Memory & Imagination

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Voluntary Dreaming

2. Ritual Sticks

3. Visual Purple

4. The Inward Spiral

5. Cleopatra's Needle

6. Hawk Dreaming

7. Aeon

8. Abrasax

9. Mythos

10. Voluntary Dreaming/Alternate Mix

Disc: 2

1. Still Smiling

2. Signless

3. Snakey Jake

4. Bottoms Up

5. Lucid Mirrors of Eroticism

6. Memory & Imagination

7. Echoes on Echoes

8. Stones of Precious Water

9. Indigo Runes

Disc: 1
1. Voluntary Dreaming
2. Ritual Sticks
3. Visual Purple
4. The Inward Spiral
5. Cleopatra's Needle
6. Hawk Dreaming
7. Aeon
8. Abrasax
9. Mythos
10. Voluntary Dreaming/Alternate Mix
Disc: 2
1. Still Smiling
2. Signless
3. Snakey Jake
4. Bottoms Up
5. Lucid Mirrors of Eroticism
6. Memory & Imagination
7. Echoes on Echoes
8. Stones of Precious Water
9. Indigo Runes

Editorial Reviews
Jerry Kranitz, Aural-Innovations.com, April 2004
I was immediately struck by the prominence of percussion and world music influences on several of the tracks.

Product Description
This is a 2-disc set.

Disc 1 presents the most enduring music from Cleveland's Mythos and Voluntary Dreaming albums.

The foundation tracks for Mythos' 20-minute-long title piece were entirely improvised by Michael Masley (bowhammer cymbalom) and Cleveland (electric guitar with a tape-loop system). These tracks were then slowed down—lowering the pitch—and a second pass recorded. Because the guitar was sometimes played with an Erhu bow, an Ebow, and two Masley bowhammers, it is often difficult to discern who is playing what. Woodwind and light percussion overdubs by Kat Epple and Bob Stohl—and yet more guitar parts—completed the piece. "Aeon" is an entirely improvised keyboard piece with xylophone added, and "Abrasax" was sparked from experiments with a makeshift guitar gamelon.

Originally intended for release on Audion, Voluntary Dreaming reflected that label's emphasis on synthesizers and samplers, and was more electronic-sounding than Mythos. It also featured Michael Pluznick's layered ethnic percussion on several pieces.

Disc 2 contains previously unreleased music.

The title Memory & Imagination was originally going to be used for an album of compositions based on guitar and percussion loops that was recorded in 1992. Using a prototype of a Danish digital looping device called the Paradis Loop Delay. Cleveland recorded loops that were later transferred to a 16-track analog recorder and used as rhythmic or harmonic foundations. The loops and most of the overdubs were entirely improvised—hence the concept of (digital) memory and improvisational imagination. Six pieces were completed but never previously released.

The 24:24 piece, "Memory & Imagination," is based on continuously evolving delay lines rather than static loops. Other than the Dobro melody at the end, the sounds were all produced with electric guitar and light percussion instruments. "Echoes on Echoes" is a live improvisation recorded for the Echoes radio program. "Stones of Precious Water" and "Indigo Runes" were recorded in 1981. Both were created by first drastically manipulating and processing taped guitar tracks, and then playing over them.

Memory & Imagination

Memory & Imagination,Barry Cleveland,Supersaturated Records

Memory & Imagination

Tracks:

Dance Tonight
Ever Present Past
See Your Sunshine
Only Mama Knows
You Tell Me
Mr. Bellamy
Gratitude
Vintage Clothes
That Was Me
Feet In The Clouds
House of Wax
The End Of The End
Nod Your Head

Amazon.com

"Many years from now" must have seemed like an understatement to 16-year-old Paul McCartney, wondering if he'd still be needed or fed at the age of 64. As it turned out, all doubt as to the latter had ceased by his 22nd birthday (though few could have predicted he'd end up washing down those meals with the liquid pride of Seattle). As to the former? Now that McCartney, as of the date of this album's release, has reached that mythic age, his greatest work is 40 years behind him, his solo peak over 30 years gone. Does the world need a new Paul McCartney album? The answer is yes, at least as much as it needs anything else that passes for music these days. With Memory Almost Full, Macca is back. No, it's not Ram or Band on the Run. It might not even be Flowers in the Dirt--in 1989, he had a full band, the support of Linda, and Elvis Costello as a collaborator. Here, he's on his own. Literally: on the majority of the tracks, everything but the strings is multi-instrumentalist Paul. But the surprise is that it's one of his freest, loosest affairs in years, sonically reminiscent of the Tug of War/Pipes of Peace era with nods to Abbey Road in the album-closing medley, McCartney's gravelly tones on "Gratitude," and 2007's version of "Her Majesty," the palate-cleansing "Nod Your Head." It's a surprise because of the album's inescapable sense of retrospection ("Ever Present Past," "Vintage Clothes," "That Was Me") and even a bit of weariness. The next-to-last song is "The End of the End," after all, in which McCartney tells us about what he'd like to happen "on the day that I die." (He wants "songs that were sung/to be hung out like blankets/that lovers have played on/and laid on while listening to songs that were sung," and will likely get his wish.) But it never gets overwhelming, for McCartney mostly resists his tendency to get plodding and maudlin. In fact, Memory Almost Full must be the most sanguine album made during the dissolution of a marriage since...well, ever. "What went out is coming back," he sings in "Vintage Clothes," and from the sound of things, that may not be just wishful thinking. What's past is prologue; if we're lucky, what to come may be McCartney's late renaissance. --Benjamin Lukoff

Album Description

The 13 new songs on Memory Almost Full are performed entirely by Paul McCartney (excluding strings) and produced by Grammy Award-winner David Kahne (The Strokes, Sublime, Bruce Springsteen and more).

More Paul McCartney

Band on the Run
Ram
Wingspan: Hits and History

Customer Reviews:

I can't dance to this music(?)........2007-08-06

It's hard to believe this is the man who wrote "Here, there and everywhere", "Elenor Rigby", "Things we said today" and all those gems back in the 60's. I've been a huge fan of Paul and the Beatles for over 30 years, but I must say this album is really, really bad. According to some reviewers, those who don't like it are fools. I must be one of those fools. Frankly, I could find nothing positive in any of these songs. Music is bad, his singing isn't what it used to be, and his playing of different instruments is amateurish at best. Almost all his solo albums have disappointed me so far, that is for the past 30 years! I think he should have retired long ago or should have stuck to his good old tunes just to please fans. I don't think he has "it" anymore.

Great so far.......2007-08-03

To say this album is bad or even not listen-able is foolish. One has to make a conscience effort not to like Memory Almost Full. Right off the bat the listener is reminded of McCartney's first solo effort with Dance Tonight, which is simplistic, uplifting and honest. Next, Ever Present Past hits with the punch of an instant classic not unlike My Brave Face or even Band On The Run. This song deserves air play! See Your Sunshine is a wonderful love song that is lyrically, one of the better songs from McCartney's catalogue. By the end of track three the audience has been given a lesson in Macca history with just solo McCartney sounds. When Mama Only Knows sounds, the audience is transported to the heyday of Wings with a number that truly rocks. After the adrenaline rush left over from Only Mama Knows, Macca slows things down with the contemplative You Tell Me. Not one of the better tracks but better than a lot of the songs in McCartney's catalogue. Next track that is sequenced is Mr. Bellamy which is essentially this album's Eleanor Rigby. This is probably the best song on the album. Gratitude comes next with a soulful passion that sounds like it would have fitted perfectly on Chaos And Creation In The Backyard and ends the first part of the album.
What's next is a sequence of songs that Macca hasn't attempted since Red Rose Speed Way (his fourth solo project, and second with Wings). Though this isn't as memorable as the sequence of songs that appeared on Abbey Road's latter, the songs themselves are no less than great songs. The most interesting one being Feet In The Clouds which sounds very much to be like as if it were from Abbey Road. The album ends with a song that questions McCartney's death and how he would want people to react. The End Of The End is a song that is sorrowful and yet hopeful. Other than Mr. Bellamy, this is the best song on the album. But! If that leaves the audience depressed, Macca rocks them to the top with Nod Your Head. The song is just another rocker that is fun to listen to. Memory Almost full is not how some people feel, a disappointing follow up to Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, it's just different. It is full to the bring of five star material and is actually more consistent than the former. Definatley one of my favorite of Mr. McCartney's albums.

McCartney . . .makes you wanna dance tonight.......2007-08-01

For fans of Paul McCartney . . .this is one of his best, a mixture of whimsical, rock and lyrics that are some of his best.

memory almost full.......2007-08-01

Some Beatlesque songs that bring back the true Mccartney- a nice cover
and product in good shape. So far I believe this is Paul's best solo work as of yet. Yet there are a few songs that are unlike anything Paul has done before, i give it a thumbs up.

so good, I want more!.......2007-07-27

I can't believe Paul McCartney is still releasing really good power pop. All these years later, and he doesn't seem to show *any* signs of stopping! What's more amazing is that the man is going into his mid 60's- he seems to have an unlimited amount of creative power. For years he's been making pop/rock music that's instantly enjoyable because he has a talent for making it SO melodic and always sounding so fresh, and this album continues that trend. You really need to hear some of the songs from Memory Almost Full to hear a man that's focused and ready for more. The pop songs are poppy, and the rock songs rock. Just like it's always been. No, his memory is NOT almost full- there's a lot more left in his tank.

Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]

Average customer rating:

PAUL HAS STILL GOT THE GOODS
Mom's happy
Better Than "Chaos" but not a great Macca effort
McCartney the Magician
Awesome!

Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]
Paul McCartney
Manufacturer: Hear Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000PMLFRU
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Dance Tonight
Ever Present Past
See Your Sunshine
Only Mama Knows
You Tell Me
Mr. Bellamy
Gratitude
Vintage Clothes
That Was Me
Feet In The Clouds
House of Wax
The End Of The End
Nod Your Head

Tracks:

In Private
Why So Blue
222
Paul talks about the music of Memory Almost Full

Amazon.com

Album Description

The 13 new songs on Memory Almost Full are performed entirely by Paul McCartney (excluding strings) and produced by Grammy Award-winner David Kahne (The Strokes, Sublime, Bruce Springsteen and more).

This beautifully-packaged, deluxe limited edition also comes with a 2nd disc that contains 3 unreleased bonus tracks and audio commentary by Paul McCartney describing the music, 6 foldout color postcard-sized photos, and full lyrics.

More Paul McCartney

Band on the Run
Ram
Wingspan: Hits and History

Customer Reviews:

PAUL HAS STILL GOT THE GOODS.......2007-08-06

Long live Paul McCartney, who proves with this new CD that he still has a true genius for melody and catchy music bridges.

Mom's happy.......2007-08-05

Gave this to my mom (huge Beatles/McCartney fan) as a surprise "just because" gift and she loved it. She had heard the single before and said that the entire album was just as good. Haven't heard it myself yet, but she's pretty picky. :)

Better Than "Chaos" but not a great Macca effort.......2007-08-03

The days of excellent McCartney tunes are long past. I love "Junior's Farm" and "Venus and Mars." I think the album "Flowers in the Dirt" was Paul's best effort in the past 20 years. "Memory Almost Full" is full of reminiscence and reflection. Not all of it is interesting or fun to listen to.
Tops in my opinion are "Mr. Bellamy" (an "Uncle Albert" cousin) and the "End of the End" with some great imagery in the lyrics. I also enjoy the guitar work on "House of Wax." "Only Mama Knows" starts quietly with strings and then rocks out. It's good to hear Macca can still rock and roll.
Disappointments include the weak opener "Dance Tonight." Why does Paul insist on playing the mandolin, as he did on his last live tour in tribute to his former bandmate George? "Feet in the Clouds" sounds like a Jeff Lynne production. "See Your Sunshine" is light and inconsequential. On "Vintage Clothes" Paul sings "Check the rack/What was out is coming back." I wish Paul's songwriting prowess of the Beatles' or Wings' era was coming back, but maybe that's not realistic in the twilight of his career. MAF is nothing great and nothing terrible.

McCartney the Magician.......2007-07-29

The best McAbracadabra album for a long, long time.

The worst Paul McCartney artwork ever.

Awesome!.......2007-07-29

I mean, what else can you say about the legendary Sir Paul?! Go get it!!!

Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV

Average customer rating:

Not quite up to snuff
Spare the Rod
Rod Stewart: Songbook IV
raves for rod
Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV

Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV
Rod Stewart
Manufacturer: J-Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000B7HZXM
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

I've Got a Crush on You - featuring Diana Ross
I Wish You Love - featuring Chris Botti
You Send Me - featuring Chaka Khan
Long Ago and Far Away
Makin' Whoopee- featuring Elton John
My One and Only Love
Taking a Chance on Love
My Funny Valentine
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Nevertheless - featuring Dave Koz
Blue Skies
Let's Fall in Love - featuring George Benson
Thanks for the Memory

Amazon.com

Accuse Rod Stewart of what you like--through the years he's been called a philanderer, a has-been, a pageant-ish progenitor of puff rock--but as he has consistently proved with his Great American Songbook series, the concept of dignity is not lost on him. There is a time, after all, for leaping across stages in leopard-print spandex while shamelessly parading an unparalleled gift for scratchy-voiced seduction, and he is past it. Past his prime is another thing. On this fourth installation of the Clive Davis-produced series, Stewart again makes excellent use of his rolodex: Diana Ross, whose affection for this material comes through as convincingly as her spike-haired partner's, cuddles up for opener "I've Got a Crush On You," Chaka Khan packs her bags but not her mighty vocals for "You Send Me," and Sir Elton shelves the recent balladeer's instincts for a rip-roaring run through "Makin' Whoopee." A handful of marquee instrumentalists also returned Rod's calls-- Dave Koz blows sax on "Nevertheless," and trumpeters Chris Botti and Roy Hargrove turn up the heat on "I Wish You Love" and "My One and Only Love" respectively. As on earlier discs, though, it's when Rod rules the spotlight alone that he can be most compelling: Cue up "My Funny Valentine" in the right frame of mind and you may never need to hear it sung by another. Retiring the satin shirts in favor of this material was the smartest move Stewart ever made. --Tammy La Gorce

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Customer Reviews:

Not quite up to snuff.......2007-07-24

If I had heard this Volume IV first I never would have bought the others. Fortunately that was not the case and I have all the other CD's in this Songbook series he did.

It's O.K., but to my ear below the standard of the others.

Spare the Rod.......2007-07-09

Great listening. Not the smoothest voice, but a real stylist. And I want his HAIR

Rod Stewart: Songbook IV.......2007-07-04

We have purchased all four of the songbook CD's, and enjoy all equally. This is a nice and easy listen, for relaxing times. Stewart seems to feel the moods of the songs, and performs them with style. My wife plays them at her restaurant and gets many good compliments also.

raves for rod.......2007-06-27

as always rod is fabulous. anything he does he does beautifully.it is a great album for those of us who appreciate theseb classics.

Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV.......2007-05-15

Wonderful album of Rod Stewart! Fast shipping and great customer service.

Average customer rating:

If you thought nothing could beat "Watermark"...
an album of personal relevance
Simply wonderful.
A gem among gems
Enya's last great album

The Memory of Trees
Enya
Manufacturer: Â© 1995 Warner Music UK Ltd. / Reprise Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002N3N
Release Date: 1995-12-05

Tracks:

The Memory Of Trees
Anywhere Is
Pax Deorum
Athair Ar Neamh
From Where I Am
China Roses
Hope Has A Place
Tea-House Moon
Once You Had Gold
La Sonadora
On My Way Home

Amazon.com

To many people, Enya has become synonymous with new age music. Her haunting voice, clear and crisp above richly woven musical arrangements and adaptations, represents some of the best in the genre. Her performances on The Memory of Trees justify the Celtic songster's reputation. Songs like "China Roses" and "Hope Has a Place" complement the simple elegance of traditional folk music with luxuriantly layered instrumentation and highly crafted studio production. The ultimate effect is dazzling, to be sure. Whether she sings in English, Gaelic, or Latin, Enya conveys a profound, if slightly disconcerting, mix of spirituality and sensuality. --L.A. Smith

Customer Reviews:

If you thought nothing could beat "Watermark"..........2007-04-03

Celtic new-age singer Enya has exceeded her wildly popular album "Watermark" with the lovely "Memory of Trees."

I first heard "China Roses" and was absolutely determined that, yes, I would buy another Enya album. I was not prepared for a treat in "Once you had Gold" and "Pax Deorum." There is an instrumental-only (Teahouse Moon.)

Its cover art was inspired by a painting called "The Young King of the Black Isles" by Maxfield Parrish, an artist who Enya finds gives visual inspiration to her work.

This album won a Grammy in 1997. Nice to have another album to drift off in relaxation time. Thank you, Enya.

an album of personal relevance.......2007-03-25

This is my favorite Enya album, having to do more with a part it played in my life than just its stunning contents. I listened to The Memory of Trees constantly during a very blue period of my life, when I got my heart broken for the first time. All of the myriad emotions running through me found a voice in songs like Hope Has a Place and Once You Had Gold. Even On My Way Home tugged at my heart; it conjured up hope in the wake of a bittersweet seperation. And, if that were not enough, I felt the reverberation of Tea-House Moon and the title track in the core of my being. Through it all, there was Enya, an artist without parallel. Her grace, serenity, and raw emotion washed over me, healing my bruised and fragile heart.

Sorry for the soppy, sentimental words, but this is the God-honest truth. I like each and every one of Enya's albums, some more than others, but The Memory of Trees will always stand apart from the rest, for me personally. Some people will find the album too sad and bittersweet, but I'm convinced that more will treasure it for a long time to come.

Simply wonderful........2007-01-05

This is not another lousy Celtic New Age album - it is a genuine piece of music, well written and performed with emotion. It never fails to send shivers up and down my spine for some reason... Ever since I heard Orinoco Flow Enya has cast her spell on me. She is just so different and strange and so utterly artistic. On this album every song is as perfect as it can get on a pop record, with melodies that have a tendency to lodge themselves into my brain. I have every Enya album to date, but this one seems to be particularly special. A must for any music lover!

A gem among gems.......2006-12-04

I love Enya's music, and own several of her albums (albeit not all). This is my favorite by far. The track, "Anywhere Is," is the quintessential seeker song. Every track on this album has moved me. This artist is a gift to the world, and this album has to be among her very best.

Enya's last great album.......2006-09-13

It's hard to believe "Memory of Trees" came out 11 years ago;it has held up well over the passage of time.It's Enya's last great album before the New Age/pop of "Amarantine" and "Day without rain." Back in 1995,Enya still had her creative spark,her own voice.

I agree with the reviewer who said that this is her saddest album;it is melancholy,bittersweet,from the opening title song."Memory of Trees" is elegaic&majestic."Pax Deorum" sounds like it is from a Requiem Mass,it is a dark threnody.

Unlike the reviewer who said that this has a "disconcerting" blend of spirituality&sensuality,I don't find it disconcerting at all."Anywhere is" is a hopeful song,looking to possibilities."Hope has a place" is about love,but it is up to the listener to decide if it is romantic,platonic,etc.I've always had a soft spot for this song."On my way home" is a triumphant ending about return.This is truly a masterpiece of New Age music,a must for any Enya fan!

Average customer rating:

The Andrew Lloyd Weber Collection
Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection
The Best You'll See from Sarah
The Angel of Music

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection

Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000I0XW
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Tracks:

The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera
Song & Dance: Unexpected Song
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'enfance
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Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina
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The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Requiem: Pie Jesu
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night

Amazon.com essential recording

Sarah Brightman's career was launched by her success in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, so it's no surprise to hear the soprano paying homage to the composer on this disc. Really a Brightman best-of, the album includes the Phantom theme (a duet with Michael Crawford), the light-opera fare of "Chanson D'enfance" from Aspects of Love, "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" from Evita, and numerous other Lloyd Webber classics. Throughout, Brightman's diminutive voice lends a fragility to these musical theater tunes that you'll either love or despise. On Evita's "Another Suitcase, Another Hall" and Cats' "Memory," she literally chirps through the vocal lines. No matter. The growing legion of Brightman fans wouldn't have it any other way. --Jason Verlinde

Album Details

Another Compilation of Stage Favourites - Some Tracks Are Hard to Find Elsewhere.

Customer Reviews:

The Andrew Lloyd Weber Collection.......2007-05-12

Sarah Brightman sings in good form classic songs and does a great job!!

Andrew Lloyd Webber .......2007-02-12

Excellent Broadway music--a true master. Sing along or just listen. First heard her on PBS.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection.......2007-01-05

Sarah Brightman has always been a favorite of mine, and this CD is outstanding. The duet with Jose Carreras (Friends for Life) is especially good--worth buying the CD for that song alone.

The Best You'll See from Sarah.......2006-09-09

This CD is - wow! I have so much to say about it and so little time! This album features three pieces from "The Phantom of the Opera" - Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, The Music of the Night, and The Phantom of the Opera theme. They're all beautiful. The second piece on the album is "Unexpected Song". It has beautiful octaves and orchastrations. Chanson d'Efance is an amazing French piece with vibrato - and then some. I forgot to mention that there is another piece from The Phantom of the Opera - All I Ask of You - except that the song is not sung by the original cast from the musical. The next few pieces are fairly decent, until you get to Memory from Cats. WOW - is it spectacular! Then we get to two other pieces from Cats - Gus: The Theater Cat and Macavity: The Mystery Cat. Gus is a song that just tells about a cat and his history. A man speaks the lines that Gus would say in the actual musical - and it makes the song interesting. Macavity is AWESOME! I know that I said that I didn't prefer this song for Brightman on her album "Surrender". I finally listened to it more carefully, and found that it's really interesting to listen to! My favorite song on the whole entire album - however - has to be "Tell Me on a Sunday". Beautiful lyrics, orchestrations, and overall spectacular voice talent ties the whole song together. Pie Jesu is a fairly nice piece from both Brightman and Paul Miles-Kingston - the 16 year old boy soprano. His voice is pure and straight with minimal vibrato. However, Brightman's voice shows a little bit TOO much vibrato! Overally, it's a good piece from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requium. THIS CD IS AMAZING! If you love Sarah from the Phantom of the Opera, then this collection of Lloyd Webber's work is just for you.

I also recommend Charlotte Church - (in her earlier career) - including Voice of an Angel and her self-titled album. I also recommend Love Changes Everything - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection Vol.2 - just another grouping of Webber's classics. I also recommend Andrea Boucelli - he's awesome!

The Angel of Music.......2006-03-13

This is the third copy of this I've purchased. I wear them out listening to them. Awesome, Awesome music. Sarah's range and depth is so powerful!

Carreras · Domingo · Pavarotti ~ the three tenors in concert / Mehta

Average customer rating:

delivery went ok
A knockout performance
The night that started it all!
Great singing from the three tenors
Excellent. Like summer sunshine. manna from heaven!

Carreras · Domingo · Pavarotti ~ the three tenors in concert / Mehta
Francesco Cilea , Giacomo Meyerbeer , Giacomo Puccini , Franz Lehar , Vencenzo De Crescenzo , Salvatore Cardillo , Ernesto de Curtis , Agustin Lara , Pablo Sorozabal , Umberto Giordano , Leonard Bernstein , Vincenzo d' Annibale , Anonymous , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomizhsky , Juan De Dios Filiberto , Louis Louiguy , Ruggiero Leoncavallo , Rudolf Sieczynski , Joseph M. Lacalle , Eduardo di Capua , Zubin Mehta , Plácido Domingo , Luciano Pavarotti , and José Carreras
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Three Tenors Christmas
Romantica: The Very Best Of Luciano Pavarotti

ASIN: B0000041XX
Release Date: 1990-09-05

Tracks:

Il Lamento Di Federico
O Paradis
Recondita Armonia - Luciano Pavarotti
Dein ist Mein Ganzes Herz
Rondine Al Nido - Luciano Pavarotti
Core 'ngrato
Torna A Surriento - Luciano Pavarotti
Granada
No Puede Ser
L'impovviso
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Nessun Dorma
Finale Medley: Maria - Tonight, 'O paese d' 'o sole, Cielito lINDO
Memory, Ochi tchorniye, Caminito
Mattinata ; Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein, Amapola, 'O sole mio
Encore: 'O sole mio
Encore: Nessun Dorma

Amazon.com

Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and José Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of the greatest hits for the tenor voice. Domingo and Pavarotti sing perfectly. The audience wins as these vocal supermen compete to seduce the hearts of the audience. One moment Domingo brings thrilling fire and pain to "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca; the next, Pavarotti rises to heavenly heights in an inspired rendition of "Nessun dorma" from Turandot. Carreras is the competent little brother, one step behind the greatness of the big brothers from opera's Ponderosa. His singing isn't as captivating as that of the big boys; but his enthusiasm and passion are unrivaled. Mehta exquisitely captures the largeness of this bonanza through the grandiose orchestra. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

delivery went ok.......2006-11-14

the item was delivered to me on-time and with no problems. however,i was looking for a DVD and not a audio Cd. might be good to clearly differentiate when the product is being advertised or shown.

A knockout performance .......2006-05-28

Like so many of the reviewers here I am not an opera aficionado. But I sensed immediately the night I saw this concert on television that this was one of those 'remarkable' artistic events. Domingo and Pavarotti both have such strength and beauty in their voices that they overwhelm. Carreras adds flavor and enthusiasm.
One of the most remarkable music performances I have seen.

The night that started it all!.......2005-11-02

You can read the technical information about the contents of this CD above. That is not what this review is about. I became intrested in opera about 1 1/2 years ago because of happening upon Mario Lanza. Since then, I have experienced many great truly operatic voices, including the "King," Pavarotti.
If you are just discovering opera, suffice it to say; Buy this album!!! It was the concert that launched the 3 Tenors phenomenon. It is full of uplifting, heart- tugging favorites, and you will find yourself listening to it over and over. Buy the dvd as well. It imparts absolute electricity! I am a young pianist and vocalist, and this concert is truly inspiring to me! You won't regret one penny you spend on this!

Great singing from the three tenors.......2005-06-23

This cd is a must-have for anyone interested in opera - or beautiful singing. And when you're at it - why don't buy the dvd from the concert? It will make you appreciate the cd even more.

First of all I have to comment on the editorial review of this cd. I felt the reviewer is "belittling" José Carreras here by saying he's one step behind the big brothers and his singing isn't as captivating as that of the big boys.....?!?!? Of course I can only speak for myself, but I feel she's way out of line. And I'm starting to wonder if she's been listening to the cd at all? In my opinion you have to be dead not to be touched by his rendition of "Lamento di Federico" and "L'improvviso". If anybody can deliver a line it has to be Carreras. When it comes to his interpretation of "Granada" even conductor Zubin Mehta was gobsmacked. Watching the dvd you can see him putting down his baton and applauding. He even steps down from his podium to hug José.

I have to say I'm not too keen on the two other tenors, although I have to admit I loved Pavarotti's "Torna a Surriento" and "Rondine al nido". The thing about Pavarotti is that he has a great singing technique and he's also in possession of this "push-button" which make him sing a lot of high notes, but that alone isn't enough to stir emotion.

As for Domingo, even if he's giving it all in every song, and his "No puede ser" was great,I think he's a bit too much on the nasal side. He's okay when they all perform together, but his "E lucevan le stelle" is sending shivers down my spine - and not of delight. I'm practically unable to sit still and listen to his solos. If you really want "fire and pain" you should check out Carreras in the Tosca-recording from -80, or his recording from -76. It's really breathtaking and I promise you'll end up in tears!

At the end of this concert the three tenors perform a medley together. Their voices blend perfectly and it's powerful to listen to them giving it all. A lot of people are talking about their mis-pronounciations. I for one, think it only adds to the charm of the performers. Pavarotti has some problems with the English songs (okay, big problems..), Domingo stumbles in the words in the beginning of "Wien Wien nur du allein", and (this you'll see in the dvd) in the same song Carreras is actually reading the text from a piece of paper as he's singing and his facial expressions when getting his head around the German words are really hilarious. O sole mio as an encore is fabulous when Pavarotti pushes his button and shakes out all his high notes.... And I love it when the two other join forces and repeat his stunt to perfection.

All in all this is a wonderful album. And well worth 5 stars.... José alone gets 10 stars!!!

Excellent. Like summer sunshine. manna from heaven!.......2004-05-28

This CD is terrific on so many levels. In celebration of one of the world's great sporting events - the World Cup of football (soccer to us stateside), three great tenors and one masterful conductor (Zubin Mehta) were brought together in one of the world's great cities - Rome -- for a special evening that we are blessed to have been able to listen to again and again.

The concert was held during the World Cup in 1990 at the Baths of Caracella, which are ruins of the once great Roman baths. In this beautiful setting Luiciano Pavrotti, Jose Carreas and Placido Domingo came together for one of the best CD's ever made.

The singing is exquisite. The passion of the crowd in this live performance should equal the reaction of the listener. This is art at its highest level. It is a celebration of great music, not just of opera, but in my opinion, the soaring human spirit. What power to move the soul! You don't need to be an opera fan to enjoy this music. If you like any kind of music, you cannot help but be affected by the power of this special evening. And what an evening, those in attendance were lucky to have been there!!

The casual listener will already know some of these arias, as they are from some the great operas of all time. However, I believe even the most hardenend opera fan, unless he or she is a real stiff, cannot be helped to be but moved by this music.

Tracks:

Regression
Overture 1928
Strange Deja Vu
Through My Words
Fatal Tragedy
Beyond This Life
Through Her Eyes
Home
The Dance Of Eternity
One Last Time
The Spirit Carries On
Finally Free

Amazon.com

Progressive rock has long been the most devalued currency in popular music, perhaps due to the culture's dumbing down, too many conceptually knotted triple-albums, or merely a Greek chorus of critics parroting the emperor from Amadeus: "Too many notes!" Maybe that's what makes Dream Theater's Scenes such an audacious rush (no pun intended). Here we have a two-act murder mystery examined from a hypnotic dream state and parlayed by "The Orchestra," as the band refers to itself here. Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn't written anything as focused--or musically audacious--in decades. And if the band attacks feverish shift meters and plows through enough structural modes and, yes, notes, to make the aforementioned emperor's head spin, they manage to keep things concise, focused, and largely effective. The addition of keyboardist Jordan Rudess has freshened the band's tack, infused now with the odd, playful ragtime piano quote and sitar sample. Vocalist James Labrie, meanwhile, amply proves that Queensryche's Geoff Tate isn't the only drama queen in prog metal. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

masterpiece.......2007-07-12

this one, and Awake, will be the ones that your kids will regard the way you and me regard Dark Side of the Moon.

thus album has touched my heart.......2007-07-08

along with top notch musical writing, this ia a concept album if there ever was one. the whole album revolves around specificlly writen melodies along with its consistant story line which involes the double murder of a young couple. anyone who appreciates concept albyms will see this as being the ultimate one of the genre because it is both melodically and lyrically perfect. praise be to the best

Amazing !.......2007-07-01

I am new to Dream Theater, I have make "the discovery" two years ago while the band was the opening act for "Yes". I have to admit that their performance was "jaw dropping" if you see what I mean. They had less than 45 minutes that night but this was enough for me. I wanted to knew all about them. This album is simply amazing, if you like great musical performance, great vocals, prog rock music at its best, this one is for you. Don't miss the chance to discover an amazing album and an amazing band.

Dream Theater's mission statement.......2007-06-28

After releasing the uneven and often criticized Falling Into Infinity in 1997, Dream Theater found themselves with a lot to prove. If Falling Into Infinity was a misguided attempt to let outside voices "streamline" the band's progressive metal sound in hopes of reaching some mythical "crossover" audience, then its successor - 1999's Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory - was a deliberate statement by the band; a statement that said in no uncertain terms that Dream Theater's music is not for the top 40 listening masses and never will be. The band kept their own counsel while recording this album, the result of which is a progressive metal tour-de-force that reestablished the band at the top of the progressive metal pantheon.

Scenes From a Memory is an ambitious concept album based loosely on the Images and Words song Metropolis, Part I. I was a bit surprised to hear about the album's concept, as I always thought that the lyrics to Metropolis Part I were mostly metaphorical in nature. Still, the band managed to put together an interesting, if convoluted, tale of love, murder, reincarnation and redemption carried out over the course of 12 songs.

Musically this is a very strong album. With the songwriting and production duties solely in the band's hands (and absolutely no need to come up with a "hit"), they were free to be as creative and progressive as they chose. This is most obvious in the instrumental interplay between guitar god John Petrucci and incoming keyboardist Jordan Rudess, whose pyrotechnics on this album are the stuff of legend. Mike Portnoy and John Myung, both masters of their craft, are more than up to the challenge, as is vocalist James LaBrie, who was coming off of a tour that nearly destroyed his voice.

Overall Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is a very impressive album. The only real flaw, and it's one that affects most concept albums, is that it really only works as a whole album. Unlike the songs on Images and Words or Train of Thought, the tracks on SFAM don't really work as single songs. The lyrical content, storyline, and the flow from one track to the next makes it hard for the songs to stand up on their own. Still, that's a relatively minor complaint about an otherwise great album.

Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is a must-have album for all Dream Theater fans, and anyone who is into progressive metal. It may be a bit heavy for some traditional progressive rock fans, but I've generally found that crowd to be pretty open minded, so I think they'd enjoy it as well.

Their best in my opinion........2007-05-24

In my opinion, this is Dream Theater's best album. That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate some of the genius work on Images and Words and Awake, it just means that, as an entire album, this one is slightly better. Images and Words as well as Awake have some of the best Dream Theater songs (Learning To Live, Metropolis Pt. 1, Caught In A Web, Scarred) to date, but Scenes From A Memory is more cohesive from beginning to end.

This release is Dream Theater's first attempt at a concept album. Whether or not you enjoy concept albums is irrelevant because each song can stand on it's own without the knowledge that the entire album follows one main storyline. Each song is very unique without straying too far from the Dream Theater formula that made them what they are. Highlights for me are Home, Fatal Tragedy, The Spirit Carries On, and Finally Free. As always, the musicianship is phenomenal without being too self indulgent as DT can sometimes be. The song structures are complex, but not so much as to take away from the overall atmosphere of each song.

This is also the first album with current (as I'm writing this) keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Jordan is obviously very talented and adds a new element to the band that wasn't there in previous albums. Not a better element, just a new element. I believe Kevin Moore was better at creating melodies than Jordan, but I believe Jordan is better during the interlude and fill sections. Six of one, half dozen of the other I guess.

I own every Dream Theater album to date and SFAM still gets the most play in my stereo, closely followed by Images and Words and Awake. I enjoy all of the albums since SFAM, but I don't think they have since captured the same magic and probably never will again.

As with every review, these are my opinions and I'm sure many people will disagree with me, but that's what makes these reviews so much fun. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Can't Stop Listening to Pressure Suit
Made a fan out of me, taking steps in the right direction
Innovative
Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The memory stays

Memory Man
Aqualung
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Reminder
Back to Black
The Boy with No Name
Strange and Beautiful
Undiscovered

ASIN: B000MV8CYI
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

Cinderella
Pressure Suit
Something To Believe In
Glimmer
Vapour Trail
Rolls So Deep
The Lake
Black Hole
Outside
Garden Of Love
Broken Bones

Amazon.com

Matt Hales, a.k.a. Aqualung, isn't much of a straight shooter--as a songsmith he's a natural meanderer, and as a one-man instrumentalist he's been known to pick up everything from a siren to a glockenspiel--but he's an expert at creating mesmerizing, sophisticated pop. On 2005's Strange and Beautiful, he twisted an overall outlook marked by murkiness and lethargy into something deeply pretty, and on Memory Man, his second U.S. release, he shows off a similar mastery of mood. The new disc starts with two relatively upbeat tracks, the love-tangled first single "Pressure Suit" and the guitar-heavy, un-Aqua-like "Cinderella," but by track three Hales is back to his bag of engagingly doleful tricks: for the most part on this disc, he's "scratching around for something to believe in," as the song goes. Philosophical bent aside, Memory Man has its share of loose and un-cerebral moments, too. Last track "Broken Bones" dabbles in heavy-duty radio fuzz, and "Rolls So Deep" sidles up to a never-before-heard musical space that's equal parts Bruce Springsteen, David Byrne, and every affecting '70s ballad singer you've ever heard. --Tammy La Gorce

Description

Memory Man, the eagerly-awaited sophomore release from British musical prodigy Aqualung arrives in stores on March 13th. Memory Man premieres 11 new Aqualung songs, each of them written or co-written by Matt Hales with his long-time collaborators Ben Hales and Kim Oliver. The first single, "Pressure Suit" is a gorgeous lo-fi, atmospheric masterpiece. Aqualung's 2005 US debut, Strange and Beautiful, reached #1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart propelled by the wildly popular single "Brighter Than Sunshine."

Customer Reviews:

Can't Stop Listening to Pressure Suit.......2007-08-01

Like maybe some other people, I got tired of hearing "Brighter Than Sunshine" all over the radio. It was like Coldplay's "The Scientist" in terms of it just kept on being played and the video kept on being shown. But I still enjoyed Aqualung's music.

For some reason, the emotion just spills out on "Memory Man". Aqualung can go from soft to loud in a heartbeat. And this album definitely makes the heart beat. The lyrics are strong but take on a life of their own when being sung by Matt Hale's voice--- who is a less haunting Thom Yorke (which actually works for the music performed by Aqualung). "Pressure Suit" is what this album is all about. It carries the album.

Made a fan out of me, taking steps in the right direction.......2007-06-12

I enjoyed Aqualung's first album, and his music that we didn't get to see in America. I decided to check out "Memory Man" to see which direction he would take from "Strange and Beautiful". I was extremely pleased from even just the first minute of the first track, "Cinderella". After listening to the whole album, I was really excited to play it all over again.

From the pop-sounds of "Something to Believe In" to the beautiful artistry of "The Lake", this is definitely something to check out. I was a casual listener with his first album, but "Memory Man" has turned me into a real fan.

Innovative.......2007-05-17

I love Aqualung (and this CD) because not only is Matt Hales a great singer, he is a great musician. He plays instruments and he knows what a supertonic half-diminished 6/5 chord is... So many famous musicians these days lack this essential quality. In a world of popular music dominated by tonic and dominant and lyrcis devoid of emotion (or at least unable to convincingly convey it), Matt Hales and company (Ben, Kim, etc.) are a refreshing group of truly talented songwriters. In Memory Man, Matt moves forward to explore new worlds of sound while still keeping true to the great Aqulaung sound. I think that this album is a huge success and would highly reccommend it to anyone, regardless of their individual musical taste.

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-05-10

Okay if you are a music LOVER and FAN and you don't alreay own this BRILLIANT Album kick yourself, and go get it, and buy it don't be cheap and burn it, spend some $$ and support this FINE artist. GO see them live, they are AWESOME live, they will NOT let you down. This CD is a MUST have for ANY TURE MUSIC LOVER. If you are a causual music lover you will more than likly still like it, but not appreciate it utter beauty and brilliance, go into it with and open heart, and YOU WILL LOVE IT~!!!!!!!!! So for all you haters, shut up alreay and go listen to your Barry Manalow cd's and leave us real musicians alone. (YUCK!!!) Give it up to Aqualung, they sound NOTHING like Coldplay, Kean, or Ben Folds, except for the fact that there is a piano, come on folks just because all of these bands use a piano doesn't make them all alike in sound...DUH, think for once!!! To say oh wait there is a piano...oh well then to me they sound like Tori Amos, (whom I love mind you) but come on folks that is plain silly, yes there is piano, and rightfully so, it has a beautiful sound, come off of the STUPID compairisons, and get real. This album is so good, you will listen to it time and time again go get it NOW!!!!!!!

The memory stays.......2007-04-21

Aqualung has been sort of dormant for the last few years. But now that Matt Hales has returned, his music has become even more strange and beautiful -- his fourth full-length album "Memory Man" is a beautiful swirl of wintry, misty Britpop, strung together on .

It opens with the trippy beats laid over plinky piano and gently cycling, fuzzy guitars. And sounding like he's singing through an old radio, Hales murmurs blearily, "I remember the night/No wet eyes, no crossroads/No mention of fate/Just a poor decision... Be careful what you hope and you pray for/You know you only get what you pay for."

It's followed by the softer, more mournful "Pressure Suit," which sounds like the Flaming Lips got drunk and depressed: "I'll be your four leaf clover/I'll be your pressure suit/I'll be your angel wings/I'll be your parachute." The songs that follow are similarly mournful and wintry, but different styles, like soaring pianopop, mellow guitar folk.

The second half is when the album really takes off, with heartbreaking little ballads and tightly-woven indiepop, though they both have the doleful lyrics and voicals. And it finishes where it began -- "Broken Bones" returns to Hales singing through static and fuzz, "Oh please, just a little more time with you..."

You can't really label "Memory Man" as either being happy or sad. Just like the experience of being in love, it's full of beauty laced with sadness, and the hope that it will last just a little longer. Even when the music is peppy and catchy, Hales still sounds like someone who loves love, but knows that it won't last.

The music itself is a beautiful, frosty swirl, which borders on psychedelic but never quite crosses the line. It's full of ringing, cycling guitars, solid drums, a rattly tambourine, and some piano that plinks through some songs instead of the guitar. And the delicate synth-- it shimmers, buzzes, chimes, and forms an ambient sweep over the delicate Britpop tunes.

Hales' smooth voice always sounds like he's singing out his woes to himself, about relationships that are gone, or about to vanish. But he doesn't exaggerate the importance of what he's singing, just dwells on how it felt: "There's only so much that our heart can grow/Then everything else starts to overflow/And you're young and in love/Back then there was no way of knowing..."

Mournful love is at the heart of "Memory Man," wrapped up in Hales' solid trip-Britpop. The first half is a bit weaker than the second, but it's still a lovely little album.

Average customer rating:

Nice songs from this album
Not bad
The best from the three greatest...
Just Like the Real Thing!
Powerful and moving!

The Best of the Three Tenors
Luciano Pavarotti , Placido Domingo , Jose Carerras , Zubin Mehta , and James Levine
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Three Tenors Christmas
Carreras · Domingo · Pavarotti ~ the three tenors in concert / Mehta
The 3 Tenors in Concert 1994
Romantica: The Very Best Of Luciano Pavarotti
Pavarotti: Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00004UB8A
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Tracks:

'O sole mio
Funiculi, funicula
Libiamo ne' lieti calici (Brindisi)
Sous le ciel de Paris
Torero quiero ser
Parlami d'amore, Mariu
Manha de Carnaval
Lolita
Dicitencello vuie
Core 'ngrato
Because
You'll Never Walk Alone
Singin' In The Rain
Maria
Tonight
'O paese d' 'o sole
Cielito lindo
Ochi tchorniye
Caminito
La Vie en Rose
Mattinata
Wien, Wien, nur du allein
Amapola
Lippen schweigen
Brazil
Sous les ponts de Paris
Torna a Surriento
Nessun dorma
La donna e mobile

Amazon.com

Back in 1990, three of the world's most celebrated tenors--namely, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti--combined forces to create the Three Tenors, now celebrated on a best-of CD. They gave their first concert in Rome. The event was recorded and went on to become one of the best-selling classical titles of all time.

This latest release brings together tracks from that night in Rome (including "Nessun dorma" and a competitive rendition of "O sole mio") with music performed in a 1994 concert in Los Angeles and at the 1998 event in Paris where the Three Tenors sang to an audience of thousands with the Eiffel Tower as their backdrop.

The 22 tracks making up The Best of the Three Tenors range from operatic standards, such as the joyful "Brindisi" from La Traviata, to popular songs like "Singin' in the Rain" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" (from Carousel). There are no solos on this disc; each piece is performed by all three singers. And with plenty of applause and cheering to be heard, not to mention the sense of fun in the singers' voices, the disc captures the atmosphere of these extraordinary musical events. --Rebecca Agnew

Customer Reviews:

Nice songs from this album.......2007-07-22

This is the first album I have acquired of the Three Tenors, and it was wonderful. The selections were easy to listen to and familiar to me. None of the heavy operatic selections. It is the best. I will buy more albums of them.

Not bad.......2006-03-18

This is a good recording. If you don't like the 3 tenors, then look else where. It's that simple. These are recordings from concerts where they WERE supposed to show off. This ain't opera. If you want opera, go out and attend one.

The best from the three greatest..........2005-08-11

The first thing we must establish here is that this is not meant to be opera. This is three exceptionally talented tenors enjoying themselves and giving tremendous joy to those listening by singing mostly popular "evergreens" and also some operatic arias. The beauty in music lies in the diversity, in my opinion. One can better appreciate one type of music when one knows about the others. And why should we limit ourselves to listen to just one genre in music. It would be the same as having steak for dinner every day for the rest of your life, wouldn't it? So why should we limit three wonderful tenors to only sing operatic arias for the rest of their lives? If so we wouldn't have "Maria", "You'll never walk alone", "Singing in the rain" or any of the evergreens on this recording and that would be a shame.

There are no solos on the cd. I think I've read somewhere that they felt there had been enough "three tenors cd's" and if they were to release yet another one it would be one containing what the audience demands, the three of them joining forces and performing together in the songs.
The result, in my opinion is highly recommendable. The three voices blend perfectly together. I have to admit that I have a personal favourite among the tenors and that I would never buy an entire recording featuring only one of the two others, but I recognize their talents and -as stupid as it may sound- since they are performing together I can also appreciate the other two. (I like them too, but in smaller doses....)Some people have commented on their problems with mastering the english language. If anything, I think it just adds to their charm. By the way, who is perfect??

The songs on this cd is a mixture of beautiful songs, heartwrenching songs, toe-tapping songs and powerful songs. It's wonderful to just listen to the beauty in the three voices. It's fun hearing Pavarotti pushing his "high-note-button" in "O sole mio" and Carreras and Domingo copying his stunt. I have no idea what they're singing about in "Manha de Carnaval", but boy does it sound romantic...... And "Dicitencello vuie" brings tears to my eyes (even if I'm still left in the dark when it comes to understanding the meaning of the words...) In "Because" Carreras takes my breath away when singing "because God made thee mine, I'll cherish thee...through light and darkness, through all time to be, and pray his love may make our love divine...." (What woman wouldn't like to hear those words..??!?) Their rendition of "You'll never walk alone" should satisfy some of the soccer-fans since it's the anthem of a European football-club and "Nessun Dorma" will probably satisfy the rest of the soccer-fans, being the antheme of the 1998 world soccer championship. In short, there should be something for every taste on this cd.

It's a very "versatile" cd. You can play it almost everywhere. You can sing along to it in the car, you can dance around the house to it while doing your chores, you can put your feet up and unwind after a hectic week. Or you can write an Amazon review while listening to it.... (Feel free to add suggestions of your own here.....)

To make a long story short - a very enjoyable cd!

Just Like the Real Thing!.......2005-07-14

A few years ago I was lucky enough to actually see a Three Tenors concert. The experience was amazing. Later I bought this CD. I was so happy when I listened to it because the CD captures the mood of being present at the concert. I like the variety and every time I play it, I am taken back to my personal experience at the concert. Hearing the audiences on the CD really gets you excited about hearing this amazing trio.

Powerful and moving!.......2004-10-21

I got this CD as a gift and it changed my life! I was always a rocker and liked classical music, but never was much into this genre of music. This album changed all of that. Since getting the three tenors I've found a whole new world out there. Thank you guys!

Average customer rating:

music so good you'll cry
This is one for everybody
should be accepted by any rational person as strong evidence for God's existence.
Fill in your blank slate with some innovative music...
Modern classical music that is beautiful

Tabula Rasa
Dennis Russell Davies , Keith Jarrett , Gidon Kremer , Stuttgart State Orchestra , Tatiana Grindenko , Alfred Schnittke , and Twelve Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lamentate
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ASIN: B0000262K7
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Fratres
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Fratres
Tabula Rasa

Amazon.com essential recording

This seminal disc now almost seems like the manifesto for a whole new strain of minimalism that has found an enormously receptive audience. It represented a breakthrough for Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, whose music--like that of his European colleagues John Tavener and Henryk Górecki--pursues an austerely beautiful simplicity that suggests spiritual illumination. Fratres, given here in two versions, one for piano and violin and the other for 12 cellos, repeatedly intones a sequence resembling chant to convey a sensibility that seems at once archaic and beyond time. Violinist Gidon Kremer, for whom Pärt wrote the exquisitely contemplative and hypnotic title work, grasps the music's koan-like idiom, allowing an inner fullness to resonate through the most fragile, ethereal wisps of tone against the mysterious clangings of prepared piano. The tolling of the tubular bells in Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten is an emotionally charged lament, based on a simple minor descending scale, that introduces Pärt's fascination with what he calls "tintinnabulation": the literal and metaphorical sound of ringing bells. This recording is also famous for the acoustically warm presence produced by ECM's Manfred Eicher, which magnificently captures the mystical simplicity of Pärt's sound world. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

music so good you'll cry.......2007-04-21

I first heard one of the songs playing in a Starbucks and had to ask them what it was... I couldn't hear it very well, but I knew I needed to hear more. After I got home and listened to the previews on Amazon, I was hooked.

There is so much depth and sweetness to this music. It has literally brought me to tears. If you're looking for an album of chamber music that truely goes beyond the normal lulling sound and into the realm of true artistic expression, this is one to own. It is one of the prizes of my collection.

This is one for everybody.......2006-08-30

I'm not completely dug on classical and contemporanean music, ECM stuff included. Lygeti, Xenakis they make me sense, all along american minimalists like Reich or Cage. Electro-acustic is more ear-friendly for me (Ferrari, Parmegiani) but... All this speech just to say that thsi is one ECM record I own - the 1977's Tabula Rasa. The great Gidon Kramer (check out "Silence" from Nonesuch who has another version of tabula rasa) is here with all his magic, even the world-piano-star K. Jarrett plays piano, and everything makes sense. The music is so cold and complex, ethernal yet listenable for the common of mortals. Give a try, i did and i'm inloved with.

should be accepted by any rational person as strong evidence for God's existence........2006-06-20

arguably, it was THIS music by THIS composer that Manfred Eicher's label, ECM, was meant for. If an album was released on ECM, no doubt it sounds lovely, but when purpose is paired so perfectly with sound, even ECM attains something angelic and beyond. Arvo Part's non-modulating approach to harmony, great care and attention with so few notes, and the reverent spirit that carries through his efforts encompasses a catalogue of works so great and beautiful I'm not sure any 20th century composer can remotely compare.

This ECM disc is possibly the best of all. _Tabula Rasa_, first and foremost, is a masterpiece. A violin concerto of sorts, it flows through static haze and torrid whorls, with ghostly sounds of strings punctuated by the bell- and chime-like intonations on sounds of prepared piano. Divine and without momentum, this piece forever hovers between being and nothing. _Fratres_, performed in two versions here (for violin and piano, and for 12 cellos), features a chorale-like figure recurring over an ethereal drone. Radiant and simple, not a sound is out of place. the _Cantus_ is based on rich chords arranged in a variety of rhythmic patterns, so beautiful one kind of wishes it would last longer.

this is an excellent introduction to one of the best composers of the 20th century. i would really encourage you to hear this.

Fill in your blank slate with some innovative music..........2006-01-03

This CD started it all. In 1984 it introduced the then little known Arvo Pärt to a new western audience. Pärt had long before made his "tinntinnabulation" discovery (around 1976). Before this pivotal epiphany, the majority of Pärt's work fell into the serialist category. His early work shows all of the grinding atonal experimentation of the 1950s. It thus lies in stark contrast to his later work as presented on this CD (he shares this same evolutionary path with the Polish composer Górecki).

"Tabula Rasa" introduced a new music and a new style to the west. This music doesn't follow traditional harmonic or melodic forms. Listening to Pärt differs from listening to Sibelius or Stravinski. In Pärt, environment and setting are everything. The melodies and harmonies function to set a mood rather than to follow a path or a harmonic progression leading to an ultimate resolution. Subsequently, one experiences rather than listens to Pärt's work. The notes merely provide the structure. In this way Pärt's pieces represent frameworks for music (which probably explains, as related in the CD booklet, why the members of one orchestra asked "where is the music" upon seeing the score for "Tabula Rasa"). So Pärt not only presents beautiful and moving music but also helps listeners conceive of it in new ways.

The tracks on this CD provide the perfect showcase for Pärt's work. Beginners should start here. Two versions of the meditative "Fratres" appear, but each utilize such different arrangements that they sound like two separate works. "Cantus" remains one of Pärt's most moving compositions. It sounds like a slowly exploding wall of catharsis. The nearly half hour "Tabula Rasa" features incredible violin work and prepared piano (a la Cage). Overall, the mood of each piece on this CD veers strongly toward the meditative, mystical, and ethereal. As such it serves as a great introduction to the "late" Pärt and as a showcase of incredible musicianship.

Pärt remains more of a phenomenon on CD than in the concert hall. The lush rich sound of this CD, which will have your cochleas swimming, provides some evidence as to why. Not only that, the amount of quietude and silence utilized by Pärt must create difficulties for orchestra hall performance. Pärt's music, intimate and close, probably plays best in seclusion or in small venues. For the maximum experience, put on some headphones and listen to this CD. In this way listeners can experience all the subtle harmonics and nuances that make up the music of Arvo Pärt.

Modern classical music that is beautiful.......2005-10-23

Too many modern classical composers have sacrificed beauty for virtuosity and expermintality. Not so Part. This Baltic composer writes melodic music of outstanding lyricism and profound beauty. He has succesfully managed to write in the classical format while not sounding like a repetition of the great artists of yore. The music is melancolic, but not tragic, pensive but not unpenetratable. I had the great honour to listen to a live perfomance of works by Part by the Hilliard Ensamble at the Royal Festival Hall in London, UK. It was one of the few times I know of that the audience gave a standing ovation, and just did not want to stop. Mr Part was present and he almost started crying.
Part has contributed music to films as diverse as Les Amants du Pont-Neuf and Fahrenheit 9/11.

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