Journey North

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
How widespread popularity has eluded pianist-composer Michael Gettel is a mystery. Anyone who professes a fondness for upbeat, pop-influenced instrumentals from artists such as John Tesh, Craig Chaquico, or Fred Simon certainly would find much to like in Gettel's music. His consistently likable melodies capture a sun-warmed, top-down frame of mind, and a glow of cheerful sophistication shines through in nearly all of his compositions. On The Journey North, Gettel embellishes his pop-rock instincts with assorted Celtic flourishes (Jerry O'Sullivan contributes Uilleann pipes and whistles), yet the album's orientation is decidedly contemporary, not ancient. Gettel is unafraid of putting a slight edge into some of his works, and you'll hear him stretch his parameters a bit in a piece such as "Celtic Knot." The album's most embraceable track, "Galloway," captures all that is right in Gettel's style: a great tune, interesting variations on the original theme, and a storyteller's sense of resolution that is both reassuring and liberating. If you enjoy this, seek out his best album, Skywatching. --Terry Wood

From Jazziz
With both emotional piano solos or a vast array of synth sounds, Michael Gettel has managed to conjure images of nature photography and spiritual journeys. On previous albums, he used both musical approaches to convey the awesome beauty of Washington's San Juan Islands and of the Southwest in general. On the Celtic-flavored The Journey North, Gettel traces his Scottish ancestry. At each stop along the way, he draws upon New Age, rock, pop, and classical influences to create pieces that shift easily from graceful piano reflections into more percussive, guitar-driven statements - often including the wailing cries of Jerry O'Sullivan's uillean pipes. On "Hadrian's Wall," Brian Theissen's strumming acoustic guitar and Sandin Wilson's fretless bass create a seductive bed atop which O'Sullivan echoes each of Gettel's jumpy piano riffs. Gettel masterfully bridges the centuries on "Loch Ness (The Kelpie)," which juxtaposes the happy-go-lucky piano melody with dense percussion and soaring pipes.

Journey North,Michael Gettel,Narada,Adult Alternative,Chamber Jazz,Jazz Music,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop,Solo Instrumental

Journey North

Tracks:

1B
Misty Moonlight Waltz
Hard Times Come Again No More
Indecision
Limerock
Benjamin
Fisher's Hornpipe
Duet for Cello and Bass
Emily's Reel
Cloverfoot Reel
Poem For Carlita
Caprice For Three
Second Time Around
Slumber My Darling
Vistas

Amazon.com

With the help of some friends (James Taylor and Alison Krauss lend some vocal support), the trio of Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor have created yet another fascinating hybrid of chamber music and bluegrass. This follow-up to 1996's Appalachia Waltz is filled with highly lyrical string passages, a homage or two to Copland, and plenty of tracks where Meyer's bass vamps with the best of them. This is reflective (and relaxing) music, lacking the intricate structure of classical music and the rough edges of folk. But, boy, is it catchy! Yo-Yo Ma fans may be disappointed to hear that--aside from the gorgeous "Duet for Cello and Bass"--the cellist takes more of a supportive role on this disc. Still, this is fun music, more intimate than Short Trip Home (Meyer's other crossover project for Sony), but still lively (just check out "1B" or "Caprice for Three"). --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Best on the Planet!.......2006-03-24

These are flawless preformances of great music by some of the most talented artists on the planet. Slumber My Darling will leave you so relaxed you'll have to remember to breathe. The reels will bring you to your feet. This music reaches the soul as well as the ear.

Stilted.......2005-12-15

I suppose you will enjoy this if you really like Yo-Yo Ma at his most boring. This is glorified elevator music and about as interesting.

Walking the trail.......2005-08-07

I actually heard this cd while having a root canal done at the dentist's office. I find the music so wonderful and the vocal segments are great. It does make you feel like you are walking the Appalachian Trail...and makes a root canal painless!

Superb concert.......2005-08-02

I have bought two copies of this disc -- one for my car. The music is wonderful, and the performances are memorable. There's a DVD version, which is equally good. The performers obviously loved working together, and that's fully evident.

Too Studied.......2005-06-22

Two of my favorite CDs in the last couple of years were "Obrigado Brazil" and "In Full Swing" by Yo Yo Ma and Mark O'Connor respectively. I found both of those CDs to be fine examples of genre-busting joyful music making. So when I saw these guys paired here, I snapped it up. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

The music throughout most of the CD sounds too labored, too studied. It is, frankly, not that inspiring. The playing throughout is, of course, of the highest calibre and the recorded sound excellent. But there is no hint of the exhuberance of Folk or Bluegrass which is the supposed inspiration for the disc. The guest spots by James Taylor and Alison Krauss are good but they sound like outtakes from their own CDs, these songs are out of context here. (But note how many other Amazon reviews reference their contributions as reasons for loving the CD. Perhaps so many five star ratings because these people need broader musical exposure?)

Too many critics over intellectualize. I base my ratings on one simple criterion: How much did the music move me? In this case, not much.

Average customer rating:

my opinion
Wonderful, but not my first choice
THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever...
Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Franz Joseph Haydn: The Creation
Mendelssohn - Elijah / Terfel, Fleming, Bardon, Ainsley, Fulgoni, Paul Daniel
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Elijah: An Oratorio for Piano & Vocal Score

ASIN: B0002XV31A
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

Introduction: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth
Overture
No.1 Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
No.2: Lord! Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
No.3: Ye People, Rend Your Hearts
No.4: If With All Your Hearts
No.5: Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
No.6: Elijah! Get Thee Hence
No.7: For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
Recitative: Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up
No.8: What Have I Do To Do With Thee?
No.9: Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
No.10: As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth
No.11: Baal, We Cry To Thee: Hear And Answer Us!
No.12: Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!
No.13: Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not!
No.14: Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel!
No.15: Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
No.16: O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits
No.17: Is Not His Word Like A Fire?
No.18: Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!
No.19: O Man Of God, Help Thy People!
No.20: Thanks Be To God!

Tracks:

No.21: Hear Ye, Israel; Hear What The Lord Speaketh
No.22: Be Not Afraid, Saith God The Lord
No.23: The Lord Hath Exalted Thee
No.24: Woe To Him, He Shall Perish
No.25: Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious
No.26: It Is Enough; O Lord Now Take My Life
No.27: See, Now He Sleepeth
No.28: Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
No.29: He, Watching Over Israel, Slumbers Not
No.30: Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey
No.31: O Rest In The Lord
No.32: He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
No.33: Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord!
No.34: Behold! God The Lord Passed By!
No.35: Above Him Stood The Seraphim
No.36: Go, Return Upon Thy Way
No.37: For The Mountains Shall Depart
No.38: Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth
No.39: Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth
No.40: Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah
No.41: But The Lord, From The North Hath Raised One
No.41a: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
No.42: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth

Customer Reviews:

my opinion.......2007-08-01

This recording was reccomended somewhere as being even better than the newer version with Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming - it really is tops, I think. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is as lyrical as ever. And the other soloists are also breathtaking.

Wonderful, but not my first choice.......2007-04-07

I believe this was the first recording of Elijah in English that used an "international" conductor and some international singers. Fruhbeck gives a good, dramatic sweep to the piece, with some wonderful dramatic moments. This is an old fashioned performance, with only a solo quartet, and if there is a semi-chorus, I can't tell the difference. This means that the soprano is the Widow, and an Angel, the mezzo the Angel and Queen Jezabel, etc. You really should have a libretto, but you don't get one at this price.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.

THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever..........2006-08-15

Okay, I'm gonna admit I'm biased- I first sung in the chorus of Elijah when I was 14 and it made a BIG impression on me!
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.

That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.

All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.

Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah.......2006-07-03

This is a good recording of an oratorio that deserves more attention. The chorus and soloists are very good--I just wish Fischer-Diskau wouldn't slide around so much in singing the title part!

Average customer rating:

Two tracks I really like
Quantity Over Quality
Mediocre
One Hundred Greatest TV Themes
Pretty close to original recordings

One Hundred Greatest TV Themes

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

All-Time Top 100 TV Themes
TV Land Presents: Favorite TV Theme Songs
TV Guide: 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes
NBC: A Soundtrack of Must See TV
Best of TV Quiz & Game Show Themes

ASIN: B00005Y49F
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

The A-Team - Nic Raine
The Addams Family - Nic Raine
The Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe - Nic Raine
Airwolf - Derek Wadsworth
The Avengers - Mike Townend
Barnaby Jones - Jerry Goldsmith
Batman - Nic Raine
Battlestar Galactica - Nic Raine
Baywatch - Derek Wadsworth
Beverly Hills 90210 - Derek Wadsworth
Bewitched - Nic Raine
Between The Lines - Mark Ayres
The Bill - Nic Raine
Bonanza - The Philharmonia Orchestra
Brideshead Revisited - Derek Wadsworth
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century - Nic Raine
Burke's Law - Derek Wadsworth
Cagney And Lacey - Derek Wadsworth
Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons - Mark Ayres
Casualty - Mark Ayres
Cheers - Mark Ayres
Dallas - Nic Raine
Dangerman (Secret Agent) - Mike Townend
Doctor Who - Mark Ayres
Doctor Kildare - Jerry Goldsmith

Tracks:

Doogie Howser, M.D. - Derek Wadsworth
Dynasty - Nic Raine
The Equalizer - Derek Wadsworth
Falcon Crest - Derek Wadsworth
Fireball XL-5 - Derek Wadsworth
The Fugitive - Nic Raine
Hawaii 5-0 - Mike Townend
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Nic Raine
The High Chaparral - Nic Raine
Highway To Heaven - Derek Wadsworth
Hill Street Blues - Derek Wadsworth
The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - Mark Ayres
The Incredible Hulk - Derek Wadsworth
Jason King - Mike Townend
Jesus Of Nazareth - Paul Bateman
Joe 90 - Derek Wadsworth
Johnny Staccato - Derek Wadsworth
Knight Rider - Derek Wadsworth
Kojak - Mike Townend
L.A. Law - Derek Wadsworth
Land Of The Giants - Nic Raine
Little House On The Prairie - Derek Wadsworth
Lonesome Dove - Nic Raine
Lost In Space - Nic Raine
Lou Grant - Derek Wadsworth

Tracks:

Magnum, P.I. - Derek Wadsworth
A Man Called Ironside - Mike Townend
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - Derek Wadsworth
M*A*S*H - Nic Raine
Miami Vice - Mark Ayres
Mike Hammer - Derek Wadsworth
Mission Impossible - Mike Townend
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Nic Raine
The Munsters - Derek Wadsworth
Murder She Wrote - Derek Wadsworth
Newhart - Derek Wadsworth
North And South - Derek Wadsworth
Northern Exposure - Derek Wadsworth
NYPD Blue - Mark Ayres
The Outer Limits - Nic Raine
Perry Mason - Mike Townend
The Persuaders - Mark Ayres
Peter Gunn - Mike Townend
Police Squad - Nic Raine
The Prisoner - Mike Townend
Quantum Leap - Derek Wadsworth
Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) - Mike Townend
Red Dwarf - Mark Lambert
The Rockford Files - Mike Post
Roseanne - Dan Foliart

Tracks:

The Saint - Mike Townend
Seaquest DSV - Nic Raine
Space 1999 - Derek Wadsworth
Star Trek - Mike Townend
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Derek Wadsworth
Star Trek: Voyager - Nic Raine
St. Elsewhere - Derek Wadsworth
The Streets Of San Francisco - Nic Raine
Stingray - Barry Gray
Taxi - Derek Wadsworth
Thunderbirds - Derek Wadsworth
Thirty Something - Derek Wadsworth
The Time Tunnel - Nic Raine
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - The Philharmonia Orchestra
The Twighlight Zone - Nic Raine
Twin Peaks - Derek Wadsworth
U.F.O. - Derek Wadsworth
The Virginian - Nic Raine
Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea - Nic Raine
Wagon Train - Paul Bateman
The Waltons - Jerry Goldsmith
The Wild Wild West - Derek Wadsworth
Young Riders - John Debney
Xena: The Warrior Princess - Paul Bateman
The X-Files - Mark Ayres

Customer Reviews:

Two tracks I really like.......2007-07-21

The Mission Impossible theme is performed well.
The Fireball theme is actually much improved on this version. I prefer the orchestra and the vocals over the original.

Quantity Over Quality.......2007-01-15

As a musician myself, I know too well that one of the most important ingredients in ANY performance (live or recorded) is passion. The recordings here generally lack the same passion and sheer drama of the originals. Much of the instrumentation has been reduced to a cheezy, thin, plastic synthesized replica. The performances are simply a watered-down lackluster version of the classic originals. If it were not for the sheer volume of tracks compiled here, I would have rated the comp only "one star".

Mediocre.......2006-05-17

The sound quality for this collection isn't much better than the samples offered by Amazon.

One Hundred Greatest TV Themes.......2005-08-06

I have watched almost all the shows that are on these 4 cd's. Many were made before I started watching TV. Most I've seen once or twice before.

Pretty close to original recordings.......2005-07-24

Definitely not as good as the originals. You'll probably notice the slight differences since it's stuff you saw and listened to every week or everyday in reruns growing up, but it's still an amazing collection.

Average customer rating:

Ambient music that takes me far, far away!
What a surprise and completely different from the last CD

Wind Journey

Manufacturer: Spotted Peccary
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Emotional Landscapes
Blue Sky, Red Guitars
Guitar Nova
Beyond City Light
Sleeping on the Edge of the World

ASIN: B00005NT3X
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

Beginning
Wind Journey 1
Blue Moon
Dream Lines
Going North
Awakening
Insula
Wind Journey 2
Sea
Open Land
Spring Poem
Rain
Distant View
Huldra 2
Early Autumn
Frost
Winter Shine
Winter Lake
Passage Of Time
Destination
Aurora Borealis
Cloudscapes
Home

Amazon.com

Erik Wollo's works are overlooked gems of modern instrumental music. From his home in Norway, Wollo's been sending out missives of mood and ambience since the mid-1980s with albums like Silver Beach and Solstice. Last year's U.S. release of Guitar Nova explored the acoustic-guitar side of this musician in multilayered, overdubbed soundscapes that retained the ambience and structure of his electronic works. With Wind Journey, he returns to synthesizers but keeps his electric guitar at hand for some gloriously heroic solos, especially on "Dream Line." A subtle, tugging ostinato pattern builds into layers of keyboard orchestrations topped by guitar, which starts out in a pastoral, acoustic mode but segues into a soaring lead solo that recalls Steve Hackett during his Spectral Mornings era. Wind Journey is centered by Seasons Suite, a 10-part sequence of moody vignettes. Erik Wollo's roots in progressive rock are clear and he uses them to articulate a cinematic music. While Wollo lives in a country with some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in the world, he composes much of his music in a basement studio. The worlds he creates are strictly from the imagination, and what a vivid imagination it is. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Ambient music that takes me far, far away!.......2003-04-24

I have purchased cd in the summer of 2002. Back then, all I could think of doing was listen to 88.5 on the radio and hope that they will play music from Erik Wollo. The first song I heard was "Dream Lines". The music didn't seem familiar to me at first. I didn't consider it really ambient but it turned out that it was. After listening to it, I was into it very much. I never heard such a song played like that before and I knew it was something I would like. Wollo plays the guitar in a way that the sound echoes in my head and makes me feel like Im somewhere far and distant. In a short time, I heard "Wind Journey 1". That was amazing. After I listened to it few more times, I was into it so much that I couldn't help buying it from Amazon.com. Just about every beat and sound seems to echoe as if it was played outside where nothing surrounds you and where the music can travel and be heard. Listen to the samples and decide. Buying this cd is something to consider.

What a surprise and completely different from the last CD.......2001-09-27

The last Eric Wollo CD featured wonderful virtuoso guitar, most closely akin to a "fingerpicking" style. Each piece was different, almost like a "best of" CD. This CD is completely different in that the artist uses the guitar as part of a series of thematic atmospheric tone poems based on the idea of wind and its forms and effects. The overall feel of the music is very ambient, with the guitar used less as a melody-maker, and more as a symphonic, electronic instrument, almost like a timescape. The orchestration includes atmospheric electronic soundscapes within which the artist creates mood music of the highest quality. I was absolutely fascinated by the CD on first hearing it, and it only gets better with each re-playing as I discover new nuances to the music. What a master of the guitar this man is. I highly recommend that you take a listen to this CD, and take a journey into the wind with Mr Wollo. This is a thinking person's delight!!!

Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood

Average customer rating:

EPICS THAT DO NOT DISAPPOINT
Interesting selections . . .
"Epics featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra ~ 60 years of film scores"

Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
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The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
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ASIN: B0009KIYCW
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Tracks:

Pre- Historic: One Million Years B.C.
The Ancient World: The Ten Commandments
The Ancient World: Alexander
The Ancient World: Sodom And Gomorrah
The Ancient World: The 300 Spartans
The Ancient World: Troy
The Ancient World: Alexander (Eternal Alexander)
The Might Of Rome: Quo Vadis
The Might Of Rome: The Robe
The Might Of Rome: Demetrius And The Gladiators
The Might Of Rome: Cleopatra
The Might Of Rome: Antony And Cleopatra
The Might Of Rome: Gladiator (Suite)
The Might Of Rome: Gladiator (Now We Are Free)

Tracks:

The Fall Of Rome: Masada
The Fall Of Rome: Spartacus (Main Theme)
The Fall Of Rome: Spartacus (Love Theme)
The Fall Of Rome: The Fall Of The Roman Empire (Pax Romana)
The Fall Of Rome: The Fall Of The Roman Empire (Overture)
Biblical Epics: The Greatest Story Ever Told
Biblical Epics: Jesus Of Nazareth
Biblical Epics: Ben-Hur (Parade Of The Charioteers)
Biblical Epics: Ben-Hur (Love Theme)
Biblical Epics: The Silver Chalice
Biblical Epics: The Passion Of The Christ
Medieval Europe: The War Lord
Medieval Europe: El Cid (Love Theme)
Medieval Europe: El Cid (Overture)
Medieval Europe: The Vikings (Suite)

Tracks:

Medieval Europe: Flesh & Blood
Medieval Europe: The Last Valley
Medieval Europe: Prince Valiant
Medieval Europe: Taras Bulba
Pirates & Swashbucklers: The Sea Hawk
Pirates & Swashbucklers: The Crimson Pirate
Pirates & Swashbucklers: Pirates Of The Caribbean
Pirates & Swashbucklers: Captain Blood
Kings & Queens: The Lion In The Winter
Kings & Queens: Henry V (1989)
Kings & Queens: Henry V (1944)
Kings & Queens: Mary Queen Of Scots
Kings & Queens: The Private Lives Of Elizabeth And Essex

Tracks:

Heroes: Excalibur - O Fortuna
Heroes: First Night
Heroes: The Adventures Of Robin Hood: March Of The Merry Men
Heroes: Braveheart
The New Worlds: Mutiny On The Bounty
The New Worlds: 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise
The New Worlds: Captain From Castle
The New Worlds: The Mission
The New Worlds: The Alamo
The British Empire/The Orient: The Charge Of The Light Brigade
The British Empire/The Orient: Lawrence Of Arabia
The British Empire/The Orient: Zulu
The British Empire/The Orient: The Last Samurai
The British Empire/The Orient: Exodus

Customer Reviews:

EPICS THAT DO NOT DISAPPOINT.......2007-05-14

WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA TO TAKE HOLLYWOOD'S COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL EPIC MOVIES, EXTRACT THE BEST PORTIONS OF THE SCORES AND COMBINE THEM FROM THE DAWN OF MAN TO THE RECENT PAST. I PARTICULARLY ENJOY THE SUITES FROM GLADIATOR, BRAVEHEART AND THE VIKING. THE REPRODUCTION OF THESE SCORES BY THE CITY OF PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS IS BRILLIANT, AND THE RECORDING WAS EXCELLENT. I ONLY WISH THERE WERE EIGHT DISCS INSTEAD OF FOUR TO COVER THE VOLUMES OF SCORES THAT COULD NOT BE INCLUDED. LET'S HOPE FOR A VOLUME II.

Interesting selections . . ........2006-12-15

This compiiation album makes an excellent gift for that person wanting to discover great, epic scores. I'm surprised, however, that Vangelis' Alexander is included in this one. Not bad, just surprised.

The reason I give this album 4 out of 5 stars is because of the swashbuckler section. How is it that CutThroat Island - one of the greatest epics in history - was scrubbed out of the list? Pirates of the Caribbean is included on the selection but nothing from Debney's masterpiece?!

Yes, that is a huge compilant. If you haven't discovered CutThroat Island, I suggest you get it then you'll understand my frustration. Still, this album is a great buy and worth looking into!

"Epics featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra ~ 60 years of film scores".......2005-09-07

When I think of the "Golden Age of Hollywood", many composers come to mind...you gave the usher your ticket in the theater and sat down, knowingly you were going to get your moneys worth...when the curtain opened and you heard those first few notes...you sat back, watched and listened as the film score and orchestra worked their magic...now we have the ultimate from Silva Screen Classics "EPICS:THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HOLLYWOOD", featuring a four disc set of the essential film scores of the past 60 years...covering several decades right and up to the present 2005.

There are compilations and then there are "Compilations" beginning with a classics that even the youngsters today recognize...sweeping scores that capture the drama, mystery, adventure, action and romance...one great cue after another, it doesn't get any better than this...many nominated and winners by the Academy for Best Original Score...

Silva Screen Classics as usual, has put quality into this 4-CD-Set featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus conducted by Kenneth Alwyn, Paul Bateman, James Fitzpatrick, Mario Klemens and Nic Raine. Recorded in "Dolby Surround" with the new technology of "HDCD", this is a "film-score-buffs" dream, one to treasure now and years to come...this collection is aimed directly at the "Serious Film Score" music fans and collectors...Silva is as always, perfect in every way...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 1170 ~ (9/6/2005)

Peaceful Journey: A Celebration of North Carolina

Average customer rating:

Truly a peaceful musical journey
Peaceful Journey is incredibly soothing.

Peaceful Journey: A Celebration of North Carolina
Bill Leslie
Manufacturer: Greycliff
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Christmas in Carolina
I AM A RIVER
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ASIN: B0006MA322
Release Date: 2004-11-01

Tracks:

Quaker Meadows
Grip Fast
Montreat
Daddy's Car
Tin Roof Rain
Mattamuskeet
Bound for Boone
Penny on the Track
Roanoke Rhapsody
Ocracoke
On Roan Alone
Kanuga
Bells of Bath
Wintry Walk

Album Description

I focused on my favorite places across North Carolina and traveled there for inspiration. Using my guitar, Celtic whistles and piano I composed 14 songs. Later other layers of instrumentation were added including cello, violin, hammered dulcimer, flute, saxophone, bass, organ and percussion by a group of outstanding musicians.

Next, I took a digital tape deck and returned to many of these spots and recorded natural sounds that reminded me of these treasured locations. I have woven together many of these sounds into the fabric of the songs. Sounds of waterfalls, rushing rivers, tin roof rain, migratory songbirds, tundra swans and distant trains add a vibrant thread of realism to the melodies.

What a warm and "Peaceful Journey" this has been for me! Thank you for traveling with me for sojourns at Ocracoke, Montreat, Kanuga, Lake Mattamuskeet, Bath, Roan Mountain, Roaring Gap, Morganton, the Roanoke River, Grandfather Mountain and other locations.

Customer Reviews:

Truly a peaceful musical journey.......2005-05-06

A beautiful piece of work and such a wonderful representation of North Carolina. With each play, you hear something you did not hear previously. The combination of music and natural sounds sets a mood that is very unique. Bill Leslie is known to us in North Carolina as a trusted reporter and native of our great state. He is also a very talented artist. A Peaceful Journey is a unique experience.

Peaceful Journey is incredibly soothing........2004-12-13

"Peaceful Journey" by Bill Leslie is one of the most pleasant, soothing and melodic albums I have ever heard. Integrating natural sounds with original tunes written for flute, acoustic guitar, cello, violin, piano and hammered dulcimer, Leslie has created a masterpiece honoring the North Carolina landscape he loves so much. This CD is a perfect companion for a long road trip or a peaceful evening at home.

Average customer rating:

Best on the Planet!
Stilted
Walking the trail
Superb concert
Too Studied

Appalachian Journey

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Appalachia Waltz / Ma, Meyer, O'Connor
Heartland: An Appalachian Anthology
Uncommon Ritual
The Telluride Sessions
Short Trip Home

ASIN: B00004SH1X
Release Date: 2000-03-21

Tracks:

1B
Misty Moonlight Waltz
Hard Times (Come Again No More) - Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor, James Taylor
Indecision
Lime Rock
Benjamin - Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor, James Taylor
Fisher's Hornpipe - Alison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor
Duet for Cello and Bass
Emily's Reel
Cloverfoot Reel
Poem for Carlita
Caprice for Three
Second Time Around
Slumber My Darling - Alison Krauss, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor
Vistas

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Best on the Planet!.......2006-03-24

Stilted.......2005-12-15

I suppose you will enjoy this if you really like Yo-Yo Ma at his most boring. This is glorified elevator music and about as interesting.

Walking the trail.......2005-08-07

Superb concert.......2005-08-02

Too Studied.......2005-06-22

Legendary Hollywood: North By North (Film Score Anthology)

Average customer rating:

A quite place

Legendary Hollywood: North By North (Film Score Anthology)

Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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The Misfits: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]

ASIN: B000007NHF
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Tracks:

Unchained (Main Theme)
The Racers (Love Theme)
Viva Zapata! (Josefa)
The Bad Seed (Lullaby)
A Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche)
The Bachelor Party (Love Theme)
The 13th Letter (Denise)
Stage Struck (Eva)
I'll Cry Tomorrow (Love Theme)
Les Miserables (Love Theme)
The Rose Tattoo (Bacio)
Desiree (Love Theme)
Main Title
Dead Agent
Loneliness
The Weapon
The Search
Deadly Quest
Troubled Romance
Tight Rope
Deep Water
Fellow Travelers
Beneath the Surface
Love Theme-Painful Memory
Native Mood
Pursuit
Despair
Desperate Straits
End Title (It's Over)

Customer Reviews:

A quite place.......2000-08-26

Following Anna Sokolow The choreographer who knew to listen and discover good composers I discovered Alex North who was Anna Sokolow's companion at her early days. I found his music restful (most of it). Directors in Hollywood knew to choose the right composer for great films.; Technical information: In order to listen to the music you need a DVD player, In my product I can not use a CD player.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Sounding Recordings
An interesting collection of obscure s/f-fantasy themes
Digital Sound with a so-so collection

Fantastic Journey

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Trek | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Star Tracks 2
Time Warp
Star Tracks
The Great Fantasy Adventure Album
Bond and Beyond

ASIN: B000003CWH
Release Date: 1990-01-30

Tracks:

Suite From Batman
Outer Space From The Day The Earth Stood Still
Prelude From War Of The Worlds
End Title From The Black Hole
Through The Black Hole (Sound Effects)
End Title From Twilight Zone: The Movie
End Title From The Boy Who Could Fly
Main Theme From The Beastmaster
End Title From Explorers
End Title (The White Horse: Into The Sunset) From Dragonslayer
Carol Ann's Theme From Poltergeist
Suite From Moonwalker
A Busy Man From Star Trek V: THe Final Frontier
Escape From Venice From Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
The Cantina Band From Star Wars
Main Title From The Last Starfighter

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Sounding Recordings.......2001-10-16

This CD has been around for a while now but it is still truly a good compilation of Science Fiction film music given a new dimension by being recorded digitally. The BATMAN selections composed by Danny Elfman are very powerful combing rousing elements with moody enigmatic passages. Most of the other selections are short or confined to one piece. The selections from TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE, STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER and POLTERGEIST all composed by Jerry Goldsmith are all performed with passion and demonstrate Goldsmith's great versatility. Bernard Herrmann's "Outer Space" from THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is brief but in effect makes it all the more powerful by its great innovation and lasting impact. The WAR OF THE WORLDS "Prelude" by Leith Stevens was a great surprise.

An interesting collection of obscure s/f-fantasy themes.......2000-10-26

Maestro Kunzel has gathered together a mostly-entertaining mix of music from various s/f movies. As usual with these collections, the CD contains selections that are hard to come by (if not impossible) on a soundtrack or any other recorded source. Not all of the tracks work, however. Music from "Moonwalker" is annoying, and the theme from "War of the Worlds" is just plain weird. Not Kunzel's fault, I know, but those pieces tend to (for me) mar the overall likeability of the album. That said, there are definitely keepers: The theme from "The Black Hole," the soundtrack to which was unavailable on CD anywhere until just recently and which by itself is worth the cost; the sweet chorus of Carol Ann's Theme from "Poltergeist"; the themes from "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The Beast Master" (I am Dar!) and "The Last Starfighter."

Unfortunately, these movie collections tend to waste too much disk space on sound effects. Often inserted as short introductions to a piece of music, most can be endured quickly and forgotten. But on this CD, a whole track's worth following "The Black Hole" is devoted to the inane cacophony of electronic gibberish, space that would have been much better served by playing, say, the Love Theme from "Superman."

Still, there are more things to like on this album than there are to dislike.

Digital Sound with a so-so collection.......2000-06-25

This is another of the Telarc label's collections put together under the conductor Erich Kunzel and performed by the Cincinnati pops orchestra. Like all Telarc discs, the sound is pure digital and hence can really pack a punch. Moreover, Kunzel often chooses some vey nice gems in his collections -- e.g. the neglected Last Starfighter piece here. However, the problem arises in the fact that many pieces of film score don't play well with a large orchestra -- they loose their focused intensity. The Batman here suffers from such a flaw and is weaker than the original score. The Pops orchestra is best with march-type themes, of which there are not enough on this album to make it outshine the original soundtracks from which it draws.

Average customer rating:

this musics awesome
Gorgeous and amazing!
A Celtic Jouney
Gorgeux
Superb

Journey North
Michael Gettel
Manufacturer: Narada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
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Winter
Skywatching
The Key
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ASIN: B00000I8V4
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Ceud Mile Failte (A Hundred Thousand Welcomes)
The Journey North
Hadrian's Wall
Cumbrian Autumn (Dove Cottage)
Galloway
The Memory Stone
Loch Ness (The Kelpie)
Celtic Knot
Columcille's Dream
Reaching Iona (Breath Of God)

Amazon.com

How widespread popularity has eluded pianist-composer Michael Gettel is a mystery. Anyone who professes a fondness for upbeat, pop-influenced instrumentals from artists such as John Tesh, Craig Chaquico, or Fred Simon certainly would find much to like in Gettel's music. His consistently likable melodies capture a sun-warmed, top-down frame of mind, and a glow of cheerful sophistication shines through in nearly all of his compositions. On The Journey North, Gettel embellishes his pop-rock instincts with assorted Celtic flourishes (Jerry O'Sullivan contributes Uilleann pipes and whistles), yet the album's orientation is decidedly contemporary, not ancient. Gettel is unafraid of putting a slight edge into some of his works, and you'll hear him stretch his parameters a bit in a piece such as "Celtic Knot." The album's most embraceable track, "Galloway," captures all that is right in Gettel's style: a great tune, interesting variations on the original theme, and a storyteller's sense of resolution that is both reassuring and liberating. If you enjoy this, seek out his best album, Skywatching. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

this musics awesome.......2005-04-17

hey gettels a great guy and an even better musician. i dont like classical but this stuff is awesome. if you like music, youll like this album. even if you like country or bobo saxton, youll really like this album. buy it and you will not regret it. and if you ever saw gettel (he lives somewhere im pretty sure) he would say hey you bought my album! come share some hot coco! cause if i was him id do that. you should buy it. and this isnt gettel. gettels my teacher. teachers are good people. this cd is worth the 15 bucks. yep.

Gorgeous and amazing!.......2003-07-08

I'm born and raised in Seattle (in fact, I was one of Mr. Gettel's students up through middle school), and all the music that he has composed in Seattle and Washington state really encapture what the Pacific Northwest is like. And, in 2000 after I graduated high school, I was lucky enough to go to the British Isles, and Mr. Gettel has done the exact same thing with this album. It reminds me of when I was looking at Hadrian's Wall, or when I was standing on the beach of Loch Ness, watching my tour mates falling over rocks and landing in the water.
Mr. Gettel was not only a genius teacher, who was actually one of the only teachers that I learned about life and music from, but he's a beautiful musician who deserves to be heard.

A Celtic Jouney.......2001-09-15

I stumbled across Michael Gettel a few years ago and have been trying to add all his CDs to my collection. On the Journey North, Michael has set forth a piece that was influenced by his journey through the British Isles. Like all his work, the pieces here have a spiritual energy that is glorious. His juxtoposition of celtic instruments with his signature piano style is one of his best - second only to The Key. Reaching Iona (Breath of God) - one of the best cuts on the CD - exemplifies the breadth of this man's talent.

Gorgeux.......2000-05-31

I loved it, it was pure joy, anyone should hear this, it will soothe one's soul.

Superb.......1999-10-01

Superb. Very melodic. Love that base guitar and piano, even if piano is not your favourite instrument you'll love this one. Michael should be considered one of the greatest in this music field.

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