-stopper here is her immensely popular and perennially favored take on Stephen Sondheim's "Send In The Clowns". Her voice fits this song so perfectly and her phrasing is so immaculate that it's no wonder Judy's has become the quintessential version of this song.

Judy Collins' "Judith" is at the apex of artistic expression. It is a most wonderfully structured and performed set of songs which, ultimately, define who and what Judy Collins is about.

Oh, and those eyes..........2006-12-04

I agree with what other reviewers have said here about the songs, arrangeements, and Judy Collins' crystalline voice. But even after all these years, I love something about this album that has gone unremarked: The fabulous cover portrait highlighting her astonishingly beautiful eyes!

I went and did it again..........2006-05-27

Made myself cry. For many years I could not listen to Judy Collins for each time I did, I thought of my dearest aunt Maryann who died just a few years ago. We would sit and listen with our heads together silently and listen to "Judith" when she was ill and cry. But, I missed Judy and this CD in particular. So, I ordered a new copy and allowed myself to listen to her beautiful and restorative voice. Wonderful memories Judy. "Send in the Clowns" as done by Judy is one of the most beautiful and hopeful songs ever written. Thank you for your gift.

One Album You Will Keep and Enjoy Forever.......2004-04-25

I've had a slightly scratchy version of this album for over 20 years and thoroughly enjoy it,especially when I am in a pensive mood, or just want to hear some inspirational music, often with a social message that transcends the decades ---including "Salt of the Earth." Now I'm finally upgrading to a CD.
The tribute to Duke Ellington brings me close to tears each time I hear it. And now that baseball season is upon us, the late, great Steve Goodman(a devout Chicago Cub fan) is remembered with a solid version of his "City of New Orleans." The listener can feel part of that venerable train as it heads downstate in Illinois.
Judy Collins has done so much for the world, and the world of music, so it is impossible to single out just one album ---but make sure you have this one (in a new CD if possible) in your collection. And take a ride with her on the City of New Orleans as it rolls down the track with "the disappearing railroad blues."

Average customer rating:

Carl Orff: Carmina Burana aduio CD
Not enough energy
Definitive Version
Superb sound
The Best version ever heard! A melhor versão já ouvida!

Carl Orff: Carmina Burana

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Orff: Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana: Vocal Score
Orff - Carmina Burana: Battle, Allen, Lopardo, Ozawa, Berlin / Beethoven - Symphony No. 9: Schwanewilms, Groves, Dever, Hawlata, Ozawa, Saito Kinen Orchestra
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Orff: Carmina Burana

ASIN: B000003CSM
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Introduction
Part I
Part II
Part III

Amazon.com

As much as critics--and many musicians--love to hate this work, Carmina Burana is a uniquely entertaining and justly popular theatrical masterpiece. This collection of 13th-century secular poems, originally found in a Bavarian monastery, were selected, set to original music, and arranged for a large modern orchestra, vocal soloists, and choirs by German composer Carl Orff. Orff ingeniously used these large forces to create a work of astonishing and powerful simplicity. The simplest melodies, primal rhythms, and rudimentary orchestration combine for an unforgettably dynamic musical and dramatic experience. This is one of the first digital recordings of the work, and one of the more successful in balancing the large numbers of singers and instrumentalists. Judith Blegen's lovely rendition of "In trutina" is worth many hearings, and the energy and excitement generated in the sections for full choir and orchestra are something you just have to experience. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Carl Orff: Carmina Burana aduio CD.......2007-01-21

A good orchestral rendition of this work. Not spectacular, but definitely good.

Not enough energy.......2005-07-01

I will not repeat the correct observations of others about this recording vis a vis being less than dynamic.

However, the amazon.com review that states this has rudimentary orchestration is completely wrong. This piece is totally inventive in its use of orchestral and choral forces throughout.

Definitive Version.......2005-01-08

I was enjoying Orff's masterpiece, until I reached the Tenor solo. It was at this point that I fell in love with this recording. William Brown performs one of the greatest renditions of the Roasting Swan that I've ever heard. Each of the 3 times that the melody is performed, it gradually becomes more strained. This is a direct result of the pain that the swan is experiencing. My hat also goes off to the Baritone and Soprano. Couldn't ask for better performers.

Shaw's group was once again flawless and the ASO always impresses me.

I study classical voice and choral conducting in a major university, and I would recommend this version of Carmina Burana to anyone.

Superb sound.......2004-12-14

To counter some of the other reviewer's comments here, I have both the Slatkin/St Louis Symphony version and the Robert Shaw version and there's no comparison. The Slatkin version is ponderous and the audio is pure mud. The chorus and orchestra are mixed together in a mess of sound that makes hearing the words impossible. In addition, the orchestral bass notes are just a bunch of mush.

By comparison, the Shaw version is crystal clear with easily distinguished choral voices, bass notes and triangles/cymbols. The bass drum rattles your fillings and adds to the impact. I've sung this piece myself in the Kennedy Center (Wash DC) and find this version to be perfect in every way. The chorus is superb. Buy it.

The Best version ever heard! A melhor versão já ouvida!.......2003-06-07

When I heard the introduction of "O Fortuna" on the vinyl version of Sepultura's Morbid Visions album, dated 1986, I thought: Where to find this record, which orchestra and regent played this opus called Carmina Burana? There are several versions. I have one by Seiji Osawa, other by James Levini (in vinyl, with lyrics) and this by Robert Shaw that I consider the best!!!Through this site I could find it, just hearing the tracks! I must say: This version of Carmina Burana is the heaviest (due the tambour like a Thunder) and awesome of all time I have heard!!! It's simple and wonderful!!! This version have 4 long tracks. On a CD Player which displays the index, you can see the subtitles.
I ordered it in a classical music store.
I recommend it!!!...

Average customer rating:

Schiff: Gimpel the Fool

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0001Z65K8
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Average customer rating:

Vocaly and dramatically poor Maria Stuarda

Mercadante: Maria Stuarda [Highlights]

Manufacturer: Opera Rara UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Donizetti: Dom Sebastien, roi de Portugal
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Paer: Sofonisba [Highlights]

ASIN: B000N6UGQE
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Customer Reviews:

Vocaly and dramatically poor Maria Stuarda.......2007-07-30

Mercadantes Maria Stuarda it is very interesting opera,unfortunatelly had been recorded not completelly ,hightlights,only.All singers , chorus and orchestra professionally in very satisfing level exept of singer of Maria Stuarda who is vocaly and dramatically lower then avrege ...Saound quality is good...

Mahler: Symphony No.4; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen

Average customer rating:

Ohne Hast
Another Glowing Star of a Recording of Mahler
Don't forget the lieder!
Simply a beautiful Number 4
The best 4th available today.....

Mahler: Symphony No.4; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Gustav Mahler , Cleveland Orchestra , George Szell , Judith Raskin , London Philharmonic Orchestra , Andrew Davis , and Frederica Von Stade
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Mahler - Symphony No. 8 / Popp · Auger · Minton · Harper · Kollo · Shirley-Quirk · Talvela · Chicago SO · Solti
Mahler: Symphony No. 4; Songs of a Wayfarer
Mahler: Symphony 6
Schubert - String Quintet in C / Alban Berg Quartet · Schiff
Mahler: Symphony No. 9

ASIN: B0000027AJ
Release Date: 1991-08-19

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In G Major: 1. Bedtig. Nicht eilen.
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: 2. In gemlicher Bewungen. Ohne Hast.
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: 3. Ruhevoll.
Symphony No. 4 In G Major: 4. Sehr behaglich.
Songs Of A Wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen): Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
Songs Of A Wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen): Ging heut morgen Feld
Songs Of A Wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen): Ich hab ein glMesser
Songs Of A Wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen): Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz

Amazon.com

This disc combines two remastered classic Mahler recordings--Szell's Cleveland account of the fourth symphony from 1965, and Davis's reading of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen from 1978--and the pairing is inspired. The Cleveland Orchestra has always had a reputation for phenomenal accuracy and brilliance, and Szell harnesses these qualities to give an almost supernaturally clear account of Mahler's score. Details of lower-string phrasing, thrown-away woodwind chirrups, and muted trumpets supporting a melody are given just the right amount of emphasis to make the surface texture sparkle with life. But, more important, Szell also captures the overall mood of ironic playfulness, while heeding Mahler's own direction with regard to the childlike last movement--"without parody." There is a minor jolt between the symphony and the Lieder--not just in the recording levels, but in suddenly entering Davis's much more impressionistic approach to Mahler. But once adjustment has been made, the rewards are great. He focuses everything on Stade's glorious voice and less on the details of orchestration, which makes for a sympathetic, flexible accompaniment and a moving performance of great pathos. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Ohne Hast.......2006-12-17

Mahler's fourth symphony is perhaps most memorable for its unsettlingly gorgeous second movement,entitled 'In gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast.'

No modern conductor's name is more easily associated with the great romantic composer than George Szell. This 1965 recording shows the Cleveland Orchestra stepping superbly through Mahler's score, allowing that second movement all the time it requires to develop its inexorable and unhurried momentum in true Mahleresque style.

It doesn't end there, of course. Throughout the Fourth Symphony and the Lieder, Szell and his musicians are acutely on task, able to brood intelligently in a way that Mahler--the late Romantic definitive Über-Brooder--would have approved. Many critics refer to this recording as among the two or three definitive readings of the works it covers, all of which accrues to the merit of the Sony Classical project and its sound engineers.

Another Glowing Star of a Recording of Mahler.......2005-11-01

This CD is an interesting pairing of performances - different orchestras, different conductors, different soloists. The one very important constant is the quality of the performances of these two Mahler works.

George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra preserved a performance of Mahler's light-filled Symphony No. 4 that still is a difficult interpretation to match. The reading is light, airy, delicate and absolutely gorgeous in sound. Szell finds exactly the right tempi for each movement, even for the last movement that most conductors rush. And Judith Raskin's 'Das himmlische Leben' is the epitome of innocence of a child's vision of the heavenly life.

For this listener the true jewel of the recording is Frederica Von Stade's performance of the 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen' with the fine collaboration of Andrew Davis and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It is a matter of taste as to whether the mezzo or the baritone version is preferred, but with this illuminating interpretation by Von Stade the scales tip toward the mezzo soprano sound. Hers is a rich, glowing tone with impeccable enunciation of text. Both of these performances rank among the finest available on recordings. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 05

Don't forget the lieder!.......2005-01-11

Contrary to almost all the other reviewers who seem to have bought this disc for the 4th Symphony, I actually bought it for the Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen. Frederica von Stade is one of my favorite singers period, and her work in these songs is outstanding. These songs are glorious, emotional, and a highly personal Mahlerian testament. Von Stade infuses them with the emotional force they demand, and carries you with her. Wonderful songs, wonderful singing.

Simply a beautiful Number 4.......2004-05-26

Once again we have Szell and Cleveland at the height of their powers digging into what for them would be a rare performance of the Mahler repetoire. The opening movement as a fine sense of "gemutlekeit" and a balance of textures which is definitely PERFECT. Rarely has any orchestra been so ably caught sonically and we are in for a real treat. As a counter measure the Kubelik is very similar in the way the music is allowed to flow as well. I really reccommend this disc simply becuase of the impeccable phrasing and well nigh perfect intonation in the different choirs.

As to the vocal solist Raskin does a commendable job and has some of the boyish quality really needed! She was tremdously good and one wonders where she is these days! This is a superb disc for the people out there who want a non fussy interpretation which really sticks close to the score.

Keep your Klemperer discs as well...Szell and Kemperer were much more alike than one would wish to think!

The best 4th available today............2002-06-09

Szell was a great conductor ranging from Mozart to Mahler always giving great interpretations. His 4th is a grammophone classic and is highly acclaimed by each and every critique written on it.
The 4th is the "mellower" of all Mahler's symphonies and with Szell on the pontium you can feel it. Raskin is an excellent soprano for the Sehr Behaglich although for this part I would still go with Schwarzkopf's account (Emi Classics with Otto Klemperer). This CD is not only giving the best account of the Fourth but also an excellent account of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Frederica Von Stade and Andrew Davis. The least I can say for it, is that it can easily stand with the very best accounts available today though it can not match the Fischer-Dieskau account with Furtwangler on Orfeo.

Average customer rating:

Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Soundtracks | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000CC3SE6
Release Date: 2006-01-03

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera/Overture
Phantom of the Opera/Think of Me
Phantom of the Opera/Angel of Music
Phantom of the Opera/The Mirror (Angel of Music)
Phantom of the Opera/The Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera/The Music of the Night
Phantom of the Opera/Prima Donna
Phantom of the Opera/All I Ask of You
Phantom of the Opera/All I Ask of You (Reprise)
Phantom of the Opera/Masquerade
Phantom of the Opera/Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Phantom of the Opera/The Point of No Return
Phantom of the Opera/Down Once More/Track Down This Murderer
Phantom of the Opera/Learn to Be Lonely

Customer Reviews:

Phantom of the Opera.......2007-04-07

If you are expecting a movie thriller like the old version of "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney, you may be disappointed, but if you like classical music and opera, you will find this an excellent DVD. The staging and performers are very professional, and there are some interesting twists, and it is an opera. Consider, though, that it was written by Andrew Lloyd Weber, and that in itself should tell you it will be a great performance.

Music Review:

Music Review

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