Pia [Enhanced]

Pia [Enhanced]

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. Toska

2. Bienna

3. Eau

4. Fround

5. Agni

6. Guiter

7. Sossette

8. Water Fall

9. Cino Park

10. Caroc

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Eau [Multimedia Track]

2. Study for Camera [Multimedia Track]

3. Fround [Multimedia Track]

4. Pia [Multimedia Track]

5. Water Fall [Quicktime Movie] [Multimedia Track]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The publisher of his own mixed-media magazine as well as a visual artist whose work has appeared in a slew of Japanese galleries, Takagi Masakatsu makes art for a future audience that has just been born. His debut record, Pia, comes with a CD-ROM of images and sound that fits perfectly with the sprawling audio disc, a whimsical, gentle piece of IDM that spins around a pair of headphones like clouds outside a cockpit. Steering away from both the maddeningly wide spaces of Pan Sonic as well as the dense tech-clutter of Oval or Plaid, Masakatsu's approach is more classically ambient. But he doesn't deal in otherworldly minimalism, either; the songs here are filled with organic backgrounds, like FSOL's Lifeforms but without the space-alien aesthetics. His pieces are sweet little moments, staying far, far away from bewildering rabbit holes. Like fellow Kyoto composer-visualist Nobukazu Takemura's work (especially in his Child's View persona), Masakatsu's music seems ideally suited for those who haven't made up their minds about the world, when the possibilities seem endless and everything is extraordinary and overwhelming. While this is undoubtedly perfect bedtime music for youngsters raised by hard drives, it's also well suited for adults who could use a dose of simple wonder. As mixed media becomes a new kind of visual art and electronic music more and more gets mashed up in a Stockhausen/Macintosh cocktail, Masakatsu's brand of wired talent is fascinating. --Matthew Cooke

Tracks:

Sicut Cervus
Ave Maria
Justorum Animae
Jesu Rex admirabilis
Exultate Deo
Exultate Justi
Jesu,Dulcis Memoria
Ave Verum Corpus
Psalm 90
Psalm 96
Hodie Christus Natus Est
O Maria Virgo Pia
Tu Pauperum Refugium
O Sacrum Convivium
If Ye Love Me,Keep My Commandments
Hosanna To The Son Of David
O Quam Gloriosum
Selig sind die Toten
Heu Nos Miseros
Exaltabo Te
O Sing Joyfully
O Magnum Mysterium
Laudate Nomen
Cantate Domino

Amazon.com

Go right to the first track and prepare for one of the most masterful and stylish performances of Palestrina that you'll ever hear. It's not flashy music nor is the singing especially virtuosic, but the unified phrasing, ideal balance among sections, and overall ensemble technique is impressive, and Palestrina's little motet simply opens and displays itself like a beautiful flower. The rest of the program, which includes a variety of beautiful flowers from composers such as Josquin, Sweelinck, and Tallis, maintains the same standard. Anyone looking for an introduction to Renaissance sacred choral music will find much here to encourage further exploration--standards like Byrd's "Ave verum corpus" and Victoria's "O magnum mysterium"-- and lesser known tiny masterpieces such as Victoria's "Jesu, dulcis memoria." The Voices of Ascension ranks with the world's finest choirs, and this recording reflects both the highest standard of choral singing and the highest standard of choral composition during the Renaissance. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Great literature... but thats about it.......2007-06-17

This cd was mildly dissapointing, to say the least. The literature is fantastic. Some of the greats are featured on here with some of their best works. No doubt a great taste of the Renaissance, especially for someone new to it. However, I'm sorry to say that the performance is second-rate, at best. Dennis Keene apparently is either unaware, or just simply understudied when it comes to the Renaissance. He shows an incredible lack of messa di voce, which was what drove the counterpoint of the Renaissance. His interpretations rob this music of its deeply personal purpose. I would suggest the Hilliard Ensemble over any ensemble for Renaissance literature, and find it dissapointing that so many people praise such emotionless, understudied Renaissance ensembels such as the Voices of Ascension, the Tallis Scholars, and the Oxford Camerata, just to name a few. Very good literature... But always pick the Hilliard Ensemble or Anthony Rooley's Consort of Musike when you have the option. It seems like Paul Hillier and Anthony Rooley are the only two true Renaissance scholars currently conducting ensembles.

Essential listening........2007-03-05

This was my first CD of Renaissance choral music, as it undoubtably has been for a great many people. It offers the best possible introduction to the genre for 2 main reasons: 1. No other CD of Renaissance choral music contains such a varied cross-section of early to late Renaissance sacred music styles. 2. The performance and recording quality are fabulous.

Keene uses a variety of different voicings and numbers of singers according to the needs of each particular piece, sometimes with only 2 on a part. The ensemble heard on this recording is a select professional core of The Voices Of Ascension, one of the best choral groups in the country. The voices are all very rich and resonant, and the intonation through the entire CD is unquestionably on par with the best in the world. The singing is, for the most part, completelly vibratoless and extremely smooth, which creates a gorgeous purity that allows this music to shine. However, it does become strident at times, which may put off some choral conductors who are strongly against straight-tone singing.

Of particularly high quality and beauty are the Viadana "Exultate Justi", Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus", Tallis' "O Sacrum Convivium", and the Victoria and Sweelinck pieces. Another extraordinary track is Leonardo Leo's "Heu Nos Miseros", a late Baroque piece included because of its influence from earlier styles. It is a 9 part double choir piece full of extravigant dissonances and emotion, performed breathtakingly.

Captivating!.......2006-04-12

I was christened as a choral music fan once, as a college student, I heard the music of the Cambridge Singers. Inundated with classical music for years, how could I never have heard such music?! It was as if my musical senses were born anew: for it was with the same awe as a child encountering the world for the first time, that I discovered this novel and fascinating world of a cappella choral music. There were landmark discoveries along the way: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge; Concordia Choir; St. Olaf Choir; the Dale Warland Singers; the Kansas City Chorale; Kantorei; the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Singers...and (as you expected!) I must end with the Voices of Ascension. The clarity of their pure voices can only be paralleled by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. Chant haters, do not avoid this CD - you will find no chants here! Chants hold absolutely NO intrigue for me and I cannot endure listening to them for long periods of time. By contrast, this music, aptly named "Beyond Chant," truly does uncover hidden musical treasures of the Renaissance for those who would ordinarily avoid such music. The intricately woven a cappella harmonies are captivating and satisfying. I highly recommend this CD to all choral music fans.

Lofty music.......2005-10-14

Some of the earliest pieces of Christian music are the various kinds of chant. These hearken back to synagogue singing; there were various kinds of chant, including Gregorian, Old Roman, Mozarabic, Cistercian and Anglican chant. These tend toward the monophonic, singing with a single 'tune' or lone. They are generally without regular beats or set meters. However, in the Renaissance, monophonic chant grew into a polyphonic form, and this is one of the most glorious eras of music. (My shelves at home are filled with CDs of this sort.) Composers in this era include many represented on this disc - Palestrina, Desprez, Victoria, Lassus, Byrd, Gibbons and Tallis were some of the leading lights of the time. Lesser known but still glorious include Tye, Viadana, Sweelinck, Hassler, Batten and Schutz.

One of the interesting features of this disc is that it includes three pieces by Sweelinck, two psalm settings and 'Hodie Christus Natus Est'. (Sweelinck is very under-represented in recording and performance today). Some pieces are very well known - Byrd's 'Ave Verum Corpus' is perhaps one of the most familiar pieces from this period, as is Palestrina's 'Exultate Deo'. This is a collection that draws from the breadth of the Western Christian tradition of music from this time, with composers from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Spain.

The composers here wrote liturgical music for Masses and other worship services, as well as other pieces - motets and other kinds of new music. This disc represents music that is two or three steps removed from plainsong and basic forms of chant - some are quite a bit distant. Viadana's composition for 'Exultate Justi', for example, was actually composed later, and despite being done in a more Renaissance style, shows decided influences of the Baroque (this might also be part of the performance of the Voices of the Ascension that gives this impression).

The Voices of Ascension, under the direction of Dennis Keene, grew out of the choir of the Church of the Ascension in New York City. Many of the singers are active soloists in addition to being part of this group (whose numbers vary, but often around 40). Keene is a conductor, organist and teacher (not an uncommon combination). Trained at Juilliard, he has led the Voices of Ascension through many outstanding recordings and performances.

This is a performance that is definitely uplifting, and a good collection of music in its breadth to introduce the glories of Renaissance polyphony to those who with little exposure to it. The recording quality is very good, and the choir is quite full and well suited for the music. Some have commented upon the tempo, but this was not a concern for me, and did not stand out as unusual or a problem upon listening (indeed, there were a few points at which I might wish for it to be a bit faster, rather than slower).

A collection that soars!

Slow down Maestro !.......2004-01-04

Another reviewer writing about another album by Dennis Keene wrote:

"Yet the performance is not the slowly flowing honey usually served up by, say, the Tallis Scholars (as good as that is). Particularly in the Gloria and Credo of the Mass, Dennis Keene deliberately de-emphasizes the rise and fall of the different voices' lines in favor of a more naturally speech-like declamation of the long Latin texts. This means a surprisingly fast tempo--and some rhythmic spring and syncopation one might not expect in Palestrina. Some (not all) of the motets get a similar treatment: it works well in joyous pieces like the Pentecost motet Dum complerentur, but listeners might miss that melodic rise and fall in some of the slower works. The singers of Voices of Ascension are quite skillful, and the slight edge in their tone helps make the different melodies unusually audible. Very worthwhile, but not your father's Palestrina."

As a matter of fact, I used to like this album quite much although it was certainly not my favorite. That was until I listened to Robert shaw's "O Magnum Mysterium", which is amedley of Renaissance, negro spiritual, Russian and Western contemporary religious music. I was struck by Shaw's profoundly spiritual interpretation of the pieces by Victoria and Tallis that are also recorded on "Beyond Chant".

From then on I could no longer listen to this cd without feeling feeling increasingly dissatisfied. I tried to find a precise reason and not being a music specialist I was quite at a loss until I found the review above. Maybe the quick tempo is the key to my dislike.

I definitely feel that Dennis Keene and his singers do not have the depth of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers although the booklet accompanying the cd claims that the audience was spellbound by their performance, which took place in a cathedral in New York.

Tracks:

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
O magnum mysterium
In dulci iubilo
O virgo virginum
O Jesulein s Jesulein mild
Hodie Christus natus est
Marabile mysterium
Verbum caro factum est: Y la Virgen le dezia
A un nilorando
Here Is The Little Door
Noel canon
Quelle est cette odeur agrle
El Noi de la Mare
A Christmas Carol
A virgin unspotted
In the bleak mid-winter
Glory to the newborn King
Stille nacht - Douce nuit - Silent night

Amazon.com

Christmas is the season for whipping out those holiday-specific standard recordings. This splendid gift by Chanticleer should top the list, for one will never tire of this a cappella choir's interpretations. With selections spanning the last five centuries of Latin, German, English, Spanish, and French festive fare, this recording exemplifies the sacrifice of the ego to the higher form of choral sound. Jacob Handl's "Mirabile Mysterium" takes you on a trip into the chromatic wonderlands, where you temporarily lose tonal balance. Victoria's eerie and dissonant "O Magnum Mysterium" treats us to rich voices swelling out of one organic whole. The phenomenal blend and perfect intonation elevate this recording above others in its category. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Pure Christmas.......2007-01-16

If you are looking for traditional madrigal sounding holiday music, this CD is for you. I have purchased this CD several times because I just keep giving them away. Everyone I've ever introduced it to has loved it. This finely polished group has a pure sound matched by no other. If you weren't looking at the CD notes you would never know this is only a group of 12 men.

Christmas magic.......2007-01-10

A CD evocative of Christmas past and present. Beautiful harmonies both wistful and ringing with joy. Buy it for next Christmas!

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-12-02

Chanticleer, the U.S. equivalent of the British King's Singers, is a full-time classical vocal ensemble named for the rooster in Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'. It was founded in 1978 by Louis Botto, a tenor, and for a while was its artistic director. They have achieved critical acclaim all over the world and their repertoire is very extensive and varied. Just commenting on a few of the selections on this disc:
'Es ist ein Ros entsprungen' is a hymn that originated in western Germany around 1500, and is best known in the harmonization by Michael Praetorious published around 1609. The poem used biblical imagery that pictures the newborn Christ growing forth from the "stem of Jesse'(the father of King David), as foretold in Isiah 11. The metaphorical writings of the Middle Ages depict the patriarchal figure of Jesse as a rose bush.
'O Magnum mysterium',Victoria's most famous motet, uses a subline text from the Christmas Vespers. This is incredibly beautiful with its interweaving polyphony which leads to a hushed choral declamation at the words "O beata Virgo"(O Blessed Virgin) ending with a Alleulia Section.
'Here is the Little Door' is from a set of three "carol anthems", dating from 1918-1920. Herbert Howells was revered as one of the 20th century's most distinguished Choral composers, and I recently discovered him thru the album " by the Corydon Singers conducted by Matthew Best. It includes Howells Requiem in addition to the Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor. It is the most heavenly somewhat exotic choral music I think I have heard in many years of listening; I highly recommend it.
'Glory to the newborn King'. Joseph Jennings, Georgia native and present musical director of Chanticleer, has often drawn upon his roots to create special gospel and spiritual arrangements of familiar songs. 'Glory to the newborn King' features four traditional songs combined to showcase Chanticleer's unique choral virtuosity!
This is an excellent group of carols,and it is always refreshing to hear 'new' melodies, arrangements; a joy for the ear!!!!

Simply beautiful.......2006-02-20

The title and artist' name says it all - Christmas with clear (pure) singing. Glorious in all respects.

It's that time of year...for Chanticleer!.......2005-12-20

Walking the busy malls to the multichannel Muzak of every old Christmas song interpreted in hiphop, jazz, idiosyncratic 'rethinkings' by famous soloists as well as replays of Gene Autry, Bing Crosby etc., it is a relief to return home (or if fortunate, to the concert hall) and hear the more uplifting music of the season through the ages. And despite reliance on some old favorite Messiah recordings, and carols by Kings College Choir, the one CD that seems to reign supreme is this Chanticleer release SING WE CHRISTMAS from 1995!

These twelve male voices create an ambience that can only be labeled 'spiritual', so resonant and exquisitely performed are each of the generous works on this recording. The moods pass through Praetorius, Victoria, Bach and traditional carols of unknown authorship to works by Ives, Billings, Holst, Guerrero, Howells and Sametz. The repertoire is both familiar and rarely heard and the result of combining all these forms is the truest form of Christmas spirit on record: this is music to cleanse the Muzak blitz! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

The Lily and the Lamb: Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England

Average customer rating:

The Voices of Angels
Easter in Medieval England
Astonishing beauty
Unearthly Beauty
Stirring and profoundly spiritual

The Lily and the Lamb: Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony
Miracles of Sant'iago: Music from the Codex Calistinus
Love's Illusion-Music From The Montpellier Codex 13th Century
Lammas Ladymass - 13th and 14th Century English Chant and Polyphony
1000: A Mass for the End of Time / Anonymous 4

ASIN: B0000007EH
Release Date: 1995-08-22

Tracks:

Processional Hymn: O gloriosa domina
Hymn: milde lomb isprad o rode
Conductus: Ave Maria gracia plena
Conductus: O Maria stella maris
Sequence: Stabat iuxta Christi crucem
Sequence: Stillat in stellam radium
Sequence: Salve virgo singularis
Sequence: Stond wel, moder, under roode
Sequence: O Maria virgo pia
Hymn: In te concipitur
Sequence: Jesu Cristes milde moder
Motet: Veni mater gracie - Dou way, Robin
Motet: O mors moreris - O vita vera - Mors
Conductus: Salve virgo tonantis solium
Sequence: Miserere miseris
Conductus: Ave Maria salus hominum
Conductus: Memor esto tuorum
Antiphon: Ave regina celorum

Amazon.com essential recording

The disc's title refers to Mary and her son, the Christ, which is the general theme of the medieval chant, polyphony, and poetry that forms this program. The selections are ordered around three 13th century "sequences" that describe Mary's experiences at the foot of the cross. You can get deep into the mechanics and musicological aspects of this fascinating music, or you can just listen. This is music that speaks to everyone, and the mere sound of these voices, whether in their incredibly pure and perfect unison or multi-colored polyphony, can touch places within that otherwise rarely resonate. There's also something reassuring about connecting in this way with struggling souls of the distant past whose cares and hopes were much like ours. They survived largely due to their faith and its proclamation through music such as this. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

The Voices of Angels.......2007-03-29

Its not often in this busy life that you can settle back and listen to the voices of angels weave a peaceful tapestry around you while earthly cares fade and vanish in the ether. The Anonymous 4 are weavers of wonder and peace. No matter that your spiritual persuasion might not be Roman Catholic - or any other established Old World Church. If this music doesn't calm your savage soul and lead you to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the purest qualities of the human voice, nothing will. Stick with your Heavy Metal. "The Lily and the Lamb" isn't for you.

If you are someone who appreciates classical, Baroque, and/or Renaissance music, do not hesitate to enjoy this CD. The liner notes are also interesting and informative. Every CD from this group is of the highest quality. They also make much appreciated gifts for those you care about.

Easter in Medieval England.......2006-05-07

The Lily and the Lamb. Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England. Performed by Anonymous 4 (Ruth Cunningham, Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, Johanna Rose).
Recorded in September and October, 1994, at the Priory Church, Boxgrove, Chichester, England.
Harmonia Mundi HMU 907125. Total time: 66’45”.

This was, I believe, the fifth recording made by the “anonymous” ladies, and it has a great deal to recommend it: they are in absolute top form vocally, the recording venue, an old English priory church, was ideal for this repertoire, and the Harmonia Mundi engineers seem determined to outdo even their own brilliant prior efforts, capturing the sound with a clarity and purity that just about exhausts the capacity of normal CD sound. The repertoire here recorded consists of Latin hymns, sequences and conductus, complemented by three early English monophonic pieces each lasting over eight minutes – something that the ensemble itself obviously found to be too much of a good thing without some kind of alteration, so they added the vocal equivalent of a reed drone to the later voices of one of these hymns. The texts concern themselves with what happened at Easter, regarding the sacrifice of Christ and the suffering of the cross mostly through the eyes of Christ’s mother, Mary (in the same Catholic tradition as the well-known “Stabat mater” text). This content leads, despite some delightful polyphonic outbreaks, to a certain austerity which is inherent in the pieces themselves, and I would agree with the reviewer who thinks that newcomers to Anonymous 4 would possibly do better to go back to their first two recordings (“An English Ladymass” and “On Yoolis Night”, the second of these with some heavenly Christmas rejoicing) before coming to this excellent but musically perhaps slightly less rewarding disc. Incidentally, Susan Hellauer points out in her fine introductory notes that “by the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries Mary had been transformed into a goddess-like figure”. How appropriately phrased! If, like me, you are a Protestant or evangelical Christian, you may find yourself wincing at the texts, which I would personally want to describe as pseudo-Christian. It is probably best, therefore, to ignore the booklet and just listen to the glorious sound of these delightful voices and to thank God both for them and for the fact that the monolithic medieval culture of Europe has been changed for ever by the Reformation and the Enlightenment.

Astonishing beauty.......2005-10-12

Like several other of the Anonymous 4 CDs, this one entitled 'The Lily & the Lamb' is a collection of chant and polyphony from medieval England. 'The Lily' is a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Lamb, of course, is the Christ. Mary was a very popular subject in medieval Britain - perhaps two-thirds of all the music that survives from this period is dedicated to her, or involves her as a subject.

Included in this piece is a processional hymn and other pieces (conductus, sequences, hymns, motets and a concluding antiphon). The sequence is a liturgical form that are often monophonic. The conductus, on the other hand, has many voices, but usually declaiming the same text. Hymns are strophic, with verses repeating to the same music. The motets here involve somewhat strange pairings of chant and songs overlaid on each other.

This is a disc from the midpoint of the career of Anonymous 4, and their voices are in perfect sync with each other.

According to the American Record Guide, 'The singing is absolutely gorgeous. Not only do the 4 sound like angels; they phrase and inflect seraphically as well. You need go no further than the 'O Gloriosa Domina' Processional that starts the program to hear their clear, handsome, seemingly effortless unanimity in action.' The beginning with the processional is significant, for in live performances the Anonymous 4 often incorporated this to echo a liturgical feel to the music.

-- Liner Notes --
This text accompaniment to this disc is very full, so much so that the booklet is not contained within the jewel case, but rather within a slipcover in which both the CD/jewel case and the booklet reside. The liner notes include a description of the work, a brief piece about the quartet, and the lyrics of the songs both in original language and in translation - all repeated in English, German, and French sections.

-- Anonymous 4 --
Contrary to the implication of their name, the Anonymous 4 are not anonymous. This is a vocal quartet made up of Ruth Cunningham, Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, and Johanna Rose at the time of this recording (Ruth Cunningham will later go on to a solo career early, and another member will join - Jacqueline Horner). They came together as a formal group in 1986, and have been ensemble-in-residence at St. Michael's Church in New York City, giving concert series in New York as well as throughout North America. They have been featured a number of times on national media in North America as well as Germany. They then went on to yet more success, eventually performing more that 1000 concerts worldwide.

Their specialty is working with chant, monophonic and polyphonic music, and working with medieval texts. According to one source, 'The group takes its name from an anonymous music theorist of the late 13th century, Anonymous IV, who is the principal source on the two famous composers of the Notre Dame school, Léonin and Pérotin.'

The group ended a touring career of nearly two decades in 2004.

Unearthly Beauty.......2000-07-11

As a lover of music - though I prefer Blues to opera - I found this CD a classic to rank with the best of chant (my second favorite vocal genre). The voices are sublime, both in themselves and in their unison. This is absolute proof that the human voice is a beautiful instrument.

The recording is live and present, very real. The music is eternal and transcendent.

Can't say what spiritual connection there is for me - I belong to an older faith - but there is a spiritual grandeur in this music, just as in Gregorian or Byzantine chant, in Bach, or in any music that speaks from a depth.

If you need music to remind you that there is much in the cosmos that is greater than the daily trudge, that there is beauty that endures, this is a good choice.

Stirring and profoundly spiritual.......1999-09-08

As a lover of classical music and opera in particulaur I heartily recommend this album. The voices are unearthly in their beauty, and the subject matter of the songs demands thought if you are one who thinks of yourself as Christian. While religous it is also intimate and human, a quality often lacking in "chant" albums. The soft voices of these delightful sopranos feels like a blanket wrapping you up in the love of God. How's that for an endoresement?

Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection

Average customer rating:

buy this one first
Great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes
Great choral versions of ancient songs
A pleasing tone
A "best of", not really a Christmas record

Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection

Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Mirabilis
The Rose
Worldes Blysse
Undrentide
Salva Nos (Save Us)

ASIN: B0000AM6O4
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

The Holly & The Ivy
Gaudete
L'Amour De Moi
Salva Nos
Glass Window
There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu
Kinderly
In Dulce Jubilo
Love Me Broughte
I Am Eve
Quan Vey La Lauzeta
The Coventry Carol
Undrentide
Ecce Mundi Gaudium
Blow Northern Wind

Customer Reviews:

buy this one first.......2006-06-29

This is not really a Christmas, or even a seasonal, album, more of a best of the Babes. yYs, they lead off with "The Holly and the Ivy" (and do it beautifully) but do not buy this as a "holiday music album"... or do... you won't regret buying it whatever your reasons!
This was my introduction to this band and I was absolutely floored. It lived in my car CD player for 2 months straight, and still is in the first section of my CD storage unit.... a rare honor for *any* Cd. It is also responsible for causing me to go out and try to buy every other CD the band has out, and I have not been disapointed in any of the ones I have gotten so far.
Speaking as a former music major, religious student, and medieval re-creationist, I know I can be pretty nit picky when it comes to "medieval" music; all too often it is neither medieval, nor (in my opinion) music! This is one of those rare exceptions that can manage to get you out of a chair to dance, while singing at the top of your lungs in Olde Englishe, Latin, or whatever. There isnt a bad voice in the lot (although some of the harmonies can be a bit odd if you arent used to medieval music) and the instrumental backings are pure gold.

Great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes.......2006-02-27

This CD has many songs from previous albums and a few new songs. It is a great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes music and serves as "best of" type of collection. It is billed as a "holiday" collection but I listen to it year round and quite often. The Mediaeval Baebes have a very unique and wonderful sound.

Great choral versions of ancient songs.......2005-11-19

I first heard the Mediaeval Baebes on a UK double CD (Best carols in the world ever) featuring three of their trackss (Guadete, Coventry carol, Adam lay ibounden), all of which can also be found on their debut album, but my curiosity only became aroused when that UK double CD was updated and repackaged with a different title (Best Christmas carols ever) and all the Mediaeval Baebes tracks were omitted with other choirs replacing them. My research showed that they have become an established group (albeit with line-up changes) and are now very successful in their chosen style, which some may regard as classical but (since they sing with their natural voices rather than operatic voices) seems more like traditional folk music to me.

This is not a Christmas album in the true sense of the word although there are some recognizable Christmas carols here - rather it is a compilation of music taken from their earlier albums together with a couple of re-recordings and two completely new recordings. I would have liked some liner notes giving some detailed information about the songs but very little information is actually provided. Apparently, much more information can found in the booklets provided with the original album releases. Still, it's the music that counts and, when it comes to choral music, this is as good as it gets.

The set opens with The holly and the ivy, set to the tune that everybody is familiar with. I seem to remember reading somewhere that this tune, although old, is not the original tune written for the song. This is where liner notes would be useful - and as this is one of the new recordings, their original albums won't help. Given that the Mediaeval Baebes aim to re-record very old songs, it would have been nice to hear them sing it to its original tune if it really was different from the current one. I suppose it doesn't matter since they sing the song superbly anyway.

Other Christmas carols that you are likely to recognize are Gaudete (revived most famously by folk-rockers Steeleye Span), In dulce jubilo (a new recording for this album, it was recorded in the seventies by Mike Oldfield, who had a UK hit with his instrumental version) and The Coventry carol. The other songs are unfamiliar to me but the group perform them all brilliantly. The other song of theirs on that UK carols compilation (Adam lay ibounded) is not included, but there's plenty else to make up for that omission.

The instruments used to back the group (mostly played by members of the group) are interesting. They include a zither, a hurdygurdy, a citern, a glockenspiel, an astrowheel and three different types of recorder - not the kind of instruments to be heard regularly on pop and rock albums. I was particularly pleased to find the recorders here. Like many Brits of my generation, I was forced to learn to play the recorder at school (I did so very badly) and so the recorder has never had a great reputation, but when played well and in the right setting (as here), it sounds wonderful.

This is a fine compilation in many ways but it may be that one of the original albums (which apparently have detailed liner notes) will provide an even better introduction to the music of the Mediaeval Baebes. Despite my reservations, this is still (easily) a five-star album and I'll certainly listen to more of their music eventually.

A pleasing tone.......2004-12-02

This is probably one of my new favorite Christmas albums. It is an absolute gem. It isn't an over-powering album with new or different things but they have recorded a few lesser known Latin Carols that are not given much attention anymore. Gaudete was one that stood out. The arrangement is rather simple and beautiful and the song itself is melodic in an unusual way. I have found that this CD has appealed to a fairly wide spectrum of people and would make a great album to play in the background during the Holidays. I think this would be the perfect thing to put on in the late afternoon in December while curling up with a good book or wrapping presents.

A "best of", not really a Christmas record.......2004-03-27

Potential purchasers should bear that in mind. As with the Medieval Baebes debut album it contains a small proportion of `holiday season' material, but most of it can be listened to without embarrassment at any time of the year. (In my experience, all of it can - even on a warm spring afternoon I can't bring myself to program out `In Dulci Jubilo', `The Holly...' etc).

Another thing potential purchasers should bear in mind - this compilation winds up being a better "best of" than the album of that name.

It's more representative - career-spanning and able to demonstrate the increasing ambition and complexity of the arrangements, and of Katharine Blake's compositions. (Of course, some of their experiments with modern instrumentation on the `Undrentide' album didn't work, but they don't appear here).

It's also more enjoyable on a basic musical level - there are no over-repetitive pieces, no odd song-fragments...nothing that drags. Or maybe there are a couple of weak spots - "I Am Eve" which goes on a little too long, and Audrey Evans's rendition of "L'amour de moi" which is suprisingly weak, and no substitute for the original featuring the much-missed Dorothy Carter - but these are easily forgiven.

Tracks:

La Boheme: Che gelida manina
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Turandot: Nessun dorma
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Un Ballo in Maschera: Forse la soglia attinse
Rigoletto: Parmi veder le lagrime
Ernani: Come rugiada al cespite
II Trovatore: Di quella pira
La Battaglia di Legnano: La pia materna mano
Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
Werther: Je ne sais si je veille
Das Land des Lachelns: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz
II Tedesco: Plaisir d'amour
Serse: Ombra mai fu
Rinaldo: Lascia ch'io pianga
Caro mio ben

Tracks:

Misa Criolla: Kyrie
A vucchella
La Serenata
Marechiare
Malia
L'ultima canzone
Ideale
Non t'amo piu
Good-bye
Mattinata
O sole mio
Core 'ngrato
Funiculi, funicula
Torna a Surriento
Granada
La Danza
You Belong To My Heart
Because
West Side Story: Tonight
Be My Love
Because You're Mine
Cats: Memory

Customer Reviews:

A Collector's Item.......2007-03-09

This is a different voice than you hear on recordings of "The Three Tenors." Of course, it's his earlier years, but the light, lyrical quality of his voice is amazing. Thank goodness for recordings, and digital remastering. I love this CD.

STUPENDOUS!!!!.......2005-06-20

I have a Carreras-recording of Tosca from 1980 and up till now I thought it was the ultimate recording of "Recondita armonia" and "E lucevan le stelle". I honestly thought that no one could sing these arias better. And in a way I'm right. The only one that did it was himself - a few years earlier.....(The two arias in this "golden years cd" are taken from a -76 recording of Tosca). And after listening to these songs I can't imagine that anyone dare say that he is/was the weakest of the three tenors. In my opinion he possesses something that the others don't. (I won't tell you what it is - listen and find out yourself). Even if his voice has changed over the years (and I mean changed, not declined..) something remains unchangeable and that is his ability to evoke emotions. No one can deliver a line like him. And that's something that's going to stay with him forever, because what makes his singing so special comes from within. It's not dependent on the quality of the voice. But in the songs on this cd his voice is pure gold.

Even though I like the whole album, some of the songs on the first cd (which consists of operatic arias) stand out to me - like "Una furtiva lagrima", "donna non vidi mai", "vesti la giubba" and "nessun dorma" (Sorry Pavarotti - José is way ahead of you interpreting this song. It's not enough to sing it on full blast....) Here's also the loveliest rendition of "Forse la soglio attinse". In 1975 the audience at La Scala in Milan went absolutely crazy after he had sung this aria. I have a recording from that night and it sounds as if they are standing on their seats, cheering and applauding. And it's almost like I want to do the same myself after listening to his singing on this album. And in the song "dein ist mein ganzes hertz" he makes me believe that his whole heart really is mine......In my opinion Carreras has the best rendition of this song ever. No one else comes even close to this one. And I mustn't forget his "che gelida manina" from La Bohême. I have the -79 recording it's taken from and it's the ultimate Bohême ever.

The second cd has a "lighter" repertoire with songs from composers like Tosti, Cardillo, Lara and others. My personal favourites here are "Core n'grato", "Ideale" and "Granada". In my opinion no one sings these songs like Carreras. Or rather - no one sings like Carreras. Period!

His singing will no doubt give you goosebumps all over and make your hair stand on end. If not, I bet you're either a Pavarotti or Domingo-fan....

a great partial overview of an extraordinary career.......2005-04-09

Now a household name by being one of the Three Tenors alongside Pavarotti and Domingo, Carreras' finest recordings were actually done in the 1970s, when his voice had a brilliance and luster that few singers have equaled. Born in Spain in '46, Carreras was a child prodigy, and by his late 20s was a shining star in all the major opera houses. Tragically, in '87, he learned he had leukemia, a disease he battled and won, going on to greater fame than ever before.
Though his voice is powerful and full of beauty, those with keen ears will detect his voice losing a tiny bit of its magnificence starting in the early 80s, and one wonders if the stress and exhaustion of stardom contributed to this as well as to the illness, or whether it was because the seeds of leukemia were taking root.

CD One is the operatic disc, and the two most sublime cuts are both from '76, Puccini's "E lucevan le stelle" (Tosca), and Verdi's "Forse la scoglia attinse" (Un Ballo in Maschera). Another track I adore is the heavenly Lehar "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" (Das Land des Lachelns), from 1978, and few have performed this popular piece with more loveliness.
CD Two is in a lighter vein, and starts with a stupendous rendition of Ariel Ramirez' "Kirie" (Misa Criolla), sung softly and with extraordinary tenderness and artistry.
There are lots of heavenly melodic Italian songs, like "O Sole Mio", and a few in English like the song made famous by Lanza (who according to the liner notes, inspired Carreras to be a singer when he saw "The Great Caruso" at the age of six) "Be My Love " (Brodszky/Cahn).
The foldout insert has complete track list info and liner notes, and mention must be made of the incredible, sensitive sepia portrait of this handsome singer on the cover. Total playing time for CD One is 75'32, and for CD Two 75'47.
A must for Carreras fans, and anyone who appreciates the finest in operatic voices.

What a beauty!.......2005-01-13

This great double CD set shows us the true Carreras. All the great songs and arias are on this(although I would've liked to hear pourquoi me reveiller) and in pure Carreras style.
Some of the opera recordings are live, and that adds a lot to them. Both sides of the CDs have fantastic repetoire.
Definately a worthy buy!

He answered my SOS - with his soul.......2004-02-07

I came upon the genius of Mr. Carrera quite accidentally. I was in Warsovie (Warsaw), Poland. My purse was stolen, so I lay miserable and penniless and alone in the home of my Ex, with a copy of the Vampire Chronicles and Dostoevsky's Notes from the Underground (only books in English). The maddening drone of the hydro-dam nearby moved me to turn on the radio to my favorite college station. I was no opera buff, so when they announced that they would cover some Enrique Caruso songs, I was panicked to find a station that I could relate to.

Jose Carrera covered the full gambit of Caruso's classics. They must've played him for 2 hours straight. I was mesmerized. I could have touched him and put his hand to my face, his voice was so close. He sang with such emotion and outcry that I wanted to take him into my arms and console him. "Damn" is all that I could verbalize, when the program ended.

Tracks:

O Holy Night - Leontyne Price
Ave Maria - Luciano Pavarotti
In The Bleak Midwinter - Rosemary Joshua/Ian Bostridge
Coventry Carol - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
Away In A Manger - Mark Tinkler
Gabriel's Message - The Choir And Orchestra Of Clare College, Cambridge
Pastoral Sinfonia - Academy Of St Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
Il S'en Va Loin De La Terre - Acadamy And Chorus Of St Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
Panis Angelicus - Kiri Te Kanawa
Schlafe, Mein Liebster - Marilyn Horne
Wiegenlied - Renata Tabaldi
O Jesu So Meek - Simon Preston
While Shepherds Watched - Stephen Cleobury
Susser Trost, Mein Jesus Kommt - Agnes Giebel
Lute Concerto, RV 93: Largo - Eduardo Fernandez
Alma Redemptoris Mater - Julian Podger
O Magnum Mysterium - John Angelo Messana
Zastupnitse Userdnaya - St Petersburgh Chamber Choir/Nikolai Korniev
Iubi-Te-voi (I Will Love Thee, O Lord) - Angela Gheorghiu/Romanian National CHamber Choir 'Madrigal'/Constantin Marin
Once In Royal David's City - Robin Barter/David Briggs
O Tannenbaum - Vienna Boys Choir/Uwe Christian Harrer
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks

Tracks:

Stille Nacht - The Bach Choir/David Willcockes
Gloria In Excelsis Deo - Katherine Fuge/Nicola Jenkin/Elinor Carter/Julian Podger
Winter, RV 297: Largo - Alan Loveday
The First Nowell - The Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
In Dulci Jubilo - The Bach Choir/David Willcocks
The Three Kings - Gerald Finley
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen - Monteverdi Choir
Still, Still, Still - Ian Bostridge
The Crown Of Roses - The Choir Of Clare College, Cambridge/John Rutter
Christmas Concerto, Op.6 No.8: Largo Pastorale - Academy Of Saint Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
The Lamb - Monteverdi Choir/John Eliot Gardiner
Balulalow - Anthony Way/Lucy Wakeford/St Paul's Cathedral Choir/John Scott
Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Luciano Pavarotti
Vesperae Solennes De Confessore, K.339: Laudate Dominum - Kiri Te Kanawa
The Infant King - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
Lullaby My Jesus - The Choir Of Winchester Cathedral/David Hill
What Child Is This? - Anthony Way/Tom Finucane
The Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarolle - L'Orchestra De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge
See Amid The Winter's Snow - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
The Blessed Son Of God - The Choir Of Winchester Cathedral/David Hill
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear - Leontyne Price
White Christmas - Kiri Te Kanawa/London Voices

Customer Reviews:

Christmas Adagios.......2007-03-03

This is the BEST Christmas collection that I have ever heard. I would like
to purchase 15 more to give as gifts this year; however, it appears that
Decca is out of stock or no longer releasing it. HELP!!

christmas adagios.......2007-01-14

this was one of the best assortment of classical holiday songs that i have ever heard. it contains a marvelous array of the best composers and performers that the world has to offer. if you are a fan of classical music, i think this cd will be a positive addition to your music collection

Nice Background for the Holidays.......2007-01-11

Beautiful Adagios and a rich selection for the price. Audio travels to Vienna, London, Cambridge etc

One of my very top 5 favorite holiday albums!.......2005-11-19

What a delightful surprise this 2 disc album was and I'm not a big fan of Christmas music. I loved all the selections and felt they were well performed. This is a true "must have" for any Christmas collection. Superior to many other compliations on the market. This one is a keeper! It is the one album I'll pick first to listen to after Thanksgiving.

Wonderful POCOCAT?.......2005-07-16

Great CD. The reviewer who calls him/herself POCOCAT says he/she is an opera singer. Wonder how much work an uninformed singer gets?
A "fast spinning" vibrato,as you describe Ms. Price, is not the same as a wide vibrato. The former is a speed issue, the latter a width issue. Therefore, 4 variables exist: fast, slow, wide, slim. Thus, 4 types of voice exist: fast/wide, fast/slim, slow/wide, and slow/slim. Most often a singer leans toward fast/slim or slow/wide, in varying degrees. A matter of taste, yes, but learn more about the voice before you expound.

A Little Chrismas Music: Kiri Te Kanawa; The King's Singers

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
like all but one track
Heaven is here!
A Very Mixed Bag
Among My Top 10 Christmas Recordings

A Little Chrismas Music: Kiri Te Kanawa; The King's Singers
various/traditional , Dame Kiri Te Kanawa , The King's Singers , London Sinfonia , and Richard Hickox
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

The King's Singers Original Debut Recording
Watching the White Wheat: Folk Songs of the British Isles; King's Singers
Kids' Stuff
The King"s Singers: English Renaissance
Annie Laurie ~ Folksongs of the British Isles / Barrueco · The King's Singers

ASIN: B000002RRF
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Here We Come A-Wassailing
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
The Little Drummer Boy
I Wonder As I Wander
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
Stille Nacht
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
A Little Christmas Music (Medley A La Mozart)
The Coventry Carol (Lully, Lulla)
The Boar's Head Carol
Gaudete
Joy To The World
Three Spanish Carols: Riu, Riu, Chiu
Three Spanish Carols: El Nino Querido
Three Spanish Carols: Villancico Catalan
Deck The Hall
The Wexford Carol
The Gift (Simple Gifts)
Patapan And Farandole

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-11-29

The King's Singers come to us steeped in the 500 year old English tradition of choral singing; and that's fine with me.!!!There are 6 singers in this group (the personnel change from time to time)namely: Jeremy Jackman and Alastair Hume (countertenors)- Robert Chilcott (tenor)- Bruce Russell and Simon Carrington (baritones) and Stephen Connolly (bass). They are very capably accompanied by the City of London Sinfonia and Brass Quintet conducted by Richard Hickox. An added PLUS is the great Kiri Te Kanawa who sings an arrangement by Daryl Runswick entitled "A Little Christmas Music (Medley a la Mozart)". It's a hodge-podge of Mozart melodies sewn together in a rather haphazard manner, and meant to be humorous. I guess this type of composition does not appeal to me personally, and I'm sorry that Kiri's glorious voice was wasted. However, that's only MY opinion; I am certain others may disagree.
This album is really a mixture of Christmas tunes and that's partly what makes it interesting. And, of course it is masterfully sung by the King's singers;I enjoy all their discs; especially the recording of Gilbert and Sullivan tunes. Some of the arrangements on this disc are somewhat esoteric, and I'm not too fond of the very STRANGE arrangement (again by Daryl Runswick) of the Coventry Carol, but 'to each his own'. Their opening selection:"Here We Come a-wassailing" (arr. Robert Chilcott) is a great opening number and I must say that it's the best arrangement I have ever heard of this selection.
Let's face it:the KING'S SINGERS are perfection. But don't forget our American group:Chanticleer.

like all but one track.......2006-02-02

With the exception of track 11 (The Coventry Carol, Lully lulla) I really like this CD. I personally prefer the traditional renditions of The Coventry Carol. I do not like the "modern" harmonics and arrangement of it on this CD. Otherwise, it is very fine, indeed.

Heaven is here!.......2005-10-26

Xmas carols are always touching, but this cd is beyond all you have already heard. The King's Singers plus Kiri Te Kanawa is a combination of angelical adult voices, yes, adults can also have angelical voices. Buy this cd and check yourself if it is not true!

A Very Mixed Bag.......2003-08-15

I've often admired the King's Singers' performances, and of course they are a famous and accomplished ensemble, noted for the precision of their close-harmony singing, so I was looking forward to this CD. I regret to say that I find it a very mixed bag, on the whole disappointing. Unfortunately the reliable executant skills of the King's Singers are not matched here by their judgment and taste in choosing arrangements--perhaps there was too great a push for mixing it up, adding variety, "something different." The resulting arrangements are wildly uneven, some of them unattractive and tasteless in varying degrees from mild to dreadful. They range from the very good (bands 7 and 18: straightforward a cappella close-harmony, which is what these singers do best), to exotic (band 16), to schmaltzy (band 5), to busy (band 8), to campy (bands 11 and 19), to cutesy (bands 3 and 6), to terminally cutesy-poo (bands 4, 11, and 19). "Deck the halls," for example, is done in by its arch, cutesy-poo arrangement, as is "White Christmas," which even includes a bizarre, wholly gratuitous interpolation of a bit from Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije, God knows why!

Band 12, "The Coventry Carol," the longest cut on the CD, demands special mention: it is downright awful. The annotator of this CD writes cosily, "And of course there are the old traditional English Christmas songs, all mulled wine and mince pies." Nothing could be less descriptive of what we get here, where the misguided, pretentious, weird, grotesquely ugly, far-out dissonant-modern arrangement does its utmost to pervert and spoil this lovely old English carol, twisting and distorting it into something almost unrecognizable; this cut is a real horror. (Sir David Willcocks, the famed King's College choirmaster under whom the King's Singers trained and sang as youths, would be appalled. The man responsible for this travesty, one Daryl Runswick, also arranged two other selections; his consistently tasteless arrangements comprise three of the four worst on the CD.)

The performing forces vary from the a cappella singers to accompaniments with brass ensemble or orchestra. The variable but undistinguished engineering (EMI's Abbey Road studios, 1989)--over-processed, over-bright, hard-edged, and occasionally canned-sounding--is an additional drawback. If you like traditional Christmas music (as I do) you might want to think twice before buying this CD. At least try to listen to it first. Caveat emptor.

Among My Top 10 Christmas Recordings.......2002-12-26

King's Singers maintains the highest standard for all those who aspire to create spine-tingling a cappella harmony. Somewhat akin to the small number of their peers worldwide, no style seems off limits to their abilities. But certain aspects set the King's Singers apart. Perhaps it is their early and consistent training in the English choral discipline, or the many, years of touring together in one combination or other. Their most remarkable quality is their quintessentially English sound -- the pipe-like tone produced especially in the mid- to upper registers -- that is at once remarkably free of vibrato, but still alive with overtones. If one listens closely to the solo parts, it becomes evident: the sound isn't produced merely by excellent group intervallic intonation, but by individual voices capable of producing overtones. Thus, it's the sound you can't hear that takes your breath away.

Because the recording is so excellent on the whole, one disappointment stands out: I wish that Coventry Carol had been saved for another recording. The dissonances conjure up distressing images at odds with the overall effect they seem to have been trying to accomplish with the recording, and I can certainly imagine that in another context, I might have been interested and emotionally moved, rather than unsettled and annoyed.

In any case, this has remained for years one of my favorite Christmas recordings, and I have to give it 5 stars.

Melartin: The Six SYMPHONIES
Average customer rating:

There's more to early 20th Century Finnish symphonic music than Sibelius

Don't be misled by comparisons to Mahler

fine performances of wonderful but virtually unknown music

fine performances of wonderful but virtually unknown music

This is great!

Melartin: The Six SYMPHONIES

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Kurt Atterberg: The Symphonies (Box Set)

Ture Rangström: Complete Symphonies (Box Set)

Wilhelm Peterson-Berger: Complete Symphonies [Box Set]

Tubin: Symphonies

Vagn Holmboe: The Complete Symphonies

ASIN: B00001W08G
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in c, Op.30/1: 1. Adagio - Allegro Molto Moderato Ed Energico
Sym No.1 in c, Op.30/1: 2. Adagio
Sym No.1 in c, Op.30/1: 3. Scherzo (Allegro Vivace)
Sym No.1 in c, Op.30/1: 4. Finale (Allegro Vivace)
Sym No.3 in F, Op.40: 1. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.3 in F, Op.40: 2. Andante
Sym No.3 in F, Op.40: 3. Scherzo (Vivacissimo)
Sym No.3 in F, Op.40: 4. Largo

Tracks:

Sym No.2: 1. Andante Tranquillo - Allegro -
Sym No.2: 2. Andante
Sym No.2: 3. Scherzo (Allegro Vivace)
Sym No.2: 4. Finale (Vivace)
Sym No.4, Op.80 (Summer Sym): 1. Allegro Moderato
Sym No.4, Op.80 (Summer Sym): 2. Scherzo (Vivace)
Sym No.4, Op.80 (Summer Sym): 3. Andante - Pia Freund/Lilli Paasikivi/Laura Nykanen
Sym No.4, Op.80 (Summer Sym): 4. Rondo-Finale

Tracks:

Sym No.5, Op.90 (Sinf Brevis): 1. Moderato
Sym No.5, Op.90 (Sinf Brevis): 2. Andante
Sym No.5, Op.90 (Sinf Brevis): 3. Intermezzo (Allegro Moderato)
Sym No.5, Op.90 (Sinf Brevis): 4. Finale
Sym No.6, Op.100: 1. Andante
Sym No.6, Op.100: 2. Andante
Sym No.6, Op.100: 3. Allegro
uj

Customer Reviews:

There's more to early 20th Century Finnish symphonic music than Sibelius.......2005-11-22

Read the previous reviews to get a feel for what this is, and what this is not. I don't plan to reiterate what has been so competently stated by my predecessors. From a nationalistic point of view, these symphonies do represent an original voice, however derivative it may sound to ears that are "wise after the fact." Erkki Melartin seems to be looking for his voice in the first symphony, which tends to meander (despite lofty contrapuntal intentions and the controlling principle of brevity). Things tighten up and come into focus in the next 4 works, and symphonies 3 and 4 are nothing short of masterful. Economy of thematic means is matched with a creatively-employed color pallette with cleanness of line heightening the drama. The counterpoint is complex, but never sounds like it -- it comes across as effortless (despite the fact that one is often listening to complex overlays of the cantus firmus in augmentation, retrograde, inversion, etc., all at once). Thematic unity is also emphasized: motifs in a given symphony's first movement tend to pepper subsequent movements (or, perhaps just as accurately, subsequent themes owe their heritage to previous material, but sometimes inverted, etc.). The 5th symphony is also mature and satisfying, but Melartin dabbles in darker, more dissonant waters in the 6th, which is, to me, the least successful of the set (primarily because of its first movement, although subsequent movements attempt to redeem the picture). All in all, worthy of one's patronage. The Tampere Orchestra plays flawlessly and with conviction under Leonid Grin. If you were to get one set of 20th century symphonies this year, this one should vie with British composer Edward Rubbra's set for your consideration (also available on Amazon) -- you can't go wrong with either set, and the compositional craftsmanship in both cases is exemplary.

Don't be misled by comparisons to Mahler.......2004-12-08

Melartin's symphonies are often compared to Mahler's by critics simply because he introduced Mahler to the Nordic audience. But they are hardly Mahlerian at half of the length. In fact, they are typical miniaturist's symphonies, which vaguely reminded me of Sinding. Powerful and ambitious openings are drowned out by overflowing lyricism in the middle movements, which, despite their colorfulness, are sterile of ideas. No doubt there are many good tunes in the symphonies, but they are nondescript, easily fade from memory and soon become tiresome. Grieg, though his only symphony is often dismissed as derivative, seems the only miniaturist capable of large scale works.

fine performances of wonderful but virtually unknown music.......2000-03-25

I agree completely with the other review posted here. I even came by these recordings the same way he did; I read the glowing comments on one of the single issues and decided to investigate the whole set. This is wonderful music--beautfiully crafted, sometimes lyrical, sometimes powerful, but always colorful and interesting. As a conductor Melartin brought Mahler to the Scandanavian countires, just as Wilhelm Stenhammar-- his exact comtemporary--introduced Bruckner to the north; and one can hear the Mahler influence in Melartin's dazzling orchestration. Melartin gets a very brief paragraph in Groves; and, as nearly as I can determine, these are the only recordings of the symphonies available--perhaps, ever available. I'm not going to play "is-it-as-good-as" games. The quality of this music, however, raises real questions about the standard orchestral canon--what's in and what's out. There is a great deal of music routinely heard in the world's concert halls which is not the equal of these enjoyable symphonies. I don't know much about Leonid Grin, and it's always difficult to judge performances of marginalized repertoire when you've never heard it before. I remember Bernstein took an interest in his talents some years ago, and I think he now holds a post somewhere in the US south-west. All I can say is the music is compelling and he gets top notch results from a little known orchestra. Great sound and a good price! (Check out Melartin's violin concerto with Segerstam on the same label!)

fine performances of wonderful but virtually unknown music.......2000-03-25

This is great!.......2000-02-20

What we have here is another example of a lost or forgotten composer. Melartin, a Finnish composer who lived from 1875-1937 has in essence become completely eclipsed by his contemporary, Jean Sibelius. While I'm not saying that Melartin's symphonies are better than those masterpeices of Sibelius, I am going to say that these deserve better attention and circulation than they have been given. These are wonderful, tuneful works, full of brilliant orchestration! The composer that seems to come to mind for me is Bruckner, only these are more brilliant orchestrally. I decided to purchase the complete set after reading the recommendations for Symphony #4, and haven't regretted it for a minute! Everyone of these symphonies will bring much pleasure to the listener. Please buy this set!

La Bele Marie: Songs to the Virgin from 13th-Century France

Average customer rating:

Another masterpiece from Anonymous 4
The bewitching variety of Anonymous 4

La Bele Marie: Songs to the Virgin from 13th-Century France
Anonymous 4
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

1000: A Mass for the End of Time / Anonymous 4
The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen
Legends of St. Nicholas: Medieval Chant & Polyphony
An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony
The Lily and the Lamb: Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England

ASIN: B00006ALAG
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

O maria o felix puerpera
Pia mater gratie
De la mere au sauveor
O maria virginei
Verbum bonum et suave
Ave salus hominum
Mainte changon au fait
Ave maria gracia plena
Perotin: Beata viscera
Mundum renovavit
Je te pri de cuer par amors
Salve sancta parens
Serena virginum
De la tres douce Marie
Ave virgo Virginum
Mater patris et filia
Ave nobilis venerabilis

Amazon.com

The arrival of a new Anonymous 4 album has become as much a fall ritual as the turning of the leaves. However, there's nothing rote about their 12th album for Harmonia Mundi. All 17 selections are in honor of the Virgin Mary, ground familiar to fans of the ensemble's breakthrough first album, An English Ladymass (as well as 1998's Lammas Ladymass). Drawing upon both the Latin liturgy and chansons adapted from the French trouvère tradition of secular love songs, the combination of sources powerfully illustrates how strong devotion to Mary was in medieval France. But even more immediately striking is the New York-based vocal quartet's near-magical ability to enrapture their listeners. Whether they are coursing through a simply elegant monophonic chant such as "O maria o felix puerpera," a dazzlingly florid work like "Mater patris et filia," or the ethereal harmonies of "Mundum renovavit," their perfect intonation and pure tone are sublime. There's a special treat here, too--each of the ladies performs one piece solo. It's a chance to hear each singer's unique contribution to the group's inimitable sound: Marsha Genensky's exquisite smoothness, Susan Hellauer's dark-hued loveliness, Jacqueline Horner's creamy lightness, and Johanna Maria Rose's radiant resonance. It's a record that will transport you to another world, and yet one more star to add to Anonymous 4's constellation of celestially beautiful recordings. --Anastasia Tsioulcas

Customer Reviews:

Another masterpiece from Anonymous 4.......2003-02-16

For me what sets apart an Anonymous 4 recording, besides the wongerful singing is the presentation of a coherent program that only enhances the listening enjoyment. This disc contains anonymous chansons and conducti--with the exception of the "Beata viscera" of Perotin. These enchanting hymns and songs to the virgin Mary are vividly brought to life by the ensemble. I highly recommend this recording.

The bewitching variety of Anonymous 4.......2002-10-23

The child-like simplicity beguiles the music's endless array of intricacies
and subtleties. The crisp phrasing, exquisite nuances, poingnant details of haunting beauty is heard throughout the disc. Perotin and Notre Dame over all, were lyrics of the first water.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review