Touch The Sky

Track Listings

1. Touch The Sky

2. I Can Fly

3. Promise For Romance

4. The Emporer's Return

5. Circus Waltz

6. My True Love

7. Skippin' Along

8. Lullaby of the Rain

9. Pretty Money

10. Little Song

11. The French Cafe Revisited

Editorial Reviews
From the Artist
On this 5th all ariginal music CD release, I wanted to capture the essence of a solo piano. Most of these songs beg for orchestration and in time I'll probably re-work most of them for orchestral arrangements with piano. Here are some notes about some of the selections:

I was in the studio one night recording these peices and about 2:00 in the morning this idea came to me suddenly. I knew I had to print it on tape (actually disc) while the idea was still fresh. The result is the title song, 'Touch The Sky'. I first titled it 'Learning to Fly' as it struck me that the piece is constantly taking flight, moving, searching. The title 'Touch the Sky' seemed to embrace it all. 'Promise For Romance' is in the time signature of 5/4. See if you can find the pulse of the music. 'Circus Waltz' is a song I'll eventually make into a suite with different scenes and characters. It also has an alternate title around our house called 'Doggie Dog' for our Australian shepherd, Sadie, who gets pretty excited when we sing the song to her. The lyrics are 'Doggie dog, doggie dog, doggie dog dog dog', etc. 'Little Song' is one for my lovely wife and best friend. 'Pretty Money' is somewhat of a theme song for my daughter as she titled the song when she was five. Thanks for listening. It's such a joy to have this ability and share it with you.

Product Description
'Touch The Sky" is an all original solo piano recording. It contains all new compositions with a couple of older compositions re-recorded. This CD is a combination between a piano concert and a soundtrack for a movie. Very engaging, entertaining, and relaxing. The song titles are: 'The Circus Waltz', 'Touch The Sky', 'Skipping Along', 'My True Love', 'The Emporers Return', 'Diane's Theme', 'A Promise For Romance', 'Pretty Money', 'Little Song', and 'I Can Fly'.

Touch The Sky

Touch The Sky,Mike Strickland,MSP Records,Contemporary Instrumental,This new all-original music CD is the 16th CD release by best-selling piano artist, Mike Strickland. This solo piano recording is like a combination between a stunning piano concert and a gorgeous movie soundtrack.

Touch The Sky

Tracks:

I'm So Anxious
Talk To Me
All I Want Is Everything
Hearts Of Stone
Trapped Again
Why Is Love Such A Sacrafice
Restless Heart
Vertigo
I Don't Want To Go Home
The Fever
Sam Cook Medley
Bring It On Home
Having A Party
Back In The USA
Having A Party, Roll Out The Barrel

Customer Reviews:

An awesome party!!!.......2006-03-10

This album is so much fun. For those of you who want to hear what a southside show is all about, this is the album for you. Filled with upbeat, fun, happy, house party type songs, from song 1 to the end you simply can't go wrong with this one. If you are in a bad space in life and need a pick me up, if your having a party and need a cd with the energy to keep everybody up and dancin' or if your cd collection needs a kick in the ass, you should BUY THIS CD!!!!!

Paridise it's not but may have to do!.......2005-04-19

I love early Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. And the only way to hear them is LIVE. But not on this album. For a really LIVE experience, purchase Live at the Paradise Theatre Boston, Massachusetts December 23, 1978 [LIVE] a seamless recording of one concert, not a mish-mash of different shows, performances, venues, and nights just slapped together with no cohesion like this album. With that said, if you can't find that album at a reasonable price, this one will have to do as for some reason Live at the Paradise is hard to find and people are just plain greedy in pricing this album used on Amazon. If Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes ever come to your town, go see them. They put on a great show and are still touring from time to time and without the high prices of many of todays acts.

A Great Live CD, But Is Roll Out The Barrel Missing As Well?.......2004-08-03

Recorded from several venues, Reach Up And Touch The Sky captures the early 80's sound of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.

This is a decent release, and sounds great on CD.

My problem with this album is that the songs, while taken from different venues, are not mixed together to create a seamless concert feel. You get a song, then a fade out, then another fade in to the next song, which I find distracting. This is especially evident with the first two tracks, as "I'm So Anxious" fades out with a drum roll, then "Talk To Me" fades in with a starting drum roll. Thankfully this does not occur between all the tracks.

The other complaint about this CD is the removal of the stunning 7 minute version of "Stagger Lee", which I'm sure was due to CD manufacturing standards of the time (CDs made with a time greater than 74 minutes would cause many players at the time to have difficulty reading the last track. This has been corrected on newer CD players.) .Unfortunately, this title is not likely to be reissued with the complete track list from the original LP and cassette.

It appears that "Roll Out The Barrel" is missing as well.

Overall, a good release with some notable flaws.

1. I'm So Anxious - An okay version. Good, but not phenomenal.

2. Talk To Me - High energy. GREAT version of this song with opening rap by Southside. Some interesting comments by South in the middle section of this song.

3. All I Want Is Everything - An absolutely SMOKIN' version!

4. Hearts Of Stone - A truly heartfelt version. This songs was awkwardly sequenced as Southside thanks the audience and says goodnight, even though the CD continues on for another 11 songs!

5. Trapped Again - Nice energetic version. Fun.

6. Why Is Love Such A Sacrifice - Another great version. One of my favorite SSJ songs.

7. Restless Heart - This song did nothing for me.

8. Vertigo - Dedicated to Alfred Hitchcock! Sounds like he's saying "Ver-ti-joe" in the chorus! A nice version, but not significantly different than the studio version.

9. I Don't Want To Go Home - A nice version - faster paced than the studio version. Contains the classic line "Whatever happened to... your mother and I?"

10. The Fever - This version is on fire! Sultry and triumphant.

11. Sam Cook Medley - This was okay, but came off to me as just a quick run through tribute to Sam Cooke.

12. Bring It On Home - Didn't care for this one at all. Was too slow, with some dreadful background vocals. Your mileage may vary.

13. Having A Party - What would a SSJ show be without this one? I still prefer the late 70's version found on the "Having A Party" and "Live At The Bottom Line" CDs.

14. Back In The USA - This one rocks out! Interestingly, there a some (very brief) alternating dropouts on the left and right
channels around the 4:18 - 4:20 mark. I never noticed it before, but picked it up now as I was wearing headphones.

15. Having A Party, Roll Out The Barrel - The set closer. Did I miss something, or is "Roll Out The Barrel" NOT on this cd? I did not hear it during track 15.

Reach Up & Touch the Sky: Live [LIVE].......2004-06-20

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes were/are a band that sounds as good as they did in the `70s; their music is infectious. The horn arrangements are great and really enhance the tunes. My introduction to SJ was this title as an LP (yep, long ago). This album rocks. What a joy to listen to it on CD. You will not go wrong to buy this title. It was a mistake to delete "Stagger Lee," a tune on the album, but deleted on the CD version. Warning!!! Listen to this in your car and you might end up with a speeding ticket! Enjoy.

Edited From the LP.......2003-02-17

As I see it, there are two ways of approaching this review. On the one hand, this CD is a great deal. Lots of great R&B by a great live band for an insanely low price. They tear through their own hits, as well as a great Sam Cooke medley (although I've always considered medleys a bit of a tease), followed by Cooke's "Bring It On Home" & "Having a Party" in their entirety, & finally Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA". On the other hand, as I looked at the set list, I thought I remembered "Stagger Lee" being on the original LP version. How they could edit out "Stagger Lee" (of all tunes), especially a 7+ minute version, is beyond me. As far as I'm concerned, this easily warrants taking a full point off. Bottom Line; If you like great live R&B, you can't go wrong with this. But it could've been so much better!

Electronic Works, Vol. 1: Touch - A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur/Gestures

Average customer rating:

Worth adding to "Silver Apples" and "Wild Bull"

Electronic Works, Vol. 1: Touch - A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur/Gestures

Manufacturer: Mode
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005A8HB
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

Touch: Part One
Touch: Part Two
A Sky Of Cloudless Sulphur: Opening
A Sky Of Cloudless Sulphur: Dance
Gestures 'It Begins With Colors'

Customer Reviews:

Worth adding to "Silver Apples" and "Wild Bull".......2003-05-07

There was a time when I first got a couple of CDs of Morton Subotnick's electronic music. One of them has the 2 early masterpieces "Silver Apples of the Moon" and "The Wild Bull." The other had "Touch" and "Jacob's Room." Both on the Wergo label. I've read how "Jacob's Room" stunk before I bought the CD. I was aware of that. I listened to it twice and agree that "Jacob's Room" stunk (is that why it's no longer in stock?). Later, however, I notice this Mode CD containing "Touch" and other electronic works that are NOT "Jacob's Room." It must've gotten on the market shortly after I bough the Wergo CD. So I sold the Wergo CD at an auction (more than what I paid for, and I didn't ask for much) and got this Mode CD when I had a chance. On it, there's "Touch", "A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur" and "Gestures: It Begins With Colors." If you like "Silver Apples" as well as "The Wild Bull" then you may wanna get this Mode CD. This is Volume 1 of his works. I wonder when there'll be volume two...

Tracks:

Touch The Sky
Jesus Walks
Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Aol Sessions)
Video

Album Details

The Unstoppable Kanye West Released a Fourth Single from his Multi Platinum Selling Album 'late Registration'. 'touch the Sky' features Curtis Mayfield's 'move on Up' Sampled to a Jubilant Uplifting Effect. The Spectacular Video for the Single was Shot in the Nevada Desert and Sees Kanye Dressed as 70's Stunt Man, Kanyevel. Starring Pamela Anderson and Nia Long, the Story Follows his Stunt as He Prepares to Jump the Grand Canyon! Includes a Free Ringtone.

Average customer rating:

Best Comprehensive Survey of Canadian Music Available

Introduction to Canadian Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Harry Somers Celebration

ASIN: B0000014C7
Release Date: 2006-03-01

Tracks:

Marche Indienne - Hannaford Street Silver Band
Fiesta: Vif Et Bien Rythme - Neil Chotem
The Contented House - Mario Bernardi
Carnival Overture - Kazuhiro Koizumi
Fall Fair - Uri Mayer
Harbours - Nimmons 'N' Nine Plus Six
Andante Allegro - Orford Quartet
Fast And Frenzied - Robert Aitken
Mont-aux-Sources - Mario Bernardi
Allegro - Robert Silverman
Allegro Vivace - Lento - Franco Mannino
Giocoso (With A Touch Of The Absurd) - Janina Fialkowska
Thunder Dragon - Espirit Orchestra
Romance For Brass Band - Steven Chenette
Akasha (Sky) - Bramwell Tovey
Elan - Walter Boudreau

Tracks:

Magnus Dominus - Patrick Wedd
Hodie, Christus Natus Est - Elmer Iseler Singers
Feller From Fortune - Elmer Iseler
Soleils Couchants - Patrick Wedd
Ave, Verum Corpus - Vancouver Chamber Choir
Notre Seigneur En Pauvre - Saint John String Quartet
Pemoengkah - Robert Aitken
Quarks - Judy Loman
Toccata For Flute And Soprano - Robert Aitken
No.2 - Valerie Tryon
African Funeral Song - Nexus
Chanson Du Matin - David Kent
Six Themes-Solaires - No.1 - Piano Soleil - Richard Raymond
Le Jeu De Telephone - Ensemble Koln
Alma Chillin - Mark Duggan
Dripsody - Hugh Le Caine
Big Bang II - Marcelle Deschenes
Nadir - Douglas Perry

Customer Reviews:

Best Comprehensive Survey of Canadian Music Available.......1999-01-19

This anthology of three Centuries(!) of Canadian music was assembled by a former producer from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation who now works for Naxos Canada. This producer is also active in the Canadian music world, so he knows whereof he speaks (or selects, as in this case). Liscensing the best performances available from major Canadian and International labels, this is the best collection of, and introudction to, the entire Canadian music scene that I have ever come across. The booklet is informative and is as enjoyable a read as is the 2 CD set is to listen. I doubt there will ever be anything quite like it again. If only NAXOS would now start recording Canadian music on top of the Canadian artists they already record, than they will truly have one of the finest and most comprehensive classical catalogues in the world. As for now, don't pass this one up.

Average customer rating:

Poems for Piano

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000A33E
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

Pieces of China: The great wall
Pieces of China: Fable
Pieces of China: China blue
Pieces of China: Puppets
Pieces of China: Slow Dance - Lotus
Pieces of China: China chips
Poems for Piano, Vol. 1, Op. 4: Unroll the flicker's rousing drum
Poems for Piano, Vol. 1, Op. 4: Soft is the collied night
Poems for Piano, Vol. 1, Op. 4: Gather for festival bright weed and purple shell
Poems for Piano, Vol. 1, Op. 4: Wake subtler dreams, and touch me nigh to tears
Poems for Piano, Vol. 1, Op. 4: Ravished lute, sing to her virgin ears
Poems for Piano, Vol. 1, Op. 4: Whose thin fraud I wink at privily
Poems for Piano, Vol. 2, Op. 5: And warms winds spilled fragrance into her solitudes
Poems for Piano, Vol. 2, Op. 5: To whose more clear than crystal voice the frost had joined a crystal spell
Poems for Piano, Vol. 2, Op. 5: Sleep, weary mind; dream, heart's desire
Poems for Piano, Vol. 2, Op. 5: Dust in sunlight, and memory in corners
Poems for Piano, Vol. 2, Op. 5: Make me drunken with deep red torrents of joy
Poems for Piano, Vol. 3, Op 14: Rear its frondings sighing in aetherial folds
Poems for Piano, Vol. 3, Op 14: Listen! Can you hear the antic melody of fear those two anxious feet are playing?
Poems for Piano, Vol. 3, Op 14: Puffed out and marching upon a blue sky
Poems for Piano, Vol. 3, Op 14: And hunged like those top jewels of the night
Poems for Piano, Vol. 3, Op 14: Each gay dunce shall lend a hand
Sonatina No. 1: Largo assai
Sonatina No. 1: Allegretto
Sonatina No. 1: Allegro vivace
Sonatina No. 2: Andante quasi Allegretto
Sonatina No. 2: Allegro moderato
Poems of the Sea: Waves
Poems of the Sea: Chanty
Poems of the Sea: At sea

Average customer rating:

A surprising discovery

Touch the Sky
Max Highstein
Manufacturer: Serenity Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stars

ASIN: B000001HXQ
Release Date: 1994-08-30

Tracks:

Full Circle
Wedding Dance
Ice Melting
Ferris Wheel
Mars in Scorpio
Touch the Sky
Meanwhile, Back at the Castle
Initiation
Burst of Love
Full Circle Waltz

Customer Reviews:

A surprising discovery.......2002-10-18

First off, I will say that I hate elevator music. I am a fan of the gritty stuff. I love raw flamenco, real classical music, real jazz and always hate the watered-down stuff. I prefer Danilo Perez to Kenny G, Paco de Lucia to Ottmar Liebert, and anyone over Yanni (Yawny). So that is why my copy of Max Highstein's Touch the Sky stayed unopened for years after someone gave it to me.

However, after popping it into the CD player in order to have some mindless music to read to, I was very surprised. One, he is an excellent musician and a great pianist. Two, his compositions have such soothing touches, it's fantastic. I really found myself falling into the music and being transported to different places of relaxation. The music was refreshing, relaxing, and in a word, beautiful.

Over the years, I have not tired of this CD. I listen to it often and love how it makes me feel every time. Judging from the liner notes, I think that sort of peace is what Mr. Highstein intended for the CD. I have to congratulate him on that.

Wagner: The Rhinegold
Average customer rating:

A Rose By Any Other Name...

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!

Free at last!

I Love This Recording

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.

Words Touch
Average customer rating:
Words Touch
Paul Avgerinos
Manufacturer: Round Sky Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music
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Relaxation | New Age | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005UKCD
Release Date: 2001-11-21

Tracks:

Heaven Sings
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Always With You
Words Touch
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Empress
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Album Description

Words Touch, is a subtle and delicate tapestry of gentle melodies and exquisite sound design . Featuring the soaring EWI ( Electronic Wind Instrument ) of Kevin Fortune Braheny , The masterful guitar of Brian Keane , the unique guitar work of Jeff Pearce and Cello of David Darling , Words Touch is perfect for Massage , Meditation , Relaxation and Contemplation .The album has a steady, even and deep flow , designed to nurture profound states of consciousness . It is truly good for Body , Mind and Soul .

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Sunday in Nandua
Karen Savoca
Manufacturer: Alcove
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ASIN: B00008WT3Y
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Tracks:

Nowhere to Go
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That's How I Remember
Here They Come
Somedays
I Can Taste It
Home Again
At Your Feet
Mail Order Bride
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Sunday in Nandua

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This cd is the best!
It's da Bom Baby!
She is AWESOME Man!

Touch the Sky
April
Manufacturer: Kamikaze Records
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ASIN: B0000589U0
Release Date: 2001-02-06

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Playerette
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Let These Feelings Go
2 Young 2 Commit
Do What U Wanna Do
Wrap Me in Your Arms
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Wrap Me in Your Arms [Unplugged Version]

Customer Reviews:

This cd is the best!.......2001-07-13

This 14 year old girl from my home town-Puyallup Washington has made it so far!Singing since she was little and now til shes 14.I saw april live in concert and I was so loud I actually got to go and meet her and you wouldnt believe how down-to-earth this sweet girl is.All her songs have a good positive message to them.Her single " 2 young 2 commit" Is definantly a hit and "The beat goes on"..no not a remake of sonny and chers version is soon to be one too.i reccomend this cd to anyone who listens to either destinys child or city high.She is much like them but with her own rockin style!Rock on April!Ooh..did i mention April has opened for such acts as ; pink..98 degrees..mya..oh the list goes on!

It's da Bom Baby!.......2001-04-06

This album ROCKS! I listen to it 7 days a week! Every song is tite!

She is AWESOME Man!.......2001-02-11

1. Playerette - 3:40

2. I Just Wanna Kick It - 4:04

3. Let These Feelings Go - 4:06

4. 2 Young 2 Commit - 4:19

5. Do Whatcha Wanna Do - 4:20

6. Wrap Me In Your Arms - 4:30

7. Caught A crush (On U) - 4:04

8. I Just Wanna Be With You - 3:48

9. Guiding Me - 3:12