Daybreak

Track Listings

1. Daybreak

2. Through Open Windows

3. Gentle Breeze

4. Shadow and Light

5. Promise of Love

6. Dusk to Dawn

7. Water's Edge

8. Everywhere You Look

9. Softly

10. Morning Mist

11. Redwing Wall

12. Heart So Full

Editorial Reviews
music buyer
After listening to Paul's music many times, I realized that the tenth time was as fresh as the first.

Product Description
Day breaks and the air is fragrant with spring as a gentle breeze finds an open window and awakens the dreamer. Shadow becomes light and the tall grass glistens with the morning dew. Life is stirring at the water's edge.

Daybreak

Daybreak,Paul Michael Meredith

Daybreak

Tracks:

Bolero
Pavane For A Dead Princess
Alborada Del Gracioso
Rapsodie espagnole: Feria
Le tombeau de Couperin: Rigaudon
La Valse
Piece In The Form Of A Habanera
Mother Goose Suite: The Fairy Garden
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2: Daybreak
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2: Pantomime
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2: General Dance

Customer Reviews:

Ravels Greatest hits.......2007-07-20

Listen to the genuis of Ravel on a clean sounding recording that you can enjoy time and time again without deterioration.Be advised the recording levels are not dampened so dinner guests and headset wearers will certainly be awokened especially at the end of Bolero.If you listen closely the music pages can be heard turning ,nice sense of being there ,get the cd they dont make em like this anymore.

Average customer rating:

Muireann is wonderful
wonderful voice
In the steps of Sandy Denny
FANTASTIC
Beautiful!

Daybreak: Fáinne an Lae
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Manufacturer: Compass Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
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When All Is Said and Done
The Road Less Traveled
Reunion: A Decade of Solas
Danu - One Night Stand
Downriver

ASIN: B000ELJAL0
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Tracks:

Western Highway
Free and Easy to Jog Along
SeoithSeoth
Cnocan Teampaill (slip jigs & jig)
Persuasion
Slle Mh
Isle of Malachy
An Spealad
The Emigrant's Farewell
The Humours of Whiskey (highland, reels)
The Banks of the Nile
The Parting Glass

Amazon.com

Nic Amhlaoibh first came to many people's attention when she joined Danu, one of the finest Irish traditional bands to emerge over the past decade (two of her band-mates sit in on this album.) Her flawless alto, with its wide range and elegant phrasing, made a strong impression then and judging by the present release, her contradictory yet seamless blend of the earthy and angelic, the sacred and profane, has continued to deepen, mature and evolve. Whether essaying Gaelic-language tunes from the Celtic canon or the type of crowd-pleasing folk-pop typical of the versatile Black sisters, she exudes the sure-footed, relaxed command of a singer approaching her prime, an engaging mixture of charisma and sensitivity. Ranging from Richard Thompson's loss-haunted "Persuasion" to the heartbreaking "Immigrant's Farewell" to "Free And Easy," a road tune about blithe irresponsibility, her interpretations hit the mark every time without drawing too much attention to themselves. When such a degree of taste and generosity are combined with a glorious vocal instrument, it's a pleasure to just fall back and let the lady do what she does so well. --Christina Roden

Album Description

Star quality is a rare phenomenon - a bewitching magnetism impossible to define, yet when present, we recognize it instantly. Singer and traditional musician Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh possesses that level of magic, mesmerizing audiences world-wide since she joined forces with scintillating Irish music ambassadors Danú in 2003. Daybreak: fáinne an lae" is an exciting and eclectic 12-track collection which showcases Muireann's sparkling vocal talent, along with her consummate artistry on both flute and whistle. Most of all, it casts light on her intuitive ability to research and tastefully select from both the traditional and contemporary music repertory, re-interpreting and delivering her chosen songs and tunes with heart-warming eloquence.

Contemporary compositions from Richard Thompson ("Persuasion") and Gerry O'Beirne ("Western Highway") flow seamlessly into traditional songs such as "Free and Easy" (learned from the singing of Róisín White), "Slán le Máigh", "Banks of the Nile," and a heartfelt rendition of "The Parting Glass."

Musicians making guest appearances on Daybreak include Danú colleagues Oisín McAuley and Eamon Doorley; guitarists Gerry O'Beirne, John Doyle, Tony Byrne, and Shane McGowan; Scottish singer Julie Fowlis; and percussionist Billy Mag Flohinn.

Customer Reviews:

Muireann is wonderful.......2007-05-13

This CD is wonderful. From new music to traditional, Muireann (pronounced Mwi-ren) puts her own touch on it. I have listened to the entire CD perhaps 20 times and never tire of her delightful voice. The tunes go through my head all day long some days. Her tin whistle is amazing as well.

wonderful voice.......2007-04-05

Muireann has one of those amazing Celtic voices. Her songs seem a bit more energetic with Danu, rather than solo, but this CD has a wonderful mix of songs. If you like her, also consider music by Deante.

In the steps of Sandy Denny.......2007-01-29

After two records with Danú, and songs on a record in which each band member made separate contributions, this is the logical next step. Compared to Sandy Denny, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh also entered a young ensemble of talented musicians and steered it in a more accessible, if less daring, direction. Like Denny, Nic Amhlaoibh possesses a clear, pleasant, and steady voice suited to both traditional and MOR soft rock tunes. Also, she favors interpretations of efforts by contemporary songwriters along with a selection of traditional and traditionally- inspired tracks. Fairport Convention moved under Denny first into folk-rock and then continued with it even as Denny grew restless and left to craft a folk-pop blend suiting her gentle delivery. Suitably, this album includes the traditional song "The Banks of the Nile," first made famous when Denny covered it with her post-Fairport mates in Fotheringay. Nic Amhlaoibh has shifted Danú from a fiery, all-male traditional group into a band whose songs increasingly resembled Denny's own more intimate solo work. Gerry O'Beirne plays guitar on the two tracks he wrote, "Western Highway," which as sung by Maura O'Connell had appeared on the RTÉ "Bringing It All Back Home" series and album, and "The Isle of Malachy." "Persuasion," written by Richard Thompson and Tim Finn, likewise continues the association of Fairport and contemporary singer-songwriter folk-rockers with her own intentions to make an album still rooted in mostly traditional songs, both in English and Irish, but with enough popular tunes to appeal to a wider audience.

Nic Amhlaoibh's versions recall O'Connell in her wistful, almost casual approach. The songs on Daybreak avoid drama, and Nic Amhlaoibh is content to create more of a lingering sense of calm. Despite the presence of Shane McGowan's guitar on five tracks, little intensity emerges. This is a consistent and polished album, but designed for those listeners seeking less concentration on only traditional Irish tunes, while not as dramatic a shift into MOR as earlier singers as Denny and O'Connell themselves made in earlier decades. But Nic Amhlaoibh's next album, if judging from the sheen applied to this self-produced collection, may reveal such a transition from trad to folk to pop. (Review appeared on rootsworld.com)

FANTASTIC.......2006-06-29

It is wonderful, beautiful and full of energy. I could listen to her sing all day long!!!!!

Beautiful! .......2006-04-16

What a great CD! I particularly loved "Seoith?n Seoth?" and "An Spealad?ir." My husband got me this CD (along with the also wonderful "Somewhere Along the Road" by Cathie Ryan) and I've been playing it constantly. Normally he prefers male singers (like Christy Moore, whom I also love) but he has also been playing this CD.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Performances
Another Great Naxos Recording at a Great Price
Such a great treat!
A wonderful "Florida Suite"

Frederick Delius: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
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Delius: Orchestral Works
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Holst: Orchestral Works
Delius: Florida Suite RTvi/1; Pieces RTvi/19

ASIN: B0000014E6
Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

Florida Suite: Daybreak - Dance
Florida Suite: By The River
Florida Suite: Sunset - Near The Plantation
Florida Suite: At Night
Over The Hills And Far Away
Idylle Printemps
La Quadroone
Scherzo
Final Scene From 'Koanga'

Amazon.com

This interesting Delius disc contains one of his first major works, the Florida Suite. It was while working on an orange plantation in Solano Grove, Florida, that Delius first captured that sense of nature's intoxication that permeates all of his best music. It was also there that he caught the syphilis that would eventually blind him, and later cause his death. Aren't you glad you knew that? Anyway, the other major work is the haunting tone poem Over the Hills and Far Away. The other pieces are short, entertaining, and ephemeral, but they're all performed with great skill and expertise. A very good deal at budget price. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Performances.......2005-01-18

If you like music descriptive a landscapes and the bucolic life, the Florida Suite is certainly what you are looking for. The Florida Suite stems from the time the young Delius spent on a plantation (sent by his father as a possible business future for his son) overseeing orange groves. Fortunately for us, Delius studied music and not business. Delius' father recognized his son's true vocation and sent him to the Leipzig Conservatory to study music; the Florida Suite was written during his student years. The first movement of the suite includes music (known as La Calinda) that was later used in Koanga, so it is appropriate to have the final scene of that opera included in this CD. The third movement recalls the plantation workers after the day is done and the dance they do that has Spanish feel to it. The final movement is a very effective evocation of night. The opera Koanga is set on a plantation in Louisiana, revolving around a slave-girl named Palmyra, which worked well with descriptive music about Florida.

Over the Hills and Far Away is a fantasy-overture. It is a joyous work that evokes a landscape of distant hills. The theme is the subject of several variations. The Idylle Printemps nicely expresses the season of the title and the Scherzo and La Quadroone were part of a larger suite for orchestra (subtitled Rhapsodie floridienne). This music is perfect if you have had a difficult day and want to relax.

The CD is nicely recorded and David Lloyd-Jones is a superb interpreter of Delius' music. Highly recommended.

Another Great Naxos Recording at a Great Price.......2004-05-13

I am not all that familiar with the works of Frederick Delius, and I know I am probably not alone. His opera, A VILLAGE ROMEO AND JULIET is sometimes performed in his native England, but other than seeing a few of his works in the DECCA catalog, I knew little about this composer until Boston's local classical music station, WCRB began playing "By the River" from Delius' FLORIDA SUITE as what they like to call a "track to relax." I fell in love with the piece and wanted to add it to my collection, but had a hard time finding it, until I looked where else but the Naxos catalog and discovered this gem of a recording.. In FLORIDA SUITE, Delius is able to create an American feel to the music using the great attributes of the European classical tradition. The other tracks on the recording likewise demonstrate Delius' gifts as a composer. Delius's sound is a full and majestic one. One of the more curious tracks is an excerpt from his little known opera Koanga. The same techniques that made the other tracks beautiful likewise work in this operatic excerpt.

The English Northern Philharmonia under the direction of David Lloyd Jones honors their countryman well in this work. And, as so often is the case, Naxos delivers quality at a great price

Such a great treat!.......2004-04-06

Frederick Delius' "Florida Suite" has got to be among the finest compositions of all time. Every line of it amply speaks for Delius' strong connection with and subtle appreciation for the myriad aspects of nature. Few works can match its elegant beauty, which is rendered so nicely on this performance. And the wonderful sound quality makes for very satisfying listening.

Among the quick results I've obtained from listening to this CD is a real appetite for the works of Mr. Delius. I read that he abandoned England in his youth for the managment of some orange groves of Florida, which he rather neglected in favor of his music. We are very lucky indeed that both the orange crop-and this sumptuous music-remain vital today. Mr. Delius has gone, but perhaps we will see his like once more, in a better world, to remind us of the power of nature.

A wonderful "Florida Suite".......2001-09-18

Delius, to me, is one of the most underappreciated composers. Often dismissed as a composer of light, impressionistic miniatures, he in fact composed several large scale works of which the "Florida Suite" may be the most famous. Made up of four movements the work contains some of the composers most delightful melodies including the famous "La Calinda" which he would use again in his opera "Koanga". This is its original setting and makes for a wonderful opening to the work. The second movement "By the River", a favorite of Sir Thomas Beecham, contains a wonderful flowing melody that just carries the listener along.

This CD is also of importance to the Delius fan as it contains several works which are recorded for the first time on this CD: Idylle Printemps,La Quadroone, and "Scherzo".

The recording has a wonderful full sound and David Lloyd-Jones, who has previously recorded several acclaimed releases for Naxos, gets excellent performances out of the members of the English Northern Philharmonia.

Tracks:

Ooh Child (Alternate Version)
Thinking About Tomorrow (IPG Dub)
Ali's Waltz
Daybreaker (Four Tet Remix)
Bobby Gentry
Carmella (Four Tet Remix)
Beautiful World
Concrete Sky (Live Acoustic)
Daybreaker (Roots Manuva Remix)
Anywhere (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix Vocal)
Video: Anywhere (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix)

Customer Reviews:

Fans can never be objective..........2006-04-26

From the OBJECTIVE reviewer...if this was Beth's attempt to improve on her less than stellar release "Daybreaker" she failed miserably and should have left it alone.

damn'd sweet. beth can do no wrong.......2006-04-19

Anyone who pans this album is daft. This is vintage Beth, and that means it is pure unmitigated pleasure. True, it is a remix album. But this is Beth we're talking about here: her songs can be cut a dozen different ways like precious stones, and always reveal new complex subtleties and pure folky pop goodness. This album has everything you would expect from her: tripped out electronic vibes overlaid with lush orchestral & idiosyncratic acoustic instrumentation, all nicely jibing with Beth's quirky honest lyrics.

There are several great little songs remixed here: Carmella (trk 6) is one of her best, in my book. It opens with a catchy hook, and when the usual sensual bass riff kicks Beth has me spooging yet again. Bobby Gentry is great, too. It has a relentless bass line and Beth's vocal is ferocious.

Other highlights: an exquisite live version of Concrete Sky. That 70's soul song "Ooh Child Things are Going to Get Easier" is superbly covered. Then- speaking of spooge- there is a video of Concrete Sky included. Beth not only rocks, she is an utter minx. Great music - some of the very best - and Beth making love to the camera in short shorts. What's not to love?

Fantastic work, honest and sincere, and it rocks!.......2005-10-21

F*cking great album! She's so natural and beautiful and so at home with all the coolest beats around her provided by Four Tet, Roots Manuva and Two Lone Swordsmen... Extreme feel-good album which goes nice with a latest from Nitin Sawhney "Philtre", also an amazing piece of modern conscious kickass street credited singer-songwriter stuff like this one! Thanx for the great artist Four Tet for leading me to her, because I got interested of this mostly after I saw he's remixed two tracks here.

Ooh Child is the best song ever!.......2005-01-14

It's been both on The Dvision & The District! And it is so inspiring that you'll smile for an entire day! I literally did today...

fanbloodytastic.......2004-08-20

Disregard negativity! Shout down the dissenters!

I've never been into Eth Borton - too twee - but this changed my mind. At turns haunting and at turns dirty and deep, its one of the only albums that me and my wife love in equal turns.

I can't get enough - folky dub and electronica, yummo. Oh and btw, the Roots Manuva song rocks hard, although if you are not quite up on the artical uk roots vibe then it may be a little over your head. Don't worry, you'll catch up one day.

Four Tet and Andy Weatherall are pretty amazing also. Of course none of this would be possible without Beth herself. I may even consider buying other albums now.

Rock on Tommy.

Average customer rating:

Marvelous
Amazing
the best worship CD I've heard in years!
Amazing Singer and Writer
Charlie Hall is Flying High!

Flying into Daybreak
Charlie Hall
Manufacturer: Six Step Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
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On the Road to Beautiful
Everything Glorious
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ASIN: B000DZ7YD8
Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

Micah 6:8
Marvelous Light
All My Love
Song Of The Redeemed
Your Glory Endures Forever
All We Need
Bravery
Closer
Sum Of Beautiful
Center
Running With Your Heart
Come For Me

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous.......2007-01-25

I feel a little like I'm piling on here but how can you not like Charlie Hall and his music. If you like a blend of praise and worship music, Flying into Daybreak would be a great addition to your collection. The blend of upbeat songs like Micah 6:8 and Marvelous Light start you off on a relaxing praise and worship experience.

I had a chance to see Charlie Hall in concert recently and was very impressed by not only his music but by his ability to entertain the audience. Almost everything that he played was from the Flying into Daybreak album and if you get a chance to see him do yourself a favor and go. Marvelous Light live was just fantastic with the chorus being repeated over several times and the crowd on its feet in praise. If you ever do go see him, either buy your CD ahead of time or get it from the table he'll have set up BEFORE the show. After the show, everyone else will be running out to buy a copy while you'll be the first in line for autographs. Take along a Sharpie because the entire band will be happy to sign your CD for you.

If you like your praise and worship music not too hard and not too soft, I think you'll find Charlie Hall to be just right.

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

This is an incredible CD! Song moods range from soft and hopeful ("Come For Me") to no-holds-barred-God-is awesome ("Bravery," which is simply beyond fantastic). The songs and melodies are more complex than some of the more mainstream artists, but if you're looking for a change of pace, this is your CD.

the best worship CD I've heard in years!.......2006-08-03

If you are a worship leader or worship pastor in a church, like I am, you might find as many as a half-dozen songs you could use right away on this CD. They are GREAT songs. If you're just buying this CD to listen in your car, it's even BETTER! Standout tracks: marvelous light, center, song of the redeemed, all we need.

Charlie is my current favorite worship songwriter. The songs aren't too tough, but are musically superior to much of what's out there.

GREAT CD!

Amazing Singer and Writer.......2006-07-04

I recently attended the Student Life tour on South Padre Island. His music is written for worship. It is so powerful it gives me goose bumps. This music will move you. Charlie is very creative and he really helps to keep Christian music alive in society.

Charlie Hall is Flying High!.......2006-03-25

Charlie Hall's newest release finds him at his best. This album contains a strong group of songs with creative music and insightful lyrics. He starts off with "Micah 6:8" which reminds us that worship flows not just so we can feel good but but so that we "forget not the widow" and the least of these. Powerful album kick-off!

The songs provide a good balance of upbeat praise songs as well as worship songs, but don't stick to the "sunday morning" formula that too many worship CD's get bogged down in and sound all the same. The highlights would have to be "Center" which talks about Christ being the center of it all. It is a beautiful worship song, and also "Running With Your Heart" with its cry to "bring down heaven's power and presence".--Yes!!

Charlie Hall finally puts out a CD that is in my opinion on the same calibre as his other label mates (Tomlin and Crowder) and honestly I think he passes up Chris Tomlin! Check out the clips and be blessed as you listen.

Average customer rating:

Abe Schwartz -- King of Yiddish Music
Old-Time American Roots Klezmer Music
Joy, Joy, Happy, Happy
Close your eyes and you're at a Jewish wedding
Time warp

Klezmer King
Abe Schwartz
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Jewish & Yiddish Music | Folk | Styles | Music

Klezmer | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000066401
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Tracks:

Russishe Shehr - Abe Schwart'z Orchestra
Ch'Sidishe Nigunim (Hasidic Melodies) - Boibriker Kapelle
Die Reize Nuch Amerika (The Trip To America) - Abe Schwartz's Orchestra
Die Greene Cousine (The Greenhorn Girl Cousin) - Abraham Moskowitz
Russian Scissors - Oriental Orchestra
Dovid'l Bazetzt Die Kalleh (Little David Seats The Bride) - Dave Tarras
Gelebt Und Gelacht (Live And Laugh) - Phillip Greenberg
T'Kias 'Shofer Blosen' (Blowing The Ram's Horn) - Sam Beckerman
Hurra! Far Unzer Held Levine (Hurray! For Our Hero Levine) - Irving Grossman
Der Shtiller Bulgar (The Quiet Bulgar) - Jewish Orchestra
Roumanian Doina - Abe Schwartz & His Daughter, Miss Schwartz
Zorg Nit Mama (Don't Worry, Mama) - Abe Schwart'z Orchestra
Hora Midor De Romania (Roumanina Hora) - Unknown Orchestra
Nit Die Hagode, Nor Die Kneidlech (Not The Haggadah, But The Matzo Balls) - Abraham Moskowitz
Frauen Liebe (Lady Love) - Abe Schwartz Orchestra
Akdomes Un Af B'ri (At The Beginning And Daybreak) - Boibriker Kapelle
Roumeinishe Doina - Naftule Brandwein
Der Automobile - Morris Goldstein
Yosel - Abe Schewartz's Orchestra
A Galitzianer Tenzil (Galician Dance) - Sam Beckerman
Die Boibriker Chasseneh - Pt. 1 (The Boibrik Wedding) - Boibriker Kapelle
Russian Sher - National Dance - Russkij Orkestr 'Novinka'
Mameniu, Liubeniu (Mama, My Beloved) - Abraham Brandwein
Fihren Di Mechutonim Aheim-Tanz (Escorting The Parents Of The Bride And Groom Home) - Naftule Brandwein
Lebedig Un Frehlach (Lively And Happy) - Abe Schwartz's Orchestra

Amazon.com

It would be impossible to overstate Abe Schwartz's influence on the development of klezmer music in America. He was a fine violinist and pianist, an excellent composer, an arranger who added modern instruments like saxophones and banjos to the Old World sound, and a bandleader with a nose for talent who helped launch the careers of Dave Tarras and Naftule Branwein, among others. The Klezmer King collects 25 tracks from the 75 or so sides that Schwartz recorded for Columbia between 1917 and 1935. Schwartz was remarkably versatile, and the selections include traditional dance tunes like "Roumanian Doina," Yiddish pop tunes such as "Die Greene Cousine," which was later a hit for Benny Goodman as "My Little Cousin," and sly social commentary like "Der Automobile." Also here are three versions of the old melody "Russian Sher," which were recorded in 1917, 1927, and 1935. Listening to them, you can trace Schwartz's style as it evolves from its European roots to a more American version of klezmer. The sound quality of these rare recordings is outstanding; there are almost no clicks, pops, or hiss to mar the music. The Klezmer King is an essential recording from one of the pioneers of New World klezmer. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Abe Schwartz -- King of Yiddish Music.......2007-02-22

Abe Schwartz was an American klezmer pioneer who discovered such talents as Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein as well as inspiring the contemporary klezmer revival bands. Don't miss this collection of his original recordings.

Old-Time American Roots Klezmer Music.......2004-04-15

Abe Schwartz and his orchestra developed and defined klezmer music in America from the mid-1920s up until the 1940s and early '50s. If the beginning sounds of American roots klezmer music is of interest, this is the CD you want. I find that half-way through, my mind wanders. It sounds too schmaltzy for me. I love Central European and Balkan style music ... this CD has diluted versions of this styling. This CD contains Central/East European "cross over" music that is becoming Americanized. In reality it is not quite either, besides the violin, there is the requiste clarinet, other instruments are saxaphone, tuba, piccolo, alto sax, bass sax, drums, and other percussions. The music occasionally sounds like a Balkan Brass band ... fortunately the longing and nostalgia of the klezmer sound, the Jewish roots are evident in all the tracks. The 'sher', 'doina', and 'hora' are types of dance music played by this famous composer, bandleader, and fiddler. My favorite is "Escorting the Parents of the Bride and Groom Home" ("Fihren Di Mechutonim Aheim-Tanz') which features Naftule Brandwein on the clarinet. His improvisations and glissandos are brilliant. The famous klezmer clarinetist, Dave Tarras, is also featured on many of these recordings. "Hasidic Melodies" ("Ch'sidishe Nigunim") is one of my favorite examples of his playing. His command of the clarinet and the creative musical phrasing is phenomenal. "The Greenhorn Girl Cousin" ("Die Green Couisine") is famous for the music, lyrics, and message which brought to the public's attention the bad working conditions in the sweatshops, the first job of immigrants arriving in the USA. It is a catchy tune with Abe Schwartz featured on the violin and Abraham Moskowitz singing the vocals. Spin-offs of this song were written by many including one by Benny Goodman. Overall, if discovering and investigating early klezmer roots music is your goal, this CD will meet your criteria with highest expectations. Otherwise, give me "The Klezmatics", "The Klezmer Conservatory Band" or any modern klezmer group which expresses the music in a more explosive and exciting manner. For me, the modern sound is much more appealing than the early roots which is on this CD. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Joy, Joy, Happy, Happy.......2004-02-05

I came to Klezmer music via Izaak Perlmann's "In the Fiddler's House," which is one of my all time favorite CDs. I'm just learning about the genre, via other Amazon reviewers, so have just recently arrived at this and other "Klezmer roots" CDs (Dave Tarras, as another reviewer mentions, is also excellent). It's just exceedingly harmonious, well orchestrated, tightly knit music, transported from the old world to the new. The tradition lives on, and an increasing number of us goyim are coming to appreciate it. Sound quality, these can't compete with modern recordings like those of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, or the Klezmatics, but it will definitely give you an idea of where they learned from. Mazaltov!!

Close your eyes and you're at a Jewish wedding.......2003-03-31

If you've ever heard new groups like the Yiddish Cup Klezmer Band and The Klezmatics and marveled at how they got all those great old tunes, look no further. Abe Schwartz, the Klezmer King is now available on CD. Before this, 78 RPM records these were remastered from was the only place you could hear him.

The Klezmer King album is old, both in sound and style. But keep in mind that clarinet klezmer is more of an American thing. This music is a generation or two removed from the original originals. Songs called Russian Sher and Roumanian Doina indicate that, just like today, wedding musicians from the old country were jamming the hits of the day as well as the "Jewish" stuff.

But it was guys like Schwartz, Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers, whom the new wave learned from. But unlike the younger versions, these melodies don't seem to have jazz-like improvisation. They are straight ahead rollickers, heavy on catchy rhythm and melody. There are a total of twenty-five tracks on the album and most are short and fast.

The instruments employed are the violin, played by Schwartz, the clarinet and horns. The beat is so danceable that you forget there's no percussion. That's traditional, because back in the old country, if the klezmorim had any percussion at all it was just a bass drum.

For you Yiddish speakers, The Klezmer King is not all instrumental. There are tracks that start with lively shouts as well as straight singing pieces like Mameniu Liubeniu or the satirical Hurra Far Unzerheld Levine.

Then there's Die Bolbriker Chasseneh, which has Schwartz introducing a bride and groom in between slow music. He raises his voice, half speaking and half singing in rapid-fire Yiddish. Then he gasps out that the couple is now officially married and the band breaks into fast, bouncy jamming. Close your eyes and you can imagine you're one of the guests. That goes for most of the tunes here.

If you didn't know the difference between a bulgar and freilach and nigun before, you better start learning. Abe Schwartz taught long of young folks about what it takes to be a king of klezmer. Companion CDs of Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers are available from Legacy Recordings.

Time warp.......2002-08-11

Listening to the 25 old but timeless cuts on this set of remastered Yiddish greats provides many layers of enjoyment. In hearing these long-forgotten tunes, one enjoys clarinet and violin strains influenced by ancient melodies and traditions. And some will recognize varied renditions of old favorites. The 6th cut, for example, Dovid'l Bazetzt die Kalleh, is engrained into my memory from Jewish Music, a Benedict Silberman recording, circa 1955, of Yiddish orchestrations.

The music is all decidedly Eastern European. The Roumanian Doina, for example, played by Abe Schwartz (violin) and his daughter, strongly resembles the brilliant Rom music generated by the same region.

No wonder. Born in Bucharest, Romania, Abe Schwartz (1881-1963) emigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1899 and became the most influential composer, fiddler and bandleader to shape and define modern U.S. klezmer groups. He arrived in the musical establishment via an acquaintance from small jobs with David Nodiff, a part-time composer and so-called A&R (for artist and repertoire) man for Columbia Records, who helped bring klezmer and other ethnic musicians to record companies. Nodiff hired Schwartz in 1917 to find new Jewish talent and head up instrumental recording sessions.

This recording provides some of the time and style progression of Yiddish American music from 1917, when Schwartz recorded Russian Scissors for Columbia with the Oriental Orchestra. In 1927, he recorded the same tune again as Russishe Shehr, in a brassier rendition played by his own orchestra. Still a later 1935 version can be heard in Russian Sher National Dance, the 22nd cut, recorded with the Orkestr Novinka. (And that is the most recent recording here.) The musical and stylistic progressions from 1917 and 1918 through 1935 are admirably explained in an accompanying 8-page pamphlet.

This is not the jazzy stuff many will remember from the 1940s and 1950s. It came before the Barry Sisters, before Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras. Abe Schwartz was their mentor.

Tracks:

Over The Hills And Far Away
Sleigh Ride
Brigg Fair - An English Rapsody
Florida Suite: Daybreak, Dance
Florida Suite: By The River
Florida Suite: Sunset, Near The Plantation
Florida Suite: At Night
Marche Caprice

Tracks:

Dance Rhapsody No. 2
Summer Evening
Two Peices For Small Orchestra: No. 1: On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring
Two Peices For Small Orchestra: No. 2: Summer Night On The River
A Song Before Sunrise
Fennimore And Gerda - Intermezzo
Irmelin Prelude
Songs Of Sunset

Amazon.com

Sir Thomas Beecham enjoyed a career-long association with the music of Delius. As Grieg provided the encouragement to Delius to keep composing, Delius in turn helped Beecham choose conducting as his path. In return, Beecham championed the composer's music as no other interpreter has or ever will. There is a delicacy in these sunny accounts, a lightness of touch and of texture that sets them apart. While one encounters occasional out-of-tune notes as well as ensemble problems in the playing by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the spirit of Sir Thomas easily carries the day. The performances were captured in good early EMI stereo, which, while it comes with some tape hiss, is eminently listenable and has a wonderful presence. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

landmark Delius recordings by his greatest conductor.......2006-12-09

Here you've got probably the most essential set of Delius recordings ever made. Thomas Beecham, the composer's ardent champion of many decades, made the most of this opportunity to record (and re-record) many key works in stereo. The playing of his Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is exemplary, with some gorgeous woodwind soloing.

Delius is an elusive but highly original composer with a rhapsodic style; an acquired taste, he can definitely grow on one with repeated listenings. A kind of English impressionist (born the same year as Debussy), he was also a major inspiration to Duke Ellington. Here you'll find some of the finest short tone poems ever composed, such as "Summer Evening," "On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring," "Summer Night on the River," and "A Song before Sunset"--all gloriously poetic evocations of the natural world and presented here in definitive interpretations. The early four-movement "Florida Suite" is another favorite, and it's recorded here, as are several other works, in Beecham's own editions.

The highlight, however, is the final and longest piece on this set, "Songs of Sunset," a choral work with baritone and contralto soloists that sets passages by Ernest Dowson (a short-lived and largely forgotten nineteenth-century English poet who contributed several immortal phrases to the language, including "days of wine and roses" and "gone with the wind"). Australian baritone John Cameron is wonderful with his rich, mahogany voice, and Canadian contralto Maureen Forrester is simply transcendent, as she is also in the classic Bruno Walter recording of Mahler's 2nd. The passage "and dream we shall lie,/ Red mouth to mouth, entwined" is ecstatic--pure aural magic.

As an introduction to Delius's music, this can't be topped. And for the true Delian, it's desert island material.

A composer for a conductor!.......2006-12-03

Delius was an eminent landscape painter musician if I may; he might be catalogued as late Impressionist. Temperament and lyric refinement are basically the most relevant features of his artistic profile.

To my mind there just have been three eminent conductors who have been able to capture with all fervor and slender elegance the magic of his compositions: Thomas Beecham, John Barbirolli and Anthony Collins.

The eulogizing devotion of Beecham to play the most of his compositions is worthy to admire, and in this sense he must be considered as the most genuine herald, pioneer and defender of his music, especially when Sir Edward Elgar seemed to cover practically all the spectral universe in the early decades of the XX Century.

Don't miss this album that will always keep for us the minim facets of that illuminated and talented composer.

A gramophone classic.......2000-05-29

This set has the power to bring back a sense of wonder to even the most jaded of today's listeners. Something of the magic of the early stereo era is conveyed. If the LP equivalents sounded half as good as this, they must have been some kind of landmark in the history of recording. I would love to have been there to experience the sense of revelation that these recordings brought to their first listeners.

Beecham was and is the undisputed master of this music. Following along with the score of "Brigg Fair", "A Dance Rhapsody" and "Two Pieces for Small Orchestra" as I listen to Beecham conduct them, I fully appreciate how complete Beecham's seduction of his players was. There is no feeling that an interpreter is imposing his will but rather of complete identification with the spirit of the music, a sense of fantasy and, again, wonder. It's as if Delius is speaking directly to us and surely that is the mark of a great performance!

Hard to top Beecham conducting Delius.......2000-05-26

Want to check out Delius? Start here. Ah, the days when conductors like Sir Thomas Beecham roamed the earth... Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Delius Orchestral Works
Beecham's Autumnal Delius

Delius: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Delius: Orchestral Works
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ASIN: B00005AVMK
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

Brigg Fair - An English Rhap
Dance Rhap No.2
Two Pieces: I. On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring
Two Pieces: II. Summer Night On The River
A Song Before Sunrise
Intermezzo (Fennimore And Gerda)
Irmelin Prld
Sleighride
Summer Evening
Florida Ste: I. Daybreak - Dance

Customer Reviews:

Delius Orchestral Works.......2005-08-28

Lackluster performance. Poorly engineered, need to constantly adjust volume to listen to music.

Beecham's Autumnal Delius.......2002-03-31

With no composer was Sir Thomas Beecham more closely associated than with Frederick Delius: Beecham made his first 78RPM documentation of Delius in the middle 1920s just after the invention of the electrical process; he recorded Delius throughout the period of electrical stylus engraving, continued to do so in the "hi-fi" years of the monophonic long-playing record, and made what were probably the first stereo recordings of Delius in the late 1950s and early 1960s, for EMI. The EMI stereo recordings have rarely, if ever, been out of the catalogue. They appeared initially in the United States in the late 1960s on the Seraphim label, on two LPs. EMI reissued them as a two-CD boxed set in the middle 1980s, and the current, semi-budget edition compiles the best of the older two-CD anthology, reworking the balances just a bit, and making them available at a lower price than previously. The highlight of the program is the wonderful, autumnal performance of "Brigg Fair: An English Rhapsody," a work that Beecham committed to platters three times (in 1928, 1947, and, as here, in 1958). While the music of Delius does not absolutely demand stereo, it certainly benefits from it; the subtleties of orchestral color, the impression of depth so important to an evocation of landscape, the related representation of distance (as noted by Christopher Palmer in his study of the composer) - all of these become more vivid, and more vitally contribute to the living whole, in stereo. Let it be said that however accomplished conductors of later generations have been in their dedication to Delius, none has ever surpassed Beecham: the gentle rocking of the flute and harp in the opening bars of "Brigg Fair" sounds like the rolling countryside itself in warm pastels; the peroration in brass toward the end of the same work blazes for a moment before the music subsides back into its original quietness. The timing (15.51) is comparable with that of Beecham's pioneering 1928 performance (available on Naxos) and shows that the lambent atmosphere is not dependent on a retardation of the pace. The two "sketches," "On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring" and "Summer Night on the River," here receive their definitive recordings. (Only Barbirolli, also on EMI, comes close.) Beecham brings to life the two other miniatures, "A Song before Sunrise" and "Summer Evening," with the same deft magic; in the less characteristic "Dance Rhapsody No. 2" he knows how to mark the rhythms and does a more effective job than Eric Fenby did on a now deleted Unicorn CD. This is a splendid CD for those curious about Delius who might want an introduction to the autumnal realm. I can detect little difference in sound between this disc and its previous CD re-mastering for the boxed set. The original recordings represented the state of the art for their time and have always sounded as warm as Sir Thomas must have intended them to be.

Average customer rating:

Look! Now It's Overhead!

Dark Light Daybreak
Now It's Overhead
Manufacturer: Saddle Creek
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000H8SF98
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

Let The Sirens Rest
Estranged
Walls
Believe What They Decide
Night Vision
Type A
Dark Light Daybreak
Meaning To Say
Let Up
Nothing In Our Way

Album Description

Now It's Overheard has more than once evoked the term "dreamy". This record is no exception; it's awash in the band's signature moody layers and wall of guitar. But if the previous two records were dreamlike, "Dark Light Daybreak" is more akin to waking up. Songs range from stark to symphonic, buoyant to tragic. The range of drumming and the variations of vocals shine through, adding to each song the expertise of musicians who stand back, listen, then bring exactly what needs to be there. This record runs the songwriting gamut, leaving not a moment to be missed.

Customer Reviews:

Look! Now It's Overhead!.......2007-06-23

Bright Eyes' label-mates seem fated for obscurity. Even as a fan, I had no idea this was out until it was two-months-old. I never saw a print review, or heard a note of it on the radio. Nope, not even the local college station. But 'Dark Light Daybreak' makes it plain that obscurity is undeserved.

The wistful psychedelia is in full flower on 'Daybreak', with its opener, "Let the Sirens Rest", "Night Vision" and "Meaning To Say" being the best examples. The latter is especially good, its gentle sway ending much too soon.

But 'Daybreak' also has a newfound edge. The pounding "Walls" and the suitably-titled "Type A" are muscular and aggressive, while the forceful folk of "Let Up" marches like a Saharan sandstorm, it's minor key tuning and handclaps evoking (unintentional?)images of Arabia.

The sheer musicality of this Athens, Georgia quintet is remarkable. Their harmonies, melodies and musical detailing make this one of the richest releases of the past twelve months.

If I have a criticism, it's that too many of the songs end just as it seems they're finding their center. A band like Now It's Overhead seems built for five, six, even seven-minute epics. But the longest track on 'Daybreak' clocks in at four minutes and twelve seconds. Perhaps they want to leave room for in-concert exploration. Or maybe they want to avoid just the kind of jam-band mentality I'm advocating.

In a marketplace dominated by testoserone-addled hip-hop, precious pop princesses and flavor-of-the-month indie bands, one has to wonder whether there's a place for Now It's Overhead.

One can only hope.

Average customer rating:

Whiplash

Manufacturer: Klavier
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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La Bamba - The O-Zone Percussion Group

ASIN: B00005JA7R
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Tracks:

Marimba Conc: Song Of The Termite People - Patrick Mulgrew
Marimba Conc: Passacaglia And Solilquy - Chad Heiny
Marimba Conc: Round Dance - Mark Surovchak
Bourree - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead
Daybreak - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead
La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead
Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II: Prld No.22 in b-flat - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead
Rainbow Ripples - Brian Tychinski
The Graceful Ghost - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead
Log Cabin Blues - Marc Nelson
The Whislter - Greg Alico
Root Beer Rag - Jeff Senley
Whiplash - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead
Con - The O-Zone Percussion Group/Gary Olmstead/IUP Wind Ens/Jack Stamp

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