Es Wird Morgen [Enhanced] [Import]

Product Description
2004 Studio Release from the German Duo.

Es Wird Morgen,2raumwohnung,BMG/It. Sounds,World Music

Average customer rating: This is just a review of the transfer and booklet A wiser Schwarzkopf in one of her best latter recordings HEAVENLY Schwarzkopf and Szell Team Up For An Incandescent Strauss Record A thing of beauty ...

Strauss: Four Last Songs/12 Orchestral Songs Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | 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 Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss, Richard | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth | ( S ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Schubert: 24 Lieder The Very Best of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Great Recordings Of The Century - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Sings Operetta / Ackermann Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier / Schwarzkopf · Ludwig · Karajan Great Recordings Of The Century - Janet Baker Sings Mahler / Barbirolli, et al ASIN: B00000GCAE Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

1. Four Last Songs, Op. Posth.: Fruhling
2. Four Last Songs, Op. Posth.: September
3. Four Last Songs, Op. Posth.: Beim Schlafengehem
4. Four Last Songs, Op. Posth.: Im Abendrot
5. 12 Songs: Mutterandelei, Op. 43, No. 2
6. 12 Songs: Waldseligkeit, Op. 49, No. 1
7. 12 Songs: Zueignung, Op. 10, No. 1
8. 12 Songs: Freundliche Vision, Op. 48, No. 1
9. 12 Songs: Die Heiligen Drei Konige, Op. 56, No. 6
10. 12 Songs: Rube, Meine Seele, Op. 27, No. 1
11. 12 Songs: Meinem Kinde, Op. 37, No. 3
12. 12 Songs: Wiegenlied, Op. 41, No. 1
13. 12 Songs: Morgen, Op. 27, No. 4
14. 12 Songs: Das Bachlein, Op. 88, No. 1
15. 12 Songs: Die Rosenbande, Op. 36, No. 1
16. 12 Songs: Winterweihe, Op. 48, No. 4

Amazon.com

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was one of those singers whom one either loves or hates. She was a "stylist," who inflected every phrase, every note in her urge to communicate what she considered to be the meaning of the text. Others feel that the only thing she communicated was her own need to impress people with her ability to communicate, and I believe she often forgot the difference between art and artfulness. Be that as it may, she was an outstanding Strauss singer, and her performance of the Four Last Songs, in particular, is legendary. Of course, having George Szell on the podium doesn't hurt either. He insures that the music shows the singer in the best possible light. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

This is just a review of the transfer and booklet.......2007-03-30

I have little to add to the excellent reviews here--I owned a previous transfer, and it was worth it to me to buy another, given its low cost at Amazon.

I think the transfer is excellent, removing a surprising amount of murk from a 1991 version (I think). In fact, I'm wondering if some distortion hasn't been removed as well, at least in the voice. As for Szell & his orchestras, their playing sounds fresher and lovelier than ever. Instrumental placement in the sound image seems more firm, and details are more clear.

As for the booklet, well, EMI is not one for documentation, and it should be ashamed of itself for wasting our time in the middle of the song texts with ads for their other recordings. However, yes, the texts for these songs are all there, and that is a minor miracle.

So yes, this is a no-brainer purchase. In my view, the improved sound quality does merit purchasing it if one's transfer is prior to 1997.

A wiser Schwarzkopf in one of her best latter recordings.......2006-11-04

One of the landmark opera albums of the 1960s', Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's recording of Strauss' "Four Last Songs"; and the twelve Lieder songs of Burger, Dehmel, Bierbaum and others, is beautifully-remastered here for compact disc.

Schwarzkopf was in her fifties when she recorded these works, and there is a lot to be said for the mature, knowing performance from a soprano voice of that age. It speaks of life's joys and heartaches, and a heart still longing for youthful romance. I seriously doubt that anyone will ever fully eclipse Elisabeth's sheer dramatic intensity in this recording. She transforms herself back into a young girl, yet still retains the dramatic use of her maturity.

This recording has been remastered using Abbey Road's Prism SNS system, which gives the recording a natural soundscape, free of annoying echo or reverb, allowing Schwarzkopf's voice to come forth with astonishing clarity. Simply, it's the best this recording has ever sounded. A bargain price too.

[EMI Classics 7243 5 66908 2 0]

HEAVENLY.......2006-09-14

The "Gramophone" magazine reviewer couldn't have put it better:- "a heavenly record, so beautiful that I find it goes against the grain to attempt to analyse it". A must-have for any self-respecting classical record collection.

Schwarzkopf and Szell Team Up For An Incandescent Strauss Record.......2006-09-09

Four decades later this remains one of the greatest recordings of this final, transcendent Richard Strauss masterpiece. Some have shown preference for the earlier Schwarzkopf sung, Otto Ackermann conducted EMI record. I can't imagine why someone would want that mono recording over this gorgeous stereo version. Schwarzkopf here is just as radiant if not more so, the speeds are perfectly judged by Szell and everything has an luminous glow about it. The fact that 12 extra Strauss songs are here too puts this CD over the top, a must buy.

There have been plenty of great versions of the Four Last Songs since Schwarzkopf, the likes of Gundula Janowitz with Herbert Von Karajan and especially the spectacular Jessye Norman with Kurt Masur, yet the Schwarzkopf account can still match any other version in the catalogue for sheer beauty, the tender articulation of words and deep understanding of the music. Jessye Norman surpasses Elizabeth Schwarzkopf for operatic splendour and voluptousness of sound so you definitely need to get that version too. Having several performances of this immortal masterwork is a must!

A thing of beauty ..........2006-02-06

... is a joy forever, John Keats wrote, referring to the unending beauty of the things in Nature. The same can be said for the music making as captured for eternity on this recording, which seems to have been touched by a muse of fire, making it truly ascend the highest heaven of invention ... and art. The interpretations of all of these songs by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is ever intelligent and astute, but always deeply human. Her singing is finely intimate, I believe, revealing her unrivaled mastery of invoking every single syllable with deepest possible meaning. The same can be said for the orchestral playing, so very intelligent, utterly complementing Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's gorgeous, deeply human, deeply moving singing. A marvel!

Average customer rating: Rare gem of a contemporary singer. Superb! Good compilation--but don't buy it new A Lieder Singer Who Also Does Opera Simply Stunning

The Radiant Voice of Barbara Bonney Barbara Bonney Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Berg | Berg, Alban | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Dowland | Dowland, John | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | 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 Orff | Orff, Carl | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Pergolesi | Pergolesi, Gio Battista | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Previn, André | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Purcell, Henry | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Purcell, Henry | Composers | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | 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 Academy of Ancient Music | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bonney, Barbara | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | 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 German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Exultate, Jubilate Barbara Bonney - Fairest Isle Songs by Robert & Clara Schumann Im Chambre séparée: The Operetta Album My Name is Barbara ASIN: B00005M05B Release Date: 2001-07-24

Tracks:

1. Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
2. Thy Hand, Belinda... When I Am Laid in Earth
3. Heute Noch, Lieber Vater, Tut Es Doch
4. Stabat Mater - Barbara Bonney/Andreas Scholl
5. Alleluia
6. Laudate Dominum
7. Deh, Vieni, Non Tardar
8. Ach, Ich Fuhl's
9. Chiedi All'aura Lusinghiera
10. Mondnacht
11. Solveigs Sang
12. Var Det En Drom?
13. Flickan Kom Ifran Sin Alsklings Mote
14. Morgen
15. Mir Ist Die Ehre Widerfahren
16. Die Nachtigall
17. In Trutina
18. Pie Jesu
19. Vocalise

Amazon.com

Of all the laudatory epithets applicable to Barbara Bonney, the term "radiant" might not be the one that springs to mind--at least, not insofar as it suggests the warm luxuriance of sunshine. Bonney's light, bright lyric soprano is something else: a voice of delicate refinement and transparent, pure-toned beauty. But it's capable of silkily seductive textures, too. And there are wonderful examples on this compilation disc that, if featuring a less-established artist, might qualify as a demo tape. Most of the tracks are previously issued, but together, they define her capabilities and home-base repertory, from Bach, Purcell, and Mozart through to Scandinavian song and Richard Strauss. With "Morgen," "Solveigs Sang," "The Presentation of the Rose" from Der Rosenkavalier, and "Ach, ich Fuhls" from The Magic Flute, this is a catalog of silver, if not golden, moments. Jewel-like singing and pure joy to hear. --Michael White

Customer Reviews:

Rare gem of a contemporary singer........2007-02-15

This is my first CD of Ms. Bonney.
I would say that Ms. Bonney is the greatest lyrical soprano of the late 20th century (she has retired last year from opera, I saw on the internet).
I've yet to hear another contemporary singer to beat her in her Susanna aria 'Deh vieni non tardar', or her Pamina aria.
Her Solveig's Song I took as a real vocal guide towards this song. Just listen to her 'ah' section and you will understand what I mean - such well nuanced musically line, such refined phrasing. Hard to beat.
Her opening song of Dowland is again a great wonder. Such drama built into so simple a song! Together with her Bach cantata, it reflect her vast span of repertoire that falls nowhere short of greatness.
Yes, I do not find her 'alleluia' from Exultate Jubilate 'very' exceptional, but this, as pointed out, may not be her best account of this work.
If she has really retired from opera then it is a great great loss indeed.

Superb!.......2005-12-03

Barbara Bonney has a very clear voice.
This is my favourite cd of her.

Good compilation--but don't buy it new.......2005-01-03

I am a decided Bonney fan. So it is with hesitation I give this disc only three stars (three and a half really, but I don't have that option). But, it does reflect my feelings about this cd. There are certain selections that are especially disappointing because seeing them listed on the cover was my motivation for purchasing the cd to begin with-- the rose presentation from "Rosenkavalier," for example. As far as I'm concerned, Miss Bonney is the best Sophie around today. But this recording doesn't do her justice. Her signature floating pianissimi on the high a's and b's seemed under par here. Too much gear-changing and some vibrato issues (slight, but perceptible). And I wasn't particularly thrilled with the mezzo on this recording. Perhaps I'm spoiled by seeing the Lott-Bonney-von Otter DVD (by the way, THAT'S a definite keeper, if you have the 40 dollars it costs. . . worth it!). The "Exsultate, Jubilate" was less than stellar. It seemed to me that the tempo was just a hair faster than she could comfortably sing the florid lines. The high "c" at the end sounded far too difficult for a soprano like Bonney who does have such easy beautiful high notes. Additionally, I would have liked to hear her sing the entire piece as opposed to just the "Alleluia". I wish the Weber "Pie Jesu" weren't included. I always skip it. There's too much glorious music that suits Bonney so well for her to waste an entire track on this silliness.

Having said all this, the album is not at all a complete loss. There are some truly fine moments on here too. The Mozart arias are wonderful. Her voice really has the appropriate sex appeal for Susanna's aria. That's a favorite of mine anyway. Love the Strauss! Like the Dowland to open the cd. And check out track 16, "Die Nachtigall." The first time I listened to the cd, I had to do a "double take" halfway through this song. I grabbed the cd case and liner notes to see if someone else were singing this piece (since there are several guests on this collection) because it simply didn't sound like the same person. There's a depth and steely quality to her voice that I had never heard from her before. I was amazed. I suspect that she couldn't sustain that sound comfortably for an extended amount of time, but I was still very impressed to hear that she has that capability.

I tend to be overly wordy, so I'll wrap up by saying that this is indeed a cd that is worth buying if you can find it for reasonably less than the retail price. It's worth having for some of the better moments on the recording, but might be somewhat disappointing if you have invested the full retail value (as I did).

A Lieder Singer Who Also Does Opera.......2003-03-04

Barbara Bonney is a phenomenon. With a rich and sensuous voice, she imparts more subtle emotional colors and musical nuances to the works she performs than any soprano in recent memory. To hear her sing is to come away with both a new understanding of the work and a heart full of joy. At the risk of seeming to hedge, however, I am less ecstatic about some of her performances of larger works. On this CD, for example, the "Laudate Dominum" seems strangely forced. (It is only because other of her albums are even more exquisite that I gave this one four stars. She deserves all the stars in the firmament.) But there is no comparison with her renderings of lieder, like the exquisite "Mondnacht." She is haunting, delicate, seductive - and all things in between. I have written elsewhere of the ongoing rediscovery of Robert Schumann. Ms. Bonney's recordings are, in my view, among those leading this revolution, which has led others besides this reviewer to consider Schumann's lieder even more remarkable than Schubert's. Her recent disc with songs of Liszt balanced by the "Dichterliebe" is so lovely as to be almost unearthly. Similarly, in a recording with Vladimir Ashkenazy, she sings the "Frauenliebe und Leben," excerpts from Eichendorff's "Liederkreis," and champions to excellent effect a number of sumptuous lieder by Clara Schumann. This is by way of saying that what Ms. Bonney herself asserts is accurate: that she is a lieder singer first and foremost. Her Richard Strauss and Sibelius are subtle, powerful and passionate. The Mozart arias are sprightly and, where called for, sexy as well. She also works wonders with Andrew Lloyd Weber and Andre Previn, though I think she really deserves to sing better material. This is a marvelous overview of Ms. Bonney's range, and while I am always suspicious of hagiography in program notes, here I can only say "Amen"!

Simply Stunning.......2002-03-28

Radiant aptly describes the voice of Barbara Bonney. Her silvery tones, the effortless highs, and the quality of her pianissimo are simply stunning. Her voice shimmers with life, and love, and color. The music selections are varied and a grand example of the beauty of Barbara's instrument and artistry. This disk is a heavenly collection of some of the best lyric soprano literature and is pure joy to listen to.

Average customer rating: Delightful! A Great and Varied Collection MAGIC is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich

The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD] Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( 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 Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Lortzing | Lortzing, Albert | ( L ) | 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 Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | 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 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | 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 Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Very Best of Fritz Wunderlich: Great German Tenor The Art of Fritz Wunderlich Schumann: Dichterliebe / Wunderlich, Giesen An die Musik [2 CD & DVD Limited Edition] ASIN: B000AC5B20 Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

1. Finstre Furien, Ihr Geister Der Holle (Crude Furie Delg'orridi Abissi)
2. Wenn Der Freude Tranen Flieben
3. Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
4. Lebe Wohl Flandrisch Madchen
5. Nadir, Du Stehst Wirklich Vor Mir - Und In Des Tempels Grund (C'est Toi, Toi Qu'enfin Je Revois - Au Fond Du Temple Saint)
6. Wohin Seid Ihr Entschwunden (Kuda, Kuda, Kuda Vi Udalilis)
7. Ich Denk Ihn Lieber Mir Von Meinem Statde - Liebe Ist Seligkeit, Ist Licht Und Leben (Signor Ne Principe Io O Vorrei - E Il So Dell'anima, La Vita E Amora)
8. O, Lass Uns Fliehen Aus Diesen Mauern (Parigi, O Cara, Noi Lasceremo)
9. Und Es Blitzten Die Sterne (E Lucevan Le Stelle)
10. Wenn Es Abend Wird - Grub Mir Mein Wein
11. Wien Wird Bei Nacht Erst Schon
12. Heute Nacht Oder Nie
13. Ein Lied Geht Um Die Welt
14. Be My Love
15. Granada

Tracks:

1. Nun Schwanden Vor Dem Heiligen Strahle/Verzweiflung, Wut Und Schrecken
2. Mit Wurd' Und Hoheit Angetan
3. Ma Qual Mai S'ofre, Oh Dei - Fuggi Crudele
4. Come Mai Creder Deggio - Dalla Sua Pace
5. Amici Miei - Il Mio Tesoro Intanto
6. Nur Einen Wunsch, Nur Ein Verlangen (Unis Des La Plus Tendre Enfance)
7. O Unverhofftes Gluck - Das Hore Ich Von Dir, Von Meinem Freunde? (O Moment Trop Heureux! - Et Tu Pretends Encore Que Tu M'aimes?)
8. Hier Nimm Den Ring Der Treue (Prendie: L'anel Ti Dono)
9. O Schweige Still, O Lasse Dich Erbitten (Ne Parle Pas, Rose, Je T'en Supplie)
10. Doch Nun Zu Dir - Trenne Nicht Das Band Der Liebe
11. Di Rigori Armato Il Seno
12. Heimliche Aufforderung Op.27 No.3
13. Ich Trage Meine Minne Op.32 No.1
14. Standchen Op.17 No.2
15. Zueignung Op.10 No.1
16. Morgen Op.27 No.4

Customer Reviews:

Delightful!.......2007-01-19

What a beautful voice and such an artist. I've always loved Wunderlich's voice and this album was such a delightful surprise to happen across. The Pearl Fishers' duet with Herman Prey is spectacular--it would be even better than Bjoerling/Merrill if it were in the original French!

A Great and Varied Collection.......2005-12-19

Fritz Wunderlich is a name that is familiar to opera buffs, at least those who enjoy the great singers of the past, but his name is not as familiar with the general public. It probably would have been, had it not been for a tragic and fluke accident that claimed his life. For those who are familiar with this great tenor, he's a beloved musician that makes listeners wonder what could have been.

Wunderlich's voice is one that can be light and airy at times, yet it can also have a dramatic intensity. This two disc set includes a variety of pieces that display Wunderlich's wide range and great vocal talent. His excerpts from Mozart are perhaps his strongest. So often the tenor roles in Mozart operas are cast with performers who are agile and can reach the higher notes, but their voices are somewhat weak. Wunderlich shows just how beautiful these arias can be. The same holds true for his arias from EUGENE ONEGIN and the pieces from well known operettas. His "Au Fond De Temple Saint" performed with Hermann Prey (a dream team pairing if there ever was one) is close to the Bjorling/Merrill rendition. We see his versatility in the excerpt from Haydn's CREATION and the live performance of "Di Rigori Armato" from DER ROSENKAVALIER is a treat and allows the listener to compare his live and studio recordings. The bonus DVD has a few slight flaws, but we see, at least in the scenes from THE BARBER OF SEVILLE that he not only has a wonderful voice but a good stage presence as well.

Most of the tracks are performed in German, even the Bellini, Bizet, and Verdi tracks, as was the case in many of the recordings of famous German singers. This may detract at first, especially of we expect to hear gorgeous French singing and it comes out, well German sounding. Still, it's a wonderful set with great variety and shows us what we missed in this tenor whose career had just begun.

MAGIC is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich.......2005-11-08

Magic is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966), and if you aren't already familiar with his work, you'll see why when you experience this CD.

Many of the tracks are not new to CDs: I'd say 50% of them are also in the "Art of Fritz Wunderlich" set (DG, 7 CDs), including Handel, Mozart, Bellini, and other opera arias. There are 3 tracks from "Don Giovanni" which I had not encountered elsewhere, and a scene from Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" + 5 Strauss Lieder (with orchestra) not previously released in recent years.

Wunderlich was never less than the very best, and here is no exception. The bonus DVD has almost 30 minutes of scenes of Wunderlich (Count Almaviva) in Rossini's "Barber of Seville", sung in German with Hermann Prey (Figaro) and Erika Koth (Rosina) from a 1959 black and white TV production, in very good mono sound; and two scenes from Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin", also sung in German, and with a young Brigitte Fassbaender (a little more hiss but very good, full, rich mono sound). The Rossini is available from English sources, and hopefully will be available in the US soon.

Like conductor Karl Bohm (1894-1981), I'm going to try to get as much Fritz Wunderlich material as I can find, CD or DVD, as is practical (and even when it isn't!).

Average customer rating: This is the very best

Very Best of Jussi Bjorling Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Björling, Jussi | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Jussi Bjorling: Opera Arias The Very Best of Giuseppe di Stefano The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli Jussi Björling Rediscovered Artists Of The Century - Jussi Bjorling, The Ultimate Collection ASIN: B000083GOH Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

1. Questa O Quella - Jussi Bjorling
2. La Donna E Mobile - Jussi Bjorling
3. Ah Si, Ben Mio - Jussi Bjorling
4. Di Quella Pira - Jussi Bjorling
5. Di Tu Se Fedele - Jussi Bjorling
6. Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida - Jussi Bjorling
7. Ingemisco - Orchestra
8. Cujus Animam - Orchestra
9. Una Furtiva Lagrima - Royal Orchestra
10. Cielo E Mar - Orchestra
11. Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio - Jussi Bjorling
12. Amor Ti Vieta - Orchestra
13. E La Solita Storia - Nils Grevillius
14. Donna Non Vidi Mai - Royal Orchestra
15. Che Gelida Manina - Jussi Bjorling
16. In Un Coupe?...O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni - Robert Merrill
17. Recondita Armonia - Jussi Bjorling
18. E Lucevan Le Stelle - Nils Grevillius
19. Nessun Dorma - Orchestra
20. Mamma! Quel Vino E Generoso - Nils Grevillius
21. Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba - Jussi Bjorling
22. No. Pagliaccio Non Son - Robert Shaw Chorale

Tracks:

1. Mi Batte Il Cor...O Paradiso - Orchestra
2. Salut! Demeure Chaste Et Pure - Orchestra
3. Ange Adorable - Nils Grevillius
4. Ah! Leve - Toi, Soleil - Royal Orchestra
5. Intant Charmant...En Ferment Les Yeux - Orchestra
6. Je Suis Seul!...Ah, Fuyez, Douce Image - Royal Orchestra
7. La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee - Orchestra
8. Je Crois Entrende Encore - Royal Orchestra
9. Adelaide - Harry Ebert
10. Morgan! - Harry Ebert
11. Cacilie - Harry Ebert
12. In The Silence Of Night - Nils Grevillius
13. Lilacs - Nils Grevillius
14. Ideale - Orchestra
15. 'O Sole Mio - Orchestra
16. Mattinata - Orchestra
17. Becuase - Royal Orchestra
18. Only A Rose - Orchestra
19. For You Alone - Orchestra
20. Uti En Skog Pa Berget Ida (Au Mont Ida Trois Deesses) - Orchestra
21. Nu Ar Jag Pank Och Fagelfri ( Ich Hab Kein Geld) - Orchestra
22. Julsand (O Helga Natt) - Royal Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

This is the very best.......2007-01-25

Unless, you are as crazy as I am about Bjorling and willing to buy everything available anyway, this is the collection to purchase.

It includes the best of all the other compilations. The sound is very clean: much better than some of the records that I have with the same material.

The French stuff is wonderful -- especially Le Reve. There is something so melancholic about his voice. He doesn't need to act or add anything phony. As soon as he opens his mouth, you know this story is not going to end well.

The collection covers more than 20 years. It's amazing that the voice changed so little. His voice lost none of it beauty or power over the years.

Best Beethoven Adeliade ever. What a pity he never recorded any Schubert song cycles.

My God, this collection even includes Adam's Julsang -- which as far as I know existed only in a Swedish RCA 33 rpm. You will never think of "Oh, Holy Night" the same way again.

If you have not listened to Bjorling before, you will never think of some other famous tenors the same way either.

And a bargain. Two disks for $17? Start here.

Average customer rating: Yes, it's as good as these other reviews say. Ethereal heights The Most Perfect Recording Like dying in ecstasy! Weiter Stiller Fried

Strauss: Four Last Songs/Songs With Orchestra Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | 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 Strauss, Richard | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Norman, Jessye | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Jessye Norman - Brahms: Lieder / Barenboim Strauss: Four Last Songs/12 Orchestral Songs Strauss: Four Last Songs; Wagner: Prelude & Liebestod Strauss: Four Last Songs / Wagner: Wesendonck-Lieder Strauss: Four Last Songs / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra ASIN: B0000040VV Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Four Last Songs: Fruhling (Hesse)
2. Four Last Songs: September (Hesse)
3. Four Last Songs: Beim Schlafengehen (Hesse)
4. Four Last Songs: Im Abendrot (Eichendorff)
5. Songs With Orchestra: Cacilie Op. 27-2 (Hart)
6. Songs With Orchestra: Morgen Op. 27-4 (Mackay)
7. Songs With Orchestra: Wiegenlied Op. 41-1 (Dehmel)
8. Songs With Orchestra: Ruhe, meine Seele Op. 27-1 (Henckell)
9. Songs With Orchestra: Meinem Kinde Op. 37-3 (Falke)
10. Songs With Orchestra: Zueignung Op. 10-1 (Von Gilm)

Amazon.com essential recording

Jessye Norman has what they call in the operatic business an "ample" figure. Judging from this disc, she must be completely hollow inside because she sings the Four Last Songs in what seems like a single breath, and at half the normal speeds. In fact, as sheer sound, this is the most sensual, voluptuous, totally gorgeous vocal record that I have ever heard. Play it for people who think they hate opera singing and they'll be hooked. Words really can't describe the almost decadent richness of Norman's voice, or the way it seems to swell from the speakers and saturate the room with velvety sound. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

Lovers of the Four Last Songs have come to take good recordings of the set for granted. Jessye Norman's early digital account with Kurt Masur and the Leipzigers is one of the best--powerful, sensuous, and very well recorded. Strauss may have conceived the songs with an ideal voice in mind, but he made a point of asking that Kirsten Flagstad give the first performance of the set. Since then, no comparably endowed soprano, in possession of both the tonal richness and the extraordinary amplitude that were Flagstad's, has recorded the Four Last Songs, save for Norman. The tessitura of the cycle is perfect for her--not too high, with almost every phrase lying in the warm, lustrous middle part of the voice--and Norman shapes the words with consummate skill and sensitivity. To hear her soar out over the orchestra, carrying the most demanding phrases with long-breathed splendor, is to enjoy, for a moment, the return of a golden age. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Yes, it's as good as these other reviews say........2007-04-01

If you're like me, you sometimes read the Penguin Guide to Classical Music for comic relief. So, years back when I noticed that this recording received "a coveted Rosette," I didn't pay much attention. However, mostly by chance, I found these Amazon reviews, and they commanded attention. Then I remembered another bootleg performance that I was given featuring Norman and Celibadache. The orchestral sound was dismal, but Norman was astounding. So, I ordered the two-disc Jessye Norman Collection that included the present performance.

It is spectacular. Other reviews have discussed her breath control, which has to be experienced to be believed. Her voice, too, was close to what Strauss originally intended for the part (it was written for Flagstadt). Three other things strike me about this performance. First, Norman points words with great skill. Hers is not just a lush and lovely voice. Second, and incredible, she can hit high notes with full volume without any strain (e.g., first song, 30 seconds in). Third, this is an immensely dramatic and spellbinding performance. Schwarzkopf's is wistful and wise; Norman's is more heroic and dramatic (though certainly introspective as well).

The other songs on this CD are also extremely rewarding, based on a similar approach. Schwarzkopf's collection is less consistently dark. Yet I admit that in a way the Norman collection here is more programmatically coherent.

So yes, search Amazon for an in-print version, and buy without trepidation. You will find that Norman's performance does not duplicate anyone else's. If you add Scwarzkopf's and Popp's, you can probably rest easy.

Ethereal heights.......2006-12-04

Richard Strauss wrote the Four Last Songs in 1948, when he was in his 80s, and a year away from his own death. His country had been devastated by the Second World War, and it was from the lofty plateau of a wiser old age that he looks back with these wonderful reflections on mortality and the rich beauty of life. I think the Four Last Songs the best thing Strauss wrote.
Many will debate their favourite recordings. There are different strengths to different performances. For me, Jessye Norman has the controlled power to make this the standout performance so far recorded. Kurt Masur's conducting is superb, and the Gewandhaus produces all the calm variation of this rich score.
The set is rounded out by other great orchestral songs by Strauss.

The Most Perfect Recording.......2006-07-13

OK so you've read all the other reviews about speed and pace etc. But if you truly want
one of the most stunning vocal recordings of all time, then look no further than this disc.Having been involved in the classical music industry for many years i've listened to
(and own) many recordings of this virtuoso piece. Many of them deserve great praise (Janowitz,Schwartzkopf & Te Kanawa to name but a few) but Norman's voice and Masur's orchestration, combined with a superlative Philips digital recording make this version unbeatable by any standards. I would highly recommend this disc to anyone wanting to "explore" classical vocal music as a beginner or even those with only a passing interest in opera. If I was Philips Classics I would offer a money back guarantee , satisfaction guaranteed !!!! Just as a footnote this recording was used in David Lynch's Wild At Heart, Just watch the opening credits and you'll be swept away the lush orchestral intro from " Im Abendrot " and who's to say its too slow?

Like dying in ecstasy!.......2006-05-20

The vocal control, the beauty of the voice, the grace, the insight, the elegance....where are the superlatives to describe this set? How she builds, with Masur, layer upon layer, wave after wave of life-stealing sorcery in these songs!

I single out Beim Schlafengehen as my favourite and as the showpiece. She seems to sigh instead of sing but how the sound fills every space and reaches every sense. It's more than just going to sleep, it seems as if you're about to do it forever...to finally get that rest from all the world's cares and hassles. Here, at last, is the most welcome executioner. She seems to justify her purpose, with empathy, from the words "Nun der Tag.." right to the point of "wollen sich in Schlummer senken." It's as if she reminds you how tired you really are....do you then want to stay awake? Prolong the suffering? Would you not now embrace her mercy?

Then that most caressing interlude, featuring the solo violin. But here comes the knife,a climatic arrival, for all its violence "Und die Seele unbewacht will in freien...". Then she opens a vein! "Flýgen schweben," the second syllable of "Flýgen" a scintillating yet wholly lovely lament....almost a sob- listen carefully for it. Then your soul begins to float free, rising on that warm current. Meanwhile, below, she begins to extol your release "...tausendfach zu leben" being that last gift to herald you into your afterlife.

You can be transposed in so many ways on this set...take the swirling invitation to life in "Frýhling." This is a phenomenon in vocal interpretation that MUST be pilgrimaged. Do yourself the favour.

Weiter Stiller Fried.......2005-12-06

"Im Abendrot" est certainement le Lied où Jessye Norman révèle toute sa force et sa profonde compréhension du message que R. Strauss nous offre. Difficile d'écouter d'autres interprétations après celle de J. Norman. Sa voix semble portée par des rayons de soleil aveuglants. Inoubliable lorsqu'elle chante (déclame?) les vers de Von Eichendorff: "O weiter, stiller Friede! So tief im Abendrot, Wie sind wir wandermüde, Ist dies etwa der Tod?"

Average customer rating: Score 4 runs for Strauss/Isokoski Lyrical Strauss from an appealing Finnish soprano The Shock of the Old Being Reinvented Anew Difficult to believe this Strauss selection is so good! BEST 4 Last Songs in 21st century

Four Last Songs / Orchestral Songs R. Strauss , Isokoski , Janowski , and Berlin So Manufacturer: Ondine ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | 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 Similar Items: Mozart: Arias Sibelius: Luonnotar Orchestral Songs [Hybrid SACD] Strauss: Ein Heldenleben - Four Last Songs / Auger, Previn Strauss: Four Last Songs; Death and Transfiguration; Wagner: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs ASIN: B000062TDA Release Date: 2002-05-21

Tracks:

1. Das Rosenband, Op.36/1
2. Ich Wollt Ein Strausslein Binden, Op.68/2
3. Sausle, Liebe Myrte, Op.68/3
4. Als Mir Dein Lied Erklang, Op.68/4
5. Befreit, Op.39/4
6. Ruhe, Meine Seele!, Op.27/1
7. Wiegenlied, Op.41/1
8. Meinem Kinde, Op.37/3
9. Zueignung, Op.10/1
10. Morgen!, Op.27/4
11. Die Heiligen Drei Konige Aus Morgenland, Op.56/6
12. Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: Fruhling
13. Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: September
14. Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: Beim Schlafengehen
15. Vier Letzte Lieder, Op.Posth.: Im Abendrot

Amazon.com

Strauss songs with orchestra, especially his final masterpiece, the Four Last Songs, have fared well in recordings, with compelling versions by Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Lisa Della Casa, Jessye Norman, Gundula Janowitz, and others of their caliber. But the Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski yields nothing to her distinguished predecessors. For some sopranos, Strauss's soaring melodies invite lingering tempos and arch interpretations that dwell on individual words and syllables, breaking the composer's long lines. Not here. Isokoski's sunlit voice and stunning legato illuminate music and text with restrained feeling. The Four Last Songs are taken at a perfect tempo, slow enough to let their message sink in, fast enough to let the music flow unimpeded. It's a lesson in the artfulness of simplicity, where less tinkering with the music equals more profundity and pleasure. The 11 other songs on the disc are as good, and while the quality of songs and singing is high throughout, it's hard to rid the memory of Isokoski's renditions of "Wiegenlied" and "Morgen!" once you hear them. But the same may be said of "Die heiligen drei Könige aus Morgenland" or "Befriet," among others. A disc to treasure. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Score 4 runs for Strauss/Isokoski.......2006-03-11

Mr. Strauss may or may not have described himself as a first-rate second-rate composer, but he could be proud of the Four Last Songs - a grand slam out of the musical ballpark - some of the most sublime music in the repertoire.

But why purchase Isokoski's CD over others? Well, you shouldn't, but rather have the recordings of all the other icons. Each brings a particular interpretation, as insightful other reviewers have noted, and I suppose in the end it really is more a matter of whose voice/sound you prefer at any given time. Forced to choose, however, I would select this recording. Ms. Isokoski sings with a purity of tone, sweet when needed but with enormous strength other times. Her rendering rings with a real joy and freshness, much like when rain suddenly stops and all is fragrantly wet.

A deciding factor, too, would be the coupling of eleven other orchestral songs to the title draw. Each is stand alone beautiful yet forming a wonderful musical tapestry, enhanced by an absolutely superb recording by the Ondine label engineers.

For the ultimate enjoyment, I would recommend listening with the Bose noise reducing headphones, in singular repose, with the effect of Ms. Isokoski singing in the middle of your head. It can be an out of body experience. Given the option, I would hope that the last sound I hear on Earth would be the last of the Four Last Songs - sort of for the definitive out of body experience.

Lyrical Strauss from an appealing Finnish soprano.......2006-01-11

Soile Isokoski was a total unknown before making this breakthrough recording in 2002. Her voice has a trembling vulnerability reminiscent of Barbara Hendicks, and the two could share the same roles of Sophie, Pamina, and others poised between lyric and colorature soprano. The blend of voice and orchestra in Strauss's luscious candy-coated orchestrations is excellent.

In Strauss songs voice can be enough, and for many listeners it will be. Marek Janowski and the Berlin Radio Sym. play beautifully, if not exactly with depth, and they are caught in Ondine's typically clear, bright sonics. The real test, however, is the Four Last Songs, where the singer must convey not just lyric beauty but the melancholy depth of Hesse's poetry. Janowski takes the first song too fast for Isokoski to make points with the words, but she spins a lovely vocal line. Tone continues to dominate as the singer swallows the words in the next two songs. I waited eagerly for the concluding Im Abendrot, the slowest song, but Janowski is glib, uninflected and colorless here, and Isokoski, now vocalizing with touching sensitivity, has little to work with. To give her credit, while not in the same league as Schwarzkopf or Norman, she sings with purity and dignity throughout. Her career was well launched, and a few short years later she made it to the Met.

The Shock of the Old Being Reinvented Anew.......2005-09-25

The right kind of voice can make you fall in love - - and see the world in a new light... It happened to me for real once. And now it did again, sort of. This whole album sounds - as it always should, maybe, but which it so seldomly does - as if these songs, one after the other, are being reinvented, being recreated by Soile Isokoski! And the stunning playing of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin under Marek Janowski are the ideal accompaniment for Soile Isokoski's singing, which is velvety but at the same time clear like a bell and with a full and ringing high. From the gentlest pianissimo's to the greatest fortissimo's Soile Isokoski's voice just soars, with the orchestra always the equal of and supportive to the soprano's art, which is simply magnificent. Her art displays a deep understanding of and a complete familiarity with the words she is singing, combined with the clearest diction. The same clearness and freshness, combined with a deep richness and colorfulness of sound, is displayed in the playing of the orchestra, so it all fits together wonderfully!
This must be one of the best Strauss Lieder albums ever to have emerged and TMHO it can hold pride of place beside the great Schwarzkopf/Szell album. If Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is the queen, then Soile Isokoski must surely be the crown princess.

Difficult to believe this Strauss selection is so good!.......2003-06-11

Soile Isokoski, where have you been hiding? Long an ardent devotee of Strauss songs (especially the Four Last Songs) I thought I had heard the finest interpretations by the usual suspects - Schwarzkopf, Della Casa, Popp, Te Kanawa, Fleming, Janowitz, Norman, Auger etc. Granted each of these great singers "owns" certain songs, but few have the incredible consistency of Isokoski. Not only is hers a voice of crystaline beauty that seems to know no specific range, her intelligence pays homage to the music and words without the 'milking for effect' that is the tendency of many very fine singers who sound as though they have fallen in love with their own sound as much as Strauss' intentions. Radiantly beautiful from beginning to end. She is the new Strauss heroine for the decade! Brava!

BEST 4 Last Songs in 21st century.......2002-09-04

I have most of 4 last song recordings: te kanawa, norman, schwarzkopf, fleming, janowitz, della casa, auger; although there were great recordings (according to the experts) - but I believe; this is ONE of the best; the more I listen to this one, the more I am convinced that Soile and Marek are great team and express more sensible and sensitive feeling to the songs. Super highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Merry Christmas Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Humperdinck, Engelbert | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Michael Praetorius | Praetorius, Michael | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Reger, Max | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Reinecke, Carl | ( R ) | 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 General | Reger, Max | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Reinecke, Carl | Composers | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | 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 Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music | General Christmas | Today's Deals | Box Sets | Children's Music | Classical Instrumental | Halloween | Hanukkah | Kwanzaa | Opera & Vocal | Pop Instrumental & Easy Listening | Pop Vocal Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Christmas Album: Original Masters A Christmas Carol/Mr. Pickwick's Christmas Weihnachten - A German Christmas The Baroque Christmas Album Christmas In Vienna: Vienna Boys' Choir ASIN: B000B8I8S2 Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

1. Chor: 'Magnificat' - Karl Richter
2. Maria Durch Ein' Dornwald Ging - Hermann Prey
3. Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen - Hermann Prey
4. Still, STill, Still, Weil's Kindlein Schlafen Will - Hermann Prey
5. In Dulci Jubilo - Hermann Prey
6. Fuga Sopra Il Magnificat BWV 733 - Helmut Walcha
7. Nun Freut Euch, Lieben Christen G'Mein BWV 734 - Helmut Walcha
8. Fuga Sopra: Vom Himmel Hoch Da Komm Ich Her BWV 769 - Helmut Walcha
9. Hirten, Wachet Auf - The Trapp Family Singers
10. Zu Bethlehem Geboren - The Trapp Family Singers
11. Lobt Gott, Ihr Christen Alle Gleich - The Trapp Family Singers
12. Ihr Kinderlein Kommet - The Trapp Family Singers
13. Es Wird Scho Glei Dumpa - The Trapp Family Singers
14. Weihnachtslied - Jorg Demus
15. Der Hirtenlied Am Krippelein, Op.22 H.1 No.3 - Jorg Demus
16. An Das Christkind - Jorg Demus
17. Christleins Wiegenlied Op.137 No.10 - Jorg Demus
18. Maria Am Rosenstrauch Op.142 No.3 - Jorg Demus
19. Marien Kind - Jorg Demus
20. Cantique De Noel - Jorg Demus
21. O Du Frohliche, O Du Selige - Grosses Orchester Mit Chor Und Glocken
22. Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen - Grosses Orchester Mit Chor Und Glocken
23. Am Weihnachtsbaum Die Lichter Brennen - Grosses Orchester Mit Chor Und Glocken
24. Alle Jahre Wieder - Grosses Orchester Mit Chor Und Glocken
25. Kling, Glockchen, Kling - Grosses Orchester Mit Chor Und Glocken
26. Ihr Kinderlein, Kommet - Grosses Orchester Mit Chor Und Glocken

Tracks:

1. Sinfonia - Berliner Philharmoniker
2. Arie: 'Frohe Hirten, Eilt, Ach Eilet' - Berliner Philharmoniker
3. Chor: 'Ehre Sei Gott In Der Hohe' - Berliner Philharmoniker
4. Rezitativ: 'So Recht, Ihr Engel, Jauchzt Und Singet' - Berliner Philharmoniker
5. Choral: 'Wir Singen Dir In Deinem Heer' - Berliner Philharmoniker
6. Pastorale BWV 590 - Helmut Walcha
7. Es Kommt Ein Schiff Geladen - Singgemeinde Eschwege
8. Macht Hoch Die Tur - Singgemeinde Eschwege
9. Als Ich Bei Meinen Schafen Wacht - Singgemeinde Eschwege
10. Ich Steh An Deiner Krippen Hier - Singgemeinde Eschwege
11. Bruder, Ich Geh Auch Mit Dir - Singgemeinde Eschwege
12. Das Neugeborne Kindelein - Norddeutscher Singkreis
13. In Dulci Jubilo - Norddeutscher Singkreis
14. O Tannenbaum - Frauenchor Und Jugendchor
15. Leise Rieselt Der Schnee - Frauenchor Und Jugendchor
16. Alle Jahre Wieder - Frauenchor Und Jugendchor
17. Adeste Fideles - Hellmut Wormsbacher
18. Stille Nacht - Hellmut Wormsbacher
19. Lieber Guter Weihnachtsmann - Hellmut Wormsbacher
20. Morgan Kommt Der Weihnachtsmann - Hellmut Wormsbacher
21. Eine Muh, Eine Mah - Hellmut Wormsbacher
22. O Tannenbaum - Hellmut Wormsbacher
23. Cantate Domino (Antiphon)-Magnificat - P. Corbinian Gindele
24. Bells Of St. Martin's Abbey, Beuron - St. Martin Beuron

Average customer rating: Musical crystal Excellent interpretation of lieder A great issue

Gundula Janowitz Songs: Strauss Liszt & Schubert Manufacturer: Gala ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | 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 CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Strauss: Four Last Songs / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Mozart: Concert Arias / Janowitz, Boettcher, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Schubert: Lieder Arias, Duets and Trios Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro (Highlights) ASIN: B00000JWHF Release Date: 2000-06-06

Customer Reviews:

Musical crystal.......2003-02-12

If ever there was a pure voice! Cut from the same mold - since
broken - that gave us Hilde Gueden and Margaret Price. Here,
Janowitz offers polished examples of the art of the Lied, live!
Her floating phrases are truly breathtaking, astonishing.
Some free advice: if you seek ethereal singing, get the
Janowitz/Karajan version of Strauss' 4 last songs, you'll thank me . .

Excellent interpretation of lieder.......2003-01-11

Janowitz's renditions of many of these famous songs is superb but subtle. 'Dei Lorelei' is one of my favorite Germen poems and songs, and the version here is one of the best I've ever heard. Every song on here is a masterwork, both in selection and vocal interpretation. Yet, I had to dock one star for the somewhat poor sound quality, as there is faint hissing throughout the recording. Still a great musical disc.

A great issue.......2000-10-29

This recording contains the best version of a well-known german Lied: I mean Strauss' "Morgen"... Gundula Janowitz sings a great repertoire with absolute technic and the nicest voice, ever heard... Her interpretations are so great, that in some Schubert's Lieder, she even surpasses her studio Recordings... A CD really to have...

Average customer rating: A great voice from the past silenced too soon

Fritz Wunderlich sings Beethoven, Haydn, R. Strauss Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | 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 General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Schumann: Dichterliebe / Wunderlich, Giesen Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin, 3 Lieder / Fritz Wunderlich The Art of Fritz Wunderlich Fritz Wunderlich: Great German Tenor ASIN: B00000E3M3 Release Date: 1988-04-14

Tracks:

1. Auf Dem Hugel Size Ich Spahend, An Die Ferne Geliebte Op. 98, Ludwig Van Beethoven
2. Wo Di Berge So Blau, An Die Ferne Gelibte, Op. 98, Ludwig Van Beethoven
3. Leichte Segler In Den Hohen, An Die Ferne Gelibte, Op. 98, Ludwig Van Beethoven
4. Diese Wolken In Den Hohen, An Die Ferne Geliebte, Op. 98, Ludwig Van Beethoven
5. Es Kehret Der Maien, Es Bluhet Die Au, An Die Ferne Geliebte, Op. 98, Ludwig Van Beethoven
6. Nimm Sie Hin Den, Diese Lieder, An Die Ferne Geliebte, Op. 98, Ludwig Van Beethoven
7. Fleiss Leise, Mein Bachlein, Schottische Und Walisische Volkslieder, Juseph Haydn
8. Ein Wandere Kommt, Schottische Und Walisische Volkslieder, Joseph Haydn
9. Ich Stehe Auf Der Heide, Schottishe Und Walisische Volkslieder, Joseph Haydn
10. Es Widen Meine Schafe, Schottishe Und Walisische Volkslieder, Joseph Haydn
11. Im Schlummern, Schottische Und Walisische Volkslieder, Joseph Haydn
12. Mein Susses Liebschen, Schottische Und Walisische Volkslieder, Joseph Haydn
13. Rose Rot, Rose Weiss, Schottische Und Walisische Volkslieder
14. Heimliche Aufforderung Op. 27 No. 3, Richard Strauss
15. Ich Tragemeine Minne, Op. 32 No. 1, Richard Strauss
16. Standchen, Op. 17 No. 2, Richard Strauss
17. Morgen, Op. 27 No. 4, Richard Strauss
18. Zueignung, Op. 10 No. 1, Richard Strauss

Customer Reviews:

A great voice from the past silenced too soon.......2006-05-24

Here is a selection of popular lieder by Fritz Wunderlich, who died tragically at age 36, silencing one of the century's great voices. Surely no accounting of great artists who died before their maturity could be complete without Wunderlich's name.

Here he displays the wonderful timbre, range and sensitivity in his voice, which was conspicuously consistent across the range, regardless of the music he was interpreting or the venue in which he performed. The character of his voicing, enunciation and the structure of his tone and vibrato are virtually without fault throughout this recording, made in the studio with both accompanist and orchestra in 1963, three years before his untimely death.

I bought this to hear his interpretation of Beethoven's only song cycle, "To the Distant Beloved." The notes to this issue concentrate on the music-drama inherent in the songs. I wouldn't call this accounting of the Beethoven as dramatic as singers perform today. It is miles ahead of the inadequate concert performance recorded a year or two back by Goerne and Brendel but, in terms of drama, Wunderlich's work is neither as dramatic or episodic as recordings by Stephen Genz and Thomas Allen.

However, no singer quite has Wunderlich's instrument, a firm, supple and sensitive voice that adjusts to any music and any situation. It is also a bit unfair to compare the baritones above to Wunderlich's tenor.

I found equal pleasure in his renditions of Haydn's lesser known and lesser quality songs and the group of orchestral Strauss lied performed on this disk. Wunderlich performs the Strauss with far more drama and flair than the Beethoven, where he seems almost an introverted lost sould seeking lost love.

All told, this is a treasurable tome from one of the great singers in history in good mid-1960s sound that has dimension, quality and depth. The soloist may be a bit more forward than we epxect in the period-influenced new century but this is no matter. Here is an exhibition of singing that is above criticism and beyond approach. Even the greatest singers in history would weep gladly upon hearing this CD. So will you.

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of Barbara Hendricks Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Franck, César | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | 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 Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Villa-Lobos, Heitor | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Villa-Lobos, Heitor | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | 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 Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Hendricks, Barbara | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Paris Symphony Orchestra | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | 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 Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Gabriel Fauré: Mélodies / Barbara Hendricks Barbara Hendricks - Artist of Life The Very Best of Régine Crespin Spirituals Very Best of ASIN: B0006VYEM8 Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

1. Un Bel Di Vedremo
2. O Mio Babbino Caro
3. Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana
4. Ecco: Respiro Appena. Io Son L'Umile Ancella
5. C'est Des Contrebandiers...Je Dis Que Rien Ne M'Epouvante
6. Pie Jesu
7. Et Incarnatus Est
8. Ave Maria
9. Sanctus
10. Panis Angelicus
11. Ave Maria
12. Inflammatus Et Accensus
13. Kaddish 2
14. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
15. Deep River
16. Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho
17. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Tracks:

1. Dans Un Bois Solitaire
2. Die Forelle
3. Gretchen Am Spinnrade
4. An Sylvia
5. Standchen
6. Lachen Und Weinen
7. Heidenroslein
8. Standchen
9. Wiegenlied
10. Morgen
11. Zueignung
12. Jeg Elsker Dig
13. Gruss
14. Apres Un Reve
15. Clair De Lune
16. I. C'est L'Extase Langoureuse
17. II. Il Pleure Dans Mon Coeur
18. L'Invitation Au Voyage
19. Les Filles De Cadix
20. Reverie
21. Le Rossignol Des Lilas
22. Si Mis Vers Avaient Des Ailes
23. Plaisir D'Amour
24. Vocalise En Forme De Habanera
25. Aria
26. Vilja-Lied

Album Description

Details TBA. EMI. 2005.

Rock Music:

1. Eva! Leyenda Peruana
2. Even Now
3. Evidemment - the Best of [Import]
4. Favola [Import]
5. Guitar on Fire
6. Healing Touch
7. Heat, Dust and Dreams [Import]
8. Heavenly
9. Horse & Fish [Enhanced]
10. I Heard It on NPR: At Home in the World

Rock Music

rock music

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Damaged Goods

Ecstasy [Import]

Brazilian and Spanish Piano Works

Caught In A Trap And I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby

Fight It Out [CD-single] [Import]

Bring the Noise 2000, Vol. 1

Sym 1-4 / Piano Ctos 1-2 / Violin Cto / Double Cto

White Christmas