Back to Then [Import]

back to then [import]

Track Listings

1. Wild One

2. Exodus

3. Sometimes I Wonder (Featuring Jill Scott)

4. Back To Then

5. This Is My World

6. Im Glad Youre Mine

7. Butterfly

8. Hold On

9. Ten Years

10. One More Night

11. Amazing Grace (Interlude)

12. Somewhere

13. Sleeping In My Bed (Featuring Snoop Dogg)

14. Sexy Lover (Bonus Track)

15. Whens The Last Time (Bonus Track)

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese edition of the Hootie & The Blowfish frontman's 2002 solo album includes two exclusive bonus tracks, 'Sexy Lover' & 'When's The Last Time'. Featured artists include Jill Scott & Snoop Dogg.

Back to Then,Darius Rucker,Sony,Pop,Rock/Pop

Back to Then [Import]

Average customer rating:

darius in rare form!
open your minds!!!
wonderful
It is what it is!
Simply Fantastic and Sadly Overlooked

Back to Then
Darius Rucker
Manufacturer: Hidden Beach
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Scattered, Smothered and Covered
Looking For Lucky
Hootie & The Blowfish
Musical Chairs
Fairweather Johnson

ASIN: B000066HQD
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Tracks:

Wild One
Exodus
Sometimes I Wonder (w/ Jill Scott)
Back To Then
This Is My World
I'm Glad You're Mine
Butterfly
Hold On
Ten Years
One More Night
Amazing Grace
Somewhere
Sleeping In My Bed (w/ Snoop Dogg)

Customer Reviews:

darius in rare form!.......2007-04-09

i love the sound of darius' voice anyway, but this cd showcases his strong voice in just about every song.

open your minds!!!.......2007-03-29

I am no professional music reviewer, but I do know what I like, and I LOVE this CD! Darius is blessed beyond words with that incredible voice of his, and he makes great use of it here. The songwriting is deep and often moving and inspirational;, the music is genre-less, going from an R&B flavor to hip hop to soul and back to rock. NO, it is not Hootie-style, but that works for me. Three cheers for Darius for stretching his wings! Darius---you are AWESOME!!!

wonderful.......2007-03-24

I absolutely love this album. To me it is smooth and sexy. What a sleeper. I wish Darius Rucker would do more solo LPs!

It is what it is!.......2006-09-06

Hootie and the Blowfish this ISNT! But I am here to tell u that there are many good worthy songs on this CD. A few clunkers, particularly the last one with Snoop Dogg. Overall, a solid effort...give Exodus and This is my world a few spins along with Butterfly and you will see what I mean.

Simply Fantastic and Sadly Overlooked.......2005-08-07

NOT HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH but a VERY sexy album of soul music for all demographics. I put it on with my wife when we want a little romance and love in the house.

Darius - Thanks man, this album is too good.

Average customer rating:

The Desert Song/The New Moon
Two classic operettas on one CD
Stupendous Operettas Finally Available

The Desert Song / The New Moon
Sigmund Romberg , Oscar Hammerstein II , Otto Harbach , Kitty Carlisle , Wilbur Evans , Felix Knight , Jeffrey Alexander Chorus , Thomas Hayward , Jane Wilson , and Lee Sweetland
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Student Prince (1952 Studio Cast)
Music of Sigmund Romberg
The New Moon (2003 Encores! Revival Concert Cast)
Roberta & Vagabond King
Desert Song (1953)

ASIN: B00006AWBJ
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Tracks:

Opening Chorus and Riff Song - From The Desert Song (Romberg / Harbach / Hammerstein II) with Kitty Carlisle, Wilbur Evans, and Felix Knight
French Military Marching Song
Romance
Then You Will Know
The Desert Song
Finale of Act I
One Flower Grows Alone in Your Garden
One Alone
The Sabre Song
Finale: French Military Marching Song & One Alone
Overture - From The New Moon (Hammerstein & Romberg) with Thomas Tibbett Hayward, Lee Sweetland, and Jane Wilson
Marianne
The Girl on the Prow
Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
Stouthearted Men
One Kiss
Wanting You
Lover, Come Back to Me

Customer Reviews:

The Desert Song/The New Moon.......2005-10-06

I have loved the music of The Desert Song since I first saw it, starring Dennis Morgan, in the cinema many, many years ago, and then the Gordeon McCrae version on TV. I think the Dennis Morgan one was better, or perhaps I may be prejudiced as I have an unfortunate tendency to prefer original versions (how many subsequent productions have proved superior? Not too many).
However, back to the CD. To listen to this super CD is pure pleasure, a real nostalgia trip. Although I had never heard of the musical The New Moon, I was very surprised to realise that the music was almost a familiar to me as from The Desert Song. Aha, the joys of listening to the old fashioned wireless when I was a little girl!
Gloria Little,
Queensland, Australia

Two classic operettas on one CD.......2004-02-03

Decca Broadway's operetta series providing remastered reissues of eight classic recordings from the 1940s/50s is most welcome. Many of these operettas have no other available recordings on Cd, and these Decca albums have been out-of-print since the late 1960s.

This set offers a classic DESERT SONG recording with Felix Knight, Wilbur Evans and Kitty Carlisle. Some of the dialogue is hysterical: "I Can't kill you" says Kitty before she sails into "I Love You" in the first act finale. It's silly but it's fun.

THE NEW MOON is a more or less straight reading of seven numbers from the score (plus a nicely arranged Overture conducted by Victor Young) performed by a solid cast.

Sound quality on both operettas is quite good considering the age of the original masters: DESERT SONG is 60 years old now.

Stupendous Operettas Finally Available.......2002-10-18

THE DESERT SONG/THE NEW MOON reissue on Decca Broadway Operettas series is as welcome as a spring day. Despite the limited range of the mono sound of both releases, the CD double play should make a welcome addition to any theater lover's music library.

Of the two, THE NEW MOON comes off best with absolutely stunning baritone singing by Lee Sweetland on "Marianne" and "Stouthearted Men" and finer but less impressive work by Jane Wilson and Thomas Hayward on the other familiar numbers. And they are very familiar. Even if you've never seen this show (or the altered film version with Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy), you'll have heard many of these songs as background music or featured in the film DEEP IN MY HEART, the story of composer Sigmund Romberg.

THE DESERT SONG gives a nice representation of its score hampered only by Kitty Carlisle's tremulous soprano waverings. Wilbur Evans and Felix Knight carry off the male roles with great artistry.

With these shows almost never being revived (except for their film versions, the latter made in 1953 with Gordon MacRae and Kathryn Grayson), this CD is a most welcome treat.

Looking Back to See
Average customer rating:

GREAT TRADITIONAL COUNTRY!!!

Don't go past this one!

Great Music

Follow up notes

Classic Country -- from Australia

Looking Back to See
Bill & Audrey , Bill Chambers , and Audrey Auld
Manufacturer: Reckless
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Reckless Records Garage Sale: 1997-2003

Losing Faith

Texas

The Fallen

Lost Men & Angry Girls

ASIN: B00000JB5C
Release Date: 1999-08-29

Tracks:

Looking Back To See
Sugar Daddy
Kiss The Children
Honky Tonk Fool
Searching
We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning
It Was The Whiskey Talking (Not Me)
Road Of Regret
Losing Side Of Love
You Opened My Eyes
Honky Tonk Merry Go Round
You Are My Sunshine
What's In Our Hearts
Meet Me Up There

Product Description

Described as 'The Music Nashville Has Forgotten How to Make'. A Must for Any Fan of Traditional Country/Hillbilly Music.

Album Details

Described as 'The Music Nashville Has Forgotten How to Make'. a Must for Any Fan of Traditional Country/Hillbilly Music.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT TRADITIONAL COUNTRY!!!.......2005-04-24

This is Audrey Auld's first release that was released in 1998. (I've previously review her latest CD in a previous issue of SCC-Nytt.) This is good traditional country. Bill Chambers is the father of Aussie singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers. He sings very good and he sometimes sings very like Gram Parsons. This is mostly shown on the song Kiss The Children, that Gram recorded in 1973. One of this CD's best songs. The CD has 14 songs, where half are covers and half are written by them. The best songs are "Losing Side Of Love", "What`s In Our Hearts", "We`ll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning" and "Searching". The last song "Meet Me Up There" makes me think of Mother Maybelle & The Carter Family with its` autoharp, harmony and guitarpickin'. This CD is recorded in Australia with Australian musicians that are very talented. I know there are people out there that only buy countrymusic from American or Canadian singers. But do buy Audrey Auld -this is actually one of 1998`s best records!

Don't go past this one!.......2005-04-18

If you are looking for music that has that old-style country sound then you have found it! What a delight to listen to Bill and Audrey harmonise on 14 great songs, half of which are written by the artists. And the musicianship is outstanding - dobro, lap steel, pedal steel, banjo, acoustic guitar - you will think you've gone to heaven, it is that good!

Great Music.......2003-07-16

I recently saw Bill Chambers and Audrey Auld at Threadgill's (south)in Austin, Texas... what a show! These two are wonderful! They invited several onstage: Colin Gilmore, Trish Murphy, Billy Dee, Eric Blakeley and fellow Australian Catherine Britt.

Former (?) Australians Kym Warner (mandolin) and Carol Young (bass) were the rest of Bill and Audrey's band that night(and 2/3 of "The Greencards," an Austin group) and were featured as well.

If you can, check out all of these artists, they put on one heck of a show.

As for the "review" for the "Bill & Audrey" CD... I bought the CD from Audrey after the show...it is wonderful. If you like good, old fashioned, "honky tonk" country music, you should love this one!

Follow up notes.......2002-10-21

I had reviewed this album earlier but wanted to add some notes:
NOTE 1: Audrey (Auld) has now moved to Texas and has a new album -- Fallen. There is no mention of this album in the Fallen write-up.
NOTE 2: To Joyce A (the writer of "We'll sweep out the ashes in the morning" -- Bill & Audrey do a great job. Also (if you can find it) there is another interesting version (faster) of the song by Bennie Jolink on his "Howling at the Moon." He is Dutch -- I picked the album up in Amsterdam: Mercury 546 275-2. I don't know if you can get it in the states.

Classic Country -- from Australia.......2001-01-15

I picked up this album in Sydney last year. I'm a long-time c&w fan (17 years in Texas), and I like to check out c&w in other countries on my business trips. I found a number of collections of country songs by Australian singers (mostly covers of U.S. top 40 stuff); then I found this album. It is spectacular. Bill & Audrey would be at home singing anywhere in Texas. They have great voices (Audrey's voice is in the class of memorable voices like Patsy Cline); some of the songs are old material (Honky Tonk Merry Go Round et. al.) but some are new "classics" in their own right. This is not for the Shania Twain crowd who want their country "pop" -- this is for serious country fans. If you want the real thing, check this out. You won't find yourself running back to Brooks & Dunn.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Show

Wings (1995 Studio Cast)
Arthur Perlman
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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My Life with Albertine (2003 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000003FZ2
Release Date: 1996-08-13

Tracks:

The New Daredevils of the Air/Catastrophe - Leo Daignault/Linda Stephens
The Hospital/Globidge - William Brown/Ora Jones/Linda Stephens
Wait-Stop-Hold-Cut - Linda Stephens
My Name Then... - Ora Jones/Linda Stephens/William Brown
All in All - Linda Stephens
Let Me Call You Sweetheart - Dominic Cortese
Makey Your Naming Powers - William Brown/Ora Jones/Linda Stephens
I'll Come Back to That - Linda Stephens/Hollis Resnik
Let Me Call You Sweetheart #2 - Hollis Resnik/Linda Stephens
I'll Come Back to That #2 - Linda Stephens
Yum, Yummy, Yum - Ora Jones/Linda Stephens
I'll Come Back to That #3 - Linda Stephens/William Brown
Tither - William Brown/Linda Stephens/Ora Jones
All in All #2/I Don't Trust Him - Linda Stephens
Malacats - Linda Stephens
Needle - Linda Stephens
Interlude-Wings Theme - Linda Stephens/Hollis Resnik
Out on the Wing - Linda Stephens/Hollis Resnik
Out on the Wing #2 - Linda Stephens/Hollis Resnik
I Wonder What's Inside - Linda Stephens/Russ Thacker/Hollis Resnik
Let Me Call You Sweetheart/Therapy Scene - Hollis Resnik/William Brown/Linda Stephens/Russ Thacker/Ora Jones
A Recipe for Cheesecake - Russ Thacker/Hollis Resnik and Patients
Like the Clouds - Linda Stephens
Brownie Scene - Russ Thacker/Linda Stephens
Record Player Scene - Hollis Resnik/Linda Stephens
The New Daredevils of the Air/Preparing for Flight - Leo Daignault/Linda Stephens
Winter Scene I - Hollis Resnik/Linda Stephens
Snow - Linda Stephens/Hollis Resnik
Winter Scene II - Linda Stephens/Hollis Resnik
Wings - Linda Stephens

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Show.......2006-12-17

I have not seen this show, but after listening to it the whole way through, I want to very badly. The story is heartbreaking, and the music lends itself so well. At times it can be very spooky almost scary, and then other times as simplisticly beautiful as one could hope for. The music and lyrics are a bit repetitious, but this soundtrack tells the whole story. You can visualize everything going on. Its wonderful. I would suggest this to broadway collectors and just listners alike. Its also one that might be good for those who listen to books on tape, because you really do get the whole story, and it is stunningly beautiful. Favorite Song: "I Wonder What's Inside"

Average customer rating:

Superhits: 1967 (Time Life Music)
The Bee Gees , Stone Poneys , Harpers Bizarre , Bobby Vee and the Strangers , The Casinos , Petula Clark , The Monkees , Bobbie Gentry , The Young Rascals , and Spanky and Our Gang
Manufacturer: Time Life Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000SJUXGE

Product Description

Released by Time Life Music . SONG LIST :1. Up-Up And Away---The 5th Dimension 2.Happy Together--The Turtles 3.Daydream Believer--- The Monkees 4. Dedicated to the One I Love---The Mamas and The Papas 5. How Can I Be Sure---The Young Rascals 6. Sunday Will Never Be the Same--- Spanky and Our Gang 7. I Second That Emotion---Smokey Robinson and The Miracles 8. 98.6--- Keith 9. I Say a Little Prayer--- Dionne Warwick 10. To Love Somebody---The Bee Gees 11. Tell It like It Is--- Aaron Neville 12.Windy---The Association 13.Don't Sleep in the Subway--- Petula Clark 14. Come Back When You Grow Up--- Bobby Vee and The Strangers 15. Different Drum--- Stone Poneys 16. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)--- Harper's Bizarre 17. The Rain, the Park And Other Things---The Cowsills 18. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone---The Supremes 19. (The Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts---The Bee Gees 20. Green, Green Grass of Home---Tom Jones 21. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye--- The Casinos 22.Ode to Billie Joe- Bobbie Gentry

Average customer rating:

A Rose By Any Other Name...
"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!
Free at last!
I Love This Recording
The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005B550
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Levine, Janowski, Goodall, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: everything is slower than adagio moderato. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act One Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Bohm's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are found in this Ring. I can hear harps in Flight of the Valkyries! The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Levine: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm. Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Two exceptions, though: Robert Schunk doesn't sound heroic enough, and Jessye Norman for Levine's Ring doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. I don't know Levine should've chose Kollo when he recorded his Ring.

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent mime. He is equal to Schreier when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on in the Ring.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Still, it's satisfactory, and his "Ihrem ende eilen sie zu" gives great foreshadowing.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt depends only on imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, and Windgassen only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Schreier. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings (maybe not in Swarowsky's version). Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm and Goodall. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the calculated Janowski, the relaxed Levine, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

Sir Georg Solti: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Herbert von Karajan: Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

-Wolfgang Sawllisch: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sawallisch, Bayerischer Staatsoper

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

Tracks:

'I Was Born With A Voice And Very Little Else...'
Family Background
Gigli's Stage Debut And Poverty-Stricken Start
Puccini: 'O Soave Fanciulla' From La Boheme - Maria Zamboni
Service In The Household Of Countess Spannocchi
Donizetti: 'Spirto Gentil' From La Favoria
Colonel Delfino, And Giovanno Zerri's Legal Agreement
Cannio: O Surdato 'Nnammurato
A Hospital Visit And Scholarship
Mascabni: 'Ah! Ritrovarla Nella Sua Capanna' From Lodoletta
Gigli Graduates And Makes His Debut; He Goes For The High B Flat
Puccini: 'E Lucevan Le Stelle' From Tosca
Marriage, Rome And A Tuor To Spain
Mascagni: 'Apri La Tua Finestra! From Iris
A Letter From Fred Gaisberg Of HMV
Mascagni: 'Mamma, Quel Vino E Generoso' From Cavalleria Rusticana
Gigli Conquers South America, And Recieves An Offer From The Met
Metropolitan Opera Debut In Mefistofele
BoitoL 'Giunto Sul Passo Estremo' From Mefistofele

Tracks:

The Critics' Verdict, And More Performances
Donizetti: 'Tombe Degl'avi Miei' From Lacuia Di Lammermoor
Gigli's Fate Becomes Entwined With Caruso's
Giordano: 'Un Di All'azzurri Spazio' From Andrea Chenier
Who Will Be Caruso's Sucessor
Verdi: 'De'miei Bollenti Spiriti' From La Travita
Life Forms A Regular Pattern, And Gigli Learns To Sing In Foreign Languages
Lalo: 'Vainement, Ma Bien Aimee' From Le Roi d'Ys
Manon At The Met
Massenet: 'O Dolce Incanto' From Manon
Catalani's Loreley
Catalani: 'Nel Verde Maggio' From Loreley
Summer In Italy, Then Back To New York And Some Physical Training
Gounod: 'Ah! Ne Furis Pas Encore!' From Romeo Et Juliette
Honorary Captain Of The NYPD
Meyerbeer: 'O Paradiso' From L'Africaine
Flourishing Finances And Professional Rivalries
Crushin Remarks; The Attraction Of Radio
Sullivan: The Lost Chord
A New Decade, And The Honour Of Playing Nemorino At The Met
Donizetti: 'Quanto E Bella' From L'elisir D'amore

Tracks:

Debuts In Paris And London, And London's Critical Reception
Flotow: 'M'Appari' (Ach! So Fromm) From Marta (Martha)
Crisis: The Death Of Gigli's Mother, And Tension At The Met
Departure From The Met
America's Loss Is Europe's Gain
Speech: Gigli In An Interview At The Savoy Hotel, London
Cherished London Reviews
Leoncavallo: 'No. Pagliaccio Non Son!' From Pagliacci
Recording Reflects The Drama
Leoncavallo: 'Suvvia, Cosi Terrible' From Pagliacci
Touring, Gigli's Working Relationships, And A New Turn Of Events
De Curtis: Non Ti Scordar Di Me
Film Popularity, Hitler And Goebbels, And The Caracalla Tradition
Puccini: 'Che Gelida Manina' From La Boheme
Voice Expert John Steane's Recommendation
Puccini: 'O Soave Fanciulla' From La Boheme
A New Recording Of Tosca
Puccini: 'Recondita Armonia' From Tosca
Patience And Hard Work Produce A Perfect Set Of Master Recordings
Puccini: 'E Lucevan Le Stelle' From Tosca
Verdi: 'Ingemisco' From The Requiem
Verdi: 'Ingemisco' From The Requiem
The Recording Of Madama Butterfly
Puccini: Closing Moments Of Act I, Madama Butterfly

Tracks:

War Keeps Gigli In Italy
Introductory Speech To Cavalleria Rusticana By Mascagni
Translation Of The Speech
Mascani: 'Mamma, Quel Vino E Generoso' From Cavalleria Rusticana
More Role Debuts, Gigli's Wartime Films, And Andrea Chenier
Giordano: 'Un Di All'azzurro Spazio' From Andrea Chenier
John Steane's Verdict
Giordano: 'Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio' From Andrea Chenier
Rome Opera House Ralies Wartime Spirits
Verdi: 'Teco Is Sto - Gran Dio' From Un Ballo In Maschera
Verdi: 'Non Sai Tu Che Se L'anima Mia' From Un Ballo In Maschera
Verdi: 'Oh, Qual Soave Brivido' From Un Ballo In Maschera
Gigli's Political Affliations
Verdi: 'Celeste Aida' From Aida
Postwar Italy: An HMV Manager's Report
Verdi: 'Pur Ti Riveggo, Mia Dolce Aida' From Aida
Covent Garden With Rina, Then A Tour Of Britain And Ireland
Speech Given By Gigli After A Concert At The Royal Albert Hall
The Final Phase - And No Thoughts Of Retirement
Di Veroli: Ritorna Amore
A Last Visit To The USA
Cottrau: Santa Lucia
Gigli's Death, His Obituaries, And His Place In The Tenor Lineage
Meyerbeer: 'O Paradiso' From L'Africaine

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World War 1-the Mixx Tape

Manufacturer: Reel Mob Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

West Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CA2V6O
Release Date: 2004-11-09

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Moravian songs, via Janacek, Godar, Bittova and Skampa
Skampa Quartet is great - the singer... yikes

Janácek: Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs
Leos Janacek , Iva Bittová , ¿kampa Quartet , Vladimír Godár , and Skampa Quartet
Manufacturer: Supraphon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00061X9YC
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

Tuzba (Desire)
Stst'/Steadiness
Lavecka (Bench)
Stesk (Woe) - Skampa Quartet
Obrk Mileho (Lover's Likeness)
Svatba Kom (Gnats Wedding)
Kouzlo (Charm)
Slib (Promise)
Orisek Lovy (Hazel Nut) - Skampa Quartet
La (Love)
Jablunka (Apple Tree)
Jabucko (Sweet Apple)
Co Je to Za Nebe (What Sky)
Safva C (Alderman's Daughter)
Cervenab(Little Red Apples)
Dobr(Good Hunt)
He Warden)
Kony Mil [My Lover's Horses]
Kv MilodejnLove Herbs)
Pcko (Posy)
LoucenMilou
Jindy a NynThen and Now)
T (Uneasy)
VzknMessage)
Belegrade (Belgrade) - Skampa Quartet
Milenec Vrah (Lover Killer)
Pomluva (Calumny)
LoucenParting)
Sirota (Lonely Soul)
Osamel Alone)
Komu Kytka (For Whom the Posy)
Z Od Mil (Love Shining)
Polajka (Thyme)
Kol(KolTown)
Psano (Love Letter)
Karafi(Carnation)
Rozmarsemary)
Pamy (Mementos)
Zpevulenka (Tender Little Tune)
Nejistota (Uncertainty)
Kukacka (Cuckoo)
Zahrcka (Fence)
Muzikanti (Musicians)
Vernost' (Faithfulness)
Bolavlava (Headache)
Osud (Fate)
Daleko ProvdanWedded Far Away)
Budk (Wakening)
Dobrada (Sound Advice)
Slzy echou (Tears of Comfort)
Koukol (Corncockle)
Kalina (Guelder Rose)
Pohreb Zbojnv

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Moravian songs, via Janacek, Godar, Bittova and Skampa.......2006-05-09

This is a unique recording of Janacek's transcriptions of Moravian folk songs. Originally for piano and voice, they have been transcribed by Slovak composer Vladimir Godar for string quartet and (occasionally) three-voice male chorus. Here they are performed by renowned Czech singer and violinist Iva Bittova, accompanied by the Skampa Quartet and chorus. The effect is not so much of classical liede, but of authentic eastern European "popular" songs - the sonority of the string quartet adds to this in no small part. Janacek would be proud.

Skampa Quartet is great - the singer... yikes.......2005-07-28

I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into when I bought this CD. I love Janacek, I love folk songs... how could I go wrong? Iva Bittova! I was concerned that she would have a 50yr old woobly voice, but instead what exists is a thin VERY nasal tone... perhaps she should be singing traditional Bulgarian music! The voice is expressive, just ugly.
The recording quality is not very good, either. On many of the tracks, Iva seems to be muffled and in the background of the recording.
Really - dont waste your time and money, unless you really would just like to have a recording of over 50 Janacek songs.

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Symphony 9: Introduction to Dvorak
Dvorak
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000069HGK
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Music:

Music

music