Chatterton [Import]

1. Perte de Vue, a

2. Que N'Ai-Je

3. Ma Petite Entreprise

4. Elvire

5. Ane Plane, Un

6. Après d'Âpres Hostilités

7. J'Avais un Pense-Bête

8. J'Passe Pour une Caravane

9. Dance d'Ici

10. Ostende, a

11. Apiculteur

12. J'Ai Longtemps Contemplé

Tracks:

Beautiful River (Shall We Gather At The River)
Simple Gifts
She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain
Peace
McKay
A La Claire Fontaine
Deep River
We Gather Together
Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten
Cindy
Gentle Annie
We Shall Walk Through The Valley In Peace
The Water Is Wide
By And By
The Old Church
Lay Me Low
The Road Home

Album Description

This CD is the second of the final CDs to be issued by The Dale Warland Singers, who disbanded in 2004. The program is a "harvest" of popular songs, hymns and spirituals, including "Simple Gifts," "Deep River," and "We Gather Together". The Grammy-nominated Dale Warland Singers were specialists in performing American works. Includes 16-page booklet with full texts and notes on the works! The Dale Warland Singers CDs are among the best selling American choral CDs in recent history. This CD is a "volume 2" of their best seller, Blue Wheat, issued previously on ACC. Based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Dale Warland Singers were recognized as one of the world's foremost a cappella choral ensembles. This 40-voice professional choir recently celebrated its 31st and final season of concerts, tours, radio broadcasts, and critically acclaimed recordings, following the retirement of founder and director Dale Warland.

Customer Reviews:

"Harvest Home" Serves Up a Feast.......2006-03-10

Most CD recordings of choral music do not attract the attention of the population at large, and "Harvest Home" is clearly an exception. Word came to me about this remarkable album through a fellow faculty member at the Boston Conservatory. He was rightly proud of having written two of the arrangements, but prouder still of the fact that it had become a red-hot bestseller through the word-of-mouth network of choristers all over the country. Needless to say, I was curious but a bit skeptical. Generally, things that become that popular have an aesthetic downside. I ordered my copy from Amazon and got it just before I left to go to a concert with a couple of musician friends. We were frankly thrilled with the quality of the singing, the beautifully shaped nuances, and the richness of the several of the arrangements. It is clear that its popularity among choral singers has to do with the musical material, as with its execution. The arrangements are based on mostly religious American folk songs and show off the delicate intonational skills of Dale Warland's legendary group. It's just the kind of thing that church choir members can really appreciate, but unfortunately cannot stand up to repeated listing -- it has to be the work of great composers for me to hear recordings over and over again. Nevertheless, I played it for my choral group, and they jumped all over it. That's the market audience. Bravo, Mr. Warland.

Amazing.......2005-12-26

I've been a fan of the Dale Warland Singers for a long time, and attended many of their concerts. This recording displays perfectly what the choir was capable of. I listen to it constantly. Many of these arrangements are the best I've heard of these songs. "Deep River" is better than that of Chanticleer or Cantus. "She'll be Comin Round the Mountain" is really fun. I got the chance to sing it a few years ago and will never forget it. You NEED to buy this CD. It's well worth the money.

Exquisite.......2005-12-18

Buy this album! This is the finest recording I have purchased this year. The exquisite tonality and the arrangements have kept me listening every day. The audio quality is outstanding - balanced, finely nuanced, lovely soundstage. If you enjoy choral music, purchase this album - NOW.

Exquisite.......2005-11-16

I purchased this on a whim and it is been in my 5-disc player ever since. I have always loved choral settings of folk songs and hymns (with one exception - "The Water is Wide" should never ever ever be sung by a chorus - it doesn't work, but it is the only track I skip on this disc). The selections are all old favorites in often harmonically lush arrangements. Hawley's arrangement of "Not One Sparrow" is transcendent and has become my morning prayer, "Lay Me Low" my evening meditation. The singing is as near perfect as can be, musicality is stunning, and technical merits are high. I cannot recommend this disc enough.

Emotional and poignant.......2005-11-07

On Harvest Home, the Dale Warland Singers delve into the rich legacy of mostly American sacred and folk music. With the lush vocal orchestrations and thoughtful arrangements, many of these familiar songs take on new life and emotional depth.

As a boy, I grew up in the Mennonite church tradition and one of the distinctive things about our church services was the a cappella 4-part harmony. As I got older, I thought this was a bit odd and wished we used instruments in church like most people. In looking back now, I am thankful for that tradition and what it taught me about music and harmony.

Throughout high school I was involved with choral groups, doing several programs each year. The first year after high school I spent a few months at a religious school that had a long-standing tradition of chorale music. I well remember the hours of rehearsal to get the song just right, practicing enunciation and dynamics and expression.

So when I hear a group like the Dale Warland Singers, I have a small insight into the dedication it takes to do choral music at the level of this recording. These are singers and a director at the top of their game, with attention to detail everywhere, creativity in the arrangements and technical brilliance. And what a vocal range, with "how low can they go" bass and sopranos that my normal laptop headphones have trouble reproducing without distortion.

I've long been a fan of spirituals; they are at times moving to hear, at times playful and fun (and can be even more fun to sing). This album features a couple of my favorites: "Shall We Gather At The River" and "Deep River". Upon first hearing this rendition of the latter, I was nearly moved to tears by the stark beauty and emotional depth of this arrangement. It's a prime example of the power of music to take us places emotionally and connect us with the deeper feelings and longings of the soul.

In addition to several spirituals, there is a unique variety of other religious pieces pulled from the traditions of Quakers and Baptists among others. The album also mines some rich treasures from the Shaker tradition, including the comforting "Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten" and the poignant tenderness of "Lay Me Low', with the simple text of

Lay me low where the Lord can find me, where the Lord can own me, where the Lord can bless me

Not everything leans towards the serious or sacred though. A fun, light-hearted arrangement of "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain" (arr. by Emma Lou Diemer) features bouncing bass lines and lots of syncopation and sibilance to keep things interesting. And the traditional Dixie folk song "Cindy" tells the story of a heartsick man with tongue-in-cheek lyrics that playfully bounce from part to part.

The liner notes are exceptional, with lots of helpful historic and musical notes on the various selections. This is one of the final albums from The Dale Warland Singers after 31 years. The group disbanded in May 2004 so that the founder Dale Warland could focus more on teaching, consulting and guest conducting. He certainly has left his mark on the choral landscape and this recording is no exception. Highly recommended if you appreciate choral music, especially traditional folk and sacred selections.

Pintscher - Music from Thomas Chatterton / Barainsky · D. Henschel · Eschenbach

Average customer rating:

A new voice for contemporary music lovers

Pintscher - Music from Thomas Chatterton / Barainsky · D. Henschel · Eschenbach
Matthias Pintscher , Christoph Eschenbach , Dietrich Henschel , and Claudia Barainsky
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000059QW7
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Tracks:

Herodiade-Fragmente - Claudia Barainsky
Sur 'Depart' - Damen Des NDR-Chor Hamburg
Music From Thomas Chatterton - Dietrich Henschel

Amazon.com

Currently composer-in-residence with the Cleveland Orchestra, 30-year-old Matthias Pintscher was born and trained in Germany. He has written more than a dozen vocal and orchestral works; the first two on this disc, both from 1999, are world-premiere recordings. Hérodiade, a long dramatic scene for soprano and orchestra on a text by Stephane Mallarmé, requires the singer to negotiate huge skips in an enormous range, to scream as well as sing, changing mood and expression constantly, while the orchestra provides color and atmosphere with sound effects of great variety. Part of a cycle using words by Rimbaud, Départ turns six lines of text into 16 minutes of music. The women's chorus produces whispers and shouts, the orchestra whistles and crashes; indeed, noises are integral to the text.

The opera Thomas Chatterton (1998), on a text by Hans Henny Jahnn, is about the unfortunate, enigmatic English 18th-century poet who, frustrated by his inability to gain recognition, committed suicide at the age of 17. Pintscher's arrangement of excerpts from it for baritone and orchestra is probably the most accessible piece on the disc. Like the other two, it is punctuated by long silences; the dynamics range from barely audible to deafening. Eerie chordal passages alternate with wild outbursts from both singer and orchestra; there are echoes of Berg's Wozzeck, perhaps underlined by the baritone voice. Dietrich Henschel sounds a little like the young Fischer-Dieskau; he creates a real character and his diction is exemplary.

The booklet quotes from a correspondence between Pintscher and Hans-Peter Jahn (who is not identified). Discussing his working method, Pintscher says the stimulus for a composition is often literary, which these pieces seem to bear out. However, though understanding the words would greatly help in understanding the music, the texts--unlike the correspondence--are not translated. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

A new voice for contemporary music lovers.......2006-10-29

Lovely and dramatic, complex and rewarding. There are only a few composers in his age group that have such a distinct personality and so much talent. Pintscher is also a great conductor, as we witnessed recently when he conducted the Cleveland orchestra in a performance of his own Herodiade (in this CD). The way words mix with sound, together with the sudden explosions of new ideas make Herodiade one of the most intriguing pieces by this young composer.

Average customer rating:

Great CD for the young Placido!

The Young Domingo

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Bravo Domingo
Very Best of
Sempre Belcanto: The Legendary First Recital Recording
Otello (1986)
Placido Domingo: My Operatic Roles (Great Voices)

ASIN: B00000JPCB
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

Giulio Cesare: Svegliatevi nel cor
Don Giovanni: Il mio tesoro
Il Duca d'Alba: Inosservata, penetrava; Angelo casto e bel
La Juive: Rachel, quand du Seigneur
Luisa Miller: Oh! fede negar potessi; Quando le sere al placido
Lohengrin: In fernem Land
Simon Boccanegra: O inferno!; Sento avvampa
Eugene Onegin: Lenski's Aria
Le Villi: Torna ai felici di
Iris: Apri la tua finestra!
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller?
Pagliacci: Recitar! Mentre preso; Vesti la giubba
L'elisir d'amore: Una furtiva lagrima
La boheme: Musette! O gioia della mia dimora; Testa adorata, non piu tornerai
Manon: Je suis seul!; Ah! fuyez, douce image

Tracks:

L'arlesiana: Lamento di Federico: E la solita storia
Martha: M'appari
La fanciulla del West: Ch'ella mi creda libero
Rigoletto: La donna obile
Le Cid: Ah! tout est bien fini!; O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere
L'africana: Mi batte il cor; O Paradiso; Deh! ch'io ritorni
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intanto, amici, qua; Viva il vino spumeggiante
Faust: Quel trouble inconnu; Salut! demeure chaste et pure
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
La forza del destino: La vita E inferno; O, tu che in seno agli angeli
Adriana Lecouvreur: L'anima ho stanca
Turandot: Non piangere, Liu
La fanciulla del West: Una parola sola; Or son sei mesi
Gianni Schicchi: Avete torto!; Firenze e come un albero fiorito
Les pecheurs de perles: A cette voix quel trouble; Je crois entendre encore
Un ballo in maschera: Barcarola: Di' tu se fedele il flutto m'aspetta
Romeo et Juliette: L'amour! L'amour!; Ah! Leve-toi, soleil
La boheme: Non parlate cosi!; Io non ho che una povera stanzetta
Chatterton: Non saria meglio; Tu sola a me

Customer Reviews:

Great CD for the young Placido!.......2001-04-15

This CD features Placido Domingo, the best tenor of the world today, in his youth. It contains in their entirety the three opera aria recordings made by the big maestro for RCA:Romantic Arias (1968); Domingo Sings Caruso (1971) and La Voce d'Oro(1972). The CD includes then some of the greatest arias of the repertoire, including Wagner's "In fernem Land" from Lohengrin.

Domingo was less than 30 years old when he made these recordings. The high notes weren't that good especially the high C in "Salut demeure chaste et pure" from Faust. However, you can already be amazed by Domingo's wonderful technique in breathing control, which has now become a legend.

Overall, the CD is a must in every Operatic collection. It contains 35 arias, 2 Cds for about 15$! Don't Look, however, for Nessun Dorma or the 2 Tosca Arias...they're just not there!

Tracks:

Nessun Dorma!
Colpito Qui M'avete...Un Di All'azzurro Spazio (Improvviso)
Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio
Quando A Solden
Giulietta, Son Io
Non Parlate Cosi...Io Non Ho Che Una Povera Stanzetta
Musetta! O Gioia Della Mia Dimora!...Testa Adorata
Cielo E Mar!
Comare Lola...Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante
Mamma! Quel Vino E Generoso
La Dolcissima Effigie Sorridente
L'Anima Ho Stanca, E La Meta E Lontana
Dammi Un Amore Selvaggio E Ribelle
Che Piu Mi Resta! Tu Sola A Me Rimani
E Un Riso Gentil Qual'alba D'April
Mai Piu, Zaza, Raggiar Vedro
Tornato E Maggio Dopo Lungo Viaggio
Amor Ti Vieta
Un Orso In Musoliera Innamorato
Nessun Dorma!...O Sole! Vita! Eternita!

Amazon.com

Here Roberto Alagna takes on verismo arias, works which require a type of exclamatory delivery very unlike arias from the bel canto period or the French repertoire. The danger for any tenor in this music is overstatement and oversinging - passions run high in this music, and the orchestral accompaniment is big and aggressive. Alagna is, for the most part, remarkably successful, bringing interesting nuances to even the most familiar of the arias ("Nessun dorma," "Cielo e mar") and making a fine case for a beautiful, sad aria from Zandonai's Giulietta e Romeo and painting a vivid portrait of the drunken title character from Wolf-Ferrari's Sly. He occasionally sings sharp: a phrase or two at the close of Turiddu's "Addio" from Cavalleria and every so often in the otherwise mellow "Amor ti vieta." But this recital never bores or tires the listener, and there's a good chance that Alagna is finally living up to his reputation as "the fourth tenor." This is terrific, and worth repeated hearings. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Five stars for Yu Qiang Dai.......2005-01-28

It was a big shock to hear Yu Qiang Dai's debut cd. He is, I think, the best lirico-spinto tenor nowadays. He has a lovely voice, which is very well produced. The center is wonderful, the lower notes are good, the high notes are shining and of fantastic quality... the singing through the passage is very well handled. He is an itelligent musical interpreter and singer, with an interesting and appealing line and sense of style. Very good dynamic changes. He offers some of the absolutely best renditions of some arias (nessun dorma and cielo e mar, for example) that I have heard in many years.
He still has to work his Italian (specially the consonants) and his French. But there were great historical tenors with bigger idiomatical problems.

Despite taking spinto repertoire, Yu never pushes, never tries to make the voice sound darker than it is, everything is always under control, and he takes the chance to give very stylish renditions (for example, of una furtiva lagrima), which is strange for tenors who "want to sing spinto".

The tenor is a fantastic discovery, one of the best ones around. Actually, all my criticism goes to EMI and the production of the CD: no choirs, no solists (for example, for the aria of Cavalleria, where the mother should sing her line), and the acoustic "atmosphere" has made some people to doubt if Yu's voice is really as big as it seems (people who saw his Cavaradossi at Covent Garden say that it is very big, actually).
Not a the best production job by the people of EMI, but five stars (ten if possible) for the singer. Simply wonderful.

Alagna the Over-rated -- He's fine for the deaf!.......2004-12-18

For Heaven's sake, it is ludicrous to compare Alagna -- who has talent but is NOT one of the "greats" -- to the likes of Jussi Bjorling or Domingo. The only reason other reviewers are impressed by this recording is because they haven't heard these arias sung by other, better tenors. First of all, Alagna is a lyric tenor, not a dramatic tenor, and his voice simply isn't big enough to handle the material without displaying a highly unattractrive raspiness, almost a bleating sound, on virtually every aria on the disc. How come no one noticed it (or did his fans simply choose to ignore it)? Alagna can be expressive in his singing, and I have no quibbles with the orchestra or conductor, but this vocal rasp or near-choke hardly makes this CD a listening pleasure for the discerning opera fan. Mario Del Monaco, who had the right dramatic voice for this material, recorded an album of "Verismo" arias which is available on CD and shows how these works should be sung -- with great dramatic power and vitality, not to mention ringing high notes. Alagna hits the high notes, but they are hardly "ringing." This CD demonstrates all too aptly why Alagna has never really caught on with serious and discriminating, knowledgeable opera fans who are familiar with many different tenors of the classic period. Alagna is one of the most over-hyped singers of his generation.

Alagna brings verismo favorites and rarities to 'real life'.......2004-03-21

The composers of the verismo school made it their mission to take opera away from the gods, royalty and nobles which it had exclusively depicted in the previous centuries and to finally have it concern people who lived 'real lives.' Unfortunately, too many opera fans and performers - especially tenors - make the mistake of assuming that the intense passions and 'crude realism' depicted by these composers is a license for excessive sobbing, gulping, screaming, macho posturing and other inartistic distortions of the music and drama. Roberto Alagna doesn't. What is so wonderful about his new disc of verismo arias is that none of what he sings is here merely a 'tenor showpiece'. His emotion is absolutely genuine, never 'look at me emote!'. He is always totally in tune with the dramatic situations, and serves them with a wide palette of tonal colors and vivid word-painting made even more intense by the clarity of his Italian diction, as superb as his native French. Although he has plenty of power and drama when required, more often he sings sweetly, smoothly, gently, and lyrically, even in the heaviest repertory. Best of all, Alagna's recent tendency to overuse the darker, rougher sides of his voice in recordings of Italian works has disappeared. This CD is his best work in that language and his singing here bodes extremely well for his future live excursions into these roles.

The title track 'Nessun Dorma' sets the stage for much of what follows. I can think of no higher praise than to say that it recalls that of Jussi Bjorling. Although Alagna doesn't have Bjorling's blazing voice and unsurpassable tonal beauty, he provides just as much sensitivity, nuance, and soft singing - this is a young man in love with a beautiful princess, not a soccer fan. His Andrea Chenier truly is a poet - youthful, passionate and desperate, and is Loris is equally impressive. Turridu in 'Cavalleria Rusticana' is surely an ideal vehicle for this tenor of Sicilian parentage, with his high spirits and smile in the voice for the drinking song turning serious and repentant for 'Addio alla madre'. For Enzo in 'La Gioconda', Alagna's 'Cielo e mar' is thoughtful and introspective, with a gorgeous diminuendo on 'O sogni d'or'. And what a joy to have Maurizio in 'Adriana Lecouvreur' sung by such a beautiful lyric voice, especially with more lovely pianissimo singing in 'L'anima ho stanca'! Can we hope for at least a live performance of the complete opera with his wife Angela Gheorghiu, who would be ideal in the title role?

Of course, any CD project Alagna undertakes will include a high percentage of rarities, and the very best of these are 'variations on a theme' to operas that Alagna is already famous for singing. Many consider his greatest role to be Romeo in Gounod's 'Romeo et Juliette', so it is no surprise that he is just as moving a Romeo in the tender and passionate tomb scene from Zandonai's 'Giulietta e Romeo'. In going from Puccini's version of 'La Boheme' to Leoncavallo's, Alagna switches from Rodolfo to Marcello, who is the tenor lead in this version. Having heard this opera in its entirety, I had originally thought that it was interesting but clearly inferior to the Puccini. Now I'm beginning to think all it needs is the right cast! More Leoncavallo rarities show Alagna at his most lighthearted and ebullient, even while playing some rather unsympathetic characters, from the feckless, selfish prince in 'I Zingari' to the married man having an affair with the title character in 'Zaza'. But in the wonderful 'Tu sola a mei rimani, poesia' from 'Chatterton', written by Leoncavallo when he was 17, Alagna is once again a heroic figure unlucky in love.

The 'Song of the Bear' from Wolf- Ferrari's 'Sly' is another triumph. Alagna darkens his tone to a rich bronze to become both the drunken poet of the title and his alter ego, the pathetic, lovestruck performing bear. He even improvises a delightful growl after 'voglio l'orsa!' ('I want the she-bear!'). Giordano's 'La Cene della Beffe' with its tale of a tenor jester's terrible revenge, would be a superb stage vehicle for Alagna's considerable dramatic talents, although here we only hear the character sweetly serenading about love in springtime. It is also nice to hear 'Quando a Solden', Hagenbach's anguished apology to the title character from Catalani's 'La Wally', an opera known mainly for the soprano aria 'Ebben? Ne andro lontano'.

The only problem I have with this disc, and I considered but decided against deducting the final star because of this, is that at least in the familiar selections I find conductor Mark Elder's tempos a little too slow. Although this allows Alagna to be at his most expressive, it takes away from the drama and urgency that is so necessary in this music. The Covent Garden orchestra does their usual splendid job, as does London Voices in their choral contribution, and Marianne Coterill and Tasmin Dalley are fine as Lola and Mamma Lucia. In addition to a wonderful background essay by John Steane, the documentation includes full texts and translations and - FINALLY - a biography of Alagna, as well as one of Elder.

I hope Alagna will get the opportunity to perform much of this material on stage, especially the rarities, although it might be best to limit his appearances in these roles to small theaters. Although Alagna has recently left EMI to go freelance, I am sure we will hear and see more of him in this and other interesting repertory - especially as he wants all his roles on DVD. Until then, "Nessun Dorma" is an ideal showcase for the marvelous voice and adventurous spirit of one of the greatest tenors of our day.

5 for Variety 3 for Voice.......2004-03-19

First off I think that it is really awesome that Roberto Alagna is recording rare works. On the flip side of that coin I dont really see how his voice can last through much more.
It is very clear that Alana should not really touch Verismo. I don't say this to be cynical or dismissive, he just goes very sharp and shows alot of force. The voice is very comfortable in French lyric Rep. When building a carrer, I think, a singer must find what his voice natually tends to and build around that. Certainly you can test and push boundaries, but If you make it your whole life pushing boundaries, than the voice breaks down. A similar fate befell Carreras, Di Stefano and many other singers. When I say that he should not touch verismo, I don not say that he brings nothing to the table, but that his voice does not have squillo and he goes very sharp when he hits high notes under stress, a sign of forcing. There is no squillo in his tone or dramatic declamation, and he has picked up the odd habit of scooping to seeminly every higher note.

The real positive is the interpretative ability, it is clear that Alagna is really thinking about each note, expecially in his excellent stuff from Cavalleria. I really enjoyed the Aria from sly, and listen to it more than most of the other tracks combined. Overall this is a good buy for some arias that you probably havent heard before.
I am not suggesting that roberto Alagna will ruin his voice. I am suggested that he is slowly beating the bloom out of his high notes, and taking the flexibilty and bright color by doing many artificial things in heavier rep.
So although I enjoyed this disc, and would recommend its purchace, I don't think it is the idiomatic verismo voice that one might expect in a verismo recital disc.

What a cool recital!.......2004-02-18

After a downright magnificent account of Berlioz, Roberto Alagna ventures into an equally demanding world of verismo. With Ruggero Leoncavallo most prominently featured, a wealth of material abounds.
Some of the grounds covered here were recently treaded by Argentinean tenor José Cura. I would venture to say that while Cura's recital was unusual and interesting, the CD at hand provided a lot more exciting moments in its 65-min time span save for the double-take of "Nessun Dorma." (the "updated" version would be welcome on another disc, I don't believe we need to have them both here for contrast).
Alagna's matured tenor is remarkably agile and the top notes are very secure. Even the rare sharps don't sound out of place. While there is an occasional unsteadiness in upper range, he makes up for it by a strong attack and seemingly endless breath span. He is also able to infuse a little sob when called for - some argue that this sob and not a hair more is what verismo demands. Such treatment of little known aria from Zaza "mai piu, Zaza, raggiar vedro" brought to mind young Carreras on his extremely rare Philips album. It's really a heart-gripping piece and it's a shame that a full recording of the opera is not available. Aside from this brief comparison, I wish Mr. Levine et al would stop the senseless references to the "4th tenor". The only "package" deal that Alagna participates in is with the missus - soprano Angela Georghiu. I sincerely hope he would not ever consider forming another duo or trio and ever venturing into pop. It's better to be a leader than a follower, even if the latter approach makes more money.
With his latest two CDs, Alagna shines as a pioneer of wonderful, but forgotten material. I have little doubt that composers such as Zandonai and Franchetti just found legions of fans thanks to this recital. I hope to be treated to a full recording soon!

Leoncavallo: Rolando di Berlino; Franchetti: Sinfonia

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Leoncavallo: Rolando di Berlino; Franchetti: Sinfonia

Manufacturer: Bongiovanni
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004S96Y
Release Date: 2000-03-15

Pintscher: Music from Thomas Chatterton; Orchesterstücke

Average customer rating:

A fresh voice. We'll see where he goes...
Thrilling
You must LOVE modern music to like this!

Pintscher: Music from Thomas Chatterton; Orchesterstücke

Manufacturer: Kairos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00002DDUG
Release Date: 2000-03-28

Customer Reviews:

A fresh voice. We'll see where he goes..........2004-08-05

I felt I had to comment when I saw the other two reviews. This music doesn't seem particularly modern to me. If anything, I found it quite conservative. Pintscher reminds me of Schoenberg or Berg. I love the 2nd Viennese, but the emotional content of his pieces isn't as complex as with Schoenberg and Berg, which I found disappointing. Pintscher was born in 1971. He's new on the scene and it may be interesting to listen and `keep an ear' on him as time goes by, but he's like Ades- not a mover and shaker, but a youthful voice. Compositionally things are well crafted; there is formal balance and effective control of dramatic content.

Also, the amazon "orchestra piece in 5 parts" is amusing... The title is obviously a little nod to the Orchesterstuecke(n) of Schoenberg, Webern and Berg, so it probably would be best to say "Five Orchestral Pieces."

Overall, I would listen to this to know who is out there, but it's probably not going to be something that I play again and again through the years. If you're looking for something "shockingly modern" or think that this sounds modern, you might look at Helmut Lachenmann, Kaija Saariaho, Tristan Murail, Brian Ferneyhough, Peter Eotvos (Eoetvoes), etc to hear some music of the elders that is still making waves right now.

Thrilling.......2002-06-27

I confess, I love Ligeti and Boulez and Webern. And I love this. Pintscher's music is the music of a possessed youth. His melodies (yes, melodies) are spare and expressive and his orchestrations change mood so rapidly as to give you whiplash. His Five Orchestra Pieces are superb. Especially the violent no. 2, where he's exciting as anything in Beethoven.

His Choc is arguably the real masterpiece here. His language is one of conversation. The sharing of melodic lines between instruments that is such a strong component of Webern's music is exploded. Each instrument interjects it's own personality into the mix - the whole is shattering, shocking.

Buy it, learn something about where music is going and marvel at the freshness that this 30-something has brought to the sometimes dry academia of atonal music.

You must LOVE modern music to like this!.......2000-08-20

You have to love the likes of Cage, Ligeti, Webern etc to like this music. If you love Beethoven, Mozart, Verdi and want to try exciting modern music, try Asyla by Ades.

Harp of Wild and Dreamlike Strain: Victorian Fairy Harp Music

Average customer rating:

Harp of Wild and Dreamlike Strain: Victorian Fairy Harp Music

Manufacturer: Campion Cameo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000222YGY
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Average customer rating:

INCREDIBLE

BLUE DAWN INTO WHITE HEAT

Manufacturer: INNOVA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000FCJ3
Release Date: 1980-01-01

Tracks:

Dreadnought - University Of Minnesota Symphonic Wind Ens/Craig Kirchhoff
Blue Dawn Into White Heat - University Of Minnesota Symphonic Wind Ens/Craig Kirchhoff
Aerie - Julia Bogorad/Linda Chatterton/Adam Kuenzel/Jennifer Sepeda/Katherine Teitler/Katherine Vogele
Qnt No.2: Movt I - Bergen Woodwind Qnt
Qnt No.2: Movt II - Bergen Woodwind Qnt
Qnt No.2: Movt III - Bergen Woodwind Qnt
Reflections - Kathryn Anderson/Sarah Fish/Rebecca Hagen/John Miller/Anna Urang/Norbert Nielubowski
Music For The Funeral Of Queen Mary - University Of Minnesota Symphonic Wind Ens/Craig Kirchhoff

Tracks:

Four Sketches: Allegro - David Baldwin/Gary Bordner/Herbert Winslow/Thomas Ashworth/Ross Tolbert
Four Sketches: Allegro Vivace - David Baldwin/Gary Bordner/Herbert Winslow/Thomas Ashworth/Ross Tolbert
Four Sketches: Andante - David Baldwin/Gary Bordner/Herbert Winslow/Thomas Ashworth/Ross Tolbert
Four Sketches: Allegro - David Baldwin/Gary Bordner/Herbert Winslow/Thomas Ashworth/Ross Tolbert
Urban Requiem - Brian Handley/Christopher Thompson/Robert Schrepel/Jeffery Fulton
Chiaroscuro: Zebra Vars - University Of Minnesota Symphonic Wind Ens/Craig Kirchhoff
Hats Off To Thee - University Of Minnesota Symphonic Wind Ens/Craig Kirchhoff

Customer Reviews:

INCREDIBLE.......1999-05-23

As good as the contemporary wind band can get. Craig Kirchhoff works his magic again by compiling a collection of new music which the entire instrumental music community can take part. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Average customer rating:

Absolutely beautiful
Superb Listening Pleasure
Beautiful recording!

The Romance of Flute and Harp

Manufacturer: Cellar Dweller
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004YM16
Release Date: 1998-11-25

Tracks:

Claude Debussy - Arabesque No. 1
Jules Massenet - Meditation from "Thais"
Gabriel Faure - Berceuse
Francois Joseph Gossec - Tambourin
J.S. Bach - Siciliano
Georges Bizet - Minuet from "L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2"
Claude Debussy - The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
J.S. Bach - Andante
Anonymous - Greensleeves Variations
Benjamin Godard - Allegretto
Claude Debussy - Syrinx
Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune
Gabriel Faure - Morceau de Concours
Camille Saint-Saens - The Swan
Georges Bizet - Entr'acte from "Carmen"
Erik Satie - Gymnopedie No. 1
Marie Antoinette - The Queen's Love Song

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely beautiful.......2006-12-07

This item was on my wish list for awhile, and I got it a month ago. It was worth the wait. Each piece is lovely, sensitively arranged, and the whole thing is beautifully produced.
Some of the pieces can be heard on a Jean Pierre Rampal flute and harp recording, but these arrangements are different, more peaceful. This CD is zen for the classically inclinded set.

Superb Listening Pleasure.......2002-12-13

I have listened to "The Romance of Flute and Harp" several times in the last year. For anyone seeking truly outstanding musical treats, this exceptional CD deserves repeated hearing. When replaying it I often marveled at the technical artistry of the performers: their warm and enveloping tone, impeccable intonation, apt and meaningful phrasing, fine nuances, careful balance, both subtle and powerful dynamics, and absolutely precise interplay. However, those wonderful aspects of their presentation never intrude or detract but consistently combine to provide excellent musical experiences of varied mood and wide ranging emotion from melancholy to image-filled reverie to scintillating and skipping delight. Many of the emotions and satisfactions conveyed especially by the unusually expressive tone that Ms. Chatterton secures from her flute across the entire range of pitch and volume, defy expression in words. In this recording, remarkably rich and resonant flute and delicate as well as vibrant harp kiss to produce the finest of music. As a fellow flutist I give this five stars throughout!

Beautiful recording!.......2000-11-26

I bought this CD after attending one of Linda Chatterton and Min Kim's concerts in Milwaukee, and I absolutely love it! I love the sound of flute and harp together, and this is my favorite recording of the two instruments. The selections on the CD are mostly of French composers from the late 18th- early 19th centuries (like Gabriel Faure and Claude Debussy), but there are two movements of Bach flute sonatas, as well as a piece written by Queen Marie Antoinette, whom I understand (from what Min Kim mentioned at their concert) was an accomplished harpist.

Their renditions of these pieces are wonderfully musical, sensitively played, with a luminous sound. Their ensemble is terrific, and the recording quality is superb. As a pianist for forty years, I recognized a number of the selections (like the Debussy pieces, originally written for piano), and I appreciate their musicianship; but even if you don't recognize any of the music on this CD, you'll still enjoy it immensely. I highly recommend this recording!

Chatterton
Average customer rating:

Very Good French Music

An opalescent, moody album.

Chatterton
Alain Bashung
Manufacturer: Barclay
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

France | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
General | International | Styles | Music
General | Pop | Styles | Music
International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000084JQ
Release Date: 1998-02-04

Tracks:

A Perte de Vue
Que N'Ai-Je
Ma Petite Entreprise
Elvire
Ane Plane
Aprd'res Hostilit
J'Avais un Pense-B
J'Passe Pour une Caravane
Dance d'Ici
A Ostende
Apiculteur
J'Ai Longtemps Contempl

Customer Reviews:

Very Good French Music.......2003-05-09

To me it's a bit haunting, but his voice is unique and somehow intimate. It's something I put on at night over wine or when I'm working on my paintings.

An opalescent, moody album........2003-01-28

This album has achieved something that transcends language. Originally, when I encountered this album I did not understand French as well as I do now, I must admit, but an increased faculty for the language has only left me more in awe of Bashung's accomplishment. Only two or three of the songs make any actual sense on a basic lyrical level (Ma Petite Entreprise, L'apiculteur). However, where the album makes its connections with the listener is in its unparalleled ability to establish mood. Bashung's ear for the natural music and oddities of the French language, coupled with his unfaltering musical genius have produced in this album a wholly unique and powerful combination. I can honestly say that I have never heard anything like this album, and I've listened to a great deal of English, French, and American music (and a lot of Bashung). "L'apiculteur" is, in my opinion, the best song on the album. It establishes a mood even more profound than the songs that preceeded it and tells of the life and death (and afterlife?) of a beekeeper. It is completely unique and vaguely reminiscent of "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd. This is one of those albums that I can listen to without feeling compelled to skip any "inadequate tracks" because there aren't any. Even the last song ("J'ai Longtemps Contemple"), which embraces a monologue style that I typically don't find all that appealing, seems to wrap up the essence of the album so completely that I always listen to it, even when I ache to replay "L'apiculteur" which directly preceded it. My other favorite tracks are:
--"Perte de Vue"
--"Ma Petite Entreprise"
--"Elvire"
--"Un Ane Plane"

I think I'll wrap this review up with one of my favorite quotations from the album:
"Que m'enseignent encore ces neons?"

World Music: