Le Chemin [Import]

Product Description
2003 Release Multiplatinum from French Rock Band.

Le Chemin,KYO,Bmg Int'l,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Dance-Pop,French Rock,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop,World Music

Average customer rating: Valuable compendium Rareties available on CD at last! Heavenly WHO ELSE CAN SING LIKE THIS TODAY?

The Art of Joan Sutherland Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Arne | Arne, Thomas Augustin | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Meyerbeer | Meyerbeer, Giacomo | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Paisiello | Paisiello, Giovanni | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Piccinni, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Thomas | Thomas, Ambroise | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Academy of Ancient Music | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Sutherland, Dame Joan | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Joan Sutherland: BBC-Recitals 1958, 1960, 1961 The Art of the Prima Donna Serate Musicali The Voice of the Century La Stupenda ~ The Supreme Voice of Joan Sutherland ASIN: B000654OUQ Release Date: 2005-03-15

Customer Reviews:

Valuable compendium.......2007-01-24

This set is extremely valuable, not only as an overview of Dame Joans career but because it contains three complete LP sets that have been very hard to find. The sets are the 2 LP French opera (operetta) set, the Mozart album and the Wagner album. Although some of these do not show her to her best advantage (the Wagner set) they all have some very beautiful things and the French items are superb. The annotations and photos are interesting as well and there are some piano songs with Bonynge that are released here for the first time along with a scene from a live Covent Garden Norma.

Rareties available on CD at last!.......2006-03-29

While Joan Sutherland has recorded a number of impressive aria collections throughout the many years of her recording career, they tend to get lost in the shuffle of the countless reissues Decca/London has endlessly repackaged. While some of the original collections have appeared intact on CD--"The Art of the Prima Donna," "The Age of Bel Canto," "Love Live Forever" (her operetta collection that was originally titled "The Golden Age of Operetta"), to name a few--others are currently represented in the CD catalogue by only a few selections on discs that also include excerpts from complete opera recordings or duplicates of selections from other original collections. As a result, it has been impossible to assemble a CD collection of her recordings without a LOT of duplication, and some of the most interesting collections are still unavailable (e.g. "Command Performance" and "Serate Musicale").

While this newest set does include a lot of bits of this and that, ranging from her very first LPs to excerpts from complete recordings most Sutherland fans already have and a few "live" performances, what is perhaps most significant about it is that it features the complete contents of the "Sutherland Sings Wagner" LP--a real repertoire departure for her--and the double-LP album called "French Opera Gala" (in the U.S.--the British title was "Romantic French Arias"), neither of which, to the best of my knowledge, has been available on CD before. "Opera News" magazine once ran an article in which they asked various stars to name the one album that they felt best represented their artistry for future generations, and Dame Joan selected the "French Opera Gala," so for Sutherland fans, this is a long-awaited treat.

I'm not going to waste space saying how miraculous I consider Dame Joan's artistry. If you are familiar with her work already, you know whether you adore her or not; and if you aren't, this massive set is probably not the best place to start (that would be "The Art of the Prima Donna" album that introduced her to most listeners decades ago)--especially since this newest set doesn't contain the lyrics, a must for newcomers. Let's hope Decca/London gets around to releasing the rest of her recordings intact instead of endlessly scrambling and repackaging the same selections over and over.

Heavenly.......2006-01-31

I first heard of Dame Sutherland while on the internet while listening to a internet radio station. I was instantly a fan, her control, technique, and tone is perfectly executed and rivals the equally fantastic Maria Callas. She has a powerful voice and presence that will evoke every emotion from her listeners. Highly recommended to all Opera Diva fans.

WHO ELSE CAN SING LIKE THIS TODAY?.......2005-04-10

This is Decca's second multi disc evaluation of this fantastic singer's long career and many recordings. True that a lot on the first set is duplicated here, but there are a few exceptions here and there that make it a worthy addition. Of particular interest are the very early items of Handel and Italian baroque arias, some forgotten song recordings and a live performance of the duet from Norma. It can't be said too many times - who can sing like this today? For sheer vocalism it's hard to find anyone on the same wavelength. This set will give very young opera goers an idea of what they missed.

Average customer rating: Awesome! Really good

Le Chemin/300 Lesions ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: KYO Kyo ASIN: B000GQLBII Release Date: 2006-10-31

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!.......2007-06-21

This package is just amazing.. Kyo is a great french pop/rock group!! This are the two best albuns form them AND cost less than buying them seperately!! ;)
See also the album KYO, their first one.

OO

Really good.......2007-05-31

these were two really good cds and cost less than buying them seperately!

Average customer rating: The artistry and allure of a French nightingale High note feast :) Simply beautiful high notes Mady Mesplé's wonderful album A glorious bit of memorabilia from a sadly forgotten soprano

The Very Best of Mady Mesplé Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Poulenc | Poulenc, Francis | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Satie | Satie, Erik | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Thomas | Thomas, Ambroise | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Airs D'opérettes Very Best of Natalie Dessay - French Opera Arias The Very Best of Kirsten Flagstad The Very Best of Lucia Popp ASIN: B0006VYELY Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

1. Ah!...Ou Va La Jeune Hindoue?
2. Ah! Je Veux Vivre
3. Oui! Pour Ce Soir...Je Suis Titania La Blonde (Polonaise)
4. Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille
5. A Vos Jeux...Partagez-vous Mes Fleurs...Et Maintenant, Ecoutez Ma Chanson!
6. Una Voce Poco Fa
7. Ah! Non Credea Mirarti...Ah! Non Giunge
8. Di Piacer Mi Balza Il Cor
9. Gualtier Malde...Caro Nome
10. Il Dolce Suono...Ardon Gl'Incensi...Spargi D'Amaro Pianto

Tracks:

1. Quartet No.2 For Soprano, Violin, Viola, & Cello
2. In Furore Giustissimae Irae
3. I. La Dame D'Andre - Gabriel Tacchino
4. II. Dans L'Herbe - Gabriel Tacchino
5. III. Il Vole - Gabriel Tacchino
6. IV. Mon Cadavre Est Doux Comme Un Gant - Gabriel Tacchino
7. VI. Fleurs - Gabriel Tacchino
8. Les Chemins De L'Amour Op.106 (Anouilh) - Gabriel Tacchino
9. A Chloris (Viau) - Dalton Baldwin
10. Si Mes Vers Avaient Des Ailes (Hugo) - Dalton Baldwin
11. L'Heure Exquise (Chanson Grises, Verlaine) - Dalton Baldwin
12. Le Chapelier (Chalupt)
13. Dapheneo (Godebska)
14. La Diva De L'Empire (Intermezzo Americain) (Bonnaud & Bles)
15. Ecoutez, C'est Le Chant Des Cigales
16. Au Bord Du Chemin Qui Passa A Ma Porte
17. La Bergere Colinette (Villanelle)
18. Tout Est Soleil, Tout Est Printemps

Album Description

Details TBA. EMI. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

The artistry and allure of a French nightingale.......2007-06-03

This is one of the rare cases when the title of a CD matches completely its content. The Very Best of Mady Mesplé showcases the amazing talent and legacy of the beautiful lady that was the star coloratura soprano of the Paris Opera during the second part of the twentieth century. The first CD is dedicated to opera arias, and only a hearing of the first number, The Bell Song from Delibes' Lakmé, gives us a summary of what makes Mesplé so special. There is hardly a more musical or virtuosic version than the one presented here (from her complete recording of the opera). The legend is presented by the soprano with engaging interest and great attention to the words. The bell refrains are amazingly fast, with diminutive stacatti, a great trill and ravishing high notes. The final cadenza is very exciting, ending with a firm, beautiful high E that soars triumphally over the orchestra. All these qualities are present when she is singing Juliette, Philine, Ophélie and Olympia. Particularly on this last aria she conveys in her voice the illusion of hearing an automaton instead of human being and there is no ornamentation except on an interpolated high Eflat at the end. It is remarkable how Mesplé always is musical with her ornamentation. The Italian arias that end the first Cd are very pretty, even though they are not as successful, given the distinctive sound of the soprano, more in her element with the nuances of her native language than the legato singing that is proper to the belcanto style. However, the arias are still lovely, specially Una voce poco fa, where Mesplé showcases not only her high register but also the lower part of her voice by singing the first part of "Io sono docile" exactly the way it is written. CD number 2 takes the listener to a totally different aspect of Mady Mesplé's artistry with incursions into contemporary music, a Baroque cantata, French art song and French operetta. The Quartet no.2, for soprano, violin, viola and cello is a very demanding piece where the soprano becomes another instrument: dissonant and difficult intervals are required in all the registers of the voice. The soprano succeeds on this as well as the motet by Vivaldi, a totally different number of equal difficulty. A great part of the CD is then dedicated to songs by Poulenc, Hahn and Satie, where the singer perfectly conveys the mélodie style with her very distinctive sound, that can convey all degrees of emotion, from innocence to worldliness. Specially remarkable are Poulenc's Le chemin de l'amour, Hahn's Si mes vers avait des ailes and Satie' La diva de l'empire. The final part of the CD is dedicated to French operetta arias, a very important part of Mesplés discography. All the selections are a delight. It is worth noticing that she recorded the virtousic aria from Massé's Les noces de Jeanette in 1981, in the later part of her career and there is no difference in the sound and technique from Mesplé's debut recordings. The CD ends in a high note (literally and metaphorically) with a delightful waltz by Johann Strauss where she ends with a stunning Aflat over high C. In summary, this is a superb presentation of the career of Mady Mesplé, a singer who was not only one of the most stunning coloraturas of all time, but also a gifted and versatile artist.

High note feast :).......2006-10-02

I love this set. Her voice is similar to that of Pons, but this is in clear stereo sound! And her highest notes don't sound like whistle tones! The Bell song won me over; Sutherland is still my favorite singer, but she did not have the acuti of Mesple. Very good listening here.It is all so effortless - that final note on CD 2 (A-flat above high c''') is astonishing!

Simply beautiful high notes.......2006-08-14

I feel ashamed of myself. Really. For all the years I have been listening to pons and sutherland and callas and the more recent dessay and jo, I never really paid attention to Mady Mesple. I really wished I had. Her voice is so pure and bell-like similar to Pons but with a much richer middle range and with the most impressive solid low range I have heard on a coloratura sopranos. It is a tragedy that she was over shadowed by the coloratura powerhouse which is Joan Sutherland. Her high notes are to die for and really it would hard to find anyone who can hit them like her. She may not have Pons agility but the lightness and tone of her high e flat can certainly go head to head with pon's and may possibly be a tiny step above pon's which up until this point didn't think was possible.

Mady Mesplé's wonderful album.......2005-08-30

I felt a sense of awe listening to Mady Mesplé's voice. Of the two CD set, I much prefered CD #1 as #2 was a bit too modern for me. #1 has many of my favorite soprano arias, and Mlle. Mesplé did them all justice.

A glorious bit of memorabilia from a sadly forgotten soprano.......2005-05-10

Mady Mesple is one of the best kept secrets of the music industry today. Of course, when you're singing around the same time as Joan Sutherland you're rather likely to be overshadowed. Still, Mesple offers a wealth of musical goods that even Sutherland never could have given. Not only is her coloratura technique virtually flawless, she (gasp)inflects every word she sings with great sensitivity to the text, never losing grasp of the character she is striving to portray. Of course, she does have a rather controvertial aspect to her voice that many listeners may object to, As a classic french coloratura, her vibrato is VERY fast, fluttering tremulously at all times but never getting in the way of her pitch. Still, her high notes are exceptional (the second CD ends with a glorious high A flat) and the fresh, girlish beauty of her tone is unsurpassed even today (my apologies to Natalie Dessay). Be sure not to miss her Bell Song, by FAR the best I have ever heard! Her voice has a crystaline quality that is PERFECT for that particular aria. Her Doll Song is rather weak, but her mad scene from Hamlet MORE than makes up for it (can we say eight seconds of beautiful high F harp?!!). The second CD offers Mady in a more matura phase of her life, singing sensuously in more traditional art songs before going on to challenging operetta arias. And you won't want to miss the violin, viola, cello, soprano quartet that opens the CD!!! Let's just say you're in for a surprise... this CD is a must-have!

Average customer rating:

Marcel Dupré: Le Chemin de la Croix [Hybrid SACD] Manufacturer: Cpo Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dupré, Marcel | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0007ORDR2 Release Date: 2005-03-22

Average customer rating: Disappointing

Fauré - The Complete Songs, Vol. 4 ~ Dans un parfum de roses Jean-Paul Fouchécourt , Felicity Lott , Gabriel Fauré , Graham Johnson , Stephen Varcoe , Geraldine McGreevy , and Jennifer Smith Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gabriel Fauré: The Complete Songs, Vol. 3 Fauré: The Complete Songs, Vol. 2: Un paysage choisi Faure: Complete Songs 1 - Au bord de l'eau The Songs of Henri Duparc The Songs of Chausson / Lott · Murray · McGreevy · Trakas · Chilingirian Quartet · G. Johnson ASIN: B000BJ7BMA Release Date: 2005-12-13

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2006-08-10

Faure's songs are exquisite. Unfortunately, this album does not show them in the best light. Three of the five singers - Felicity Lott, Stephen Varcoe and Jennifer Smith - are closer to sixty than fifty, and they sound it. Geraldine McGreevy and Jean-Paul Fouchecourt provide a mere nine (out of 28) tracks of compensation, but nearly 24 minutes of Jennifer Smith wavering through La chanson d'Eve is almost too much.
Buy this if you have the other three, just to complete the set.

Average customer rating:

Le Chemin Jessica Fichot Manufacturer: Jessica Fichot ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Hey Eugene! Nightmoves The Story The Reminder Back to Black ASIN: B000OZ2D42 Release Date: 2007-03-15

Tracks:

1. Le Grenier
2. 1,2,3
3. Le Velours et la Soie
4. Si...
5. Los Peces en el Río
6. I Will Wait for You
7. Je Sais Qu'Tu M'aimes
8. Dream / les Yeux Ouverts
9. Le Chemin

Product Description

Chanteuse and songwriter Jessica Fichot is a lot like her hometown of Paris: French at heart, but with a soul that s truly international. Her multi-ethnic French / Chinese / American upbringing colors the songs on her debut album. It's called "Le Chemin", "The Path", and for good reason: Jessica takes the listener on a twisting journey out of the French chanson tradition, into the lands of gypsy jazz, Chinese and Latin American folk music, through the classic American repertoire, and off into the wilderness of her imagination. Born in the U.S. to a French father and a Chinese mother, Jessica was raised in France in a multicultural environment. A youth spent playing music in Parisian coffeehouses and concert halls led her first to graduate from the School of Audio Engineering in Paris and then from Berklee College of Music in Boston. School was followed by a stint writing children s music for educational programs - her work includes over a hundred songs published in over a dozen countries - and later, for television. When Jessica moved to California, she began writing the songs that would eventually form the backbone of her new album. The album s center lies with her sophisticated writing and arrangements, her pure, beautiful vocal work - sung mostly in French and English, along with some Chinese and Spanish - and her piano and accordion playing. She also enlisted over 20 musicians to give each of her songs just the right mood...sometimes intimate, sometimes epic. Jessica Fichot is also bringing the songs of Le Chemin to audiences everywhere, backed by an amazing quartet of clarinet/sax/flute, upright bass, guitar, and drums. Jessica s live act is a great way to see a new side of her debut album.

Average customer rating: 5 stars for the championship of Alkan (No title).

Charles Alkan: Etudes, Opp. 12 & 76; Le preux; Le chemin de fer Manufacturer: Marco Polo ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000045ZR Release Date: 1993-10-05

Tracks:

1. Trois Etudes De Bravoure, Op.12: Prestissimo
2. Trois Etudes De Bravoure, Op.12: Allegretto
3. Trois Etudes De Bravoure, Op.12: Allegro Marziale
4. Le Preux (Etude De Concert), Op.17
5. Le Chemin De Fer, Op.27
6. Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76: Main Gauche
7. Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76: Main Droite
8. Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76: Mains Reunis

Customer Reviews:

5 stars for the championship of Alkan.......2006-10-26

Normally I would be a little more reserved in my star-voting for classical music CD's. For its music, I would rate this CD 4 stars. However, for its pianist and its intention, I just cannot rate this CD below 5 stars. Laurent Martin plays Alkan so well and he records here some rarities of the rarest kind. I agree somewhat with the previous reviewer that this CD does not offer the best picture of Alkan. True appreciation comes from the Hyperion label CD's that encompass the Symphony for Solo Piano, the Op. 15, Grande Sonate, Sonatine, and other miniatures from the indomitable Marc-Andre Hamelin. However, the Naxos and Marco Polo label have also shared in the glory of reviving the great Alkan. The Naxos label, in particular, has recorded a stellar Op. 35 etudes and the esquisses. Marco Polo went even further with some very rare gems, even the Op. 31 preludes. All of this might not make much sense to those unfamiliar with Charles-Valentin Alkan. But to those who have had their taste in his music and thirst for more, this CD can quench that thirst. It contains surely some world premiere recordings and a superlative rendition of the colossal Op. 76, or "Trois grandes etudes."

The Op. 12 is a peculiar exploration into virtuosic etudes. A set of three, it has some unique fireworks and some catchy sparkles. As etudes they are actually a little above average. The first, the Prestissimo, essentially repeats a catchy scherzo-dance melody and contrasts it with some brilliant embellished chords. It's not outstanding and may be considered a mediocre work, but at 2 minutes it's enough to entertain the Alkan enthusiast. The next etude, the Allegretto, is of higher caliber. The rich melody and Chopinesque rhythm is aurally attractive and Alkan reaches a very different mood from the previous bravura piece. It's still a piece with some forte and fanfare, but it has that Alkan touch which makes it more interesting and more along the compositional qualities of Chopin. The last of this three etude set is a bizarre Allegro marziale. The main theme is so deceiving in its bombastic simplicity, but Alkan makes the almost childish tune wholly engaging. It has occasional gentler moments of serenity, but before the piece ends, Alkan achieves a breathtaking transformation with exhilirating virtuosity; the whirlwinds of orchestral brilliance would later lead to some masterful pianistic achievements that place him along the sides of Godowsky and Liszt.

The "Le preux" (The Valiant Knight) Op. 17 is a long excursion (7:39 minutes) into some alien melodies. Although these melodies are not that fascinating, the flickering tremolos that sustain the harmony are most intriguing and somehow lend to its appeal as an enjoyable piece. There is also a "heroic" theme that is embellished (tastefully) later on and I think it's more proof of Alkan's budding talent (and soon to be genius). It takes multiple hearings to hear this, but any Alkan lover should be happy to have this recorded. Each and every one of Alkan's works deserves at least one recording in the music world.

The "Le chemin de fer" (The Railway) Op. 27 is something I've already heard on the Naxos label, but to reiterate here, it's one of Alkan's most effective programme pieces. As you listen, you can follow along with a train's journey, hear its whistles and picture the wheels chugging forth. The sound effects are amazing and can easily match Debussy's skill. But Alkan's exceptional ability is bringing out a wild and sonorous display of fire and energy, which he uses to augment the train theme and transform it into a rapturous and hair-tingling bravura moment. Listen to the last 20 seconds of the piece and you can visualize the train pulling safely into the station. It's quite original and groundbreaking in its design.

As the final and obvious highlight to the CD, Laurent Martin tries his hand (literally his left and right hand) at the Op. 76 etudes. The first, "main gauche" (left hand), is a phenomenal work of exquisite beauty and unfathomable virtuosity. I couldn't play the work with 10 hands and Alkan writes it for one hand. Despite this "limitation" of the hand, it sounds deep, full, and gorgeous. Dramatic and powerful, poignant and hymn-like: these are just some of the words that pop into my mind. At 9 minutes, I think my left hand would be crippled forever; Martin never loses steam and gives it a more thoughtful interpretation than Hamelin. The "main droite" (right hand) is the mindboggling sibling to the previous etude. At nearly 16 minutes, this calm, tranquil and pensive piece requires some concentration to fully be engrossed and understood. I had trouble for a while; it wouldn't sink in at first. Eventually it grew on me, but it's not easy to "get." Now, the last "mains reunis" (hands reunited) is a pianistic hurricane. I didn't know fingers could move this fast before hearing the piece. And to spite the technical supremacy and incomprehensible virtuosity, the harmonies, modulations, and enervating music is of the best quality. I must say that Hamelin's execution is the most powerful I've heard, but Martin doesn't drag too far behind. His dynamics are actually more meticulous than Hamelin's and I actually like this interpretation better.

Bottom line: This is not a disc that would satisfy the casual listener. The music doesn't have the potential to appeal to everyone. For the Alkan beginner, this is not recommended: this is strictly for the Alkan lover or pianophile. And even though that may mean this CD doesn't reach too many homes, it still deserves 5 stars for what it is: rarely recorded pieces from the underrated master, Alkan.

(No title)........2000-12-15

Laurent Martin's performances are commendable, but the recorded sound is very thin and weak. A lot of the content does not serve as the best picture of Alkan, it can be called undistinguished and unmemorable, but there two selections make this disc quite a useful collection. La Chemin De Fer, a musical representation of a railway journey, is an incredibly taxing piece for the pianist and an absolute delight for the audience. Martin swathes and swathes through the merciless demands very admirable. Trois grandes etudes is a momumental piece; the firs tmovement is written for the left hand, the second for the right hand, and the third for both hands united. Although marginally cut, and not as blistering as Smith, or mind-numbingly accurate as Hamelin, Martin's is a very expressive, poised, and strongly projected performance.

Average customer rating: Le Chemin Awesome! If you're looking for good current Frnech music, this is it! Un album magnifique! JUST GREAT

Le Chemin Kyo ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B00007L1JI Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

1. Le Chemin
2. Je Cours
3. Derniere Danse
4. Tout Envoyer En L'air
5. Chaque Seconde
6. Comment Te Dire
7. Je Saigne Encore
8. Je Te Vends Mon Ame
9. Pardonne
10. Sur Nos Levres
11. Tout Reste A Faire

Album Description

2002 album from the French alternative rock act compared to Placebo, Indo-China, David Hallyday, & Pascal Obispo. One of France's best-selling albums of the year. 11 tracks. Zomba/BMG.

Customer Reviews:

Le Chemin.......2004-12-10

This is a wonderful CD. My friend in France sent me a mixed CD of all the popular bands last year-and this band was on there twice. While in France I tried to purchase this CD-but I ran out of money by the time I found it lol. Although their old stuff is good-I find Le Chemin a much better choice-especially for the more alternative type of music that is popular in the States today. I believe Le Chemin has more of a rock/alternative sound than their self-titled debut CD-with some songs reminding me of early N'Sync compositions.

Awesome!.......2004-08-15

I friend of mine in France suggested this album to me, and I immediately fell in love with "Je Saigne Encore". A bit darker than their usual stuff, but it was so different than most of the French music I had heard thus far. It's still my favourite song by the band, though "Tout Envoyer En L'Air" is a very close second.
Aside from the catchy music, I really like how clear the lyrics are...no mumbling or slurring throughout the songs. Someone learning French or trying to brush up can easily follow along. It's also a great way to begin an international CD collection.

If you're looking for good current Frnech music, this is it!.......2004-07-03

When I was in France last summer, a friend and I stopped in FNAC to get our hands on some French CDs. Due to time restraints we didn't have time to sample all the CDS we would have liked so we went to the best sellers rack and listened to those there that looked appealing. This was on of our purchases and by far the best purchase I think I made while in France. The music is really catchy and if you can understand most of it with your basic high school French vocabulary. The first track Le Chemin is one of the best songs I've ever heard, in any language. Other personal favorites are Derniere Danse and Chaque Seconde, but really the whole CD is very good and very catchy. Defintely worth the import price.

Un album magnifique!.......2004-01-10

I lived in France for 6 months, and while I was there "Le Chemin" was getting a lot of play. It was such a great song to sing along to; it was one that my boyfriend and I would sing to each other, as it was the only French song at the time that I could understand enough of the words of to sing along with. "Dernière Danse", as their next single, also became very popular and it remains my absolute favorite on this album.

Kyo came to Grenoble, where I was based, and gave a free concert. They were fabulous, and I immediately went out the next day to FNAC and bought their album. Everyone should go out and buy their album. It's one that you must play over and over, because the songs stick in your head and you constantly sing them to yourself (or in my case, out loud.)

As mentioned, "Dernière Danse" and "Le Chemin" were definately my favorite songs, though some of it may have been due to all the exposure they received on the radio. However, all the songs on the album are fantastique, especially "Tout Envoyer en l'Air" and "Je Saigne Encore."

Kyo isn't the most talented band I have ever heard in my life. But they are one of the best bands I have ever heard in my life. Je promis, you will not regret buying this album.

JUST GREAT.......2004-01-09

i think this band has so much talent: deep lyrics and wonderful rithm. i live in belgium, so i can buy the cd anywhere, but if u can't, just buy it with CDnow... it really worth it. it's not the tipic nasty and grosse rock band... they really send a message, deep message... and they should be known in the whole world man.

Average customer rating:

Dupré: Complete Organ Works, Vol. 10 Manufacturer: Guild ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dupré, Marcel | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000055WNW Release Date: 2005-01-17

Average customer rating: Master of la mélodie

Fauré, Dupare: Mélodies Manufacturer: Nimbus Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Fauré, Debussy: Mélodies ASIN: B0002NYNXA Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

1. Lydia
2. Au Bord De L'eau
3. Apres Un Reve
4. Nell
5. Automne
6. Aurore
7. Les Roses D'Ispahan
8. Les Presents
9. Clair De Lune
10. Spleen
11. I. Mandoline
12. II. En Sourdine
13. III. Green
14. IV. A Clymene
15. V. C'est L'Extase
16. I. Une Sainte En Son Aureole
17. II. Puisque L'aube Grandit
18. III. La Lune Blanche Luit Dans Les Bois
19. IV. J'Allais Par Des Chemins Perfides
20. V. J'ai Presque Peur, En Verite
21. VI. Avant Que Tu Ne T'en Ailles
22. VII. Donc, Ce Sera Par Un Clair Jour D'ete
23. VIII. N'est-Ce-Pas?
24. IX. L'Hiver A Cesse

Tracks:

1. Prison Op.83 No.1
2. Soir Op.83 No.2
3. Le Parfum Imperissable Op.76 No.1
4. Le Plus Doux Chemin Op.87 No.1
5. I. Cygne Sur L'eau
6. II. Reflets Dans L'eau
7. III. Jardin Nocturne
8. IV. Danseuse
9. I. La Mer Est Infinie
10. II. Je Me Suis Embarque
11. III. Diane, Selene
12. IV. Vaisseaux, Nous Vous Aurons Aimes
13. Chanson Duparc
14. Soupir
15. L'Invitation Au Voyage
16. Elegie
17. Extase
18. Le Manoir De Rosemonde
19. Phidyle
20. Lamento

Album Description

Swiss tenor Hugues Cuenod had one of the most extraordinary careers in music, spanning more than 60 years. He made his debut at the Met as the Emperor in 'Turandot' at age 85, and his last public appearance was at a tribute in 2002 to honor his 100th birthday. A student of the legendary Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1920s, he participated in the first-ever recordings of the Monteverdi madrigals and later became one of the most esteemed interpreters of the French art song. These classic recordings are truly irreplaceable. Notes are in English and French.

Customer Reviews:

Master of la mélodie.......2006-11-25

This is an outstanding double-CD of some thirty songs from the length of Fauré's life and eight from the Duparc collection. I find Cuénod a perfect interpreter for this repertoire. His sound is so clear and focused and his diction so precise that any listener with some knowledge of French will find it relatively easy to understand the text. He also has a remarkable intensity and a flexibility in his style that give the music freedom and vitality. I've usually preferred this repertoire in Gérard Souzay's or Bernard Kruysen's baritone range, but this set could make me change my mind.

Cuénod recorded these songs in his late sixties, which is just phenomenal. He strains for his highest notes and his sound there is tighter, but his other qualities more than make up for those places. What a long and fruitful career this man has had, and in such a variety of styles and periods! I can also recommend his other recordings on Nimbus, especially his definitive interpretation of Satie's Socrate.

Both Martin Isepp and Geoffrey Parsons are sensitive partners who contribute a great deal to the performance. One of my favorite moments is Isepp's lively and rhythmic solo at the beginning of L'hiver a cessé.

This is a superb collection with a reasonable price tag. Bravo! Bis!

Rock Music:

1. Live in Concert [Live]
2. Lullaby
3. Maitreya: The Future Buddha
4. Mauna Kea: White Mountain Journal
5. Melancholishch Schoen [Import]
6. Morado Do Samba [Import]
7. Na Mele Henoheno, Vol. 2: Na Makahiki Mua-Helu Elua
8. No Frontiers
9. Obsession: New Flamenco Romance
10. Outa Sight [Enhanced] [Hybrid SACD]

Rock Music

rock music

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