Engel [CD-single] [Import]

Engel [CD-single] [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The second single to be taken from their 1997 'Sehnsucht'album. It's backed with the title cut from that album, plusthree mixes of 'Rammstein' (Eskimos & Egpyt Radio Edit, Eskimos & Egypt Instrumental and Original). Slimline jewel case.1997 release.

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?

Average customer rating:

Uneven quality but great value
A superb collection of Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00062FLJ2
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Uneven quality but great value.......2007-04-30

Brilliant Classics has found a niche with their extremely low-price multi-disc collections of the work of a single composer or performer. The Bach, Mozart and Chopin Complete Editions are legitimately considered to be artistic and economical triumphs. But the Masterworks series are more uneven. Currently available from Amazon France at about a buck per CD, they're still a bargain for those interested in quickly building a music library. But it's worth keeping a few things in mind. Unlike the Bach and Mozart Editions, these are not always historically informed performances. In this Mendelssohn set, the Hanover Band puts in a cameo (in Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), but most of the ensembles use modern instruments, techniques and proportions. This doesn't always work out, as in the case of the ponderously heavy recordings of the String Symphonies by an apparently full complement of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig strings (Mendelssohn likely wrote these early works for a much smaller group). The caliber of the performances varies too, ranging from good to poor, and from marquis musicians such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to a few Dutch who-dats. The chamber musicians generally acquit themselves well (though the Octet recording is marred by an engineering flaw in the last movement, distortion, at least on my copy). But the symphonies suffer from some substandard performances, such as the Italian Symphony's live recording with not only audience noise but also ensemble flaws such as a distracting clarinet squeak in the first movement's recapitulation. Another strike is the lack of program notes. Brilliant's Complete Editions provide a booklet or CD-ROM with program notes, but here you'll need to do your own research.

Despite these shortcomings, this set is still good value (at least at Amazon France's current price of 31 Euros). And it's a fine way to become acquainted with Mendelssohn's music.

A superb collection of Mendelssohn.......2007-03-24

Let me preface this by saying that most of these works were not new to me - I own many other Mendelssohn CDs and have enjoyed his compositions for some time now. Also, this set is available much cheaper elsewhere, particularly from European retailers.
The symphonies are well-performed. 'Reformation' is an inspired live recording. The 12 string symphonies, written in Mendelssohn's youth, are also included. The concertos are exceptional - the violin concerto is as good as you'll find anywhere. The oratorios Elijah and Paulus are included, as well as the complete chamber works and a diverse assortment of choral works. The last few discs include the Lied ohne worte, the epic organ sonatas, and excellent renditions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Fingal's Cave. While there are a few sketchy performances in the choral and chamber works, the performances and recordings are generally very solid, and the body of work couldn't be better.

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Mahler: Symphonies 1-10; Das Lied von der Erde

Average customer rating:

Good -- but not great
Outstanding, yet Affordable Mahler Set
Ignore the name(s): Listen to the Music!
An exceptionally fine bargain
best overall cycle

Mahler: Symphonies 1-10; Das Lied von der Erde

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Complete) [Box Set]

ASIN: B000BQ7BX2
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

I. Langsam, Schleppend, Wie Ein Naturlaut - Im Anfang Sehr Gemachlich - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
II. Kraftig Bewegt, Doch NIcht Zu Schnell - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
III. Feirlich Und Gemessen, Ohne Zu Schleppen - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
IV. Sturmisch Bewegt - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
I. Allegro Maestoso. Mit Durchaus Ernstem Und Feierlichem Ausdruck - Krisztina Laki

Tracks:

II. Andante Moderato. Sehr Gemachlich - Krisztina Laki
II. In Ruhig Fliessender Bewegung - Krisztina Laki
IV. Urlicht: Sehr Feierlich, Aber Schlicht - Krisztina Laki
V. Im Tempo Des Scherzo. Wild Herausfahrend - Krisztina Laki
Wieder Sehr Breit - Krisztina Laki
Ritardando...Maestoso. Sehr Zuruckhaltend - Krisztina Laki
Wieder Zuruckhaltend - Krisztina Laki
Langsam, Misterioso - Krisztina Laki
Etwas Bewegter - Krisztina Laki
Mit Aufschwung, Aber Nicht Eilen - Krisztina Laki

Tracks:

I. Kraftig. Entschieden - Gwendolyn Killebrew
II. Tempo Di Menuetto - Gwendolyn Killebrew
III. Comodo. Scherzando - Gwendolyn Killebrew
IV. Sehr Langsam - Gwendolyn Killebrew

Tracks:

V. Lustig IM Tempo UNd Keck Im Ausdruck - Gwendolyn Killebrew
VI. Sehr Langsam - Ruhevoll - Empfunden - Gwendolyn Killebrew
I. Bed Achtig. Nicht Eilen - Lucia Popp
II. In Gemachlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast - Lucia Popp
III. Ruhevoll - Lucia Popp

Tracks:

IV. Sehr Behaglich - Lucia Popp
I. Trauermarsch (Im Gemessenem Schritt - Streng - Wie Ein Kondukt) - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
II. Sturmisch Bewegt, Mit Grosster Vehemenz - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
III. Scherzo (Kraftig, Nicht Zu Schnell) - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
IV. Adagietto (Sehr Langsam) - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
V. Rondo - Finale (Allegro) - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Tracks:

I. Langsam - Allegro - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
II. Nachtmusik I - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
III. Scherzo: Schattenhaft - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
IV. Nachtmusik II. Andante Amoroso - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
V. Rondo - Finale - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Tracks:

I. Allegro Energico, Ma Non Troppo - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
II. Scherzo. Wuchtig - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
III. Andante Moderato - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Tracks:

IV. Finale: Sostenuto - Allegro Moderato - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
I. Andante Comodo - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
II. Im Tempo Eines Gemachlichen Landlers - Etwas Tappisch Und Sehr Derb - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Tracks:

III. Rondo Burleske: Allegro Assai. Sehr Trotzig - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
IV. Adagio: Sehr Langsam Und Noch Zuruckhaltend - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
I. Adagio - Kolner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester

Tracks:

Veni, Creator Spiritus - Maria Venuti
Imple Superna Gratia - Maria Venuti
Infirma Nostri Corporis - Maria Venuti
Accende Lumen Sensibus - Maria Venuti
Veni, Creator Spiritus - Maria Venuti
Gloria Patri Domino - Maria Venuti
Poco Adagio: Waldung, Sie Schwankt Heran - Maria Venuti
Ewiger Wonnebrand - Maria Venuti
Wie Felsenabgrund Mir Zu Fussen - Maria Venuti
Gerettet Ist Das Edle Glied - Maria Venuti
Uns Bleibt Ein Erdenrest - Maria Venuti
Hier Ist Die Aussicht Frei - Maria Venuti
Hochste Herrscherin Der Welt - Maria Venuti
Dir, Der Unberuhrbaren - Maria Venuti
Bei Der Liebe, Die Den Fussen - Maria Venuti
Neige, Neige, Du Ohnegleiche - Maria Venuti
Blicket Suf Zum Retterblick - Maria Venuti
Alles Vergangliche - Maria Venuti

Tracks:

I. Das Trinklied Vom Jammer Der Erde - Marjana Lipovsek
II. Der Einsame Im Herbst - Marjana Lipovsek
III. Von Der Jugend - Marjana Lipovsek
IV. Von Der Schonheit - Marjana Lipovsek
V. Der Trunkene Im Fruhling - Marjana Lipovsek
VI. Der Abschied - Marjana Lipovsek

Customer Reviews:

Good -- but not great.......2007-07-07

Having listened intently to this set two times now, once with scores in hand, once without, I have to give this set less than a 5 star rating. The sound is adequate, compressed at times, muddy at others. The later symphonies fare better than 1 & 2. Conducting is fine: very straightfoward and unfussy. Plays it straight. And maybe that's a problem. The sixth in particular never really scales the heights or depths. Same story with 8. Layout is weird, but economical. My biggest beef is the orchestral execution. There are a LOT of bloopers that should have been fixed. In a live concert you can accept, even expect, some error in music this difficult. But on recordings they become very irritating. I grant that most people would never notice any, but if you have a good ear and really know this music there are some problems. The worst is an abundance of wrong notes in the 4th movement of the 7th, which otherwise is a superb version -- one of the best. Another easy to spot example occurs at the end of the 6th: why did the cellos leave the bass clarinet to fend for itself just a few bars before the end? Why didn't someone fix this?
I'm glad I heard this set, but there are better, albeit more expensive. As a complete set there isn't any that is altogether perfect, but Solti/Decca, Haitink/Philips, Kubelik/DG and deWaart/RCA come closer.

Outstanding, yet Affordable Mahler Set.......2007-06-10

If you are looking for a great Mahler set that doesn't give you the Walletdämmerung syndrome, yet you also want excellent musicians and soloists and a conductor with a most refreshing and philosophically true understanding of Mahler's music, I would recommend that you purchase this box set of Mahler symphonies with Gary Bertini. Although Gary Bertini was not a big name in the recording industry, he was deemed as a highly esteemable conductor in Europe. His Mahler offers a completely different sound from what you would hear from Bernstein, Abbado, Walter, and Klemperer, much closer to what Rafael Kubelik did with his Mahler, but Bertini offers a degree of transparency in his music that you cannot hear in any other conductor. Despite the transparency, his Mahler does not lack passion. If you want to know what I mean, you must listen to his Symphonies no. 1,2,4,5,6,7,8, and 9. These renditions are ranked with the very best Mahlerians in a very competitive field. Bertini is also supported by an ensemble of an extremely high calibre--the WDR or the Kölner Rundfunks Orchester. They play with a finesse and a grace that rivals the very best Mahler orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and the Concertgebouw. In terms of virtuosity and beauty, the orchestra offers some of the most glorious playing and a crystalline sound balance that you would want in a world-class German orchestra.

The soloists are all excellent too. You have Florence Quivar, Paul Frey, Lucia Popp, Julia Varady, Julia Hamari, and Alan Titus, among others. You must simply hear the alto part that Quivar sings in the Resurrection Symphony!

Included in this already sparkling box set is a Das Lied von der Erde with Marjana Lipovsek and Ben Heppner. While I will always love Klemperer, Ludwig, and Wunderlich, I think this Das Lied von der Erde comes close to being one of the very best recordings of the work. Heppner sings with his usual golden tone and security, and sings the tenor's songs with an abandon and an elan that makes his interpretation very attractive. Lipovsek sings the mezzo parts with a tragically imbued tone that improved over her recording with Solti years earlier. You must listen to what she does in the Abschied. I have never heard a more resentful and reflective understanding of this very complex movement other than Christa Ludwig, Janet Baker, and Kathleen Ferrier.

All in all, a Mahler box set that everyone should get along with Haitink, Chailly, and Kubelik.

Ignore the name(s): Listen to the Music!.......2007-05-07

Gary Bertini and the Cologne Radio Symphony? The Mahler symphonies have been recorded in toto by many of the "biggest" names in music Leonard Bernstein (three times), Solti, Kubelik, Haitink and so on with the best known orchestras in the world ---- Vienna Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, and so on and so on. I've given away my bias by those I've chosen to list and the sequence I've put them in.
And along comes a little known conductor, now deceased, with an orchestra I would not rank with those above; and by virtue of their sheer musicianship they belong alongside all the above. Mr. Bertini's performances hew closer to Mr. Kubelik and Mr. Haitink in being moderate in both tempo and phrasing. At the same time, Mr. Bertini still beings a far greater feeling of intensity and passion than either. Mr. Bertini's performances have a sweep and a grandeur that places them on the same plane as Mr. Bernstein's performances without entirely going "over the top" as Mr. B. was inclined to do.
No: Bertini's recording of the Sixth Symphony does not take us emotionally to the depth of Mr. Bernstein's last recording (DG digital). Nor has Mr. Solti's magnificent performance of the Eighth been surpassed. But I were asked to choose one cycle to live with for the rest of my life, it would be this one.

An exceptionally fine bargain.......2007-03-26

Gary Bertini's EMI Mahler cycle is more or less contemporary with Tennstedt's Mahler cycle on the same label. But, according to the gossip, the company decided to keep Bertini in the vaults since the former and LPO where more publicly known. In my view, however, Bertini's set is clearly superior. The orchestra - Kölner Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester - is outstanding, far better than LPO, and so are most of Bertini's interpretations as well.

Considering that Bertini and the orchestra are not among the obvious "stars", it is an exceptional sleeper. In fact, Bertini was virtually unknown before this cycle made him famous, post mortem.

The cycle combines both live and studio recordings. The live ones were recorded in Japan where the audience knows how to behave. Excellent stereo sound adds to the pleasure.

But one could note that some of Bertini's tempi are among the slowest on record. The final movement of symphony no. 9 stops at 28:34, which is ten minutes more than Walter's 1939 classic. It's even a few seconds slower than Chailly's very slow account on Decca. The finale of the third is six minutes longer than Tennstedt's on EMI. But the adagietto in the fifth stops at just above 10 minutes, so Bertini is not consistently very slow when Mahler's music may invite sentimental conductors to drag. Unlike such conductors, however, Bertini has the ability to keep tension during a long breath, bringing forth interesting details in contextual balance.

Thus the performances of symphonies 1, 5, 7, 8, 9 and Das Lied von der Erde are outstanding, challenging almost every recording in the current catalogue. The remaining symphonies are also convincingly presented, in perfectly consistent performances.

However, one irritating thing with this set is that the fourth symphony is divided over two discs. That EMI decision was not necessary. The cycle could still fit on 11 CDs with a different editing. The policy for all record companies should be to avoid unnecessary splitting.

At a super-bargain price, this is of course the first choice among boxed sets, especially the contemporary ones. All the recordings in this box have something that attracts repeated listening. This is true of Gielen's outstanding cycle too (Hänssler), but it requires you to pay four times the price. Still, Kubelik (DG) remains my favourite cycle. But Bertini's is better recorded.

Warmly recommended!

best overall cycle.......2006-12-09

There's little that I could add to the testimonials that have already been written here . While none of these performances would be an absolute first choice for me, save Bertini's Mahler 8th (which IS extraordinary), all of them have an amazing consistantcy in style, sound quality, and orchestral execution. The inclusion of a really fine "Das Lied von der Erde", expertly sung by Ben Heppner and Marjana Lipovsek, makes this a clear front runner. While Bertini didn't record a complete Mahler 10th symphony (finished by Deryck Cooke and others), his M10 Adagio is outstanding - giving the feeling of completeness on to itself. In fact, other than Leonard Bernstein, I can think of no other conductor who has been so satisfying in capturing the complete emotional range of Mahler's symphonies; going from the fresh and youthful first symphony (and Bertini is truly fresh and youthful); working on up to the cosmic orgasm that is the 8th symphony (and Bertini is cosmically orgasmic here), and still making the drastic shift to the zen-like, other-worldliness of the so-called farewell trilogy: "DLvdE", 9th symphony, and 10th symphony adagio. He runs the entire gamut, Janet.

Much positive has been written about Gielen's fine Mahler cycle. But his box set doesn't include his recording of the Cooke 10th (Chailly's does!), which is really a very good 10th. It's also more expensive. In addition, getting Gielen's Mahler 6th separately also gives you a really fine performance of Alban Berg's "Three Pieces For Orchestra" - a very natural coupling for that dark work. Better to pick and choose with Gielen, I think. If you want a box, get the Bertini.

Average customer rating:

Delightful!
One of the best recordings you'll find

Mozart: Lieder

Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000SD4
Release Date: 2007-03-19

Tracks:

Lieder: An die Freude
Lieder: Ridente la calma
Lieder: Oiseaux, si tous les ans
Lieder: Dans un bois solitaire
Lieder: O Gotteslamm
Lieder: Komm, liebe Zither
Lieder: Sei du mein Trost
Lieder: Der Zauberer
Lieder: Die Zufriedenheit
Lieder: Das Veilchen
Lieder: Lied der Freiheit
Lieder: Die Verschwigung
Lieder: Lied der Trennung
Lieder: Als Luise die Briefe...
Lieder: Abendempfindung on Laura
Lieder: An Chloe
Lieder: Das Traumbild
Lieder: Sehnsucht nach dem Fre
Lieder: Der Fr
Lieder: Das Kinderspiel
Lieder: Mer suchen stets zu naschen
Lieder: Un moto di gioia

Customer Reviews:

Delightful!.......2005-12-24

Personally, I think some of Mozart's best work are his songs for voice and piano. I think this CD is the best recording of Mozart's lieder that you will find. Bonney sings in a very pure, tender, smoothe, yet still rich tone. Her diction is impeccable, her technique is spotless as she glides from one phrase to the next, making it seem as though it couldn't be easier.And of course the music itself is absolutely beautiful (as most Mozart is).At times it can be charming and delightful, sometimes its most moving and sentimental and romantic, and sometimes it takes on a darker tone. And one other thing I like about this album is that it is soothing and relaxing...something to listen to while you're sleeping, eating,taking a bath, or while you're just trying to unwind. I give this album 5 stars, and I think if you buy this album, you won't regret it.

One of the best recordings you'll find.......1999-09-13

For those familiar with Bonney's work, it should come as no surprise that this disc is a treasure. If you prefer meatier, more dramatic voices, stay away. But if you love fluid, supple subrettes, this is the disc to buy. Bonney's silvery tone and flawless technique, her musicianship and consummate collaboration with Parsons, make it quite simply one of the best recordings you'll find.

Average customer rating:

Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)

ASIN: B00062FLJM
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating:

THANK YOU
Soothing...
James Galway's triumphant Deutsche Grammophon return
Some Good Galway Crossover Selections

James Galway: Wings of Song

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Wind Beneath My Wings
James Galway ~ Meditations
James Galway - Dances for Flute
The Very Best of James Galway
James Galway - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B0002MNELS
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
Gymnopedie No.3
Ave Maria
The Dawning Of The Day
En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor (Based On The 2nd Movement Of 'Concierto De Aranjuez')
Siciliano
Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Casta Diva
Pie Jesu
Barcarolle
Der Engel
Che Faro Senza Euridice?
Lento
Wiegenlied
A Lord Of The Rings Suite
Annie's Song

Amazon.com

This is James Galway's first CD with a new label, and it presents him at his most lyrical. Every selection is long-melodied and soothingly played, including an interesting transcription of the 2nd movement of Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez. Who would have guessed that a flute could substitute so handsomely for a guitar? Schubert's "Ave Maria" is mellow and sweet, Brahms's "Lullaby" is nicely accented, and he's well-matched with his wife in the "Barcarolle" from The Tales of Hoffmann. Two bonus tracks offer the world premiere of a haunting suite from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, composed by Howard Shore, and a new version of John Denver's "Annie's Song," perhaps Galway's most famous piece. Along the way, there's a mesmerizing transcription of Ravel's "Pavane pour une Infante défunte" (originally for piano), a moving version of "Che faro…" from Gluck's Orfeo ed Eurydice, and more. Fans of Galway's won't want to miss this relaxing, beautifully recorded CD. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

THANK YOU.......2007-05-25

I purchased this CD as a gift. It was so convenient to order it on-line and have it sent directly to my sister.

Thank you!

Anne

Soothing..........2007-05-06

I suppose that James Galway is about the most reknowned flautist of our time. I would file this CD under the category of "light" classics. As such, it is a masterpiece. Not only does every track feature a beautiful melody, but as a whole the recording creates a mood of peace and calm. It is utterly soothing and relaxing. Of special interest for all of you "Lord of the Rings" is a suite based on thems from the movie trilogy. It has an appealing Celtic feel.

This CD takes you from the busy world and puts you out in "space".

James Galway's triumphant Deutsche Grammophon return.......2005-02-27

Fans of James Galway may not realize that he recorded on Deutsche Grammophon in the past, as a key member of the Berlin Philharmonic during the early 1970s; this CD is a splendid "return" to this recording label. It is a brilliant mixture of classical and popular music, representing Galway's uncanny ability of playing superb "Mood Music", aided by ample orchestral support from the London Symphony Orchestra. Among the bonus tracks are a new version of John Denver's "Annie's Song" for which Galway has earned ample worldwide recognition and a haunting suite from film composer Howard Shore's scores for "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, playing themes associated with the Hobbits and their beloved The Shire.

Some Good Galway Crossover Selections.......2004-12-28

This new recording Sir James's First for DG in quite a long time.

Is a selection of uplifting pieces of music arrainged for flute

and orchestra. Ably abbetted by the LSO and assisted by his wife

Jeanne, who plays quite well too, Sir James shows that he can

still play the flute and the tin whistle with more than enough

talent and feeling. While some people may condemn this as "mood"

music, I find it quite refreshing. Although I can still hope that

there will be a couple recordings of flute concerti comming from

Mr. Galway in the near future. I have never had a problem with

classical artists doing what is now called "Crossover" I think

it gives them a much needed change of pace. After all one can

only play the classic flute liturature so much, and Sir James is

not the first solo artist to make such recordings. His

His performances of the selections on this CD are all quite good

to say the least. My favorites are the "Barcarolle" and "Annies

Song" and the Schubert "Ave Maria", which I think is the best

instrumental recording of this work since Isaac Stern's violin

recording for CBS. Klauspeter Siebel and the London Symphony

Orchestra do a wonderful job accompaning him in these works.

The recorded sound is more than acceptable and I can only hope

that this will be the first of many new James Galway CD's from

DG. Perhaps Sir James can do a disc or Two with the London

Mozart Players as well for DG too>

Average customer rating:

A Grand Lady, A Grand Collection

Legend: Régine Crespin [CD & DVD]

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Similar Items:

The Very Best of Régine Crespin
Italian Opera Arias
Prima Donna in Paris
Regine Crespin Sings Berlioz, Schumann, Schubert, and Poulenc
Berlioz: Les Nuits d'été; et al / Crespin, Ansermet

ASIN: B0009275XO
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Tracks:

I. Der Engel
II. Stehe Still!
III. Im Treibhaus
IV. Schmerzen
V. Traume
Einsam In Truben Tagen
Euch Luften, Die Mein Klagen
Eine Waffe Lass Mich Dir Weisen
Ich Sah Das Kind
Dich, Teure Halle
Allmacht'ge Jungfrau
D'Amour L'Ardente Flamme
Nous Avons Vu Finir... Chers Tyriens
Ah, Je Vais Mourir... Adieu, Fiere Cite

Customer Reviews:

A Grand Lady, A Grand Collection.......2005-09-28

Few who have had the privilege of seeing and hearing Régine Crespin in person will be able to pass this fine album by. A beautiful voice, a beautiful presence, an intelligent and sensitive mind all informed her singing whether on the grand stages of opera or in recitals. Who could ever forget her inimitable Berlioz' 'Les Nuits d'été or Ravel's 'Shéhérazade'? Indeed, Crespin is a legend.

In this very fine album we hear a stunning 'Wesendonck Lieder' of Wagner with Georges Prêtre conducting the Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française. While some singers find these songs matronly Crespin infuses the poems with frail and tender love. Staying with Wagner (she was after all a reigning Sieglinde in her day) she offers arias from 'Lohengrin', 'Die Walküre', 'Parsifal', and 'Tannhäuser' (with Otto Ackermann
conducting the Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris)
demonstrating that this very French singer could produce a huge sound that easily sails over Wagner's orchestration. Finally she is heard in Berlioz' 'Les Troyens' and 'La Damnation de Faust' (again with Otto Ackermann). There is not a weak moment in these selections.

Included with this CD is a well-produced DVD of Crespin singing French art songs, showing the poise and involvement she brought to every performance. This is a treasureable package and certainly commands the respect of the title 'Legend. It is brilliant! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, September 05

Average customer rating:

A guilty pleasure...
Oh so very good
The Best CD of All
SWEET TORCH SONG TORTURE
She Is Never What You Expect

Punishing Kiss

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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But One Day...
Illusions
All That Jazz: The Best Of Ute Lemper
Blood & Feathers: Live from the Café Carlyle
Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill

ASIN: B00004RC8F
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

The Case Continues
Tango Ballad
Passionate Fight
Little Water Song
Purple Avenue
Streets Of Berlin
Split
Couldn't You Keep That To Yourself
Punishing Kiss
You Were Meant For Me
The Part You Throw Away
Scope J

Amazon.com

Despite her roles in mainstream musicals such as Cats and Chicago, Ute Lemper has never been a typical Broadway baby. Her long association with the works of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, as well as her one-woman shows based on the repertoires of Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich, has always marked her as a maverick in a world overpopulated by bland belters and cute ingénues. Lemper's distinctive voice isn't an instrument for easy listening. At full tilt, it's dangerous and edgy. In subdued mode, it's dark, ironic, and despairing. The cruelty that runs through many of her interpretations is taken on the chin. Lemper deals in defiance rather than submission. With just one, edgily updated Weill song ("Tango Ballad") and a host of contributions from Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Philip Glass, and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, Punishing Kiss is a modern, bleak look at love in the 21st century. At times the tone is murderous, even apocalyptic ("The Case Continues"). The duet "Split," sung with Hannon, is a grimly humorous riot of punches and counterpunches in a disintegrating relationship. There's fleeting, poignant beauty too, in tracks like Waits's "Purple Avenue." Essential listening for anyone who likes their torch songs blood-stained, not just dampened by a few tears. --Piers Ford

Customer Reviews:

A guilty pleasure..........2006-09-30

Is this woman awesome, or what?
I have to say, this is probably one of my fav's. A very deeply moving, emotionally intense project. I keep coming back to it. It's just absolutely awesome!

Oh so very good.......2003-03-06

I fell in love with Ute Lemper when I heard a recording of her singing Kurt Weill's "Bilbao Song." I know she has her detractors, all of whom argue that other people are better at performing Kurt Weill. These people are idiots.

This album came as a shock for me, as she truly stretches out farther than I had expected. Yes, there is a Kurt Weill song here, taken from the Threepenny Opera, but it's rearranged like you've never heard before - with a drum and bass loop churning underneath lush strings and keyboards (but not cheesy keyboards, mind you).

The rest of the album follows in a similar style, though the instrumentation does subtly change for different composers' songs - most notably the addition of a bandoneon for the two Tom Waits songs.

What is amazing about the album is the sense of continuity running through it, in spite its being a collection of songs of different people. The gem of the album, however, is Nick Cave's "Little Water Song," in which, over a beautiful string section, Ute Lemper lets her theatre training and singing mix freely - producing a performance that simply floors me.

What else is there to say? She's simply amazing

The Best CD of All.......2001-07-11

Simply stunning performance of unusual new songs written expressly for her, entirely captivating, imaginatively written and performed. May not appear to be a 'hit' first time round but you will play it again and again, hear more, find new meanings and so much depth.

It is performed dramatically (not as a routine studio tune and lyric) a most stimulating performance. In many ways it is a 'dark' album, not something you will be able to whistle in the bathroom, and all the better for that. If you are looking for real entertainment, look no further.

Ute has to be the most under-rated artist of the current era, wildly flexible in how she performs, in many ways outrageously kitsch. She has performed this album in a tour, which I was privileged to attend and this underlined just how good she - and the album - is. A 'must buy'. Just wish she had a video/DVD as well!

SWEET TORCH SONG TORTURE.......2001-06-03

The statuesque Ute is a beauty so monumental, she's almost architectural. And she's got a voice and delivery to match, plus on this album, a taste for superb material.

My favourites are the Nick Cave, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits songs, but what is really impressive is how her voice holds together the Scott Walker song Scope J (If one can call it a song).

Anyone who can sing along to, let alone intelligently interpret, such a bizarre and dark little symphony, deserves 5 stars just for the effort. I like my divas dark and brooding, like Nico of Velvet Underground, so Ute fits the bill. Investigate and enjoy!

She Is Never What You Expect.......2001-02-01

We all know Ute Lemper as the foremost interpreter of Weill and art songs, but who would have guessed that she is adept at popular tunes too? Well, let me re-phrase, these songs are not "standards", however, they are written by contemporaries that more people would have heard of than Weill. Nick Cave and tom Waits, for example, are two the lyricists whose music is given life on this album. Let's start with the voice: it has a timbre totally unlike any other that you would have come across in pedestrian music circles. It can be warm, it can be cool (with ice-cold precision), it can be smooth or rough. She does whatever she wants to with her voice and the listener sits there with open mouth, awed by the sheer sound of this woman. She doesn't treat her voice as if it is some precious antique, she slams it around and all for the sake of song. Which brings us to her interpretive gifts: they are ample. When I read some of the lyrics in the booklet, I asked myself how she was going to pull it off but she always did and in an approach at odds with whatever you were expecting. Her song selection is most interesting, the only one I was familiar with prior to my purchase was "Streets of Berlin" which I had heard in the movie BENT. In her version, she is very intimate and quiet at first in a way that out-shimmies Mick Jagger (who sang the song in the movie) but then she gets loud and audacious in a way that is totally in keeping with the song's intent and works with instead of against the melody. My only complaint is that occasionally Ms. Lemper lets her voice get the better of her and crosses *that* line into melodrama. Other than this one small quibble, I recommend this disc for listeners who want to be throttled rather than soothed, to think rather than be spoon-fed. Enjoy... I know I did!

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]

Average customer rating:

A spiritual experience

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]
Andrea Bocelli , Giulio Caccini , Cesar Franck , Charles Gounod , Franz Xaver Gruber , George Frideric Handel , Jean-Paul Lecot , Eric Levi , Steven Mercurio , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Louis Niedermeyer , Gioachino Rossini , Franz Schubert , Giuseppe Verdi , John Francis Wade , Richard Wagner , Myung-Whun Chung , and Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra Rome
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Andrea Bocelli - Amore
Romanza
Sentimento: Andrea Bocelli with Lorin Maazel and the London Symphony Orchestra [Limited Edition w/ Bonus Track]
Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria
Andrea Bocelli: A Night in Tuscany [Region 2]

ASIN: B0000CE9VO
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Sancta Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Panis Angelicus - Norbert Balatsch
Cujus Animam
Ingemisco
Ave Verum Corpus
Der Engel
Frondi Tenere... Ombra Mai Fu
Pieta, Signore - Norbert Balatsch
Domine Deus
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Norbert Balatsch
Silent Night
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) - Norbert Balatsch
Gloria A Te, Cristo Gesu (The Hymn Of The Great Jubilee)
Agnus Dei
I Believe

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. 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. This new special edition includes two bonus tracks on a CD enhanced with a picture gallery as well as a full-length DVD of Bocelli in concert filmed at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. --Thomas May

Album Description

Special Edition includes enhanced CD with bonus tracks and concert DVD.

Customer Reviews:

A spiritual experience.......2003-11-27

The DVD is the full 77 minute concert with two featurettes previously released alone. The CD is the full 72 minute concert previously released alone, except that two bonus tracks have been added. The audio quality of each one is quite good. (If you have a Dolby Digital stereo, then you must go into the setup menu on the DVD to select Dolby Digital sound. The default music track is the stereo 2.0 sound.) The video quality of the DVD is astonishing.

The DVD gives the feeling that you are in the church with the other worshippers. It literally sends chills up and down my spine. I highly recommend this CD/DVD combination Special Edition while it is still available.

Music Track:

Music Track

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