So I

Track Listings

1. Roger We Will Remember, a Tribute to Roger Troutman

2. So I

3. Wanna Get Back

4. Sunrise/Sunset

5. Mom Used to Barbecue

6. Descrue

7. Come to Me

8. If You Stay

So I,Max Flava,Wize-Guyz,Pop,R&B

So I

Tracks:

II: Andante - Stephen Hough
I: Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude (Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring) - Dame Moura Lympany
Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat - John Ogdon
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II: Adagio - Cecile Ousset
Tango - Dame Moura Lympany
Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat - John Ogdon
Waltz No. 9 In A Flat - Dmitri Alexeev
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - Cecile Ousset
Traumerei - Dame Moura Lympany
La Maja Y El Ruisenor - Magda Tagliaferro
Nocturne No. 5 In F-sharp Minor - Maurizio Pollini
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Fur Elise - Dame Moura Lympany
Etude In E 'Tristesse' - John Ogdon
Fruhlingslied - Daniel Adni
II: Andante - Dmitri Alexeev

Tracks:

II: Adagio Cantabile - Walter Gieseking
II: Romanze - Annie Fischer
Aria - Maria Tipo
II: Romance (Larghetto) - Garrick Ohlsson
Granada - Gonzalo Soriano
Waltz No. 15 In A Flat - Maura Lympany
II: Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
An Den Fruhling - Daniel Adni
Nocturne No. 10 In A Flat - Daniel Adni
II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Walter Gieseking
La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - Dame Moura Lympany
Cancons I Dansas No. 1 - Gonzalo Soriano
II: Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Prelude No. 15 In D Flat 'Raindrop' - Dmitri Alexeev
Gnossienne No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Berceuse - Jean-Philippe Collard
Minuet In G - Dame Moura Lympany
Berceuse In D Flat - Peter Donohoe

Customer Reviews:

something to have.......2007-03-14

These CD's are filled with all the awesome relaxing songs for the evening when you need it. It is just one of those must have items in your CD collection.

Excellent Music.......2007-02-19

This album was a "try and see" purchase but I love it. It makes great dinner music, great music to drift off to sleep with, or just nice background filler during social events needing a softer tone. It is not all solo piano music if that s what you are after; the other instruments blend very well however and don't challenge the piano playing. It is a piano album after all!

buy now.......2006-09-01

Want to know why I think the piano is the best musical instrument ever invented? Because no matter how the piano is played, it will always sound good. Whether the music is fast, slow, quiet or loud, it ALWAYS delivers with an appealing sound. This is something you need to buy.

Lovely.......2006-02-22

This is a beautiful calming cd. The playing is excellent and the pieces are well chosen.

Aesthetically Pleasing.......2005-09-14

I simply love piano music. If you're looking to relax, enjoy a peaceful time, then you must check out this album. If you truly enjoy piano music, this album is by far one of the best you can purchase.

As it says....it is the "Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever..." Well, I haven't listened to all piano albums in the world, but I don't need to, this one is just perfect for me, and I think you will agree!

I would say the pianists' are extremely accomplished. At times, I would admit-it's a bit 'spine tingling'!

Average customer rating:

One of the very few non-metal/screamo groups I can stand.
...
WOW
Mazzy Star
sublime

So Tonight That I Might See
Mazzy Star
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Among My Swan
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ASIN: B000002V07
Release Date: 1993-10-05

Tracks:

Fade Into You
Bells Ring
Mary Of Silence
Five String Serenade
Blue Light
She's My Baby
Unreflected
Wasted
Into Dust
So Tonight That I Might See

Amazon.com Music Reviews

People tend to confuse the band Mazzy Star with it's singer Hope Sandoval. Truth be told, they've been right all along. Sandoval's languid, weeping willow voice is Mazzy Star; the name is a mere formality. With nods to Nico and the Velvet Underground, So Tonight that I Might See is vintage Mazzy. Remarkably, the recording produced a strikingly undanceable single, "Fade into You," that ascended to respectable rotation on college and AAA radio. The rest of the album sticks close to the single's plaintive, retro balladry. Though Sandoval rarely raises her voice above a sultry whisper, it's bright enough to hold your attention all night. --Nick Heil

Customer Reviews:

One of the very few non-metal/screamo groups I can stand........2007-06-23

Mazzy Star is one of the very few non-metal/screamo groups I can stand. If you don't have everything Mazzy put out, you're wrong. Their second best album.

..........2007-06-13

Easy listening for the college rock scene. You'd probably be better off buying Slow Jamz or something. Totally boring, but I wouldn't mind listening to it if someone put it on and the mood was right.

WOW.......2007-05-28

I am SO blown away with this album. It is truly amazing if I can say so myself. As an R&B and Hip Hop lover, male at that, I must admit that this album's music hits a whole other spot. I can't wait to go and purchase (listened to most tracks from free downloads) because I have to support such outstanding art. While everyone raves over the amazingly beautiful song, Fade Into You, i am so surprised that almost no one has mentioned my current second favorite, Into Dust. That song I can listen to over and over and over and...

This album is a must have.

Mazzy Star.......2007-03-08

CD is in horrible condition adn not advertised that way. Otherwise delivery was just fine.

sublime.......2006-12-29

If you have never treated yourself to a Mazzy Star album - start with this one. Of course it opens with the incredibly sublime 'Fade into you' which still remains to be my favorite song of all time after so many years. Having said that, every song on the album is incredible and takes you to another place. Hope Sandoval is possibly the best female vocalist I've ever heard and it's a shame that she hasnt released more albums.
Absolute sublime classic disc that you will never tire of.

Average customer rating:

RIP, BEVERLY SILLS 1929-2007
Brava Sills!
Sills fits my bill
The Great American Soprano
My Favorite Woman

The Great Recordings

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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The Very Best of Beverly Sills
Art of Beverly
Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato
Beverly Sills: Made in America
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)

ASIN: B0001Y4JG6
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

Son Vergin Vezzosa - Paul Plishka
Eccomi... Oh! Quante Volte
Mira, O Norma
Santo Di Patria... Allor Che I Forti Corrono... Da Te Questo
Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore - Nicolai Gedda
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Quel Sangue Versato Al Cielo S'innalza - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Vorrei Spiegarvi, Oh Dio, K.418
Amor, Op.68 No.5

Tracks:

Martern Aller Arten
E Strano! E Strano!
Ah, Fors'e Lui
Follie! Follie!
Sempre Libera
Ces Murs Silencieux - Pardonnez-moi, Dieu De Toute Puissance - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Toi! Vous! - Oui! Je Fus Cruelle Et Coupable! - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
N'est-ce Plus Ma Main? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Robert, Toi Que J'aime
Tu Ne Chanteras Plus?
Chere Enfant Que J'appele
Meine, Lippen, Die Kusen So Heiss
Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein
Always Through The Changing

Customer Reviews:

RIP, BEVERLY SILLS 1929-2007.......2007-07-03

The great American diva's passing was announced today.

This wonderful CD set is a perfect compilation of her art as can be found anywhere. Her finest roles and performances are captured here, most of them derived from the Westminster/Audio Treasury recordings from her prime. Listening to them again demonstrates to me why she was so special, and such an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.

Brava Sills!.......2007-02-02

A very nice compilation of Sillsiana. The different cuts on this CD provide a nice illustration of her work. Let me briefly describe my response to a sampling of the works on this CD:

Bellini, I Puritani, "Son vergin vezzosa." Wonderful. Sutherland owns this--but so does Beverly Sills. Contemporary sopranos such as Netrebko and Gruberova have also sung this on their respective CDs, and while their product is nice, it simply does not compare. Sills is remarkably agile with her voice; the trills are well done; she cleanly hits high notes; the overall effect can only be described as wonderful.

Bellini, Norma, "Mira, o Norma". This is smoothly sung and very melodic. The technique that she exhibits does not overwhelm the music.

Rosini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, "Contro un cor che accende amore." Again, her agile voice is well deployed. The florid singing is well done.

Donizetti, Roberto Devereaux, "Che m'apporti." Her clean, light voice matches well with this aria. Smoothly sung. Her "Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza," which follows, is well done. High notes cleanly hit, a smooth line.

Verdi, La Traviata, "E strano. . . .Sempre libera." Again, what agility! In "Sempre libera," she reveals a rich voice and, again, wonderful agility. This is an animated version of one of Verdi's showcase pieces.

Lehar, Giudetta. "Meine Lippen." A lot of fun! This is smoothly sung.

In the final analysis, this is a nice potpourri of Beverly Sills' repertoire. Those not familiar with her work will find this a nice entree to her oeuvre; those familiar with her will find this a good compilation.

Sills fits my bill.......2006-03-13

This recording is another in an all too small CD collection of Sills recordings. I eagerly await more.

The Great American Soprano.......2005-10-01

This is a great collecition featuring arias from the Classical and Romantic periods. Fabulous!!!!!

My Favorite Woman.......2005-08-05

I would have to say that when I first heard Beverly Sills sing, I was entranced. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I became angry at any rustling around me, because I was afraid I would miss one note. It was so addictive....that is what she is....addictive! A c.d. will never properly capture her style. She is an amazing leader in opera, taking it into a new frontier and I believe this c.d. showcases that.

Average customer rating:

Incomplete Soundtrack
Better than the Movie!
Is This CD Complete?
Good Mother's Day Present

Because I Said So
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Bulletproof
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Because I Said So (Widescreen Edition)
Catch and Release
Music and Lyrics
Wild Hope
Shrek The Third

ASIN: B000NJLXDQ
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

Black Horse And The Cherry Tree/KT Tunstall
It's All Right/The Impression
Mama Said/The Shirelles
That's Alright Mama/Rick Nelson
World Spins Madly On/The Weepies
Want Ads/The Honey Cone
Feel Like Makin' Love/Marlena Shaw
I Met Him On A Sunday/The Shirelles
Yes, My Darling Daughter/Sandie Shaw
Momma Told Me/Crystal Waters
The Moment/Terra Naomi
More Than A Friend/All Too Much

Customer Reviews:

Incomplete Soundtrack.......2007-07-01

I bought this soundtrack mainly for the song "The World Spins Madly On" by The Weepies. Don't get me wrong the other songs are classic, but I was still disappointed. Watching the movie I loved the vocal harmony between Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Piper Perabo, and Lauren Graham. I thought for sure they would have put the two songs, "I Met Him On Sunday" and "Its Alright", that the girls sang on this soundtrack. I think this soundtrack is incomplete without it.

Better than the Movie!.......2007-05-30

This was a great soundtrack! I highly recommend it, but the movie lacks beyond the music!

Is This CD Complete?.......2007-05-28

I was searching for the soundtrack to "Because I Said So," and was disappointed that Van Morrison's "Days Like This" was missing from the track list. It was a super opening song.

Good Mother's Day Present.......2007-05-27

I own very few soundtracks and I seem to remember from much earlier that they don't always include all the songs you heard and loved in the movie. That said,this soundtrack still has some good songs. And one great one that I don't even remember from the movie!

Average customer rating:

Opera for Aficianados as well as Newbies
superb!
beatiful music
Best Opera CD ever
Rapture

Rapture: Opera's Most Heavenly Moments

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Famous Opera Duets
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The #1 Opera Album
The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!
The Best of Italian Opera

ASIN: B00006L3K2
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Casta Diva - Renee Fleming
Barcarolle - Edita Gruberova
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana - Maria Chiara
Intermezzo - Herbert Von Karajan
Letter Duet - Edith Mathis
Che Faro Senza Euridice - Grace Bumbry
Va Pensiero - Giuseppe Sinopoli
Una Furtiva Lagrima - Gosta Winbergh
Porgi Amor - Gundula Janowitz
Humming Chorus - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Soave Sia Il Vento - Kiri Te Kanawa
Overture (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orchestra
Un'aura Amorosa - Hans-Peter Blochwitz
Un Bel Di - Mirella Freni
Depuis Le Jour - Montserrat Caballe
La Ci Darem La Mano - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Placido Domingo
Mir Ist So Wunderbar - Lucia Popp

Tracks:

Flower Duet - Joan Sutherland
The Pearl Fishers Duet - Bryn Terfel
Lascia Ch'io Pianga - Kiri Te Kanawa
Prelude - Bayerisches Staatsorchestra
O Silver Moon - Renee Fleming
When I Am Laid In Earth - Tatiana Troyanos
Miserere - Placido Domingo
Vissi D'arte - Mirella Freni
Intermezzo - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Softly Awakes My Heart - Grace Bumbry
Ombra Mai Fu (Largo) - Bryn Terfel
Pilgrim's Chorus - Chorus Of The Bayreuth Festival
Ruhe Sanft - Kiri Te Kanawa
Flower Duet - Teresa Berganza
Entr'acte - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Mira O Norma - Marilyn Horne
Hochsten Heiles Wunder - Chorus Of The German Opera Berlin

Customer Reviews:

Opera for Aficianados as well as Newbies.......2007-06-11

If you are looking for peaceful, beautiful music this is for you. It is a delightful mix of some of opera's most memorable moments. Long time opera fans will be familiar with most of the arias and newcomers to opera will recognize music that has become identified with movies and commercials.

superb! .......2007-05-12

If you love wonderful operatic moments then this cd is a great buy for all of the wonderful and spectacular music on it. You get two cds for the price of one great opera cd, and all of the talented singers that were taken and put on these tracks do definate justice to all of the composers listed. A great cd to add to your collection especially if you are an aspiring singer or a student in music. Absolutely Fantastic!

beatiful music.......2007-02-23

former reviews are no exaggeration, this is the most beautiful music I have come across. I have many opera CDs but this is one I never tire of.
I listen to the CD everyday and it is always soothing, uplifting and inspiring. I wish I could find another as wonderful.

Best Opera CD ever.......2007-02-16

I have orderd plenty of classical CD's and DVD's on this webside.
Most were phantastish but this one is the best.
I listen so often to this CD that it should have grooves.
I never get tired of it.
I recommend this CD highly.
Roswitha

Rapture.......2007-01-24

Wonderous---Melodious----
This compilation of Opera's finest moments is positively wonderful!!!!Unquestionably the best buy I have made in Opera Music..No kidding,I have trays full of CDs covering every facet of Opera,but none as beautiful...A full 2 1/2 hours of the best of the best....Heavenly Moments says it ALL...I vote 6 stars!!!!!

Average customer rating:

iPod owners be warned
Axe Rufus Wainwright, and it would be 5 stars
Yes, it's one of the best albums I own
Brokeback Mountain
A matter of taste...

Brokeback Mountain
Gustavo Santaolalla , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Verve Forecast
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BEZQ18
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Opening - Gustavo Santaolalla
He Was A Friend Of Mine - Willie Nelson
Brokeback Mountain 1 - Gustavo Santaolalla
A Love That Will Never Grow Old - Emmylou Harris
King Of The Road - Rufus Wainwright
Snow - Gustavo Santaolalla
The Devil's Right Hand - Steve Earle
No One's Gonna Love You Like Me - Mary McBride
Brokeback Mountain 2 - Gustavo Santaolalla
I Don't Want To Say Goodbye - Teddy Thompson
I Will Never Let You Go - Jackie Greene
Riding Horses - Gustavo Santaolalla
An Angel Went Up In Flames - The Gas Band
Its So Easy - Linda Ronstadt
Brokeback Mountain 3 - Gustavo Santaolalla
The Maker Makes - Rufus Wainwright
The Wings - Gustavo Santaolalla

Amazon.com

Argentina-born, California-based Gustavo Santaolalla helped shape the rock en Español movement by producing Mexican bands Molotov and Café Tacuba , and Colombian singer Juanes. In the late 1990s he made a switch to soundtracks, working on well-received albums for Amores Perros and The Motorcycle Diaries. His instrumental contributions to Ang Lee's tale of two cowboys in love are acoustic guitar-based and, let's face it, a bit on the sonic-wallpaper side.

The vocal tracks, on the other hand, are uniformly lovely, even if the selection of interpreters falls on the predictable side. Linda Ronstadt, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, and Mary McBride on the soundtrack to a contemporary Western? What a shock! Still, they're all wonderful and Santaolalla wrote at least a couple of classic-sounding country ballads ("A Love That Will Never Grow Old," sung by Emmylou Harris, and "No One's Gonna Love You Like Me," sung by Mary McBride). And don't miss Teddy Thompson and Rufus Wainwright's sweet cover of Roger Miller's 1964 "King of the Road." --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

iPod owners be warned.......2007-08-01

I loved the movie and the music. However, I'm very disappointed to discover that I cannot get the CD to copy to my iPod. This is a pet peeve of mine - I buy the music, I should get to listen to it on whatever device I choose.

Axe Rufus Wainwright, and it would be 5 stars.......2007-06-13

This album is a mixture of the instrumental theme, which is incredibly beautiful and haunting, and some very solid country songs. I was surprised by how good the other songs were (you still have to like country music, though). There are only two songs that I don't like at all, and those are the two by Rufus Wainwright - one a cover of "King of the Road" (originally by Roger Miller). They are great demonstrations of him at his most nasal and whiny. It sounds like he is a French guy holding his nose and singing too slow. It's too bad, because they are good songs otherwise. I guess if you like him, you're golden; but I can't stand these versions. Fortunately, the rest of the disc is really good.

Yes, it's one of the best albums I own.......2007-06-03

I listened to it over and over and over last year. Such quality all 'round.

Brokeback Mountain.......2007-05-13

The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.

A matter of taste..........2007-05-08

I didn't really pay a lot of attention to the music in the film, except for in the most intense of scenes. Perhaps this is why I was so, completely, disappointed with this soundtrack. I felt that if it did even half of what the film did for me it would be a worthy buy. My friends, this soundtrack is shat. It's mostly country and folk, which I am plainly not into. If you like these things then check this out - if not, turn away.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful music sung by a great soprano
WHAT CAN I SAY?
Rest in Peace Dear Bubbles (1929-July 2, 2007)
two beautiful discs!
Good example of the "Art of Beverly Sills"

Art of Beverly
Beverly Sills
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000075A7K
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

Mignon: Oui, Pour Ce Soir Je Suis Reine Des Fees...Je Suis Titania La Blonde
Manon: Allons! Il Le Faut-Adieu, Notre Petite Table
Manon: Je Marche Sur Tous Les Chemins-Obeissons Quand Leur Voix Appelle
Louise: Depuis Le Jour
Linda Di Chamounix: Ah! Tardai Troppo...O Luce Di Quest'Anima
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Regnava Nel Silenzio...Quando Rapito In Estasi
I Puritani: Fini...Me Lassa!
I Puritani: Vieni, Vieni Fra Queste Braccia
Roberto Devereux: L'amor Suo Mi Fe' Beata
Maria Stuarda: O Nube
Anna Bolena: Cielo A' Miei Lunghi Spasimi-Coppia Iniqua

Tracks:

Les Contes D'Hoffman: Les Oiseau Dans La Charmille
Les Contes D'Hoffman: Elle A Fui, La Tourterelle
Zaide: Ruhe Sanft, Mein Holdes Leben
Der Opernball: Im Chambre Separee
Die Lustige Witwe: Es Lebt' Eine Vilja
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Gold Is A Fine Thing
Die Tote Stadt: Cluck, Das Mir Verblieb
Daphen: Was Blendet So...Ich Komme...Ich Komme
Sechs Lieder Op.19 No.2: Breit' uber Mein haupt Dein Schwarzes Haar

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful music sung by a great soprano.......2007-08-01

During the era of high-fidelity recording music lovers have been fortunate to have had available many fine recordings by several outstanding sopranos. But, in my opinion, Beverly Sills was the greatest soprano of them all. This 2-CD set contains a large collection of her most popular arias, all sung with the unique combination of vocal beauty, flawless technique, and healtfelt artistry which made Beverly Sills singing so special and beloved. If you are a fan of this great artist -- or simply like beautiful music beautifully sung -- please treat yourself to this wonderful 2-CD set now. I can't imagine any music lover being without it -- its that outstanding. Incidentally, it's also bargain priced.

WHAT CAN I SAY?.......2007-07-05

FOR THOSE WHO WANT A SAMPLER, IT IS THE BEST. YET, IT LEAVES YOU PINING FOR THE ITEMS SILLS NEVER RECORDED IN THEIR ENTIRETY. MORE STRAUSS, MORE OF EVERYTHING. A DEFINITIVE VOICE. HER LUCIA IS UNSURPASSED.

Rest in Peace Dear Bubbles (1929-July 2, 2007).......2007-07-03

I have always loved the flowing, plaintive music of bel canto, and no other singer perhaps captured the synthesis of fioritura and expression so perfectly as Beverly Sills. Callas may have been a supreme dramatist, but Beverly Sills had a better command of the fioritura that skyrocketed her career during the 60s and 70s. It is indeed sad that America has lost one of its national treasures yesterday when Beverly Sills passed away in Manhattan. She truly was one of the greatest. Just listen to her singing any one of Donizetti's three queens and you will know what I mean. She is exemplary not only in Donizetti though. Her Manon is still the best, her Violetta in par with Callas, her Louise the most idiomatic ever recorded, her Fille du Regiment a joy, Linda di Chamounix ecstatic, and Gilda a lesson in the art of light Verdi. She was a supreme painter of characters. Has there ever been a more brilliant Zerbinetta? And how many singers have been able to truly convey the youth of Elvira in Puritani? In Rossini, she was also unparalleled in L'Assedio di Corinto, the role that she made her La Scala debut in. Beverly Sills was one of a great many singers who belonged to a great golden age of singing, and I am thankful that I was born into the right time to hear her glorious work. This CD is a wonderful compilation of the brand of singing that she brought into the lives of many an opera fan for years and years to come.

I met this singer last fall in New York. A few months later, I saw her again hosting the opera quiz at the Met. Little did I know that about five months later, she would forever rest in the peace that she deserved for so long. Rest in peace Beverly. And brava...brava for the many years of wonderful singing that you gave us.

two beautiful discs!.......2007-02-18

Beverly Sills not only survived being a child prodigy - a rare enough thing among singing musicians - she triumphed in a big way. Her fertile and beautiful art is wonderfully represented on this double disc set from Deutsche Grammophon. I sense today a resurgence of appreciation for her art, and to call it well deserved is saying the least. The singing's jam packed with pure musicianship, attention to nuance, fidelity to composer and character - in a word, everything requisite to making the operatic art thrive, qualities in short enough supply today among many opera stars, and it makes this package even more attractive. Sills not only understood bel canto art, she accomplished it memorably. Highlights include 'Ah! Tardai troppo...' (Linda di Chamounix), &an unearthly 'Regnava nel silenzio...' (Lucia), which I might prefer to Sutherland's for its committment and munificence. The gone too soon Thomas Schippers conducts a great performance - how that man could possess whatever orchestra and score he worked with. Two arias from I Puritani - especially 'Vieni, vieni fra queste braccia' with the singing of the genius Nicolai Gedda as Arturo, and an opening to Anna Bolena's aria 'Cielo, a' miei lunghi spasimi' that wipes clean every memory of other versions. All that on disc 1! I had forgotten Sills' beautiful pianissimos, singing so musicianly and free of ego - her interpretation is always only her adherence to score and composer, and greater praise cant be given a classical singer. Disc 2 offers a definitive version of Korngold's 'Gluck, das mir verblieb' (Die Tote Stadt) among a number of fine versions out there. The slowest version available and I feel I'm hearing it for the first time, and with a true Viennese (Rudel) conducting! You can put this track alone on repeat and live out the day in freedom! If you dont know Sills' art, or dont remember it well and truly, this set is a fine place to begin what will become transfixion with a musical art that proves itself urgent and inextinguishable! Highest recommendation.

Good example of the "Art of Beverly Sills".......2007-01-27

Beverly Sills is one of the most well reputed coloratura sopranos of the past fifty years. This CD illustrates why she has attained such renown. First, it shows the range of her singing. While much of her work focused on Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini, she sang about fifty roles in her career, before retiring in her late 40s. This 2 CD set provides a sense of the range of her work.

The first CD focuses on her operatic singing. The CD begins with a selection from Thomas' "Mignon," culminating in "Je suis Titania la blonde." Her voice is light and clear. She displays great agility. In the middle of this piece, she shows a decent but not great trill; she closes the "cut" with a series of terrific trills. Her ornamentation is nicely done.

Donizetti's "Linda di Chamounix" was another of Sills' characters. "Ah! Tardai troppo. . .O luce di quest'anima" features more clean vocalization. The florid singing is nicely done, with well sung high notes and additional sound trills. A very agile voice on display! From Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," Sills sings "Regnava nel silenzio. . .Quando rapito in estasi." Her voice is smooth. In the aria, she produces a set of trill after trill, each one well done, but in their totality almost overdone (I love trills, but there were almost too many!). "Quando rapito in estasi" is well sung, with much well done florid singing, with appoggiaturas, trills, and other ornamentation.

The remainder of the CD features selections from Bellini's "I Puritani," and Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux," "Maria Stuarda," and "Anna Bolena." I can say pretty much the same about these pieces as already stated before. Excellent technique, wonderful ornamentation.

The second CD begins with the redoubtable piece, sung by "Olympia," from Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann." Well done, with good vocal effects, catching the mechanical aspects of the music. Other pieces on this side come from Mozart, Heuberger, Moore, Korngold, and so on.

One piece worth mentioning, because it captures her approach to a lighter work, from Lehar's "The Merry Widow." She sings the song for what it is, and does not overwhelm it with her voice. Compare with what Richard Tucker did to the enjoyable but rather light song, "What Now My Love?", when he essayed singing pop tunes. Enjoyable for the thrill of his voice; pretty grisly in terms of his overwhelming the music itself. That does not happen here; there is a certain pathos in Sills' singing, as warranted by the song. It suggests the range of her singing.

All in all, a good sampling of "The Art of Beverly Sills." Hearing her voice again after many years reinforces my preexisting view that she ranks as one of the best coloratura sopranos of the past fifty years. There are terrific contemporary singers who sing the same repertoire and do it well. But Beverly Sills certainly compares very well with them. If interested in an introduction to Sillsiana, this is a good place to start.

Average customer rating:

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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Chess (1988 Original Broadway Cast)
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ASIN: B000002GLR
Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Bangkok
One Night In Bangkok
Heaven Help My Heart
Argument
I Know Him So Well
The Deal (No Deal)
Pity The Child
Endgame
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:

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully American
A Gersh-winner
Interesting... but I think I'd prefer a good Gershwin interpreter
Gershwin's playing overated
The jazzy Gershwin. What a CD!!!!!!!

Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2
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ASIN: B000005J1I
Release Date: 1993-11-09

Tracks:

Sweet And Lowdown
Novelette In Fourths
That Certain Feeling
So Am I
Rhapsody In Blue
Swanee
When You Want 'Em, You Can't Get 'Em...
Kickin' The Clouds Away
Idol Dreams
On My Mind The Whole Night Long
Scandal Walk
An American In Paris

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully American.......2007-05-14

I've had a copy of this CD for years and love it. The power and optimism of the music is really quite remarkable... regardless of who or what is actually playing here. The arrangement of Swanee is light but rich with major chord trains like you just want to go marching around the room. And American In Paris leads you on a swaying, dischordy journey the deeper you go, as the narrative begins to trade delicacy for passion. (and I love renditions where you can hear the MUSIC and the instruments don't get in the way, like four-voice midi versions of Bach which reveal the eloquence).

When I listen to this CD now, and which is most surpring to me, I hear a profound pride in America - back "before." I play it when I have people over and we put burgers on the grill. This CD is the song of sitting in my back yard with the clouds blowing by and for the moment things feel OK.

"Before" - OK, there is no old perfect Amercia; but I'm thinking of the time before we learned to distill petroleum into toxic pollution, before pride meant vanity and thuggery, before hate-filled invective became public amusement, and before presidents went to war because it was good for business.

A Gersh-winner.......2007-01-07

George Gershwin had a long association with the mechanical device known as the player piano. At the age of ten, Gershwin used a neighbor's pianola to teach himself how to play, by very slowly pumping the foot pedal that advanced the hole-punched rolls, and placing his fingers on the depressed keys. His parents were so impressed by his abilities they enrolled the boy in formal piano studies when he turned 13. Thus, an American genius was born.

The existing films of Gershwin (who died of a brain tumor at age 38 in 1937) show him to be a virtuoso at his instrument. His 1924 acoustic recording of Rhapsody In Blue (with the Paul Whiteman orchestra) is further evidence of this. But no film or recording has what is contained within the album GERSHWIN PLAYS GERSHWIN: THE PIANO ROLLS, and that is-- full fidelity range.

The CD comes in a standard jewel case packaged in a heavy paper slipcover. Biographical liner notes are included along with details on the rolls. The earliest performance in this set is from 1916, made when Gershwin was an 18-year-old song plugger. My favorites here are "Swanee," from 1920, and "An American In Paris," from 1933, which is undoubtedly one of the last significant piano rolls ever made.

Gershwin's dynamic performances are not in the least obscured by the few extra notes added to the piano rolls (such practice was standard in those days). Listening to these recordings is like sitting next to this brilliant man, observing his fingers fly over the keys as he plays some of his best work.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 60:36

Interesting... but I think I'd prefer a good Gershwin interpreter.......2006-05-14

Composers are not necessarily the best performers of their own work. A songwriter's songwriter like Jules Shear or Jimmy Webb comes to mind -- surely the best representations of their songs are on other artist's albums.

This album is charming in its own way -- a taste of the music and performance style of a bygone era. Someone complained that these rolls were edited. So what? I'm going to review the final product, now how it was made. Do you eat sausage? Ask not what's in it!

I like to listen to this CD in short bits -- a few songs at a time. For some reason I find it to be fatiguing if I listen for more than 20 minutes or so. I'm not absolutely sure why this is so. Possibly the meter is just a little too metronomic on many of the songs. This lends a "mechanical" quality to the performances.

Additionally, I felt that the dynamic range was restricted. The music does get louder and softer, because of the piano rolls themselves and because of the computer programming used to read the piano rolls -- the dynamics were deliberately adjusted by the record producers in some spots, if I read the liner notes correctly. And yet. And yet. Still these songs do not dynamically "breathe" fully in and out the way they ought to. I find this disappointing, but I think it has something to do with inherent limitations in piano roll recording technique. I'm guessing.

Taken for what it is, it is an interesting concept, and the sound quality is very pleasant. The performances are very good for piano rolls, but fall short of what a good interpreter could do. Take, for example, the Rhapsody in Blue from Woody Allen's Manhattan soundtrack. Listen specifically to the piano part -- the dynamics and variations in rhythm. This is not by any means the best performance of Rhapsody, but it is better than the Gershwin rolls.

Gershwin's playing overated.......2006-04-09

After I heard this cd I bought Gershwin plays Gershwin on the naxos label which arn't piano rolls. Any pianist can tell that many of these rolls are heavily edited and can't be played by a pianists with two hands. On the naxos album that has some of these same songs Gershwin's actual playing doesn't sound very good. Many of Gershwins contempories such as James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake, Luckey Roberts and even Zez Confrey were much better pianists than he was, however they didn't have his melodic gifts as a composer. I would recommend Artis Whodhouse's
transcriptions of Jelly Roll Morton's piano rolls (on the same label) instead because most of those are exactly how he played them and in my opinion Morton was a better musician in every way than Gershwin.

The jazzy Gershwin. What a CD!!!!!!!.......2006-02-23

I got this CD as a gift. I am all for the austrogerman post- romantic music and as imagined Gershwin is not my favourite composer. I know him from his best known works such as the 'Rhapsody", the 'American' and his great songs. This CD is a treasure as mentioned from other reviewers of this site. Gershwin full of passion, his music being jazzy to the very end and that great feeling you get after a great live performance is present all over the length of this 'treasure'. No question about the presence of the music. Not to be missed

Average customer rating:

A few good songs
Anthony Hamilton - Comin' From Where I'm From
4.5 stars: Gritty, Smoky, Neo Blues....................
A Great One
My first AH album!

Comin' from Where I'm From
Anthony Hamilton
Manufacturer: So So Def
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000AGWFA
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Mama Knew Love
Cornbread, Fish & Collard Greens
Since I Seen't You
Charlene
I'm A Mess
Comin' From Where I'm From
Better Days
Lucille
Float
My First Love
Chyna Black
I Tried

Album Description

"Comin' From Where I'm From" utilizes a copy-protection technology that allows the CD to play on nearly all standard playback devices, including CD players, DVD players, car stereos, boomboxes, PCs, Macs, Walkmans, and game consoles. Using the original disc, consumers can transfer this album to their personal computers. From their computer, consumers can also transfer the music to a secure portable device and burn three copies to CD-R. Mac users can transfer tracks to an iPod, but PC users can not transfer tracks to an iPod.

Customer Reviews:

A few good songs.......2007-03-30

I like this style of music. But as far as this album goes... It's just "OK". It's one of those albums that is nice to have if you want to listen to that genre, but not necessarily something that you'd listen to every day. The stuff gets quite stale after a little bit. :(

Anthony Hamilton - Comin' From Where I'm From.......2007-03-05

Chilling in the late night now listening to Anthony Hamilton's sophomore album "Comin' From Where I'm From" (2003). Listening to this release is a pleasure, Anthony Hamilton laces this record with soulful vocals, taking his audience through an enjoyable journey. I became familiar with Hamilton a few years ago, when he made a memorable guest appearance on Jadakiss single "Why". North Carolina's Anthony Hamilton opens this release up with a heartfelt tribute to his mother on "Mama Knew Love". My favourite track on this release is the sensational single "Charlene", Anthony Hamilton shines on this joint about losing one's loved one. I especially like the chorus to this memorable joint. On the follow up track "I'm A Mess", Hamilton mourns the women who walked out of his life without an explanation. Another single on this release and highlight is the title track "Comin From Where I'm From", Anthony Hamilton recalls how life can be away around his way, while singing about more heartbreak on "Lucille". Latoya Williams and Anthony Hamilton provide a duet with "My First Love". I appreciate the passion/realness Anthony Hamilton puts into his music, the end result is substantial music, that will stand the test of time. I recommend "Comin' From Where I'm From" for the collection.

4.5 stars: Gritty, Smoky, Neo Blues...........................2007-01-14

Superb song writing and well sung songs. Anthony Hamilton hits the nail on the head with such hits as Mama Knew Love, Comin where I'm From, Charlene, Float, Lucille and Better Days. His voice is a mix of Charlie Wilson and Bill Withers.

A Great One.......2007-01-12

I read that he was simuilar to Bill Withers and Bobby Womack and he really is. He is so real and the music very down home.If you like the style of Bill Withers and Bobby Womack you will come to be a big fan of Anthony Hamilton.

My first AH album!.......2006-08-28

This was my first album by Anthony Hamilton and I fell in love with all of the tunes except Chyna Black - I had to listen to it a few times before I could get into it.

Otherwise, I like his music because he is so very real and down to earth. His words tend to talk about reality and not just what the mainstream wants to hear. Basically, it is down home storytelling.

I hope he keeps writing and singing in his own style and never change.

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