The Art of Darkness [Import]

Track Listings

1. This Corrosion - The Sisters of Mercy

2. Love Like Blood - Killing Joke

3. Desire (Come and Get It) - Gene Loves Jezebel

4. Everyday Is Halloween - Ministry

5. Rain - The Cult

6. Tower of Strength - The Mission UK

7. All Night Long - Peter Murphy

8. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Marilyn Manson

9. Dig It [Single Version] - Skinny Puppy

10. Closer - Nine Inch Nails

11. Moonchild - Fields of the Nephilim

12. Haunted When the Minutes Drag - Love and Rockets

13. Bela Lugosi's Dead [Live] - Bauhaus

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Another title could have been 'Goth Rock's Greatest Hits Of The '80s (And Two From The '90s)', as this 13 track collection is packed with hits --not filler: Nine Inch Nails'Closer', Marilyn Manson 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)', Gene Loves Jezebel 'Desire', Bauhaus 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' (Live), Killing Joke 'Love Like Blood', Mission 'Tower Of Strength', Sisters Of Mercy 'This Corrosion', Peter Murphy 'Cuts You Up', The Cult 'Rain', Ministry 'Halloween', Love And Rockets 'Haunted When The Minutes Drag', etc. 1998 Universal release.

The Art of Darkness,Various Artists,Mca Int'l,Alternative Metal,Alternative Pop/Rock,College Rock,Goth Rock,Industrial,Industrial Metal,Pop,Post-Punk,Rock,Rock/Pop Collections

Tracks:

First Booke Of Songes: I. Unquiet Thoughts
First Booke Of Songes: II. Who Ever Thinks Or Hopes Of Love
First Booke Of Songes: III. My Thoughts Are Wing'd With Hopes
First Booke Of Songes: IV. If My Complaints Could Passions Move
First Booke Of Songes: V. Can She Excuse My Wrongs
First Booke Of Songes: VI. Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
First Booke Of Songes: VII. Dear, If You Change
First Booke Of Songes: VIII. Burst Fourth My Tears
First Booke Of Songes: IX. Go Crystal Tears
First Booke Of Songes: X. Think'st Thou Then By Thy Feigning
First Booke Of Songes: XI. Come Away, Come Sweet Love
First Booke Of Songes: XII. Rest Awhile, You Cruel Cares
First Booke Of Songes: XIII. Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
First Booke Of Songes: XIV. All Ye, Whom Love Or Fortune Hath Betray'd
First Booke Of Songes: XV. Wilt Thou Unkind Thus Reave Me
First Booke Of Songes: XVI. Would My Conceit
First Booke Of Songes: XVII. Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
First Booke Of Songes: XVIII. His Golden Locks
First Booke Of Songes: XIX. Awake, Sweet Love
First Booke Of Songes: XX. Come, Heavy Sleep
First Booke Of Songes: XXI. Away With These Self-Loving Lads

Tracks:

Second Booke Of Songs: I. I Saw My Lady Weep
Second Booke Of Songs: II. Flow My Tears
Second Booke Of Songs: III. Sorrow, Stay
Second Booke Of Songs: IV. Die Not Before Thy Day
Second Booke Of Songs: V. Mourn, Mourn, Day Is With Darkness Fled
Second Booke Of Songs: VI. Time's Eldest Son
Second Booke Of Songs: VII. Then Sit Thee Down
Second Booke Of Songs: VIII. When Others Sing Venite
Second Booke Of Songs: IX. Praise Blindness Eyes
Second Booke Of Songs: X. O Sweet Woods
Second Booke Of Songs: XI. If Floods Of Tears
Second Booke Of Songs: XII. Fine Knacks For Ladies
Second Booke Of Songs: XIII. Now Cease My Wand'ring Eyes
Second Booke Of Songs: XIV. Come Ye Heavy States Of Night
Second Booke Of Songs: XV. White As Lilies Was Her Face
Second Booke Of Songs: XVI. Woeful Heart
Second Booke Of Songs: XVII. A Shepherd In A Shade
Second Booke Of Songs: XVIII. Faction That Ever Dwells
Second Booke Of Songs: XIX. Shall I Sue
Second Booke Of Songs: XX. Toss Not My Soul
Second Booke Of Songs: XXI. Clear Or Cloudy
Second Booke Of Songs: XXII. Humour Say What Mak'st Thou Here

Tracks:

Third Booke Of Songs 1603: I. Farewell, Too Fair
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: II. Time Stands Still
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: III. Behold A Wonder Here
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IV. Daphne Was Not So Chaste
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: V. Me, Me, And None But Me
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VI. When Phoebus First Did Daphne Love
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VII. Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VIII. Flow Not So Fast, Ye Fountains
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IX. What If I Never Speed?
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: X. Love Stood Amazed
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XI. Lend Your Ears To My Sorrow
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XII. By A Fountain Where I Lay
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIII. O What Hath Overwrought
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIV. Farewell, Unkind
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XV. Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVI. Fie On This Feigning!
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVII. I Must Complain
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVIII. It Was A Time When Silly Bees
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIX. The Lowest Trees Have Tops
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XX. What Poor Astronomers Are They
Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XXI. Come When I Call

Tracks:

A Pilgrimes Solace: I. Disdain Me Still
A Pilgrimes Solace: II. Sweet Stay Awhile
A Pilgrimes Solace: III. To Ask For All Thy Love
A Pilgrimes Solace: IV. Love, Those Beams That Breed
A Pilgrimes Solace: V. Shall I Strive Wih Words To Move?
A Pilgrimes Solace: VI. Were Every Thought An Eye
A Pilgrimes Solace: VII. Stay, Time, Awhile Thy Flying
A Pilgrimes Solace: VIII. Tell Me, True Love
A Pilgrimes Solace: IX. Go Nightly Cares
A Pilgrimes Solace: X. From Silent Night
A Pilgrimes Solace: XI. Lasso vita mia
A Pilgrimes Solace: XII. In This Trembling Shadow Cast
A Pilgrimes Solace: XIII. If That A Sinner's Sights
A Pilgrimes Solace: XIV. Thou Mighty God
A Pilgrimes Solace: XV. When David's Life
A Pilgrimes Solace: XVI. When The Poor Cripple

Tracks:

A Pilgrimes Solace: XVII. Where Sin Sore Wounding
A Pilgrimes Solace: XVIII. My Heart And Tongue Were Twins
A Pilgrimes Solace: XIX. Up Merry Mates
A Pilgrimes Solace: XX. Welcome Black Night
A Pilgrimes Solace: XXI. Cease, Cease These False Sports
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Lachrimae Pavane
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can Shee
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: The Frogge
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Frog's Galliard
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavana And Galiarda
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana Lachrymae
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can She Excuse
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavion Solus cum sola
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Dowland's Almayne
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Piper's Paven And Galliard
Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavan Lachrymae

Tracks:

Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: I. The Lamentation Of A Sinner
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: II. Domine ne in furore
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: III. Miserere mei Deus
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: IV. The Humble Suit Of A Sinner
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: V. The Humble Complaint Of A Sinner
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VI. De profundis
Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VII. Domine exaudi
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Gementes
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Tristes
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Coactae
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Amantis
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Verae
Lachrimae: Mr. John Langton's Pavan
Lachrimae: Mr. Nicholas Gryffith His Galiard
Lachrimae: Sir John Souch His Galiard
Lachrimae: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens
Lachrimae: Mr. Giles Hobies Galiard
Lachrimae: The King Of Denmark's Galiard
Lachrimae: Sir Henry Umpton's Funerall
Lachrimae: Mr. Henry Noell His Galiard
Lachrimae: The Earl Of Essex Galiard
Lachrimae: Mr. Bucton His Galiard
Lachrimae: Mr. George Whitehead His Almand
Lachrimae: Captain Digorie Piper His Galiard
Lachrimae: Mr. Thomas Collier His Galiard
Lachrimae: Mrs. Nichols Almand

Tracks:

Sacred Songs: Sorrow, Come!
Sacred Songs: I Shame At Mine Unworthiness
Sacred Songs: An Heart That's Broken And Contrite
Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
Psalms: Psalm 38: Put Me Not To Rebuke O Lord
Psalms: Psalm 130: Lord To Thee I Make My Moan
Psalms: Psalm 104: My Soul Praise The Lord
Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
Psalms: Psalm 134: Behold And Have Regard
A Prayer For The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
Instrumental Music: Solus cum sola pavan
Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
Instrumental Music: Galliard
Instrumental Music: Pipers Pavan
Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
Instrumental Music: Lady Rich Galliard
Instrumental Music: Earl Of Essex Galliard
Instrumental Music: If My Complaints
Instrumental Music: Lachrimae Doolande
Instrumental Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home
Instrumental Music: My Lord Chamberlaine His Galliard
Instrumental Music: Comagain
Instrumental Music: Pavan Lachrymae
Instrumental Music: Sorrow Stay

Tracks:

Lute Music: Preludium
Lute Music: Lachrimae
Lute Music: Can She Excuse
Lute Music: Dr. Case's Pavan
Lute Music: Melancholy Galliard
Lute Music: Sir John Smith, His Almain
Lute Music: Fantasia
Lute Music: A Dream
Lute Music: Almain
Lute Music: The Queen's Galliard
Lute Music: Coranto
Lute Music: Resolution
Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux Galliard
Lute Music: Almain
Lute Music: Mr. Dowland's MIdnight
Lute Music: Fantasia
Lute Music: Loth To Depart
Lute Music: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
Lute Music: The Earl Of Essex, His Galliard
Lute Music: Pavan
Lute Music: John Dowland's Galliard
Lute Music: Aloe
Lute Music: The Lady Clifton's Spirit
Lute Music: What If A Day
Lute Music: Mr. Giles Hobie's Galliard
Lute Music: Come Away (Song arrangement)
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

Lute Music: Lachrimae (Basic Version)
Lute Music: Galliard To Lachrimae
Lute Music: [Jig]
Lute Music: Galliard On 'Wasingham'
Lute Music: Complaint (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Mignarda (Galliard)
Lute Music: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens (Pavan)
Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
Lute Music: A Fancy (Fantasia)
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
Lute Music: Piper's Pavan
Lute Music: Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
Lute Music: Lady Laiton's Almain
Lute Music: Dowland's Galliard
Lute Music: Dowland's First Galliard
Lute Music: Tarleton's Jig
Lute Music: Walsingham (ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Sir Henry Guilforde, His Almain
Lute Music: Pavan (Related To 'Lachrimae')
Lute Music: Mr. Langton's Galliard
Lute Music: Mrs. Clifton's Almain
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Lady Hunsdon's Puffe (Almain)
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Go From My Window (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

Lute Music: Pavana Johan Douland
Lute Music: Mrs. Brigide Fleetwood's Pavan (Solus sine sola)
Lute Music: La mia Barbara
Lute Music: Sir Henry Umpton's Funeral (Pavan)
Lute Music: Lachrimae
Lute Music: Farewell Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)
Lute Music: Farewell (On The 'In Nomine' Theme)
Lute Music: The King of Denmark's Galliard
Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux's Jig
Lute Music: Mrs. Nichol's Almain
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Lord Strang's March
Lute Music: Mrs. Winter's Jump
Lute Music: Can She Excuse (Galliard)
Lute Music: The Shoemaker's Wife, A Toy
Lute Music: Mrs. Norrish's Delight
Lute Music: Galliard
Lute Music: Mrs. White's Thing (Almain)
Lute Music: Mrs. White's Nothing
Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
Lute Music: Solus cum sola
Lute Music: The Lord Viscount Lisle, His Galliard
Lute Music: Orlando Sleepeth (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Robin (Ballad Setting)
Lute Music: Galliard (On A Galliard By Daniel Bacheler)
Lute Music: Forlorn Hope Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)

Tracks:

Lute Music: The Lady Russell's Pavan
Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
Lute Music: Sir John Langton's Pavan
Lute Music: Earl Of Derby, His Galliard
Lute Music: A Coy Toy
Lute Music: Fortune My Foe
Lute Music: [Almain]
Lute Music: Mr. Knight's Galliard
Lute Music: Sir John Souch His Galliard
Lute Music: Tarletone's Riserrectione
Lute Music: The Lady Rich, Her Galliard
Consort Music: Lachrimae Pavan
Consort Music: Can She Excuse Galliard
Consort Music: Captain Piper's Pavan And Galliard
Consort Music: The Frog Galliard
Consort Music: Round Battell Galliard
Consort Music: Fortune My Foe
Consort Music: Dowland's First Galliard
Consort Music: Katherine Darcie's Galliard
Consort Music: Tarleton's Jigge
Consort Music: Almain a 2
Consort Music: Mistress Nichols Almain a 2
Fullsack And Hildebrandt: Auserlesener Paduanen und Galliarden: Susanna Fair (Galliard)
Haussmann: Rest von polnischen und andern Tanzen: Mistress Nichols Alman a 5
Opusculum: Mr. John Langton Pavan And Galliard
Opusculum: La mia Barbara Pavan and Galliard
Opusculum: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae Pavan and Galliard

Tracks:

Consort Music: Mistress NIchols Almain
Consort Music: Volta a 4 ('Ioh. Douland')
Consort Music: Were Every Thought an Eye
Consort Music: Lady If You So Spite Me
Consort Music: Pavan a 4
A Musicall Banquet: I. My Heavy Sprite (Anthony Holborne)
A Musicall Banquet: II. Change Thy Mind Since She Doth Change (Richard Martin)
A Musicall Banquet: III. O Eyes, Leave Off Your Weeping (Robert Hales)
A Musicall Banquet: IV. Go, My Flock, Go Get You Hence (Anon.)
A Musicall Banquet: V. O Dear Life, When Shall It Be? (Anon.)
A Musicall Banquet: VI. To Plead My Faith (Daniel Bacheler)
A Musicall Banquet: VII. In A Grove Most Rich Of Shade (Guillaume Tessier)
A Musicall Banquet: VIII. Far From Triumphing Court
A Musicall Banquet: IX. Lady, If You So Spite Me
A Musicall Banquet: X. In Darkness Let Me Dwell
A Musicall Banquet: XI. Si le parler et le silence (Pierre Guedron)
A Musicall Banquet: XII. Ce penser qui sans fin tirannise ma vie (Pierre Guedron)
A Musicall Banquet: XIII. Vous que le Bonheur rappelle (Pierre Guedron)
A Musicall Banquet: XIV. Passava Amor su arco desarmado (Anon. Spanish)
A Musicall Banquet: XV. Sta notte mi sognava (Anon. Italian)
A Musicall Banquet: XVI. Vuestros ojos tienen d'Amor (Anon. Spanish)
A Musicall Banquet: XVII. Se di farmi morire (Domenico Maria Megli)
A Musicall Banquet: XVIII. Dovro dunque morire? (Giulio Caccini)
A Musicall Banquet: XIX. Amarilli mia bella (Giulio Caccini)
A Musicall Banquet: XX. O bella piu (Anon, Italian)

Customer Reviews:

The greatest songs ever?.......2007-07-26

I heard 'clear or cloudy', from this recording, on the radio recently and had to purchase it. It is strange but it is the sort of song that makes life prior to listening to it different from life after. I find it sad that so many people haven't heard it. There are also many other wonderful works in this collection. Given you get twelve well recorded CDs with top quality performances, this has to be one of the bargains of the age.

Please buy it.

A musical treasure-box.......2006-09-10

Both the music and this actual product are masterpieces. John Dowland's collected works here - covering 12 compact discs - exhibit the depth and power of this composer, a composer who many now regard as suffering from clinical depression. I doubt that the issue of the diagnosis of Dowland's depression can ever be settled, however, it is certainly obvious from his music, so completely on display here, that he was a man with very dark depths and corners in his mind. Dowland's various manifestations and "takes" on his own tune, "Flow my tears"/"Lachrimae" are here. This tune has haunted me ever since I first heard it when I was a child. It seems to sum up Dowland's feelings - at least Dowland seems to have thought so.

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Bookes of Songes, A Musicall Banquet, the keyboard transcriptions, all the lute music, consort music are here and virtually everything else written or supposedly written by John Dowland. Anthony Rooley and The Consort of Musicke perform this music with style and feeling throughout. This 12 CD set is something of a monument to the ensemble - I only wish they'd finished their collection of Monteverdi madrigals, which was equally good (La Venexiana are currently doing a magnificent job of recording all Monteverdi's books of madrigals for the GLOSSA label).

This is an expensive set, however, you will probably never need to buy another John Dowland CD again after buying and listening to this collection.

I bought this CD set on a mild Summer evening of 1998 and listened to it while sitting in my sun room - which a glorious orange sunset in progress, and a glass of wine. It brought back so many memories.

a beautiful journey into melancholy.......2001-06-15

I'm amazed at how many people tend to associate John Dowland's music with a tragic sense of drama. While no doubt this is art highly based on sadness, the "tragic" sense of it is more a legacy from the Romantic period. During the Renaissance, however, sadness was undestood as a very aesthetic way of approaching life. That is also the reason why Shakespeare's tragedies appear more sophisticated than his comedies.

Tracks:

First Season End Title
Vulcan Affair (Suite No. 2)
Iowa-Scuba Affair
Shark Affair
Deadly Games Affair (Suite No. 2)
Meet Mr. Solo
Giuoco Piano Affair
King of Knaves Affair: Suite No. 2
First Season Main Title [Revised]
Deadly Decoy Affair
Spy With My Face
Second Season Main Title
Alexander the Greater Affair
Ultimate Computer Affair
Very Important Zombie Affair
Dippy Blonde Affair
Seadly Goddess Afair
Moonglow Affair

Tracks:

One of Our Spies Is Missing
Third Season Main Title
Sort of Do-It-Youself Dreadful Affair
Galatea Affair
Pop Art Affair
Come With Me to the Casbah Affair
Off-Broadway Affair
Concrete Overcoat Affair
Napoleon's Tomb Affair
Alternate Fourth Season Main Title
Fourth Season (End Title)
Test Tube Killer Affair
Prince of Darkness Affair
Seven Wonders of the World Affair

Customer Reviews:

Another great trip down the MFU memory lane.......2005-10-19

Volume 2 (comprised of 2 CDs) is another first rate compilation of the series' original music and not to be missed by U.N.C.L.E. fans. The liner notes are wonderful and add a lot to ones appreciation of the music.

My only problem is that THE CDs ARE COPY PROTECTED! Considerable work is needed to get the music onto your iPod, if you really want the music in your mp3 collection. This is a major hassle and a surprise, since the first set in the series was not copy protected.

The best of the three Double CDs ORIGINAL soundtrack release.......2005-07-12

Many of us have always thought The Man From UNCLE had the best music for a TV series ever, and this three double CD release confirms this. Wow! I'd be just happy with one CD, but having SIX (three double CDs packages) is absolutely out of this world, I mean, a lifetime wait come true.

Indeed, this is an unbelievable collection of three double CDs packages with the complete series soundtrack, and I mean the complete music, not a tune is missing.

And this is the ORIGINAL Man From Uncle music. Let me stress the point: this is the four years ORIGINAL soundtrack with the original recordings as they were heard throughout the series, not a no-name orchestra doing personal versions of the stuff. The audio transfer is very, very good, the music from late episodes is even in stereo.

Each individual CD carries over 70 minutes of music. All in all there you have the four TV seasons main titles and all, absolutely all of TMFU unforgetable music.

This is not a chronological release, meaning, all CDs have a mix of music from all four TV seasons. Volume 1 is heavier on early TV seasons stuff, fans of Jerry Goldsmith will love it. Those of us who prefer what Gerald Fried and later Richard Shores did with TMFU music, then volume 2 is mandatory. If you are a fan, you can't miss any of these six CDs. However if buying all three double packages is too much for you, you must go with Volume 2, no questions asked. Volume three is the weakest of them as it brings "suites" and a whole CD with "The Girl From Uncle" soundtrack, but you have a bonus "Open Channel D" beeper.

Each package is gorgeous, each with a glossy color booklet with extensive liner notes with details on how each tune was written to a specific TV series episode and how it was used onwards. You have bios on the composers, on how the recordings were made, even an overview on how many instruments were available in each of the years the music was recorded.

So, throw away your Hugo Montenegro Man From Uncle CD, this is the REAL thing.

Handel - Messiah / Augér, von Otter, Chance, Crook, Tomlinson, English Concert, Pinnock

Average customer rating:

Ladies & gentleman: The Lord'n Savior, God Almighty
So Fashionable, and So Disappointing
A nice combination of period nad tradiitonal
Wait! Before you buy...
La mas bella y fidedigna interpretacion que se pueda obtener

Handel - Messiah / Augér, von Otter, Chance, Crook, Tomlinson, English Concert, Pinnock
George Frideric Handel , Arleen Auger , Anne Sofie von Otter , Trevor Pinnock , The English Concert & Choir , Michael Chance , Howard Crook , and John Tomlinson
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Handel - Messiah / Ameling · A. Reynolds · Langridge · Howell · Marriner
Belcea Quartet ~ Debussy · Dutilleux · Ravel
Beethoven: Symphony No 9 /ORR * Gardiner
Handel: Messiah /Nelson * Kirkby * Watkinson * Elliott * Thomas * AAM * Hogwood
Haydn: Lord Nelson Mass / Willcocks, King's College Choir

ASIN: B0000057DB
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Messiah: Part One - 1. Sinfony (Grave - Allegro moderato)
Messiah: Part One - 2. Accompagnato : Comfort Ye My People
Messiah: Part One - 3. Air : Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
Messiah: Part One - 4. Chorus : And The Glory Of The Lord Shall Be Revealed
Messiah: Part One - 5. Accompagnato : Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts
Messiah: Part One - 6. Air : But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
Messiah: Part One - 7. Chorus : And He Shall Purify
Messiah: Part One - 8. Recitative : Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
Messiah: Part One - 9. Air and Chorus : O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
Messiah: Part One - 10. Accompagnato : For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover
Messiah: Part One - 11. Air : The People That Walked In Darkness
Messiah: Part One - 12. Chorus : For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Messiah: Part One - 13. Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
Messiah: Part One - 14. Recitative: There Were Shepherds Abiding In The Field - Accompagnato: And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - 15. Recitative: And The Angel Said Unto Them - 16. Accompagnato: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel
Messiah: Part One - 17. Chorus : Glory To God In The Highest
Messiah: Part One - 18. Air : Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
Messiah: Part One - 19. Recitative : Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
Messiah: Part One - 20. Air : He Shall Feed His Flock
Messiah: Part One - 21. Chorus : His Yoke Is Easy, His Burthen Is Light
Messiah: Part Two - 22. Chorus : Behold The Lamb Of God
Messiah: Part Two - Air : 23. He Was Despised

Tracks:

Messiah: Part Two - 24. Chorus : Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
Messiah: Part Two - 25. Chorus : And With His Stripes We Are Healed
Messiah: Part Two - 26. Chorus : All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray
Messiah: Part Two - 27. Accompagnato : All They That See Him
Messiah: Part Two - 28. Chorus : He Trusted In God
Messiah: Part Two - 29. Accompagnato : Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
Messiah: Part Two - 30. Arioso : Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow
Messiah: Part Two - 31. Accompagnato : He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land
Messiah: Part Two - 32. Air : But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul
Messiah: Part Two - 33. Chorus : Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
Messiah: Part Two - 34. Recitative : Unto Which Of The Angels
Messiah: Part Two - 35. Chorus : Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him
Messiah: Part Two - 36. Air : Thou Art Gone Up On High
Messiah: Part Two - 37. Chorus : The Lord Gave The Word
Messiah: Part Two - 38. Air : How Beautiful Are The Feet
Messiah: Part Two - 39. Chorus : Their Sound Is Gone Out
Messiah: Part Two - 40. Air : Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage
Messiah: Part Two - 41. Chorus : Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
Messiah: Part Two - 42. Recitative : He That Dwelleth In Heaven
Messiah: Part Two - 43. Air : Thou Shalt Break Them
Messiah: Part Two - 44. Chorus : Hallelujah
Messiah: Part Three - 45. Air : I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Messiah: Part Three - 46. Chorus : Since By Man Came Death
Messiah: Part Three - 47. Recitative : Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
Messiah: Part Three - 48. Air : The Trumpet Shall Sound
Messiah: Part Three - 49. Recitative : Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
Messiah: Part Three - 50. Duet : O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
Messiah: Part Three - 51. Chorus : But Thanks Be To God
Messiah: Part Three - 52. Air : If God Be For Us
Messiah: Part Three - 53. Chorus : Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain --- Amen

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This is a terrific performance of Messiah. Not only are the soloists all superb, but Trevor Pinnock completely contradicts the image of many period instrument performances as small-scale, scrappy affairs. Indeed, he invests the choruses with as much genuine Handelian pomp as Beecham at his most extravagant. The trumpets really blaze, and the timpani thunder, and everyone simply has a great time. A joyous performance, just right for the holiday season. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

Trevor Pinnock meets with mixed success in this account of the Messiah with the English Concert & Choir and soloists Arleen Auger, Anne Sofie von Otter, Michael Chance, Howard Crook, and John Tomlinson, recorded and released in 1988. Its strengths are the strengths of the early-music movement in general. The size and distribution of the instrumental and vocal forces are optimal, which means that textures are clear and balances apt. Rhythms are nicely pointed, though often, in Pinnock's case, not quite well enough sprung. Tempos are well chosen; for example, "All we like sheep"--which turns out to be one of the set's best numbers--is a real bourré, and Pinnock animates it in just the right way. But the performance often seems workmanlike and unemotional, weighed down in too many instances by the humdrum work of the chorus. The alto section in particular, which is half male and half female, sings timidly and is constantly swallowing its entrances. Bass soloist John Tomlinson is a further drag on the effort. He has the right idea--that there's an Italian opera hiding behind all this biblical imagery--but his cottony sound is out of place, a misguided attempt to mimic Nicolai Ghiaurov. His usable range is less than a tenth (he croaks the low G's and F-sharps), and his diction is horrible. "Thus spake the Lord" is strangled, and when, in "The trumpet shall sound" Tomlinson gets to the words "we shall be changed," one can't help wishing that he had been changed too, right before the sessions started. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Ladies & gentleman: The Lord'n Savior, God Almighty.......2007-06-13

Handel's Messiah is my favorite piece of classical music. Of the two versions that I had I only have left this one, and it is not the best (the other had been a cheap recording whose author's name I forgot too). This version seems to lack a little enthusiasm from the voices; too melancholic. Anyway, this is the first review of any music that I write, and probably will be the last too, so I just want to leave my impression of how I feel when I hear these solemn and heavenly sounds. One feels so raised to the heavenlies... I can almost sense the presence of the Lord Almighty up yonder among the clouds, and me being carried in solemnity to meet Him. Far away are the buzzing sounds of earthly chores. The air is fresh and clean as we are raised above the valleys, and we come to meet God's elected amid the singing, stronger and stronger. Jubilant, bathed in the glorious rays of the Savior's Light, we come together and sing: Glory to God, glory to God, praise and glory for He is coming...

So Fashionable, and So Disappointing.......2007-02-01

This would be a great 21st Century Reader's Digest version of Messiah, if such a thing existed any more. Handel did as much as he could, but really, the performers still have to do something besides posture, which, by the way, seems to me to characterize many performances these days. Fashionable, but musically deficient.

Specifically: John Tomlinson sings like he thinks he IS God, instead of singing about Him. Heavy, cumbersome, and overblown. May I add boorish?

Arleen Auger has a very sweet voice. And??

Despite the program notes insisting that certain segments of this Messiah are given to "the contralto", Anne Sofie von Otter is NOT a contralto. Not even close.

The male alto can barely sustain a legato line - why he insists upon throwing in those complicated, badly-performed embellishments I can't figure. Well, I can, but I'd really rather not say.

Wake up, choristers!! It's 'For Unto Us A Child Is Born," not "Oy, I have to go to the grocery store today."

Boy do I regret having spent almost $40 on this one. Thank goodness I have the Colin Davis to console me.

A nice combination of period nad tradiitonal.......2006-12-17

This 1988 recording sits between the euqally English, euqally period-ifnluenced Hogwood and Garidner. Of the three, Hogwood sounds more 'authentic' because it uses boys in the chorus and singers schooled period practice. By comparison, Pinnock's soprano, Arleen Auger, and mozeeo, Von Otter, are essentially modern singers--gorgeous ones, of course, Gardiner is far more anemic in his conducting and uses a scrwny-sounding orchestra, so if that's more authentic, so be it. Of the three, Pinnock gives us more traditional music values in his emotional expression and instrumental timbres.

The competiiton is mushc stiffer now than in 1988, but Pinnock's reading has survived the test of time. He is not a genuinely inspired conductor--sadly, Messiah has become a cottage industry that excludes most big-name talents--but neither are Gardiner and Hogwood. (For sheer musicality, I tend to put my money on Andrew Parrott, Robert King, Marc Minkowski, Niklaus Harnoncourt, and Rene Jacobs.) But he's certainly good eough. The reason I haven't given five stars is that the male soloists aren't first-rate, and in particular the Wotan voice of John Tomlinson sounds cavernous in the bass arias. Add to that Pinnock's tendency toward tepidness, and what you end up with is a very good but not great performance.

Wait! Before you buy..........2006-05-28

... This Messiah has recently been re-released at a much cheaper price. Go back and look for the DG "The Originals" release, which is being sold new for under $12.

La mas bella y fidedigna interpretacion que se pueda obtener.......2004-12-29

Soy uno de los mas fanaticos seguidores de Handel y de su obra El Mesias... He escuchado muchas versiones de esta genial e impresionante obra del maestro Handel y, sencillamente no me queda mas que recomendar esta interpretacion, bajo la batuta del maestro Trevor Pinnock. Se nota la exigencia con que esta version se interpreto, dentro el contexto del arte barroco y la magnificencia de la pronunciacion del ingles de la epoca. La orquesta se luce impresionantemente desde la obertura... y le da a cada movimiento, toda aquella fuerza y a la vez delicadeza requerida en el sentimiento que aplica en cada uno de los textos biblicos escogidos por el guionista Jennens. El Coro del English Concert es arrebatador y demuestra maestria en la interpretacion de cada una de las arias que le corresponde. La soprano Arleen Auger, la puedo definir como un angel cantando y resulta ser una caricia a los oidos, a la vez que es capaz de arrancarle a uno las lagrimas por lo excelso de su magia interpretativa. El tenor Crook, aunque no es un tenor con tesitura para canto barroco, es realmente habil y agil al momento de interpretar los melismas caracteristicos de este brillante periodo musical. El contratenor Michael Chance, es fenomenal y quiera Dios que yo tenga el honor de conocer a este genio del canto: "But who may abide..." interpretado por Chance en esta version, es como para caer en extasis. La contralto Anne Sophie von Otter..., tiene una voz oscura y redondeada..., tambien resulta una caricia a los oidos y su "If God be for us..." es desbordante, capaz tambien de hacerle a uno derramar lagrimas por su belleza interpretativa. El bajo Tomlinson..., es barbaro!!! (Soy bajo-baritono en el Coro de la Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Costa Rica...) A pesar de su voz tan oscura, es tremendamente agil cuando le toca cantar los melismas y es genial al alcanzar la tonalidad brillante en las partes de notas altas y agudas...; por ejemplo: "The people that walked in darkness..." y "Why do the nations..." Tengo seis años de experiencia, interpretando musica coral y tengo que decir que espere esos seis años, desde 1999, para felizmente cantar esta obra "El Mesias". Ha sido fantastico finalmente lograr este objetivo..., la espera valio la pena y debo admitir que mi inspiracion ha sido sin duda alguna, la version que puede usted encontrar en este disco compacto. Doy gracias a todos los que intervinieron en esta grabacion (al maestro Trevor Pinnock, al English Concert and Choir y a los solistas ya mencionados), en nombre mio y en nombre del maestro Handel.

Average customer rating:

Superb tribute to Kerouac
A Tribute in Words, Music & Voices
No, no suicide, wine please, wine...
"From these Blues we'll go to H Y M N S"
Hopeful and refreshing

Kerouac: Kicks Joy Darkness
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Reads on the Road
Readings by Jack Kerouac on the Beat Generation
Dead City Radio
What Happened to Kerouac?
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1996 Spoken Word Adaptation)

ASIN: B0000009PX
Release Date: 1997-04-08

Tracks:

Kerouac - Morphine
Bowery Blues - Lydia Lunch
My Gang - Michael Stipe
Dream: Us Kids Swim Off A Gray Pier... - Steven Tyler
Letter To William S. Burroughs And Ode To Jack - Hunter S. Thompson
Skid Row Wine - Maggie Estep & The Spitters
America's New Trinity Of Love: Dean,Brando,Presley - Richard Lewis
Dream: On A Sunny Afternoon... - Lawrence Ferlinghetti And Helium
MacDougal Street Blues - Jack Kerouac & Joe Strummer
The Brooklyn Bridge Blues (Choruses 1-9) - Allen Ginsberg
Hymn - Eddie Vedder, Campbell 2000 And Sadie 7
Old Western Movies - William Burroughs And Tomandandy
Silly Goofball Pomes - Juliana Hatfield
The Moon - John Cale
Madroad Driving... - Johnny Depp & Come
'Have You Ever Seen Anyone Like Cody Pomeray?' - Robert Hunter
Letter To John Clellon Holmes - Lee Ranaldo & Dana Colley
Pome On Doctor Sax - Anna Domino
Mexico Rooftop - Rob Buck & Danny Chauvin As Hitchiker
The Last Hotel - Patti Smith With Thurston Moore And Lenny Kaye
Running Through-Chinese Poem Song - Warren Zevon & Michael Wolf
Woman - Jim Carroll With Lee Ranaldo And Lenny Kaye
Mexican Loneliness - Matt Dillon With Joey Altruda And Joe Gonzalez
Angel Mine - Inger Lorre & Jeff Buckley
The Brooklyn Bridge (Chorus 10) - Eric Andersen

Customer Reviews:

Superb tribute to Kerouac.......2006-09-07

Kerouac enthusiasts are well-served with recordings of their master's work read by others. I can think of several such albums already available, mainly of his well known books: On The Road, The Dharma Bums, Visions of Cody, Big Sur, and Mexico City Blues. There are also Jack's own recordings, released on a 3-CD Rhino Records set, in which he tends to explore more unfamiliar territory, such as his Pomes All Sizes, Old Angel Midnight, and Book of Blues, with just the occasional excursion into the more familiar realms of The Subterraneans, Desolation Angels, Lonesome Traveler, and Visions of Cody.

Such is the case with this tribute CD from Rykodisc where the producer (and nephew of Jack's last wife) Jim Sampas, has deliberately chosen more unfamiliar texts for the galaxy of star talents on this release to read. The reasoning behind this decision was apparently to show Kerouac in a different light, and to demonstrate the wide range of his different styles. In this objective Sampas has succeeded admirably.

Accordingly, there are readings of the more obscure items from Pomes All Sizes and Book of Blues as well as four texts which have never before been published: Brooklyn Bridge Blues, America's New Trinity of Love: Dean, Brando, Presley, and two dreams: "On a Sunny Afternoon...", and "Us Kids Swim Off a Great Pier". The excellent 32-page booklet includes the full text of all the readings, and so represents the first publication of these items. It also has some photos of Jack, and paintings by him which have not been widely seen.

So, who is reading the texts? A host of talent from the worlds of music, film and literature. The late Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs are present, as are Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Hunter S Thompson and Jim Carroll. The musician readers include R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Patti Smith, John Cale, Warren Zevon, the Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, Eric Anderson and Julia Hatfield. Other musicians, such as Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, ex-10,000 Maniacs guitarist Rob Buck, and Jeff Buckley provide backings for the readers. From the land of film and stage come Johnny Depp and Matt Dillon, as well as comedian Richard Lewis. There's even a previously unheard recording of Kerouac himself, reading from his MacDougal Street Blues, with over-dubbed bass, synth and guitar by Joe Strummer. Jack can also be heard in the background of Robert Hunter's reading from Visions of Cody, skatting "A Foggy Day in London Town" from a rare tape recorded at the Cassady's home in 1952.

What of the readings? Well, they cover a wide range of interpretations, from the stark Lydia Lunch on Bowery Blues and the wild Maggie Estep on Skid Row Wine to the child-like rendition by Julia Hatfield of Silly Goofball Pomes, and the improvisation of Patti Smith on The Last Hotel, the poem of Jack's which always reminds me of Arthur Rimbaud. The readers I most enjoyed were those who sounded like Jack and who phrased like Jack, since I truly believe that no one can read Kerouac as well as Kerouac did. Accordingly, my favorite reader has to be Lee Ranaldo, who delivers a magnificent reading of a letter to John Clellon Holmes in which Jack is telling of his encounter with the beautiful "Good Blonde" who gave him a lift up the west coast in 1955. I could listen to that voice reading Kerouac all day long. All night too. Runners up in this category would have to be Robert Hunter (Visions of Cody), Warren Zevon (Running Through - Chinese Poem Song), and Matt Dillon (Mexican Loneliness).

Allen Ginsberg does a fine reading of the previously unseen Brooklyn Bridge Blues, recorded at the Town Hall, NYC, in 1995. Only 8½ of the total of 10 choruses were read by Allen because, on the day, the last page had somehow become lost. To rectify this shortcoming, Eric Anderson can be heard performing the missing 1½ choruses on a separate track, from the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, no less, with the sounds of the traffic passing by.

As well as the Kerouac readings, two of the tracks feature new material. The band Morphine perform "Kerouac", their own tribute to the man, and Hunter S Thompson, after reading a short extract from one of Jack's letters to William Burroughs, adds his own "Ode to Jack" in homage to his hero.

The musical accompaniments cover a wide spectrum of styles. No jazz, which Jack preferred, and which backed some of his own recordings, but rock sounds of varying intensities and complexities. I still reckon that Jack would have approved.

The CD as a whole presents a vast variety of content, reading styles and musical accompaniments, all fitted together in a pleasing sequence that would be hard to beat. The playing time is extremely generous at 79½ minutes, and the complete package is indeed a fine tribute to Jack Kerouac. Producer Jim Sampas is to be congratulated in putting it all together. Let's hope that this is but the first of many such projects.

A Tribute in Words, Music & Voices.......2005-04-12

Now and then a CD gets better the more you listen. Such is the case with Kicks Joy Darkness, a tribute to Jack Kerouac. It was released in 1997, but I recently rediscovered it and put it in my car so I could listen again. I'm glad I did.

The CD is a tribute in words, music and voices to one of the greatest writers of our time. Here, his work is interpreted by a diverse range of talents, including actor Matt Dillon, Morphine, Michael Stipe, the awesome band Come, and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, as well as Jack's contemporaries Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Allen Ginsberg.

The best two tracks are "Dream: "Us Kids Swim off a Gray Pier" by Tyler, who does a phenomenal job of evoking Jack's images of summer through spoken word, and "MacDougal Street Blues," which is Jack's own voice backed by the late great Joe Strummer on electronic beat and keyboards. It's nothing short of sublime.

I like Jack's work because he seems to be a reluctant hero, which is what he was. Once his "On the Road" was reviewed by the New York Times in 1957, he was touted as The Next Big Thing and the spokesperson of a generation (the Beat generation for sure). And sort of like Kurt Cobain in the Nineties, who was also given the role of spokesperson of a generation against his will, Jack resisted. He never wanted to be anything but a writer, so fame ate him up and overshadowed the very thing that had catapulted him to the forefront in the first place - his talent.

My only complaint about this CD is that none of Jack's novels (his best work) are represented here, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5. I recommend picking up this CD as it's definitely worth a listen.

No, no suicide, wine please, wine..........2000-11-14

A well chosen and diverse mix of musicians, poets and writers contribute intimate interpretations of Kerouac's poetry. Haunting, graceful, raw and humorous, a brilliant album highly recommended. Special hilights-Hunter S Thompson's gonzo "Ode to Jack," Morphine's smoky "Kerouac," and Maggie Estep & the Spitters aggressive "Skid Row Wine." Jack himself is heard to a house beat by Joe Strummer on "Macdougal St Blues." One of a kind.

"From these Blues we'll go to H Y M N S".......2000-02-27

For those of you who know Kerouac, you know that my screen name comes from "The Brooklyn Bridge Blues" - a track on this wonderful CD. For those of you who aren't that familiar with his work, I would highly recommend this collection.

Lydia Lunch's version of "Bowery Blues" is reason enough to get it - sultry, dangerous and mad with introspective passion. John Cale does a really nice rendition of "The Moon", one of Jack's more beautiful poems.

There are other gems here, as well. Juliana Hatfield's take on "Silly Goofball Pomes" has that perfect, childlike sound. "Mexican Loneliness" and Jack's "Dream" highlight his descriptive brilliance.

Very nicely done..

Hopeful and refreshing.......1999-08-11

This CD would serve as a great introduction to Kerouac's work. The balance between spoken word and musical performance is near perfect and serves to show the timelessness of effective poetry.

Average customer rating:

Guest appearance by John Chipolina of Quicksilver
Rough and ready
Classic San Francisco-Welsh fusion band
a good album
Set the record (or CD) straight

Maximum Darkness
Man
Manufacturer: Bgo - Beat Goes on
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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At the Kabuki Theatre

ASIN: B0000011LE
Release Date: 1992-01-01

Tracks:

7171-551
Codine
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
Many Are Called, But Few Get Up
Bananas

Customer Reviews:

Guest appearance by John Chipolina of Quicksilver.......2006-05-30

VERY GOOD SOUND QUALITY. PROBABLY THE BEST SOUND QUALITY OF ANY MAN CD.

This is from a 1975 concert with Quicksilver's John Chipolina. The group is Deke Leonard, Martin Ace, Micky Jones and Terry Williams. It is right around 50 minutes long.

The sound quality is very good to almost excellent. It has a very good dynamic range and is fairly clear. Unlike most Man CD's you can really hear the drumming and bass guitar.

Most of the Man CD releases have had horrible sound quality. Most of the studio albums are especially bad. It is interesting that the live albums are usually better than the studio albums. Maybe the master tapes are lost.

This is Man as it moves into its hard rock phase, that lasted into the early eighties, and bottomed out with the Live At Reading from 1980. The group does jam, but it is more of a hard rock jam (like later Deep Purple). There is very little, but some of the spaciest of the early Man.

John Chipolina from Quicksilver is a guess star on this CD. The group plays two Quicksilver number. You can pick out Chipolina's distinctive guitar work at times throughout the performance.

There are rumors that there are some studio overdubs on this album. There were some sound problems and places where Jones and Chipolina were out of sync. Supposedly, Jones redid some of Chipolina's guitar solos. Could be, but there is definitely Chipolina's mark all over the album (unless Jones was really good at copying his style).

I don't quite give this CD five stars. While the guitar solos are great, the perfomances of the songs are not that great. I was never a big fan of Leonard's 7171-551 and it is on every Man live album from this time period. On Codine, the chorus of "one more time" is just repeated too many times. There is a much better version of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You on the CD Undrugged. Many Are Called, But Few Get Up is better on Padgett Room and the best version of Bananas is on Official Bootleg.

This is still a very good CD and it is great to hear the intermixing of the Welsh and San Francisco sounds.

An interesting liner note is that the album is dedicate to 3 Bay Area radio stations: KSAN, which was a pioneer in FM underground rock, but turned into a Country station in the eighties. KOME, the KOME-spot on your dial, featuring Denis Erectus, which is now a classic rock station, featuring Greg Kihn as a DJ, and KSJO, which was the last hold out, but moved more to hard rock, playing Led Zepplin and AC/DC, before switching to Spanish Language last year.

Rough and ready.......2004-09-17

Well this live Man disc is a little rough but worth the purchase price anyway.A lot of people compare Man to a variety of West Coast bands but in reality I feel that they where a unique musical experience. Opinion often seems to be split between rabid fans and almost as rabid detractors, but all the best bands seem to have that problem.
Like many UK bands from this period Man lack a great vocalist( but then that never bothered the Grateful Dead either) which sometimes let them down , however if guitar solos and good tunes are your thing then you will find plenty to like here.
Although not as good as the live side of the double album Back to the Future and various bootlegs from the same period this is a wonderful artifact from a time when music was looser and all the better for it.

Classic San Francisco-Welsh fusion band.......2004-04-25

Just kidding, but there was a fusion between the hard rocking Man and Cippolina's incredible guitar mastery. Always has been one of my favorites. Play Codeine at 11 and watch the wallpaper peel and your mind do a '60s mind melt.

a good album.......2003-11-06

This is a good album but you might be a little disapointed in the album if you are buying this entirely because it has John Cipollina's guitar on the front cover . You DO hear him on the album but because he was a "special guest" in a band with 3 guitarists you dont get any of his long orchestrated solos he played back in his Quicksilver days . Also dont expect to hear anything that leaves "mona" or "the fool" in the dust . Other than that it is a great album with some long strange ballads that are unlike anything from the same era.

Set the record (or CD) straight.......2003-04-17

John's parts, with the exception of "Bananas" where he was too far out of tune with Mickey were as recorded live by John. Only "Bananas" needed any overdubs and that was more because John and Mickey couldn't hear each other than due to anything else.

Micky had the misfortune to be positioned next to The Monster Stack and consequently couldn't hear for days, let alone during the show.

Velvet Darkness
Average customer rating:

Allan's absolute best album I've heard.

Agree with the others....this is great

HOLDSWORTH'S BEST SOLO ALBUM

Holdsworth's best kept secret

Velvet Darkness
Allan Holdsworth
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music
Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DSCN
Release Date: 1990-04-19

Tracks:

Good Clean Filth
Floppy Hat
Wish
Kinder
Velvet Darkness
Karzie Key
Last May
Gattox
Good Clean Filth
Kinder
Velvet Darkness
Karzie Key
Gattox

Customer Reviews:

Allan's absolute best album I've heard. .......2006-12-22

I have six of Holdsworth's albums, and have heard many more, but this has to be the absolute best album. Heck, this is probably one of the best jazz/fusion albums I've ever heard, and that includes the likes of John McLaughlin (he played "good clean filth" too), etc.

The guru himself visited us here in Singapore earlier this year (2006) and we were absolutely floored. Listening to the songs on this album is almost like being there at one of his live performances.

It's often said that Allan is a guitarist's guitarist, which you know is so true if you listen to this album. As a guitarist myself, I appreciate this album in different ways each time I listen to a song from it. This album made me respect the man even more! He appears to use a slightly different effects chain on this album, probably a mild fuzz pedal thrown in. Sounds a bit more crisp and well defined compared to his later works.

I read an interview where Allan says:
"The single most frustrating thing for me, is to be in a situation where you can't get a record deal because for whatever reason they won't sign you up, but the same people will take complete advantage of you by bootlegging things and putting out other albums. Sony just did that with that old Velvet Darkness album. They re-released it, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to stop them right away. But they [the lawyers] stopped them eventually and they're not going to make that album anymore, because that whole project was a rip-off in the first place. Sony re-released it and packaged like a new album. So, those kind of things make me go crazythey make me want to tear my hair out."

No matter - I still love this album, and I'd advise any jazz/rock/fusion fan to just grab this while you can.

Agree with the others....this is great.......2006-12-10

I agree with the other reviewers that this is a FANTASTIC work from Holdsworth. Perhaps my favorite. (Hard to decide between this and his completely opposite and awesome jazz album, None Too Soon.) The acoustic numbers on Velvet Darkness are incredible and beautiful. I would love to hear a whole album of that. I wonder if there are other songs from this session.

This album is very raw. High energy. Crisp sound. Keyboards are cheesy sounding, but when were they not from that era? The drums are GREAT. Allan plays violin on this one also. I met him once during the I.O.U tour (25 years ago???), and he told me he hated this album intensely. In fact I asked him to sign mine, and he refused. He actually tried to BUY it from me!! He was not kidding. He said he wanted it out of circulation. I cannot imagine why.

I love it alot, and find myself still listening to it surprisingly often even after all these years. It has held up better than many of his others thru the years. There are GREAT riffs on this. If you like Holdsworth even a little get this.

HOLDSWORTH'S BEST SOLO ALBUM.......2005-10-08

I have heard that holdsworth hates this album and from reading the reviews of other holdsworth albums it seems that most fans don't know this exists.This is his best work ! The only other holdsworth stuff that I sometimes think is as great is
"I.O.U." and tony williams great "believe it".With the exception of "believe it" holdsworth never did anything that sounds close to this.I saw him live about a half dozen times when he was doing "I.O.U." and "road games" and I can't help but think he is the greatest guitar player in world.If you are a holdsworth fan and have not heard this,do yourself a favor and BUY THIS.

Holdsworth's best kept secret.......2005-05-09

In my humble opinion, this is allan holdsworth's best album.
The two acoustic guitar tracks on this album are the most beautiful tracks I ever heard from Holdsworth.
I read some place that Allan does not like this album, and even asked that it will be removed from his discography. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, it's a shame. I wish he recorded more of this kind of acoustic work.

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
SUPERB
Absolute Scholl

Andreas Scholl - A Musicall Banquet
John Dowland , Giulio Caccini , and Andreas Scholl
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000523PF
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

A Musicall Banquet 1610: My Heavy Sprite
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Lady, If You So Spite Me
A Musicall Banquet 1610: In Darkness Let Me Dwell
A Musicall Banquet 1610: O Dear Life, When Shall It Be
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Ce Penser Qui Sans Fin Tirannise Ma Vie
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Si Le Parler Et Le Silence
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Change Thy Mind Since She Doth Change
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Go, My Flock, Go Get You Hence
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Se Di Farmi Morire
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Amarilli Mia Bella
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Passava Amor Su Arco Desarmado
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Far From Triumphing Court
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Sir Robert Sidney His Galliard
A Musicall Banquet 1610: In A Grove Most Rich Of Shade
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Vous Que Le Bonheur Rappelle
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Vuestros Ojos Tienen D'Amor
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Sta Notte Mi Sognava
A Musicall Banquet 1610: To Plead My Faith
A Musicall Banquet 1610: O Eyes, Leave Off Your Weeping
A Musicall Banquet 1610: Dovro Dunque Morire?
A Musicall Banquet 1610: O Bella Piu

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-02-09

Robert Dowland,the son of John Dowland, is really only remembered today for the two collections he published in 1610:'Varieties of Lute Lessons' and 'A Musicall Banquet'-the subject of this recording. In both cases,however, there are grounds for suspecting that the prime mover behind the collections was John Dowland rather than Robert, and that he put Robert's name on the title-pages as a wayof launching his son's musical career. 'A Musicall Banquet'was the first lute song collection to include material drawn from continental collections, and marked the beginning of a more eclectic phase in the history of the English song.This album was somewhat of a disappointment to me. Oh, the voice is excellent as usual, but the repertoire chosen for this recording lacked variety as well as performing aptitude on the part of Scholl. Over half of the songs were English lute songs that Scholl sang as if they were arias from an opera by Handel. He just doesn't come across with this kind of song. And his English diction is very difficult to understand even with songs that are known. On the other hand there were a few renditions of Spanish and Italian as well as French songs that were very well done. The accompaniments were excellent in every case, so the disc is worth purchasing if you are a fan of Andreas.

SUPERB.......2001-04-30

Andreas Scholl, arguably, the finest countertenor singing today, has released this new, superb album. It consists of a collection of songs accompanied by lute put together by Robert Dowland, a minor composer (1591-1641) under the title A MUSCALL BANQUET (no, I didn't misspell it). It is a fine cross-section of songs in English, Spanish, Italian and French.

Scholl has many "hit" CD's to his credit, including a beautiful collection of Vivaldi songs, an album called "Heroes" in which he sings some gorgeous Handel & Gluck opera arias and he is the male soloist on a new recording of Pergolisi's "Stabat Mater." His voice is absolutely pure and beautiful.

Three fine musicians accompany him on lute, guitar, harpsichord. etc. Recommended.

Absolute Scholl.......2001-02-27

These lovely songs are full of period metaphor, subtle music and complexity despite the deceptive simplicity of the presentation. They challenge the listener unused to the poetry of the period but more than repay a little concentration. If you like melancholy, you'll love it. Scholl himself described this genre of English song as `incredibly melancholy' - but not everything on this CD is, and not all the songs are English: there is lyrical Italian and French material, as well as fiery Spanish music.

These are not easy songs for a singer to do well but Andreas Scholl is ready for them, now: his voice bigger, deeper and more resonant than formerly. His thoughtful approach to text shines, as usual. His ornamentation in all the songs is just ... so. Not too much, and nothing is wanting.

He imbues In Darkness Let Me Dwell with an incredibly dark sound and a powerful intensity that I don't think he could have executed as well in earlier years. The final bars of To Plead My Faith are wrenchingly sad. The Spanish songs are spectacular in his live performance, especially Vuestros Ojos, which, live, he takes at one hell of a lick, to the immense pleasure of the audience; a fraction slower on the recording, but still very exciting. The coloratura tour de force of Sta Notte Mi Sognava is accomplished with almost throw-way ease. The genteel innuendo of Lady If You So Spite Me is done with sardonic humour and energy alternating with pathos - quite a combination. In Go My Flock, Go Get You Hence, he sounds about seventeen and full of teenage desperation: at `No, she hates me!' you can imagine the infatuated teenager flinging his arms about. The final track, O Bella Piu, is a little miracle of interpretation. Apart from the sheer perfection of voice and delivery, he does `pining' so well! He begins with quiet adoration; `non piu dolore!' is a gnat's whisker from a sob but without any loss of control or musicality - no extraneous funny business - moving into pleading in the first `Pieta!', and sheer desperation in the second. A heart-stopper.

The accompanying instrumentalists are all first rate. Christophe Coin's bass viol solo in O, Dear Life When Shall It Be is fascinating. Edin Karamazov - a star in his own right if ever there was - is a perfect match for Scholl and he also gets a short, beautiful lute solo. All the performers are on top form, as are the recording engineers. The whole CD is distilled pleasure from start to finish: each song is fully revealed and brought to vibrant life. Andreas Scholl's singing on this recording is peerless - but `Lieber erstmal Lieder', as he would say (he puts the music he sings before what he calls, self-deprecatingly, the present cult of his stardom) and on this CD he certainly lives up to his motto.

Handel - Messiah / McNair · von Otter · Chance · Hadley · Lloyd · Marriner
Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan

I really love this recording

Some very good parts

Great mezzo and trumpet

And He Shall Reign Forever and Ever, Amen.

Handel - Messiah / McNair · von Otter · Chance · Hadley · Lloyd · Marriner
George Frideric Handel , Neville Marriner , Anne Sofie von Otter , Michael Chance , Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , Sylvia McNair , Jerry Hadley , and Robert Lloyd
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel - Messiah - The 250th Anniversary Performance / Marriner, Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields

Handel - Messiah / Ameling · A. Reynolds · Langridge · Howell · Marriner

Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (The Historic 1955 Debut Recording)

ASIN: B00000414Y
Release Date: 1992-11-17

Tracks:

Messiah: Part I: Symphony
Messiah: Part I - No. 1 Accompagnato: Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye, My People
Messiah: Part I - No. 2: Air Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
Messiah: Part I - No. 3 Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord
Messiah: Part I - No. 4 Accompagnato: Thus Saith The Lord
Messiah: Part I - No. 5 Air: But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
Messiah: Part I - No. 6 Chorus: And He Shall Purify The Sons Of Levi
Messiah: Part I - No. 7 Recitative: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
Messiah: Part I - Nos. 8-9 Air And Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
Messiah: Part I - No. 10 Accompagnato: For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover The Earth
Messiah: Part I - No. 11 Air: The People That Walked In Darkness
Messiah: Part I No. 12 Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Messiah: Part I No. 13 Pifa: Pastoral Symphony
Messiah: Part I No. 14 Recitative: There Were Shepherds - And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - And The Angel Said Unto Them - And Suddenly There Was
Messiah: Part I No. 15 Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest
Messiah: Part I No. 16 Air: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
Messiah: Part I No. 17a Recitative:Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
Messiah: Part I No. 18a Duet: He Shall Feed His Flock
Messiah: Part I No. 19 Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy
Messiah: Part II No. 20 Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God
Messiah: Part II No. 21 Air: He Was Despised
Messiah: Part II No. 22 Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
Messiah: Part II No. 23 Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed
Messiah: Part II No. 24 Chorus: All We Like Sheep

Tracks:

Messiah: Part II No. 25 Accompagnato: All They That See Him
Messiah: Part II No. 26 Chorus: He Trusted In God
Messiah: Part II No. 27 Accompagnato: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
Messiah: Part II No. 28 Arioso: Behold, And See
Messiah: Part II No. 29 Accompagnato: He Was Cut Off
Messiah: Part II No. 30 Aria: But Thou Didst Not Leave
Messiah: Part II No. 31 Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads
Messiah: Part II No. 32 Recitative: Unto Which Of The Angels
Messiah: Part II No. 33 Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God
Messiah: Part II No. 34a Air: Thou Art Gone Up On High
Messiah: Part II No. 35 Chorus The Lord Gave The Word
Messiah: Part II No. 36 Air: How Beautiful Are The Feet
Messiah: Part II No. 37a Arioso: Their Sound Is Gone Out
Messiah: Part II No. 38 Air: Why Do The Nations
Messiah: Part II No. 39 Chorus: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder Let us break their bonds asunder
Messiah: Part II No. 40 Recitative: He That Dwelleth In Heaven
Messiah: Part II No. 41 Air: Thou Shalt Break Them
Messiah: Part II No. 42 Chorus: Hallelujah
Messiah: Part III No. 43 Air: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Messiah: Part III No. 44 Chorus: Since By Man Came Death
Messiah: Part III No. Accompagnato: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
Messiah: Part III No. 46 Air: The Trumpet Shall Sound
Messiah: Part III No. 47 Recitative: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
Messiah: Part III No. 48 Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
Messiah: Part III No. 49 Chorus: But Thanks Be To God
Messiah: Part III No. 50 Air: If God Be For Us
Messiah: Part III No. 51 Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb - Blessing And Honour
Messiah: Part III: Amen

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-10-21

The "Messiah" was composed by Handel at his London home in the late summer of 1741..Charles Jennens described his libretto for the 'Messiah' as a "Scripture Collection", because it consists of a cleverly-arranged selection of biblical texts. Musically speaking, the recitatives and arias are definately in a style derived from opera, supplemented by choruses of the type Handel has developed in his English odes and oratorios-the presentation of the story was unconventional. The work is divided into three acts or parts, but the narrative is largely confined to Part Two: Part One is mainly concerned with prophecy and its fullfilment and Part Three with commentary on the importance of the previous story. This recording of the famous 1992 performance at Dublin took place at the Point Theatre on the 250th anniversary of the work's premeire which took place in Dublin on April 13th 1742. It is an outstanding performance, especially chorally and instrumentally. The soloists: Sylvia McNair(soprano)-Anne Sofie von Otter(mezzo)-Michael Chance (alto) were superb!!! Personally I was not pleased by Jerry Hadley's interpretation of Handel; I have a recording of him singing show tunes, and I think he does that best! Robert Lloyd's (bass) diction was most peculiar and annoyed me. However, the last 2 comments may not be universally accepted. All in all, it's one of the best 'Messiahs' I have heard, and is actually my favorite of many that I own.

I really love this recording.......2005-03-26

While I haven't sampled that many different recordings of the Messiah, I really like this version. I sometimes find myself singing it, and this is the version I hear. One thing I don't like about it is that it is a 2-disc set, but the Messiah has three parts. Part II is divided -- the first half on disc 1 and the second part on disc 2. It would be nice if the parts weren't divided in the middle.

Some very good parts.......2002-12-14

This is my fifth Messiah disk and I had hoped my last. Von Otter is a real draw and she is truly great. Marriner's pacing is still good. But many aspects of this CD pull it down. I have a theory that the tenor (Jerry Hadley) was mad at Marriner and sang technically perfect with zero emotion. I don't how he was allowed to get away with this. I also did not like the baritone. While I think varying the size of the chorus in this piece has merit, this choir is generally on the small side and does not have the punch when needed. Messiah choirs carry a two edged burden, either the choir is large and it gets muddy in the delicate sections or it is small and can't punch the big sections. This disk errs on the small side. The recording quality is very good, something that dodges many Messiahs. The violins are too close to the soloist microphone (or poorly mixed) and come in much too loud. So whenever there is an sprite from the violins it jumps out at you and drowns the soloists.

The best Messiah for me is still Marriner's 1976 disk, much better overall rendition.

Great mezzo and trumpet.......2002-05-17

This is one of the better Messiahs, although not quite up to Westenberg's level.

Its world-beater aspects include mezzo Anne-Sophie von Otter, whose "He was despised" is well north of magnificent: Warmly mournful in the slow sections, snarling and spitting in the center section.

Trumpeter Mark Bennett does by far the best trumpeting on any of my 30 complete Messiahs. "Glory to God" and "Hallelujah" are as good as it gets -- no, better than any other recording gets.

Countertenor Michael Chance is quite good in "If God be for us" -- I say that as someone who doesn't like countertenors.

Some of the other choruses are also well done. But tenor Jerry Hadley seems to have thought he had more lucrative things to do with his time than to think about Messiah.

And He Shall Reign Forever and Ever, Amen........2002-01-01

This recording ranks itself on the top of the greatest recordings of Handel's Messiah. Being a live recording, it surpasses every other studio recordings of this piece in terms of interpretation and drama. The soloists are superb, the chorus are crisp and vital, and the ensemble plays with great virtuoso. My special remark goes to Miss McNair, I simply cannot grow tired of her! Her lyrical voice is simply destined for this work, especially in aria no 16 `Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion' - rejoice indeed! It is to Marriner we should all be grateful for producing this remarkable recording in the first place. Known mainly for his stupendous recordings of Mozart, it is not surprising that he's able to interpret in a true Handelian way. It's a pity that he seldom records works by Handel - I don't know if he performs them unrecorded.
There are actually two versions of this live performance, the one here and the other is available on LaserDisc. I believe that they were recorded on two different performance time, for on some arias the soloists have different style in singing the cadenza. Whichever you prefer, this is a recording you must simply own - even when your music library boasts a dozen or so of Handel's Messiah!!

Handel - Messiah / Vyvyan · Sinclair · Vickers · Tozzi · Royal PO · Beecham

Average customer rating:

Beecham's noisy Messiah
The Big Victorian Handel 'Messiah': Indulge Yourself!
Comfort Ye!
Familiarity hasn't bred much affection
Thanks to Jon!

Handel - Messiah / Vyvyan · Sinclair · Vickers · Tozzi · Royal PO · Beecham
George Frideric Handel , Sir Thomas Beecham , Jennifer Vyvyan , Monica Sinclair , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , Jon Vickers , and Giorgio Tozzi
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

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Similar Items:

Handel - Messiah / Harper, Watts, Wakefield, Shirley-Quirk, LSO, C. Davis
Handel: Messiah
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx
Handel - Joshua / Kirkby, Bowman, Oliver, Ainsley, George, The King's Consort
Samson

ASIN: B000003FB8
Release Date: 1992-07-14

Tracks:

Messiah: Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Messiah: Recit: Comfort Ye, My People (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Air: But Who May Abide (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: And He Shall Purify - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Air & Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings (Contralto) - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: For, Behold, Darkness Shall Cover (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Air: The People That Walked In Darkness (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born - John McCarthy
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony - Royal Philharmonic Chorus
Messiah: Recit: There Were Shepherds Abiding (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Recit: And The Angel Said Unto Them (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Recit: And Suddenly There Was (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Recit: Then Shall The Eyes (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Air: He Shall Feed His Flock; Come Unto Him (Contralto & Soprano) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy - John McCarthy

Tracks:

Messiah: Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: He Was Despised (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs - John McCarthy
Messiah: Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed - John McCarthy
Messiah: Chorus: All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: All They That See Him (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: He Trusted In God - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: Behold, And See If There Be (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Recit: He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: But Thou Didst Not Leave (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: How Beautiful Are The Feet (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Chorus: Their Sound Is Gone Out Into All Lands - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: Why Do The Nations So Furious Rage (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: Lets Us Break Their Bonds Asunder - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: He That Dwelleth In Heaven (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: Thou Shalt Break Them (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: Hallelujah! - John McCarthy
Messiah: Part III - Air: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Chorus: Since By Man Came Death - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Air: The Trumpet Shall Sound (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb - John McCarthy

Tracks:

Messiah: Recit: Unto Which Of The Angels (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: Thou Art Gone Up On High (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: The Lord Gave The Word - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? (Contralto & Tenor) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Chorus: But Thanks Be To God - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: If God Be For Us (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan

Amazon.com essential recording

Sir Thomas Beecham's Messiah has become notorious among baroque purists (like this writer) for embodying the worst excesses of pre-1960 Handel performance: ponderous tempos, stentorian opera singers, huge lumbering choruses and orchestras, crashing cymbals, clanging triangles.... Well, we'll need a new straw man: this performance is WONDERFUL. Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi negotiate Handel's writing surprisingly well; Jennifer Vyvyan takes to it naturally. The chorus and orchestra (yes, including trombones, tuba, triangle, and cymbals) may obscure the part-writing, but they fill the music with power, grandeur, and faith. If Mozart could re-orchestrate Messiah, why not Beecham? This may not be Handel's Messiah as such, it may even be a period piece itself--but it's magnificent. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Beecham's noisy Messiah.......2006-12-23

Here's the famous Messiah from Thomas Beecham and forces that uses crashing cymbals, enhanced timpani and brass to make it sound like a collusion between classical forces, a rock band and Canadian Brass. Listen to second CD excerpt from "Hallelujah!" for the opening cymbal crash to get an idea of what's going on.

This performance has been debated for 40 years as to whether it is musically adept, musically correct, an exemplar of the English choral tradition, or just a big old batch of fun at Handel's expense. I first owned this during a time when I also owned a recording Handel's "Royal Fireworks Music" featuring 40 woodwinds. The two made roughly an equal amount of noise.

There isn't much question this performance is completely out of step with the way Handel is performed in most venues today. Check out the wonderful Jon Vickers' highly operatic opening aria, "Comfort ye", then compare that to any leaned-out period group you've heard. You'll get another idea of the dimension of Beecham's project.

While not on the agenda of the Flat Earth Society, the only real interest in a performance like this -- especially having to endure it on three CDs when just about everyone else puts it on two -- is nostalgia or history, whichever happens to be the case for you.

My personal favorite version is in the 4-CD box of "Messiah" an