Lament

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Sean Potts, a co-founder of the Chieftains, his son Sean Og Potts and current Chieftains Kevin Conneff and Derek Bell are just four of the 14 Irish folk musicians who each contributed an unaccompanied slow air to this album, a non-partisan musical memorial for those who have died from the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. There's a long tradition in Irish music of sorrowful songs and mournful tunes, and that legacy is charged anew by the personal connection of most Irish families to the violence in the North. The anguish of these stark solo performances is balanced only by their grave dignity. Highlights include Christy Moore's eerie, radical reinterpretation of "Danny Boy," Micheal O Suilleabhain's tender piano version of O'Carolan's "Plunkett," and Bell's eloquently weary rendition of "O'Carolan's Farewell." --Geoffrey Himes

Lament,Lament,Real World,Celtic,Celtic Folk,Celtic/Irish,Folk-Rock,Int'l & World Music,Irish,Irish Folk,Pop,World Music
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Beautiful
  • Awesome
  • Excellent Music tracks from Movie
  • Complete?
  • Great Collection, Poor Packaging
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - The Complete Recordings
Howard Shore
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The Complete Recordings
  2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  3. Ringers - Lord of the Fans
  4. The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook
  5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

ASIN: B000BNI90O
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Tracks:

  1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Prologue: One Ring ...
  2. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Shire
  3. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Bag End (Featuring ...)
  4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Very Old Friends
  5. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Flaming Red Hair
  6. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Farewell Dear Bilbo
  7. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Keep It Secret, Keep ...
  8. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/A Conspiracy Unmasked
  9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Three Is Company
  10. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Passing of the Elves
  11. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Saruman the White
  12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/A Shortcut to Mushrooms
  13. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Strider
  14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Nazgul ...

Tracks:

  1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Weathertop
  2. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Caverns of Isengard
  3. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Give Up the Halfling
  4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Orthanc
  5. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Rivendell
  6. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Sword That Was ...
  7. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Council of ...
  8. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Great Eye
  9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Gilraen's Memorial
  10. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Pass of Caradhras
  11. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Doors of Durin
  12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Moria
  13. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Gollum
  14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Balin's Tomb

Tracks:

  1. Khazad-Dum
  2. Caras Galadhon (featuring Lament for Gandalf, performed by Elizabeth Fraser)
  3. The Mirror of Galadriel
  4. The Fighting Uruk-hai
  5. Parth Galen
  6. The Departure of Boromir
  7. The Road Goes Ever On (part 1)
  8. May It Be (composed and performed by Enya)
  9. The Road Goes Ever On (part 2. featuring In Dreams, perfomed by Edward Ross)
  10. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Khazad-D
  11. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Caras Galadhon ...
  12. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Mirror of Galadriel
  13. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Fighting Uruk-Hai
  14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Parth Galen
  15. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Departure of Boromir
  16. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Road Goes Ever ...
  17. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/May It Be
  18. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Road Goes Ever ...

Amazon.com

As fans of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy know, each film exists in two versions: the theatrical one and the extended one that appeared on DVD. This luxurious box set--which also comes with a detailed essay on the movie's musical themes--features the full extended score, so many cues not on the CDs of the individual movies are included. Granted, the majority of listeners will be perfectly happy with the shorter versions of the scores--it's a safe bet that most people can live without hearing, say, Ian McKellen's 35-second-long ditty "The Road Goes Ever On" at the beginning of "Bag End," or Viggo Mortensen's performance of his own composition, "The Song of Lúthien," within the track "The Nazgûl." But if you're a completist and/or a devotee of Howard Shore's pounding tympani and overwhelming choral compositions (featured particularly prominently on disc 3, a large chunk of which is devoted to a battle scene), then this set is a dream come true. Audiophiles should note that the fourth disc, a DVD, offers the score in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Fire up those speakers so the whole shire can hear. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

An epic film score receives epic treatment with The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring/Complete Recordings. Released for the first time on CD, the complete score for the first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy contains more than 180 minutes of music on three CDs plus a DVD-Audio disc of the entire score in Surround Sound. Breathtaking and majestic, the 2001 Oscar and Grammy winning score compsted by Howard Shore also includes Enya's Oscar nominated "May It Be." For fans of any of The Lord of the Rings films, the Fellowship of the Ring/Complete Recordings is an essential experience.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2007-06-15

I picked up this set because I am both a LOTR fan, movies and books and I need music to help me work. There are some tracks that I skipped over, like the short little ditties in the bar, but many of the songs, such as the Elvish chants are easy to get lost in - its just too bad they don't last longer. The packaging really is well done, though the DVD disc was loose when I received it in the mail, but unharmed. I will have to wait until the price on the second set comes down a little more, but I can't wait for ROTK.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2007-06-12

This is by far the editon to get if you loved the lord of the rings soundtrack. It has every song on it from the extended edition. and the DVD-A version is very nice.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Music tracks from Movie.......2007-05-03

Brings the movie back as you listen to the full version of the track.

3 out of 5 stars Complete?.......2007-04-07

This CD collection is wonderful; it has much of the material from the movie that was only included in the extended edition DVD, but it is far from complete. While it does have the complete version of "The Passing of the Elves" and two versions of "The Road Goes Ever On", many of the songs are highly incomplete and inferior to the originals. "Aniron," the theme for Aragorn and Arwen performed by Enya, is incomplete and the lyrics are hard to match to what is being sung. The sound quality for this song is even worse on the accompanying DVD, which is supposed to have all of the music in "superior sound". The song "Prophecy" is reduced to two barely-audible lines and "May It Be" is shortened and different than the original. $60 for this when there are more complete songs on the original soundtrack is ridiculous.

3 out of 5 stars Great Collection, Poor Packaging.......2007-04-03

I realy can't add to what others have said about this set, the music is simply the best LOTR soundtrack collection out there! It is all here, and the contents of this set will make any LOTR fan happy and the music DVD is a great one disc addition if you want to hear the entire score in one sitting (to which I have done a number of times already).
My only complaint is the somewhat flimsy cardboard box that houses the contents of this musical treasure. Mine came damaged, and considering the price, I expected better packaging. This is a minor quabble on my part and NO, I havent returned it due to the fact that the music itself Is what I truly treasure, It just would have been nicer to have recieved it undamaged.

Music-5
Packaging-3

*for the record I had rated this Item 5 stars not the 3 stars that is showing at the top of my review*
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The music is good but the movie is better
  • A grand sountrack...
  • Lord of the Rings Original Soundtracks, films 1 and 3
  • Awe inspiring!
  • It is the best of the three CDs!!!
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
  2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  3. Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
  4. Gladiator: Music from the Motion Picture
  5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B00005QZWI
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

  1. The Prophecy
  2. Concerning Hobbits
  3. The Shadow Of The Past
  4. The Treason Of Isengard
  5. The Black Rider
  6. At The Sign Of The Prancing Pony
  7. A Knife In The Dark
  8. Flight To The Ford
  9. Many Meetings
  10. The Council Of Elrond [featuring the song "Aniron (Theme For Aragorn And Arwen)" composed & performed by Enya]
  11. The Ring Goes South
  12. A Journey In The Dark
  13. The Bridge Of Khazad Dum
  14. Lothlorien
  15. The Great River
  16. Amon Hen
  17. The Breaking Of The Fellowship
  18. May It Be [composed & performed by Enya]

Amazon.com

Score composer Howard Shore has informed this first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy with his distinctly modern sensibilities. Revolving loosely around a brief, heroic brass theme, this epic is infused with a powerful rhythmic thrust and a musical range that encompasses centuries (from the Renaissance pastoralism of "Concerning Hobbits" to the fiery, Prokofiev-influenced drama of "A Knife in the Dark"). Key to the score's sense of mystery and magical place are the rich choral passages that are interspersed throughout, some so ominously gothic they make The Phantom Menace's "Duel of the Fates" sound almost sunny by comparison. Enya's contributions ("The Council of Elrond" and the song "May It Be") add a sense of organic tranquility, but it's Shore's Wagnerian-scaled orchestral score that should long be cherished by admirers of film music and hobbits alike. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars The music is good but the movie is better.......2007-04-10

I really enjoyed the 3 series of The Lord of the Rings movie so I wanted the music. The soundtracks are good but if you like the movie the soundtracks watch the movie. They remind you of certain parts in the movie like the song Concerning Hobbits. The song is whimsical. Enyna has a great voice, very haunting. The Ring Goes South is another favorite of mine. I can enjoy these soundtracks as classical or dramatic music. I bought them because I loved the Lord of the Rings which has many similarities to Braveheart. Bravery, courage, strength, honesty, selflessness, love and other good human qualities people try to attain and admire them in the people and movies they view.

5 out of 5 stars A grand sountrack..........2007-01-10

One of Howard Shore's best soundtracks around. The music is strong enough to tell its own separate story apart from FOTR. You will never tire of the heart-pounding excitement from The Bridge of Kazaad-Dum track.

5 out of 5 stars Lord of the Rings Original Soundtracks, films 1 and 3.......2006-11-08

Having made an earlier mistake of buying 2 C.D.'s which were not original soundtrack, I can truthfully say these are the best. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, look no further - no one does it better than The London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer Howard Shore. You will be back in Middle Earth reliving all those wonderful scenes. I bought only The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King from Amazon.com because I already had the Two Towers from Amazon.co.uk and I would recommend all three - magical.

5 out of 5 stars Awe inspiring!.......2006-10-02

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Howard Shore's magnificent score for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy? A soundtrack can define the whole atmosphere of a film, and this fully orchestrated work certainly does that with sweep, splendor and wonder, alternately humanizing (hobbit-izing?) the characters, imbuing the landscape with magic and capturing the world-shaking impact of events of mythic proportions. And this was no easy task considering the iconoclastic status of the story and the superb quality of Peter Jackson's filmmaking. This is a truly a soundtrack for the ages--a fitting accompaniment to a film for the ages! Every aspect of life, from the extreme to the mundane, is captured in this music. Listening to it can make every remembered moment of the movie come alive again in your mind, from the most horrific battle to the smallest moment of humor or kindness. I think this first one is my favorite of the three "Lord of the Rings" soundtracks. I enjoy the juxtaposition of the lighter moments, like the sweet, simple hobbit theme, with the grander and more menacing sections of the music. (That despite the fact that said hobbit theme begins exactly like the first phrase of the Protestant hymn "This Is My Father's World," which prompts me to think of the hobbits trouping off to Sunday school every time I hear it. But now when I hear the hymn, I think of Lord of the Rings, so I suppose all's fair!) What impressed me most as I watched "The Fellowship of the Ring" was how scary the music was when the hobbits were being pursued. Those relentless drums and eerily screaming drums made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, even though I knew the story like the back of my hand and knew for a fact that the poor little heroes would manage to escape. But the music truly made me wonder otherwise ... Now that's good composition! And the fact that the filmmakers chose to include background music in so many of the scenes, almost continuously ... well, that's just good filmmaking! The other impressive thing about Howard Shore's score is how the voicing and repeating motifs tie the whole thing together, like the finest of symphonies. The total effect is utterly convincing and utterly transporting. Peter Jackson chose well when he picked Shore as his score writer. Very, very well! Be sure to get the scores from the other two movies in the trilogy as well - "The Two Towers" and "Return of the King." They seem to be available in no end of different packagings, including ones with bonus DVDs about the creation of the score. Also, make sure to get the extended edition DVDs of the movie itself, with hours and hours of fascinating commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the films. Truly a bargain at any price! And for more seminal soundtracks, try John Williams' defining scores for the "Star Wars" series and Basil Poledouris's spectacular score for the original "Conan the Barbarian."

5 out of 5 stars It is the best of the three CDs!!!.......2006-09-10

For me, the music of the first sequel is my favourite since this is also the sequel that I prefer in the trilogy (I remember being blown away by the quality of this movie, the actors, the setting, the action scenes, the special effects, the moving relationships between all the characters and of coourse the music)
I think that the other CDs are a bit repetitive once you've got this one, even if I still like the music of the second soundtrack 'The Two Towers'. As for the 3rd sequel, I seldom listen to it as there is only one track that I like, 'The Return of the King'.
Now, this first CD of the trilogy is actually very good. Thanks to Enya, it is haunting and the songs are beautiful. There are a few eery but melodious songs like 'The Council of Elrond', 'Lothlorien', 'May it Be'. I love the change of tempo, the balance between fast and slow movements in 'A Knife in the Dark', 'Flight to the ford', and 'Amon Hen' which is my favourite piece (the Death of Boromir) with the oboe sound mixed with the beat of the drums and finaly the haunting voice of the singer. Track 17 is also worth listening. I like this CD because you've got different tempos and melodies and Anya is a great singer to me. But I also enjoy listening to Emiliana Torrini's song 'Gollum's Song'in the second soundtrack...
The Essential Yo-Yo Ma
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • pure genius
  • Another great Yo-Yo Disc
  • first disc great- second a flop
  • Encore
  • The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma
The Essential Yo-Yo Ma

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Appassionato
  2. Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
  3. Vivaldi's Cello
  4. Classic Yo-Yo
  5. Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon

ASIN: B000A7Q29G
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

  1. Prde from Suite No. 1 in G Major for Cello, BWV 1007
  2. II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
  3. Jesus, bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), BWV 147
  4. Schafe kn sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze), BWV 208
  5. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake), BWV 645
  6. The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (Chamber Version)
  7. Havanaise, Op. 83
  8. Mtation from Tha
  9. Liebesfreud Instrumental
  10. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso from Three Preludes
  11. Vocalise Vocal
  12. IV. Allegro from Sonata in D minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 40
  13. Andante Cantabile for Cello Solo and String Orchestra, Op. posth.
  14. IV. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto from Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25
  15. III. Finale. Allegro moderato from Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104

Tracks:

  1. Cristal
  2. A lenda do caboclo
  3. Chega de Saudade Live
  4. Wapango Live
  5. Libertango
  6. Appalachia Waltz Solo Cello Version
  7. Butterfly's Day Out
  8. 1B
  9. Pickin' from Three Pieces for Solo Cello
  10. Simple Gifts
  11. The Mission
  12. Gabriel's Oboe
  13. The Falls Album Version
  14. The Eternal Vow from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  15. The Cellist of Sarajevo - A Lament in Rondo Form for Solo 'Cello, Op. 12
  16. Chi passa per'sta strada
  17. Mido Mountain (Chinese Traditional)
  18. Mohini (Enchantment)
  19. Baroque in Rhythm from Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio
  20. Anything Goes Instrumental
  21. I Could Have Danced All Night Extended version

Amazon.com

Here are three dozen pieces of music, all played by Yo-Yo Ma, culled from his extensive discography. Aside from the technical mastery and beautiful tone that are absolutes in all of his playing, one is dazzled by his curiosity and ability to adapt to so many forms and types of music. His Bach and Vivaldi are pellucid and played with non-sentimental crispness, his tango music gritty and rhythmically pungent, his jazz seemingly spontaneous, the "Meditation" from Thais simply ravishing, "Anything Goes" a romp, and the Appalachian music performed with both respect and a great twang, while the traditional Chinese music is fascinating. It's really a matter of how much Ma loves whatever he plays here, how entirely he becomes involved in it, and what a fine partner he invariably is to other musicians. This collection is a doozy--it is truly "essential." --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars pure genius.......2007-05-21

No instrument asks more from the soul of an artist as the cello does.
Yo Yo Ma shows to be master of the instrument and his interpretations en technique are pure genius. Everyone should have this album in his (or hers of course) basic classical collection

4 out of 5 stars Another great Yo-Yo Disc.......2007-05-15

The set-up with the classical pieces on the first disc and the other on the second is excellent.

3 out of 5 stars first disc great- second a flop.......2007-04-12

the first disc is awesome. the second disc is weird and boring.

5 out of 5 stars Encore.......2007-03-31

Incredible. My young cellist (son) loves it. Beautiful music. The album is well organized and each song transitions nicely.

5 out of 5 stars The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma.......2007-03-29

I've found this collection to be extremely delightful! It gives you a sense of the versatility of Yo-Yo Ma like no other, with one disc being dedicated more to his classical side, while the other explores jazz and world music venues. Not your typical "greatest hits" collection.
Chess
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This should never have worked at all
  • A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS
  • Chess
  • One of my favorites!
  • Concepts get better with practice
Chess
Bjorn Ulvaeus , and Tim Rice
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Chess (1988 Original Broadway Cast)
  2. Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast)
  3. A Little Night Music (1973 Original Broadway Cast)
  4. Evita (1978 Original Broadway Cast)
  5. Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000002GLR
Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

  1. Merano - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Murray Head
  2. The Russian And Molokov/ Where I Want To Be - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley
  3. Opening Ceremony - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Bjorn Skifs
  4. Quartet (A Model Of Decorum And Tranquility) - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley/Bjorn Skifs
  5. The American And Florence/Nobody's Side - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
  6. Chess - LSO/Anders Eljas
  7. Mountian Duet - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg
  8. Florence Quits - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
  9. Embassy Lament - Tommy Korberg/The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas
  10. Anthem - Tommy Korberg

Tracks:

  1. Bangkok
  2. One Night In Bangkok
  3. Heaven Help My Heart
  4. Argument
  5. I Know Him So Well
  6. The Deal (No Deal)
  7. Pity The Child
  8. Endgame
  9. Epilogue: You And I / The Story Of Chess

Amazon.com

Chess is a musical that sounds like it shouldn't work but instead succeeds surprisingly well. This is the original concept album that was recorded before the musical was staged in London. Chess is the story of a love triangle told against the backdrop of an international chess tournament during the height of the cold war. The composers are Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the Bs in ABBA) and the lyrics are by Tim Rice, who supplied the words for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, as well as Disney's Aladdin (with Howard Ashman), The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. The six-member cast does a beautiful job with the songs, which are a combination of ballads, rock, and operatic choruses. Murray Head's version of "One Night in Bangkok" became a surprise hit in the mid-'80s and it still turns up on the turntables in dance clubs around the world. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars This should never have worked at all.......2007-06-18

And on that basis alone, you've got to cut it some slack. Fortunately, not all that much slack turns out to be necessary.

While "Chess" may be a document of an era that no longer exists, there's a lot more going on than the surface metaphor. It holds up very well indeed. When it aims for humor, it generally succeeds, and likewise when it aims to devastate. What more can you ask for?

5 out of 5 stars A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS.......2007-03-04

`Chess' is a musical that should be counted among the best of what the 1980-is had produced: side by side with `Cats', `The Phantom of the Opera', `Les Miserables' or `Miss Saigon'. The score as heard on this concept album, written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (formerly of ABBA) and with the exceptional lyrics written by Tim Rice, stand proof to this. And yet, due to various reasons, like the changing of the director half way through London staging; a heavy rewrite for Broadway and a pan review from Frank Ritch (a.k.a. `The Butcher of Broadway'), `Chess' seems to be unjustly neglected.

This concept album is the main reason why the show has so many ardent fans until this day. Tim Rice wanted to write the show with the main plot revolving around chess for years and after his long time partner Andrew Lloyd Webber remained uninterested, he found the new collaborators in Ulvaeus and Andersson. The subject matter follows two international chess players in a championship, a Russian (Tommy Körberg) and an American (Murray Head) and a woman called Florence (Elaine Paige) who is a manager to the American but falls in love with the Russian. The story also draws a parallel between the game of chess and the cold war/real life situations.

This concept album was recorded in 1984, two years before the original London production took place. As the authors noted in the accompanying booklet, it was a work in progress and thusly the story is not quite readable here from the musical numbers alone. Despite that fact (which is amended by the synopsis included in the booklet), this album remains a winner. The score (played here by the London Symphonic Orchestra) itself makes an intriguing bland of the famous ABBA sound, the classical; the rock and the pop enhanced by the orchestral solo passages and the strong choral parts. The lush orchestrations add an epic touch to it and on the whole it is melodic and hummable, packed with great tunes. Some of the songs achieved huge success outside the musical: `I know him so well', a duet between Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson, held the number one spot on the UK singles charts for 4 weeks in February 1985 and won Ivor Novello Award as the Best Selling Single; Murray Head's `One night in Bangkok' became one of the biggest dance hits of its time, often heard today. Some other notable tunes include `The Anthem' (Russian's deliberation on his homeland); the soaring rock songs `Where I want to be' and `Pity the child' (in the former, the Russian reflects upon his life under the spotlight; in the latter, the American ponders about his own unhappy childhood) or the gentle `Heaven help my heart' (in which Florence weighs up her relationship with the Russian).

A special reference must be made to Tim Rice's excellent lyrics. With `Chess' he managed to keep up to the high standards he set himself in `Jesus Christ Superstar' and Evita'. Again in this case he shows he is a lyrical wizard, with his familiar cynical touch. `The story of chess', in which he gives a history of the game in a couple of crafty verses, is a pure masterpiece. The same can be said of the song `I know him so well', where the two women reexamine their relationship with the same man. As a whole, `Chess' owes a lot of its appeal to Tim Rice's written word.

The cast on this album ranks the high standard of the material. The principal parts (sung by Elaine Paige, Tommy Körberg and Murray Head) are delivered in a strong and impeccable fashion.

This 2-disc edition comes with a booklet containing a note from the authors, a text about chess, a full synopsis and a libretto, together with the photos of the principal singers.

Anyone interested in the modern musical theatre should find `Chess' to be a great score with great lyrics, which should be enough to satisfy any aficionado.

4 out of 5 stars Chess.......2007-01-15

A magnificent musical, i have enjoyed the music since i first heard it and read the storyline. Had been unable to find it in our local music stores.Very pleased to find it on your site.

5 out of 5 stars One of my favorites!.......2007-01-12

I love "Chess"! I still remember the first time I heard the single "One Night in Bangkok" on my car radio. I thought it was so unusual and so very cool, so I tracked down the album and bought it. Then I taped it onto a cassette, which is what I've been listening to for years, so I finally broke down and got it on CD. Of course, it's on my iPod now. I've seen the musical, and I loved that, too.

2 out of 5 stars Concepts get better with practice.......2006-11-27

I love this show! That said, I do not care for this version of it. The inclusion of the word "concept" in the title means it is just that. This was, thankfully, not the final version of the show that would later spawn the hit song, "One Night In Bangkok".

With most Broadway musicals, the musical numbers tell the basic story of the show. If you listen to the recordings of Phantom, Mama Mia, Beauty and the Beast, you can discern the basic storyline of the show. Listening to this particular recording of Chess, though, will leave you wondering "What was that?" The Broadway arrival of Chess saw a much needed reworking of the storyline and arrangement of the musical numbers. This recording seems too much like a mish-mash of songs that don't really relate to each other.

For musical fanatics (like myself), I say "yes, you should have this recording in your collection", if only to understand how much work went into the show before it opened on Broadway.

If you are only buying the album because of "One Night In Bangkok", purchase the Broadway recording instead; you'll be much happier with the performance by Phillip Casnoff rather than Murray Head.
Grieg: Greatest Hits
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful!!!
  • Relaxes your mind.
  • Relaxing music from a great composer
  • Better than just an introduction
  • Great CD
Grieg: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Grieg, EdvardGrieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002A21
Release Date: 1994-08-09

Tracks:

  1. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Morning Mood
  2. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Ase's Death
  3. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Anitra's Dance
  4. Peer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Peer Gynt Suite #1)
  5. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: I Allegro molto moderato
  6. Norwegian Dance, Op. 35 No. 2
  7. Sigurd Jorsalfar: Homage March
  8. Jeg elsker dig, Op. 5: Jeg elsker dig, Op. 5 (Ich liebe dich)
  9. Lyric Suite, Op. 54: No. 3: Norwegian March
  10. Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: No. 1: Heartwounds
  11. Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: No. 2: The Last Spring
  12. Lyric Suite, Op. 54: No. 4: March of the Trolls
  13. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: I The Abduction of the Bride - Ingrid's Lament (Peer Gynt Suite No. 2
  14. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: II Arabian Dance
  15. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: III Solvejg's Lullaby
  16. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: IV Peer Gynt's Return Home

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful!!!.......2007-05-14

I bought this for my husband but fell in love with it myself. I had never heard of it but now consider Edvard Grieg my favorite composer. It is magnificent.

5 out of 5 stars Relaxes your mind........2005-12-30

The peer gynt suite is very delicate and it relaxes me. Whenever I hear the first movement of Peer Gynt, I feel as if I am walking along the forest at dawn with sunshine passing through the tall trees. It calms me and I usually close my eyes to imagine Grieg's creative masterpiece. What also interests me the fourth movement. It starts with slow and quiet and then slowly the music accelerates with power. Like the title, "Mountain King," says itself, you can feel the grandness of the music toward the end.

The piano concerto in a minor is my favorite. This music seem to convey the full spectrum from quiet and delicate or gracious feel of music to more powerful and magnificent all proportionally adequately. It is very enjoyable. Whenever I listen to this music, I feel as if I am resting in the high mountainn looking at the full panorama. Anyway, that's just my imagination I feel from his music and of course, yours can be very different from mine.

As for the CD quality, I hear no distraction sound and it is recorded well, I think. The little cover booklet can be informative about Grieg. Also nice price from Amazon.

4 out of 5 stars Relaxing music from a great composer.......2005-08-02

I absolutely loved the string music on Track 3. I remembered it from an old PC RPG called Quest for Glory IV. I was disappointed to find out that Track 4 was only a minute and a half long, because I grew up loving that song from the various places I heard it (Fantasia and a kid Detective PC game from the late 80's).
Overall, though, Grieg's greatest hits is a must-have for collectors of classical music. Grieg is revered as Norway's greatest composer of all time and he certainly has a knack for creating imagery of bustling fjords and majestic mountainsides with interlaced river ravines.

5 out of 5 stars Better than just an introduction.......2004-04-28

This CD goes beyond just introducing Grieg. It is a truly beautiful and for me, invaluable collection of this excellent composer. Grieg had an inimitable gift for exploring emotion, often sadness and nostalgia. However, he also had a large touch of the virtuoso, as demonstrated by the famous Piano Concerto. True, the last 2 movements are not included here; however, the first is still stunning. The Peer Gynt Suites are wonderfully played, and Ase's Death and Heartwounds are especially noteworthy - the lush orchestral sounds of these gorgeous pieces unfold exquisitely. Homage March is a nice change of pace, upbeat and with a memorable theme, and Leonard Bernstein moves at a devilish pace in March of the Trolls. This CD will not disappoint you - buy it today!

5 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2002-01-29

For an intro to Greig, this is great. The "hall of the mountain king" is done very well.
Free
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • HEAVENLY
  • Sweetest voices ever!
  • Awesome
  • Soothing and thought provoking
  • Pure Crystal
Free
Chris Dodd , Fiona Pears , Anthony Chadney , Ben Crawley , Christopher Robson , and Raoul Platt
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | New Age | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
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  1. Luminosa
  2. Visions
  3. Libera
  4. Angel Voices
  5. Angel Voices 3

ASIN: B0002RUAAQ
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

  1. I Am The Day
  2. Stay With Me
  3. Voca Me
  4. A Song Of Enchantment
  5. Ave Verum
  6. Do Not Stand At My Grave
  7. When A Knight
  8. A New Heaven
  9. I Vow To Thee My Country
  10. Lament
  11. Twilight
  12. Be Still My Soul
  13. Adoramus

Amazon.com

English composer Robert Prizeman has taken a conventional English boy's choir--usually a haven for sweet songs and ecclesiastical renderings--and made them contemporary without selling out any of their intrinsic charm. Their stacked choral voices and lead sopranos, dressed up with electronica rhythms, synthesizers, and strings still sound like they could be coming from the church balcony, even while they exude an Enya-like appeal. While there are adaptations of Gregorian chants and Sibelius hymns, most of the songs are Prizeman originals based on those styles, with texts often drawn from Latin Liturgy. Except for the chilled romanticism of "Stay With Me," and the rhythm driven "Adoramus," whose chorus sounds like a Harry Potter incantation, few of the songs on Free have the anthemic pop appeal of "Salva Me" or "Vespera" from previous albums. Instead, Prizeman has opted for a more serene sound on Free, even with their first video from the disc, the yearning "I Am the Day." Some of it, like Prizeman's setting of a Walter de la Mare poem on "A Song of Enchantment," gets lugubrious. But most of Free floats on gentle soprano breezes, intrinsically innocent, even if the boys might be smoking cigarettes behind the altar. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars HEAVENLY.......2007-06-19

This cd is like listening to a heavenly choir. "Free" is an awesome audio experience. It can turn a stressful day into a calm evening.

5 out of 5 stars Sweetest voices ever!.......2007-06-16

I happened across this CD at Borders and was able to listen to it! One of the sweetest and heavenly CDs ever! I bought two: one for myself and one as a gift.

4 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2007-01-04

I never knew that young boys could have such wonderful voices, almost angelic. The music is very relaxing and haunting at times, but that's what makes it a good album to hear to. The harmonies were so beautiful. To all choir fans, this is a must-have album.

5 out of 5 stars Soothing and thought provoking.......2006-02-23

Libera is an amazing group of boys and Robert Prizeman really knows how to put everything together. My favorite songs on "Free" are Voca Me, Stay With Me, Adoramus, I Am the Day and Twilight. Each time I listen to this disc, another song seems to start growing on me. This was my first Libera CD (I have since bought Luminosa, Libera and Visions) and at first I liked the faster more upbeat songs but as time went on I started to really love the softer ones like Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep (beautifully done by Ben Crawley and Joseph Platt). The soloists are lovely with clear and pure voices, and the chorus just swells with harmonies. This is choir music for people who hate choir music.

5 out of 5 stars Pure Crystal.......2006-02-20

Like Luminosa, this is incredible. I can only compare it to the beautiful, pristine, classical pieces of antiquity, such as Vivaldi's Spring and Bach's many ethereal melodies. It's beautiful.
Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 4 stars and stuff, man
  • Nice segue to opera
  • Exquisite! My favorite of the Arias and favorite CD by far.
  • A great follow-up to an outstanding musical experience
  • Grandiose and inspiring
Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon
Paul Schwartz , Rebecca Luker , and Steve Barton
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Aria 3: Metamorphosis
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  5. Earthbound

ASIN: B0002IQGFI
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

  1. Arianna
  2. Ebben
  3. Addio
  4. Horizon
  5. Barcarolle
  6. Cantilena
  7. Sviraj (Lullabye)
  8. Interlude
  9. Pavane
  10. Ave Maria
  11. Leiermann
  12. Lullabye (Sviraj)

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars 4 stars and stuff, man.......2007-05-06

review review review review blah blah blah blah and stuff, man.

5 out of 5 stars Nice segue to opera.......2007-01-10

I have never liked opera, but this music is a gentle introduction with enough contemporary addition to pique my interest. Very well done. I have also purchased the first Aria CD and also number 3.

5 out of 5 stars Exquisite! My favorite of the Arias and favorite CD by far........2006-11-06

This CD speaks to the heart. It expresses powerful emotions of longing, grief, and tenderness. A baring of the soul with such beauty. Clair Marlo's vocals in Lullabye (Sviraj) are absolutely divine. It sends me. Here we are treated to at least three different vocals, not just Rebecca Luker, and they blend and flow so beautifully. It's just wonderful. What a treat. Can't say enough about this CD. I love it.

5 out of 5 stars A great follow-up to an outstanding musical experience.......2006-03-15

ARIA volume 1 was certainly a winner and this follow-up CD is fantastic. I liked the first CD so much that every time I went to the record store or online at Amazon I would look to see if Paul Schwartz and written a sequel. Schwartz selects wonderful works from classical music and re-arranges them so that they maintain the essential spirit and intent of the original but are made accessible for the ears of contemporary listeners. Thus, you owe it to yourself to listen to these gems.

Rebecca Luker's super voice is wonderful as she weaves a mystical mood with Monteverdi's Lament of Arianna; Catalani's "Ebben ne Andro Lontano" from La Wally; "Addio" from Verdi's La Traviata; "Barcarolle" from Offenbach's Contes De Hoffman and "Ave Maria" by Caccini. I looked Luker up on the web and found that she has starred in various Broadway productions. Her voice is incredible and Schwartz integrates her angelic sound into the electronic instrumentation. The "Ave Maria" is somewhat odd, with the strong precussions, but the choir and Rebecca Luker keep it within bounds.

This CD differs from the first ARIA in that we are treated to several instrumental works arranged by Schwartz. "Horizon" is a moody composition anchored by viola and cello. "Cantilena" is a piano solo played by Schwartz, a charming piece that echoes back to Verdi's "Addio" as well as the Croatina Lullabye sung by Clair Marlo.

A second outstanding singer, Clair Marlo, delivers "Sviraj, a Croatian Lullabye" which Schwartz offers in two distinct arrangements, once in Croatian and then again in English.

Faure's "Pavane" is very well done with Marc Antoine playing the guitar solo. The work is improvised so that a contemporary jazz interpretation is offered.

Steve Barton's voice, accompanied by the oboe, offers us "Leiermann" from Die Wintereise by Schubert. This is a dreamy sad odd spacey work with lyrics about a freezing ancient shoeless hurdy-gurdy man. The work is full of mystery and retains Schubert's complexity.

Paul Schwartz makes the outstanding compositions of previous generations come alive for contemporary audiences.

4 out of 5 stars Grandiose and inspiring.......2005-01-31

This is type of music I expect to hear: strong, complex arrangements executed with passion and flair. I first heard Earthbound, and knew instantly that Paul Schwartz is up to something. His work far surpasses others in this genre.

I especially love the vocals here. Some of the intros are a tad cliche, but I can live with that. The voice is convincing and energetic, masterful even. This is one of the best CDs I have bought in years.
Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A good value
  • The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann
  • Good mix of film music
  • A mixed collection of movie music
  • Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens
Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008WI90
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

  1. The Man from Snowy River (Bruce Rowland)
  2. The Winds of War (Bob Cobert)
  3. Blue Velvet (Angelo Badalamenti)
  4. Witness (Maurice Jarre)
  5. Raising Arizona (Carter Burwell)
  6. Pee Wees Big Adventure (Danny Elfman)
  7. Halloween (John Carpenter)
  8. A Nightmare On Elm Street (Charles Bernstein)
  9. The Fly (Howard Shore)
  10. RoboCop (Basil Poledouris)
  11. The Empire Strikes Back (John Williams)
  12. The Right Stuff (Bill Conti)
  13. The Final Conflict (Jerry Goldsmith)
  14. The Abyss (Alan Silvestri)
  15. Brainstorm (James Horner)
  16. Peggy Sue Got Married (John Barry)
  17. My Left Foot (Elmer Bernstein)
  18. The Dead (Alex North)
  19. Stanley & Iris (John Williams)
  20. The Milagro Beanfield War (Dave Grusin)
  21. Driving Miss Daisy (Hans Zimmer)

Tracks:

  1. Steel Magnolias (Georges Delerue)
  2. Unforgiven (Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood)
  3. Raggedy Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
  4. The Grifters (Elmer Bernstein)
  5. Green Card (Hans Zimmer)
  6. City Slickers (Marc Shaiman)
  7. Father Of The Bride (Alan Silvestri)
  8. While You Were Sleeping (Randy Edelman)
  9. Babe (Nigel Westlake)
  10. The Adventures Of The Great Mouse Detective (Henry Mancini)
  11. The Adventures of Robin Hood (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)
  12. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Laurence Rosenthal)
  13. The Secret Garden (Zbigniew Preisner)
  14. A Little Princess (Patrick Doyle)
  15. Rudy (Jerry Goldsmith)
  16. Iron Will (Joel McNeely)
  17. Memphis Belle (George Fenton)
  18. Eye Of The Needle (Mikl)
  19. Total Recall (Jerry Goldsmith)
  20. Back To The Future Part III (Alan Silvestri)

Tracks:

  1. To Die For (Danny Elfman)
  2. The Player (Thomas Newman)
  3. Black Robe (Georges Delerue)
  4. Medicine Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
  5. 2001 (Alex North)
  6. Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (Joel McNeely)
  7. The Crow (Graeme Revell)
  8. Blade (Mark Isham)
  9. The Omen (Jerry Goldsmith)
  10. Vertigo (Bernard Herrmann)
  11. Scream (Marco Beltrami)
  12. The Sixth Sense (James Newton Howard)
  13. Xena: Warrior Princess (Joseph LoDuca)
  14. Air Force One (Jerry Goldsmith)
  15. Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris)
  16. The Matrix (Don Davis)
  17. The Iron Giant (Michael Kamen)
  18. Youve Got Mail (George Fenton)
  19. A Little Romance (Georges Delerue)
  20. Pleasantville (Randy Newman)

Tracks:

  1. Sunset Boulevard (Franz Waxman)
  2. L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith)
  3. Rounders (Christopher Young)
  4. The Score (Howard Shore)
  5. The Replacements (John Debney)
  6. Gone In 60 Seconds (Trevor Rabin)
  7. The Bourne Identity (John Powell)
  8. Rush Hour 2 (Lalo Schifrin)
  9. XXX (Randy Edelman)
  10. Die Hard (Michael Kamen)
  11. The Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones)
  12. Moby Dick (Christopher Gordon)
  13. The Mists Of Avalon (Lee Holdridge)
  14. Cleopatra (Alex North)
  15. Life As A House (Mark Isham)
  16. Emma (Rachel Portman)
  17. In The Bedroom (Thomas Newman)
  18. Cast Away (Alan Silvestri)
  19. One True Thing (Cliff Eidelman)
  20. Unfaithful (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek)
  21. Far From Heaven (Elmer Bernstein)
  22. Ice Age (David Newman)
  23. Shrek (Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A good value.......2007-05-17

I wasn't expecting to have 4 discs for this price, and the music is a quality selection of film music, giving a good scope of the genre, and a very listenable transfer.

4 out of 5 stars The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann.......2006-07-25

This collection is bound to capture your heart and evoke a tin ear on successive tracks. I found much to like and some duds - easy to skip over.
Very good value.

4 out of 5 stars Good mix of film music.......2006-07-02

Good mix of films!
I'm a big fan of this soundtrack music and will be looking for more CD's like this.

4 out of 5 stars A mixed collection of movie music.......2006-02-23

For the price, this CD is a great bargain. The musical selections, as you might expect, are mixed in quality ranging from extraordinary to so so, the balance being worthwhile and interesting. Sonically the CD is excellent.

5 out of 5 stars Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens.......2006-01-06

I have been listening to great scores for many years and this collection is truly inspirational in so far as the choice of different scores takes you on a journey of listening pleasure matched by only a few collections.The price is incredibly reasonable for hours of listening pleasure. Don't pass this one up
Essential Purcell
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Mad about Baroque
  • The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes
  • Brilliant
  • Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames).
  • Brilliant Purcell Disc
Essential Purcell
Henry Purcell , New College Choir Oxford , King's Consort , Robert King , Roy Goodman , Charles Daniels , John Mark Ainsley , James Bowman , Peter Buckoke , Jane Coe , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Michael George , Miles Golding , Jane Norman , Barbara Bonney , Mark Caudle , William Carter , King's Consort Choir , Helen Gough , Paul Nicholson , Angela East , Barry Guy , Tessa Bonner , Jerome Finnis , Rupert Bawden , Lucy Howard , Richard Campbell , Susan Addison , James O'Donnell , and Stephen Saunders
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
  2. Purcell: The Fairy Queen
  3. Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll
  4. Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx
  5. Purcell: Full Anthems & Organ Music

ASIN: B000002ZDU
Release Date: 1995-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 5: Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn. Symphony And Opening Chorus
  2. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 3: Be Welcome Then, Great Sir
  3. Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: Oh, Fair Cedaria
  4. The Choir Of The King's Consort: Hear My Prayer, O Lord
  5. Great Baroque Arias: When I Am Laid In Earth ('Dido's Lament')
  6. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.1: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears (Part 1)
  7. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.4: The Sparrow And The Gentle Dove
  8. Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: If Music Be The Food Of Love (First Setting)
  9. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.5: Rejoice In The Lord Always ('The Bell Anthem')
  10. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Hosanna To The Highest
  11. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.7: Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts
  12. Mr. Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures: Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling
  13. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.6: Mark, How Readily Each Pliant String
  14. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: Sound The Trumpet
  15. Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.3: She Loves And She Confesses Too
  16. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: O How Blest Is The Isle
  17. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
  18. Complete Anthems And Services Vol. 11: An Evening Hymn
  19. Complete Church Music Vol.2: Vouchsafe, O Lord, To Keep Us This Day
  20. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.2: With Rapture Of Delight... Hail Bright Cecilia

Amazon.com essential recording

The "Essential" Purcell? Well, you could get a bunch of critics to argue about that for a few days, but in the meantime, here is a sampler of highlights from the King's Consort's three admirable Purcell series: the Complete Odes and Welcome Songs, Complete Anthems and Services, and Complete Secular Solo Songs. There are, of course, some of Purcell's most-performed pieces (which probably are "essential"): Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, "Sound the trumpet" from Come, ye sons of Art, Rejoice in the Lord alway (the "Bell Anthem," named for the string figure at the opening that sounds like pealing bells), the gently patriotic "Fairest isle, all isles excelling" (sung by a miscast James Bowman), and a selection from the funeral music for Queen Mary. There are also some delightful surprises--particularly among the little-known secular songs and church music. The plaintive "O fair Cedaria" gets a lovely performance by Barbara Bonney (a singer not usually associated with Purcell); tenor Rogers Covey-Crump (possibly the ideal high tenor for Purcell) sings the enchanting "If music be the food of love"; the church anthems "Let mine eyes run down with tears" and "Remember not, O Lord, our offences" have some startling harmonies as daring as any Monteverdi ever wrote. If you're unfamiliar with Purcell, this reasonably priced disc is a good place to start exploring without a big initial investment. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Mad about Baroque.......2007-02-12

This is a terrific CD. The music is breathtaking. Just buy IT !!!!!

5 out of 5 stars The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes.......2002-08-21

Absolutely beautiful baroque music! The arrangament, singing and instrumentation is superb. It is too bad that Henry Purcell is not as widely known as Bach, because he should be recognized equally well."The Sparrow and the Gentle dove" is alone worth the price of the album! I can not stop playing it!

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant.......2001-10-31

Like in his renditions of Handel's oratorios, Robert King manages to bring a freshness and strenght to Purcell's music that I had seldom heard before. This CD also features some of the best performers of early music in the world. My favourite tracks are Oh, Fair Cedaria, sung by the multi-talented Barbara Bonney; Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher; She Loves and she Confesses too, sung by the wonderful Susan Gritton; and Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn, sung by Rogers Covey-Crump. The only track I didn't find absolutely wonderful is Fairest Isle, sung here by James Bowman. Don't get me wrong, I generally love Mr Bowman, I think that his performance in Mr Purcell's Most Admirable Composures (also conducted by Robert King) makes it another essential Purcell recording; but I find that Fairest Isle was much better done elsewhere, particularly by Christopher Hogwood and Barbara Bonney.

These songs aren't only beautiful, they're also poignant, sweet and unpretentious. I think that it will be very clear to anyone who listens to this recording that Mr Purcell was one of the finest composers that ever lived.

5 out of 5 stars Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames)........2001-10-20

If anyone has benefitted from the reversion in the last three or so decades to period instruments and historical reconstruction, it is Henry Purcell. Before, he was merely great, the peerless word-setter in the English language, a virtuoso of boundless range, a professional composer whose offical commissions were always imbued with personality and invention. But period instrumentation has added to this a greater depth, an other-worldly texture of sound. With his intricate, multi-part vocal writing, his preference for low, rumbling instruments such as the bass viol and the strange and remarkable theorbo, as well as his often sombre and low-key subject matter and treatment, Purcell creates a round, glowing, humming sound as pregnantly full as dub reggae.

This has an extraordinary effect on the listener. Whereas Bach, with his mathematical abstractions, sounds universal and timeless, Purcell's music takes the listener back 300 years, back to different ways of thinking about, feeling about and addressing things we still think etc. about today - death, love, friendship. The emotion is timeless, but the music's beauty is alien, THEIRS, hence its preciousness.

A lot of intelligence has gone into the unity of this compilation, beginning with two Welcomes (to the dawn and to the listener, in this case a King), and ending with thoughts of evening, death and a Baroque 'Thank you for the music'. These are bright, fanfare-like works, but the predominant mood is slow, ruminative, quiet. The selection covers the wide range of Purcell's oeuvre, from opera and funeral marches to secular songs and odes, and includes his most famous vocal works - Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher, and never more evocative of pagan loss and death; the massive 'Bell Anthem', with its ingenious opening symphony and joyful antiphon; and a miraculously serene 'Evening Hymn', Dido's opposite, death indicating hope, the treble voice swirling over the heavy ground bass like the soul released from the inert body.

it might seem quixotic to choose highlights from an exemplary collection of highlights, but the entry of the strings washing over the serene repetition of 'Be Welcome then, great Sir' always makes my heart stop still, while the musical picture of 'Bold Honour', the 'noisy Nothing, stalking shade', blocking the poet's amorous intentions in 'She loves and confesses too', adds a chilling hint of life's transience to a bouyantly bawdy song.

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant Purcell Disc .......2000-11-30

With this album director and Purcell expert Robert King provides the listener with an excellent introduction to the composer's vocal works. The pieces presented here were taken from Mr. King's recordings of 'The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs', 'The Complete Anthems and Services', 'The Complete Secular Solo Songs' and diverse anthology discs. King, his wonderful soloists and musicians do the brilliance of Purcell's music fully justice. Whether he was commissioned by royalty, the church or theatre, Purcell shone in all areas. This disc certainly demonstrates the variety and originality of his craft, not to speak of his uncanny ability of setting words to music.

An outstanding Purcell offering. With a beautiful perfomance by Barbara Bonney of 'Oh, fair Cedaria'. Susan Gritton is equally captivating in 'She loves and she confesses too'. Gillian Fisher's rendition of the famous 'Dido's Lament' is haunting and poignant. Further an intelligent and brilliant 'Hosanna to the highest' by Michael George. James Bowman and Michael Chance sparkle in the countertenor duet 'Sound the trumpet' (from 'Come Ye sons of Art away'). And I should not forget to mention the joyous, luminous performance of the beautiful 'Bell Anthem'. To name but a few favourites, only James Bowman's 'Fairest Isle' was a disappointment.

Those who are familiar with Purcell's music will get an excellent disc with some of his most beloved works. If you are new to Purcell, this is, as already said a great introduction. Which might be the incentive to further explorations of Purcell.

by stardustraven
The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Be a Marco Polo of music
  • Northern Exposure
  • Sparse Great Songs
  • The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan
  • Like an Exotic Journey
The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon
  2. Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet
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  4. Caravan: The Ultimate Silk Road Album
  5. Without You

ASIN: B000063NDQ
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

  1. Mahur (Iranian) - Bruno Caillat
  2. Fakhri Havasi (Azeri) - Edalat Nasibov
  3. Balbyraun (Kazakh) - Aygul Ulkenbaeva
  4. Dance Of Tamir Agha (Armenian) - evorg Dabaghian
  5. Dilkash (Azeri) - Elshan Mansurov
  6. Uchun Dur (Uzbek/Tajik) - Jurabek Nabiev
  7. Choban Bayati (Azeri) - Mailik Mansurov
  8. Mokhalef (Iranian) - Hoseyn Qavami
  9. Shushtari (Iranian) - Hasan Kasa'i
  10. Lullaby From Itsuki (Japanese) - Kojiro Umezaki
  11. Ker-Tolgoo (Kyrgyz) - Samara Tokhtakunova
  12. Xiao Yue Er Gao ('High Little Moon') (Chinese) - Wu Man
  13. Jiu Kuaang ('Wine Mad') (Chinese) - Yao Bingyan
  14. Kharagay ('The Pine Tree') (Khakas) - Svetlana Chebodaev
  15. Ilme ('Hook') (Kazakh) - Aygul Ulkenbaeva
  16. The Gallop Of Jonon Khar (Mongolian) - Baterdene
  17. The Nightingale (Kyrgyz) - Ruslan Jumabaev
  18. The River Herlen (Mongolian) - Baterdene
  19. Nava (Uzbek) - Turgun Alimatov
  20. Woy Bala ('Hey, Kid') (Uyghur) - Nur Mahammat Tursun
  21. Meskin II (Uzbek) - Abdurahim Hamidov
  22. Ufar-e Bayat (Tajik/Uzbek/Bukharan Jewish) - Barno Is'hakova
  23. Chabbiyat Tazi Marghul (Uyghur) - Uyghur Muquam Ensemble
  24. Shawm And Percussion Band (Chinese) - Gongxiao Dasha Ensemble

Tracks:

  1. The Nomadic Sound: Jew's Harp Melody (Kazakh) - Edil Huseinov
  2. The Nomadic Sound: Khai (Khakas) - Evgeni Ulugbashev
  3. The Nomadic Sound: Tepen Kok (Kazakh From Mongolia) - Kelek Kumaqay
  4. The Nomadic Sound: Kogmen (Khakas) - Slava Kuchenov
  5. The Nomadic Sound: Excerpt From Alpamish Epic (Uzbek) - Jaule Bakhshi
  6. The Nomadic Sound: Beyish Namasi ('Meoldy Of Paradise') (Qaraqalpak) - Qalbeke Uzaqbergenova
  7. The Nomadic Sound: Terme (Kazakh) - Almas Almatov
  8. The Nomadic Sound: Lament (Turkmen From Iran) - Dordi Torik
  9. The Nomadic Sound: Mashq-e Javanan (Tajik/Uzbek) - Sirajoddin Juraev
  10. The Nomadic Sound: Kuu (Kyrgyz) - Nurlanbek Nishanov
  11. Traditions Of Festivity: Sanam (Uyghur) - Abdurashid Nadirev
  12. Traditions Of Festivity: Charzarb (Tajik) - Abdullah Nariev
  13. Traditions Of Festivity: Mizghan-i Siyah ('Black Eyelashes') (Afghan/Tajik) - Muhammud Rahim Takhary
  14. Traditions Of Festivity: Love Song (Azeri From Iran) - Ibrahim
  15. Traditions Of Festivity: Qara Olu (Kazakh) - Edil Huseinov
  16. Spiritual Music: Kertolghau (Kazakh) - Sayan Aqmoldaev
  17. Spiritual Music: Dargilik (Tajik) - Khodapanah Berdov
  18. Spiritual Music: Madh (Tajik) - T. Soltan Qalbov
  19. Spiritual Music: Zikr (Uyghur) - Naqshbandi Afaqi Brotherhood
  20. Spiritual Music: Kyrgyz Wisdom Song (Kyrgyz) - Akli Sekebaev
  21. Spiritual Music: Allah Madad (Iranian/Afghan) - Abdollah Sarvar Ahmandi
  22. Spiritual Music: Alevi Song (Turkish) - Ashiq Faizullah Chinar
  23. Spiritual Music: Sufi Hymn (Turkish) - Jarrahi Dervishes And Others

Amazon.com

"What if Marco Polo had owned tape recorder?" This intriguing concept is raised in the liner notes to this impressive two-CD set, which wanders along ancient Asian trade routes known as the Silk Road. The first disc, Masters & Traditions, deals with formal styles performed by and for sophisticated connoisseurs. Meanwhile, the music on Minstrels and Lovers is played by amateurs who are part of daily life and thus reach a wider audience. The imaginary caravan passes through Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and Afghanistan, encountering nomads, mystics, and bards along the way. The instruments are scratchy, pungent, and/or serene, while the singers weave a potent spell out of a millennium's worth of slow-changing rural and urban vistas. In the opening essay, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the project's artistic director, pleads for intercultural communication and empathy. This compilation provides an exotic, brave, entertaining first step in that direction. --Christina Roden

Album Description

What if Marco Polo had owned a tape recorder? And what if his epic travels along the Silk Road had taken place not at the end of the 13th century, but at the beginning of the 21st? Far-fetched conjectures to be sure, but our compilation The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan offers a glimpse of the rich musical life that an intrepid and curious traveler like Marco Polo might find in the lands of the Silk Road today.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Be a Marco Polo of music.......2007-05-06

Its rather difficult to review this in the regular like it/don't like it way. This is the endemic music of the people along the silk road the runs across Asia. Some of it sounds very strange compared to Western music, like study for an Anthropology course, while some of it very enjoyable.

5 out of 5 stars Northern Exposure.......2007-03-30

This anthology is an outstanding survey of the northern section of the so-called Silk Road, taking us from Turkey, Azerbaijan,and Iran, through Uzbekistan, southern Siberia, China, and finally to Japan, but not in order, as the CD set is organized instead by category of musical function and the localities seem random. Although there are significant gaps in the styles, and I particularly miss the sweet lyric songs of Kyrgyz women, the powerful mugham voice of Qasimov of Azerbaijan, and more examples of the kylkobyz fiddle of Kzakhstan, the set provides a fine introduction of the musics of inner Asia and particularly the instruments. A glossary of instruments is provided, but unfortunately their images are often lacking. All the examples are short by necessity, when many traditional pieces are far longer in duration. For the uninitiated, it will take repeated listening to distinguish the uniqueness of timbre and rhythm from one land to the other; but this similarity of sounds helps demonstrate the role of the trade routes in sharing instruments and styles, such that the Japanese biwa, the Chinese pipa, and the Arabic oud all are related. If you want to attain some feel for the musics of inner Asia, then certainly these disks will meet the requirement.

2 out of 5 stars Sparse Great Songs.......2007-03-29

Some of the pieces on the first cd are "take away" great.
The secound cd is ...
I enjoy "world culture" music and sound however, the secound cd in this double collection was a monotonous let down.

5 out of 5 stars The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan.......2007-01-03

Thank you for this part of my research on Central Asia.

5 out of 5 stars Like an Exotic Journey.......2005-08-06

This is the ultimate World Music collection. It features authentic sounds from vastly diverse cultures, assembled in such a way that they don't clash, they flow along like a caravan journey. If you're looking for familiar tunes, this isn't for you. But if you'd like to expand your musical horizons, I highly recommend it.

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