Euphoric Classics: A Classical High [Import]

Euphoric Classics: A Classical High [Import]

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. Sunrise (Sprach Zarathustra) (Opening) {2001: A Space Odyssey} - London Philharmonic Orchestra

2. Montagues and Capulets (Dance of the Knights) {Romeo and Juliet} - Philadelphia Orchestra

3. Vision {Beloved's Sun} - Richard Souther

4. Toccata & Fugue in D Minor {Rollerball}

5. Ode to Joy (Symphony, No. 9, Choral) - Philadelphia Orchestra, Westminster Choir

6. Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity (Conclusion) (The Planets) - The Philharmonia Orchestra

7. Mission {The Mission}

8. Fond de Temple Saint (Temple Duet) (The Pearl Fishers) {Gallipoli}

9. Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise {The Piano}

10. Symphony, No. 7 in A, Op. 92 II Allegretto (Opening) {A Touch of Class} - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Fanfare for the Common Man {Drop Dead Gorgeous}

2. Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walküre) {Apocalypse Now}

3. Piano Concerto, No. 3 in D Minor I: Allegro Ma Non Tanto (Opening) {Shi

4. O Fortuna (Carmina Burana) {The Omen}

5. Casta Diva (Norma)

6. Adagio for Strings {Platoon} - Philadelphia Orchestra

7. Eternal Knot - Adiemus

8. Sarabande - Academy of Ancient Music

9. German Requiem (Extract)

10. Nimrod ('Enigma' Variations) {Elizabeth} - The London Symphony Orchestra

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

King Cotton
The Gladiator
Semper Fidelis
The Belle Of Chicago
The Invincible Eagle
Manhattan Beach
The Liberty Bell
El Capitan
The Washington Post
The Crusader
The Black Horse Troop
The Fairest Of The Fair
The High School Cadets
The Stars And Stripes Forever
The Pride Of The Wolverines
Hail To The Spirit Of Liberty
From Maine To Oregon
The Diplomat
Powhatan's Daughter
Kansas Wildcats
Sound Off
The Thunderer

Tracks:

Hands Across The Sea
The Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Legionnaires
Daughters Of Texas
The Gallant Seventh
Golden Jubilee
Solid Men To The Front
Marquette University
The Beau Ideal
The Rifle Regiment
The Northern Pines
Nobles Of The Mystic Shrine
New York Hippodrome
The Gridiron Club
The Charlatan
The Lambs
The National Game
On The Campus
La Flor De Sevilla
Jack Tar
The Glory Of The Yankee Navy

Customer Reviews:

Sousa By the Royal Marines.......2007-03-31

This is a great CD re-issue of the Band of the Royal Marines School of Music under Graham Hoskins. This band did a three LP series on Sousa marches some years ago that was better than most on this very well covered topic. Sousa march recordings will always come and go, but some like this stand out more than others. For one, there is nothing like the panache of a Royal Marines band. Their sound is a time honored development that gets passed from one generation to the next. Even as the number of RM bands continues to change and downsize, there are now about four bands left in the service, their sound quality continues to be superb.

When these recordings were made RM bands were still at their height in the British service and their quality was amazing. Most bands numbered over 60 in this period, and that is why many Americans may be surprsed at the volume of music produced here. This is not one of your small, though excellent regimental bands! Americans tend to think that British military band instrumentation is on the thin side. Not so here! Of course Sousa always sounds best with either the Allentown band or the US Marine band.

This CD is evidence of how popular Sousa has always been in the UK, and with RM bands in particular. The selection here on two CDs covers most of the standard Sousa fair, with a few different selections here and there. Unfortunatley there are none of Sousa's fine transcriptions for classical music, or selections from his operettas. This music is always wonderful to have in combination with the marches as it shows how much variety he was capable of in his compositions. For that kind of concert the reader is referred to the very fine collection of Sousa music being done under the Naxos label by the Band of the Royal Artillery.

Here you will find a solid collection of Sousa's great marches. Roughly a third of those 136 compositions are contained here. The Royal Marines give a sharpe and clear sound to these works which should certainly inspire. You will also get a very nice idea how RM bands sounded back in the 1980s. Graham Hoskins was a fine director of music, typical of the inhouse genius of the Royal Marines Band Service at that time. He took this band on a USA tour in 1985 with the Arygll & Sutherland Highlanders. Devotees of Sousa should enjoy these spirited versions of the march king's music as performed across the pond.

Still Among the Best.......2006-06-01

I bought two audio casettes with these marches back in the 1980's and wore them out. These performances are hard to beat for virtuosity, enthusiasm, and sparkle. The sound quality is outstanding. And there are some marches that are rarely, if at all, available.

How Sousa Should Sound.......2006-03-07

Great value 2 cd disc set cut in the early 1980's & remastered the sound of the Royal Marines Band is nothing short of terrific. Judging by the sound would not be surprised for this to be a combined double RM band. These 1st chair players give Sousa's great marches that extra kick that takes the "March Kings" music to that higher level. By the center quick march!!!!

Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne

Average customer rating:

Comparing Britten's 'Serenade' from Bostridge and rivals
Bostridge and Rattle Offer Definitive Britten
EXCELLENT SINGING: OUSTANDING PLAYING

Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Britten: The Canticles; Ian Bostridge, David Daniels
Britten: Holy Sonnets Op35 / Bostridge, Johnson
Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc
Die Schone Mullerin
Osvaldo Golijov: Ayre

ASIN: B000AXZE3U
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

I. Fanfare
II. Villes
IIIa. Phrase
IIIb. Antique
IV. Royaute
V. Marine
VI. Interlude
VII. Being Beauteous
VIII. Parade
IX. Depart
Prologue
Pastoral
Nocturne
Elegy
Dirge
Hymn
Sonnet
Epilogue
On A Poet's Lips I Slept
Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep
Encinctured With A Twine Of Leaves
Midnight's Bell Goes Ting, Ting, Ting
But That Night When On My Bed I Lay
She Sleeps On Soft, Last Breaths
What Is More Gentle Than A Wind In Summer?
When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See

Amazon.com

This is a wonderful record, in substance and execution. As Ian Bostridge writes in his passionately involved program notes, these three song cycles represent a pinnacle of the all-too-sparse literature for tenor and orchestra. We owe them to Britten's long personal and professional partnership with the great tenor Peter Pears, for whom he wrote all his vocal music. Listeners who remember Pears' unique and unmistakable voice and style will be astounded at how thoroughly Bostridge has made these works his own. His voice is very different but no less unique, and intoxicatingly beautiful. He has at his command colors and nuances which he uses so masterfully that they become an integral part of the music, never sounding artificial. Giving equal weight to words and music, Bostridge captures the lush sensuousness of the French cycle, set to poems of Rimbaud, the lyricism, lightness, serenity, horror and triumph of the Serenade, and the declamatory drama of the Nocturne (the last two use poetry from Shakespeare to Wilfred Owen). The cycles trace the development of Britten's style, from the tonal orientation and direct expressiveness of the first, through the greater emotional depth and variety of the second, to the descriptive, sardonic, wild, passionate rhetoric of the third. The orchestra's principals are superb in their extensive solos. Unfortunately, they are nameless except for Radek Baborák, a worthy successor to Dennis Brain, the virtuoso hornist for whom the Serenade was written. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Comparing Britten's 'Serenade' from Bostridge and rivals.......2006-06-26

In 1944, a year after it was composed, Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings began a long streak of excellence on disc. Six decades later we have this acclaimed new one from Ian Bostridge, so it seems worthwhile to compare it to the best from the past. (I will name my personal favorites at the end.)

Pears 1944: The Gramophone calls this, the premiere recording, 'usurpassable,' and so it would seem with the unique combination of Peter Pears, the tenor voice for which the work was written, Dennis Brain, the young horn virtuoso whom Britten also had in mind, and Britten himself conducting. There are some drawbacks, though, principally the ugly wartime sonics, which are murky and boxed-in. Pears is not as dramatic as he would become later on, and although Brain is very musical and supple in tone, he doesn't extract the last ounce of intensity from his part.

Pears 1964: Pears' remake is the unsurpassable one, perhaps. We get excellent stereo from Decca, and Britten's conducting is more or less perfect. Barry Tuckwell sets a new standard in the horn part, taking hair-raising risks and underlining the darker side of the score. Pears has grown immensely in his interpretation of the poetry, but one can't escape that he is 20 years older--his voice is obviously under strain in the more difficult passages and at loud volume. Even so, his depth and artistry quickly make you forget anything but the music itself--a great recording.

Rolfe-Johnson 1991: The Gramophone loved this recording when it came out on Chandos. The outstanding performer here is the tenor, Anthony Rolfe-Johnson, who took up Pears' artistic manetle. Like Pears he has a sweet, focused tenor with a prominent head tone (R-J's sound is less idiosyncratic than Pears'), but more importantly Rolfe-Johnson does almost as much with the poetry as his great predecessor. The conducting by Bryden Thomson is fine, and so is the horn player, Michael Thompson, though he is too cautious to take the kind of risks Tuckwell did.

Langridge 1994: This recording, originally on Collins Clasics, is on Naxos now. Philip Langridge is the doppelganger to Rolfe-Johnson, both bieng Britten specialists who have recorded most of his major tenor roles. Langridge has a bigger voice, with an unusual but pleasant nasality. It's less focused than Rolfe-Johnson's or Pears', so the pitch can spead a little, and some wobble creeps in under pressure. On this CD Langridge gives a notably quiet, tender reading, with a lot of variaiton in tone and poetic sensitivity. He is aided by the excellent conducting of Britten's disciple, Steuart Bedford. The horn playing of Frank Lloyd matches the singer in tenderness, even if he isn't the daredevil that Tuckwell ws--Lloyd's suppleness is closer to Brain in approach.

Bostridge 1999: The latest generation of Pears' descendants is represented by Ian Bostridgee, who has attained more fame than the previous two tenors outside Britain. Bostridge's voice started out quite slender and cooing, so he can't attack the Serenade's more strenuous parts head on. His solution is to give a lighter, quicker version that is refreshingly different. His hornist, Marie-Luise Neunecker, is a true virtuoso, more at home in this music than any player since Tuckwell. She is also caught in vivid, clear sound by EMI. Ingo Metzmacher's condcuting sometimes lacks zest and impact, though it passes muster well enough.

Bostridge 2005: Bostridge got to remake the Serenade for EMI after only a few years, not the twenty that Pears waited. In the interim his voice has acquired more weight--it's still the lightest of any being considered here, however--and that extra heft helps him to deepen his interpretation, adding more darkness and mystery to the text (mystery being one of this singer's best modes). The presence of Simon Rattle and the Berlin Phil. strings certainly ups the ante, and the first horn of the orchestra, Radek Baborak, at last brings us Tuckwell's equal in daring and risk-taking. British critics have acclaimed this recording as the only modern one to stand beside Pears/Britten, but I think Rattle and Bostridge are both a little guilty of fussiness; every syllable and musical phrase is underlined to the point where we notice the performers more than the music at times.

I have owned Serenades by other singers like Martyn Hill and John Mark Ainsley, both on EMI and both in the boyish tenor vein of Bostridge, if without his notable intelligence and musical insight. I would be hapy to own either of Bostridge's efforts, but the ones that send chills down my spine are by Rolfe-Johnson and Pears 1964.

Bostridge and Rattle Offer Definitive Britten.......2005-11-30

Ian Bostridge continues to astound with the variety of his repertoire and the glowing beauty of his richly burnished tenor voice and his enormous musicality. Here he sings three of Benjamin Britten's finest works and with him in collaboration are Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. An embarrassment of riches!

Each of the three cycles feels as though Bostridge and Rattle are in complete agreement with Britten's intentions. 'Les Illuminations', designated as a work 'for high voice and strings', here benefits greatly from the timbre of Bostridge's baritone-infused tenor voice. The poems by Rimbaud were written by a man for a man and thus it feels more appropriate to have the male voice singing (though the numerous performances by sopranos do hold a special glow). Supported by some of the most lush strings sound ever recorded, Bostridge sings the songs with more passion than most. These are heartfelt and not the cerebral exercise they often receive. Yes, there are moments when memories of other performances rise - such as during the downward glissando of 'et je danse' when other singers caress every note in the fall. But the overall effect is very dramatic and, well, luminous.

'Serenade for tenor, horn and strings' finds Radek Baborak in the horn role. Again the pulsing Berlin strings under Rattle are almost unbearably beautiful. Bostridge's perfect diction again demonstrates how Britten was the finest composer for the English language. The cycle is involving in its survey of an interesting variety of poems. Likewise the Nocturne 'for tenor, seven obbligato instruments an strings' is a mature work of Britten's and has echoes of phrases from what by the time of its composition were closely identified with the 'Britten sound'. Again Bostridge sings with such purity of line and intense communication. His voice and thinking are married in a perfect effect.

Perhaps it is the fact that Bostridge commits his concert time to demanding lieder recitals with piano that makes him one of the most sought after vocal artists of the day. When he steps in front of an orchestra, especially such as the Berlin ensemble with Rattle on the podium, he is wholly at home with these beautiful but technically difficult cycles, and the degree of communication of both the music and the poetry are extraordinary. An added bonus with this CD is the personal set of program notes written by Bostridge. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

EXCELLENT SINGING: OUSTANDING PLAYING.......2005-11-23

This is a marvellous disc of the most famous Britten orchestral Song Cycles - not so much for Bostridge's singing as for the stunning playing of the strings of the Berlin Philharmonic and the excellent conducting of Simon Rattle.

The very opening bars of Les Illuminations give a thrilling taste of excitements to come as the violins and violas throw the fanfares from side to side of the stereo spectrum. In the hands of the Berlin Phil, Les Illuminations reveals itself to be as big a compendium of string orchestra techniques as the Frank Bridge Variations. Here are wonderfully light harmonics, creepy harmonic glissandos, perfectly together full-bodied pizzicati, haunting cantilenas, rich thrumming accompaniments. Ensemble throughout is impressively immaculate. Antique is hauntingly beautiful, Being Beauteous achingly so. Bostridge's singing is also impressive in these Rimbaud settings, bringing to some of the songs a real baritonal quality to set beside his more familiar headtones - perhaps suggesting that a Pelleas from him might be an interesting proposition. For me, the sound of the original soprano voice works better in these songs (they were first done by Sophie Weiss): it rises freer and cleaner of the string accompaniments. But Bostridge is fine among the tenor versions, up there with Pears himself.

The Serenade fares a little less well after such an impressive opening. Maybe the horn player, Radek Baborak, is to blame. He seems a little cautious - the phrases of the Prologue and Epilogue seem a little disjointed, the keening sounds of Blake's Sick Rose lack the last ounce of passionate commitment, the scary glissandi in the Lyke Wake Dirge are barely touched in compared to the hair-raising whoops of a Tuckwell or even a Brain and Ben Jonson's Queen and Huntress doesn't have quite the lightness of step she should. Bostridge, too, seems to be straining a bit hard and Fischer-Dieskau-like to get the last ounce of meaning from the text. The plosive 't' at the end of 'elephant' in Cotton's Pastoral practically splashes the listener. He has recorded the Serenade before (also with a German orchestra) and despite the wonderful playing here of the Berlin strings - their splendour falls magnificently on Tennyson's castle walls - it's the earlier version I would prefer.

The horn player is better in his onomatopoeic Middleton song in the Nocturne. Indeed, all the soloists are excellent in this cycle and I would single out Stefan Schweigert's bassoon solo in The Kraken for particular praise. The Nocturne always seems to get rather short shrift in comparison to the Serenade or even Les Illuminations. For me it is the finest of the three cycles. It is a central piece among Britten's explorations of sleep around that time - the Dream, the guitar Nocturnal, the piano Notturno, 'Let us Sleep' in War Requiem and 'Dormi nunc' in the Cantata Misericordium are all roughly contemporaneous. It is also more of a cycle than the Serenade with its linking 'breathing' motif on the strings (which was actually rescued from a setting of Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, written for but rejected from the Serenade). Bostridge is better here with a little less obvious pointing of words. He copes with the magical melismas of the Coleridge setting well. He holds nothing back in Wordsworth's nightmare recollections of the September Massacres with a full-bodied scream on the parlando 'Sleep no more'. Owen's Kind Ghosts sound more than ever like a precursor of the Owen settings in War Requiem and Rattle secures a wonderfully heavy tread from his string players. Perhaps only Pears had the secret of those magic Britten phrases that flow straight through the natural break in the voice (the arch of 'Thus I my best beloved's am' at the end of Canticle 1 or the rising Dona nobis pacem in War Requiem come to mind): Bostridge can't quite match him in the similar phrase for the last couplet of the Shakespeare Sonnet, but for the rest he does achieve a near perfect balance of melodic line with judicious pointing of Shakespeare's pun-fest.

The playing of the Berlin Philharmonic again is a joy to hear in this song. The voicing of the chord when all the obbligato instruments and the strings play together for the first time at the beginning of the Shakespeare is breathtaking and Rattle makes the climax of the Sonnet (and indeed the whole cycle) an overwhelming moment. The recording quality throughout this disc is superb - crystal clear but with true warmth and depth. Bostridge contributes a fascinating essay to the booklet and all the texts are there, too. All in all, an outstanding issue.

Average customer rating:

Flawless, relaxing, uplifting! It will move you!

Euphoric Classics: A Classical High

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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Classical Chillout
Classic Chillout, Vol. 2
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Karl Jenkins & Adiemus: The Essential Collection
Classic Chillout Album

ASIN: B0000D9WWS
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Sunrise (Also Sprach Zarathustra) (Opening) - David Bell
Montegues And Capulets (Dance Of The Knights) - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Vision - Richard Souther
Toccata & Fugue In D Minor - VANESSA MAE
Ode To Joy - Westminster Choir
Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jolity - Philharmonia Orchestra
The Mission - Ennio Morricone And His Orchestra
Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Nicolai Gedda
The Heart Asks Pleasure First - Michael Nyman
II. Allegretto (Openin) - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Lacrimosa - David Bell
Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - Opening - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Te Deum - Philharmonia Orchestra
Adagio In G Minor (Realised Giazotto)(Extrac) - Sir Neville Marriner
Song Of Our Homeland (Prince Igor) - Izzy
Intermezzo (Cavalleria Rusticana) - Philharmonia Orchestra
Nessun Dorma (Turandot) - Jose Carreras
Celebration (Standing Stone) - Lawrence Foster

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man - Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra
the Ride Of The Valkyries (Die Valkyrie) - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Piano Concerto No. 3 In D Minor I:Allegro Ma Non Tanto (Opening) - Mikhail Rudy
O Fortuna (Carmina Burana) - Franz Welser-Most
Casta Diva (Norma) - Maria Callas
Adagio For Strings - Eugene Ormandy
The Eternal Knot - Pamela Thorby
Sarabende - Academy Of St Martin In The Fields
A German Requiem - Roger Norrington
Nimrod ('Enigma Variations') - London Symphony Orchestra
Summer (The Four Seasons) III: Presto - Riccardo Muti
Facades - John Harle
March And Canzona (Muisc For The Funeral Of Queen Mary) - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Bolero (Conclusion) - Andre Previn
March To The Scaffold (Symphonie Fantastique) - Andre Previn
'Unfinished' Symphony I Allegro Moderato (Opening) - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The Lamb - Jeremy Backhouse

Customer Reviews:

Flawless, relaxing, uplifting! It will move you!.......2005-10-02

So far this my favorite classical CD of the year. I never tire of listening to it (over and over on my iPod). It contains some really beautiful renditions of very moving classical pieces, both modern and ancient. All in all an emotional and dramatic presentation. The overall effect is relaxing but it will definitely never bore you!

Average customer rating:

The most noble voice
PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN
luminous artistry from a genius
A special Dignity and an Unfailing Beauty of Voice.

Songs Of Spain / De Los Angeles, et al

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Fabulous Victoria De Los Angeles
Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Azulão
The Maiden and the Nightingale: Songs of Spain
The Very Best of Victoria de los Angeles
On the Wings Of Song and Zarzuela Arias - Victoria de los Angeles

ASIN: B00000I4KQ
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Tracks:

El rossinyol
El testament d'Amelia
Adios meu homino
Mina nay por me casare
Tengo que subir
Ahi tienes mi corazon
La vi llorando
Ya se van los pastores
Campanas de Belen
Jaeneras que yo canto
A dormir ahora mesmo
Granadinas
Hincarse de rodillas
Cancion de trilla
Parado de Valldemosa
Nik baditut
Andregaya
Din, dan, boleran
Mariam matrem
Ay, triste vida corporal!
Que es mi vida, preguntais?
Porque es, dama, tanto quereros?
No me llames segalaherba
Ay, luna que reluces
En esta larga ausencia
Molinillo que mueles amores
Confiado jilguerillo
Seguidillas religiosas
Cancion de cuna
El jilguerillo con pico de oro
El canape

Tracks:

Ah, el novio no quiere dinero
Coma la rosa en la guerta
Estavase la mora
Aquel rey de Francia
Damos gracias a ti, Dios
Sobre Baca estaba el rey
Ay que non hay!
Rosa das rosas
Maravillosos e piadosos
Tres moricas m'enamoran
Paseabase el rey moro
Dime a do tienes las mientes
Si no's huviera mirado
Dexo la venda
Puse mis amores
Aqui me declaro su pensamiento
Pues que me tienes
Gentil dama, non se gana
Mi querer tanto vos quiere
Una hija tiene el rey
Una matica de ruda
Si la noche se hace oscura
Pastorcico, non te aduermas
Ay triste que vengo
No soy you quien la descrube
Pase el agua, Julieta
Aquel caballero, madre
Duelete de mi, Senora
De Antequera salio el Moro
De los alamos vengo, madre
Enfermo estaba Antioco
Dame acogida en tu hato
Morenica, dame un beso
Senora, si te olvidare
De donde venis, amore?

Tracks:

La rosa enflorece
Ven querida
Adio, querida
Durme, durme, hermozo hijico
Paxaro d'hermosura
Avrix, mi galanica
Irme quiero, la mi madre
Ya viene el cativo
Yo m'enamori d'un aire
Una matica de ruda
Anda, jaleo
Los cuatro muleros
Las tres hojas
Los mozos de Monleon
Las morillas de Jaen
Sevillanas del siglo 18
El cafe de Chinitas
Nana de Sevilla
Los pelegrinitos
Zorongo
Romance de Don Boiso
Los reyes de la baraja
La tarara
El combat del somni: Damunt de tu, nomes les flors
A l'ombra del Lledoner: Canco de grumet
Canciones negras: Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito
Cuatro madrigales amatorios: De los alamos vengo, madre
Coleccion de tonadillas: Callejeo
Coleccion de tonadillas: El tra la la y el punteado
Seis canciones castellanas: No quiero tus avellanas
Seis canciones castellanas: Jota
Panxolina
Tu pupila es azul
Cantos populares espanolas: Malaguena
Cantos populares espanolas: Granadina
Cantos populares espanolas: El Vito
Cantos populares espanolas: Pano murciano
Clavelitos
Adios, Granada
Madrigal

Tracks:

Coleccion de tonadillas: Amor y odio
Coleccion de tonadillas: Callejeo
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo discreto
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo olvidado
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo timido
Coleccion de tonadillas: El mirar de la maja
Coleccion de tonadillas: El tra la la y el punteado
Coleccion de tonadillas: La maja de Goya
Coleccion de tonadillas: Las currutacas modestas
Tres majas dolorosas: Oh muerte cruel!
Tres majas dolorosas: Ay majo de mi vida
Tres majas dolorosas: De aquel majo amante
Goyescas: La maja y el ruisenor (Rosario)
'La vida breve': Vivan los que rien! (Salud - Act 1)
'La vida breve': Alli esta! Riyendo! (Salud - Act 2)
'Acis y Galatea': Confiado jilguerillo
El tripili
Llorad, corazon
Iban al pinar
No lloreis, ojuelos
Mananica era
Mira que soy nina
Gracia mia
El pano moruno
Seguidilla murciana
Asturiana
Jota
Nana
Cancion
Polo
'La Tempranica': Zapateado (La tarantula e un bicho mu malo)

Customer Reviews:

The most noble voice.......2004-05-28

Victoria de los Angeles' voice not only has a silken quality and fascinating glow to it but it is one of the most regal, noble sounds you'll ever hear. She illuminated those moments of quietness, gentleness and noble, feminine pride and elegance like no other soprano before and after her. This release of her "Spanish Songs" has never been surpassed. The songs of her homeland seem to have been written for her beautiful instrument alone, she fills every piece with special beauty and charm, religious flair and beautiful, noble simplicity. Buy this recording and see why Victoria is one of the best sopranos ever having come from Spain.

PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN.......2002-01-08

FOR A LONG TIME "SONGS OF SPAIN" HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF CLASSICAL, POPULAR, SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS (CHRISTIAN AND SEPHARDIC) SPANISH SONGS. DE LOS ANGELES DEFIES A RIVAL IN THIS GENRE. DE LARROCHA, SORIANO AND ZANETTI PROVIDE UNEQUALED ACCOMPANIEMENTS. THE RECORDINGS ARE SECOND ONLY TO LIFE PERFORMANCES. I UNDERSTAND THAT EMI INTENDS TO TAKE THIS SET OUT OF PUBLICATION. PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN! I JUST PURCHASED MY THIRD SET FROM AMAZON AND I TREASURE IT AS MUCH AS MY FIRST!

luminous artistry from a genius.......2000-12-26

the vocal artist of vocal artistsdisplays her absolutely gorgeous voice and musical understanding of spanish feeling with a warmth that is unmatched anywhere.the only thing better was to hear her in person!

A special Dignity and an Unfailing Beauty of Voice........2000-09-17

This set offers four generously-filled CDs comprising almost 140 Spanish songs from Victoria de los Angeles' repertoire. To all of them she brings a special dignity and an unfailing beauty of voice. The earliest recordings date from 1950 and the last is the items she sang at the opening of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Yes, you will find the ubiquitous "Clavelitos!" here, and a later version of "La maya el ruisenor" from "Goyescas". The enclosed booklet provides illuminating notes by Lionel Salter, who also translated many of the texts which are also included. Accompanists include Gerald Moore and Alicia de Larrocha, and Victoria de Los Angeles provides a guitar accompaniment herself in one song. The last track of all, a zapateado from a zarzuela, recorded live in New York, must almost have brought the house down.

Average customer rating:

Great representation of music from a great singer
Beautiful voice, great collection
Magnificent
Kiri Te Kanawa Is Peerless
I stood up also!!

Kiri
Kiri Te Kanawa , Giacomo Puccini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , George Frideric Handel , George Gershwin , Giuseppe Verdi , Paul McCartney , Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Marie-Joseph Canteloube , and Gustave Charpentier
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Kiri Te Kanawa - Ave Maria
Kiri Te Kanawa - Greatest Hits ~ 14 Favorites of Opera, Popular & Traditional Song
Kiri Te Kanawa Classics
Maori Songs
Kiri! Her Greatest Hits Live

ASIN: B00005O83O
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Samson: Let The Bright Seraphim - Kiri Te Kanawa/Crispian Steele-Perkins
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Dove Sono
Vesperae Solennes De Confessore, K.339: Laudate Dominum - Kiri Te Kanawa/Chor Of St Paul's Cathedral
Ave Maria
La Traviata: Attendo, Attendo... Addio Del Passato
Tosca: Vissi D'arte
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro
Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco: Respiro Appena. Lo Son L'umile Ancella
La Rondine: Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta
Louise: Depuis Le Jour
Requiem: Pie Jesu
Chants D'Auvergne: Bailero
West Side Story: Tonight - Kiri Te Kanawa/Jose Carreras
Porgy And Bess: Summertime - Kiri Te Kanawa/New York Choral Artists
Oh, Kay!: Someone To Watch Over Me
Roberta: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Follow The Fleet: Let's Face The Music And Dance
High Society: True Love - Kiri Te Kanawa/Jim Hughes
Liverpool Oratorio: The World You're Coming Into
World In Union

Customer Reviews:

Great representation of music from a great singer.......2007-01-07

A terrific album by a great singer. This album represents the considerable territory that Kiri Te Kanawa covers in here repertoire. She moves easily from Handel to Puccini to Jerome Kern. The insertion of classic show tunes as a part of this CD is a nice little plus. Some opera stars absolutely kill popular music by overwhelming it with operatic technique (listen to Richard Tucker singing "What now my love"; this is a pleasant little tune, but it can't stand up to Tucker's voice of steel, using all the power at his command). Te Kanawa sings these songs, for the most part, nicely and does not overpower them with operatic conventions.

She does a wonderful job on Handel's "Let the bright seraphim," displaying good coloratura technique, as a matter of fact. This cut nicely illustrates the clean sound of her voice. Her version of "Dove sono" (from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro) is a reflective rendering of this aria. The smoothness of her vocal line is wonderful to hear. Her version of "Vissi d'arte" (from Puccini's Tosca) also illustrates the art of Dame Kiri.

The popular tunes that follow are very interesting. She and Jose Carreras, at the outset, begin to overwhelm "Tonight" (from "West Side Story," with--by the way--Leonard Bernstein himself conducting this cut), making it appear that this might be one of those dismal pieces where opera singers wreck songs. However, shortly thereafter, the song becomes more Broadway than Metropolitan Opera, and that is to the good. Better still are Te Kanawa's versions of classic songs such as "Summertime" (from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess), where singing in a higher register works nicely and where she treats the song on its own terms; just so, Jerome Kern's "Smoke gets in your eyes" is sung so well. It is a poignant version of this song.

All in all, for those who are curious about Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, this is one interesting entrée. Well worth acquiring and listening to.

Beautiful voice, great collection.......2005-11-21

I think Kiri has a beuatiful voice, she is never overtly dramatic, but the people who call her the "church soprano" should hear this album. She can sing sacred music better than many other opera stars, but she is so great as Countess in Mozart's Figaro. This is a great collection of many different pieces, from operas, sacred works, musicals, all sung with lots of feeling. Let The Bright Seraphim is the aria she sang at the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, it is such a splendid performance. My favourite piece on this album is probably Mozart's Laudate Dominum, but there are no disappointing songs here. Her voice is so warm, and she really gets involved with the text. If you are a big fan of Kiri, you should get this collection, it is such a nice selection of her greatest hits, and it is a very good introduction for new fans.

Magnificent.......2005-02-20

I admit straightout to know nothing of opera - the cd is my first of its kind. Knowledge, however, is not required to enjoy this cd, only the ability to listen and feel.

Hearing her voice used as an instrument so beautifully I cannot but fall a little in love with her whenever listening to it.

The selection of tracks is varied; I probably prefer the classical tracks, but all are well performed in my opinion.

Kiri Te Kanawa Is Peerless.......2004-07-11

She looks and sounds so beautiful. The first time I ever heard the inimitable voice of Kiri Te Kanawa was on a recording of Salaambo's aria from CITIZEN KANE for the RCA film classics series on vinyl. It was one of the most haunting and beautiful pieces of music ever composed by Bernard Herrmann. It was Kiri Te Kanawa performance of this piece that was so incredible. I had seen the film several times, but to hear a high fidelity recording of Kiri Te Kanawa on this particular piece really demonstrated not only the raw talent but also a depth of intuitive emotion that she brought to Herrmann's composition. Anyone that could interpret the inner struggle behind Herrmann's music so precisely demonstrated an uncommon ability to become one with the music. Her performance of "Ave Maria" on this CD is referent and exquisite. I love Leonard Bernstein's piece from WEST SIDE STORY that Kiri performs so vibrantly with Jose Carreras. I still can't pronounce her entire name correctly but Kiri Te Kanawa is the epitome of a well-honed talent. The selections on this CD are appreciably diverse demonstrating her phenomenal range and abilities. Kiri Te Kanawa has been and still is a gift to us all. This CD is wonderful.

I stood up also!!.......2003-07-31

Yes, Kiri at 59 is something special indeed. The great moment for me in Edinburgh was Reynaldo Hahn's à Chloris - I always thought Susan Graham owned this song, but Kiri's version from that moment on was the one I will always remember.

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.

Tracks:

I. One Day I Met A Young Gypsy Girl - Ian Bostridge
II. That Dark-Skinned Gypsy Girl - Ian Bostridge
III. The Glow-worms Are Dancing - Ian Bostridge
IV. The Young Swallows - Ian Bostridge
V. Ploughing Is Heavy Work - Ian Bostridge
VI. Hey, You Grey Oxen - Ian Bostridge
VII. Now That I've Lost My Little Pin - Ian Bostridge
VIII. Don't Look So Sadly After Me - Ian Bostridge
IX. Welcome, Janicek - Ian Bostridge
X. God In Heaven, Eternal One - Ian Bostridge
XI. The Sweet Smell Of Ripening Wheat - Ian Bostridge
XII. The Shady Elder-grove - Ian Bostridge
XIII. Piano Solo - Ian Bostridge
XIV. The Sun Climbs High - Ian Bostridge
XVI. My Gren Oxen - Ian Bostridge
XVI. What Have I Done? - Ian Bostridge
XVII. That Which Fate Has Ordained - Ian Bostridge
XVIII. Now Nothing Matters To Me - Ian Bostridge
XIX. The Magpie Flies Away - Ian Bostridge
XX. I Have A True Love - Ian Bostridge
XXI. My Dear Father - Ian Bostridge
XXII. Farewell, My Native Land - Ian Bostridge
I. That Clock In Vivany - Thomas Ades
II. When I Sing A Song - Thomas Ades
III. Oh Georgie, Georgie Dear - Thomas Ades
IV. Mary, My Mary - Thomas Ades
V. My Darling's Already Leaving - Thomas Ades
VI. A Girl Was Weaving Flax - Thomas Ades
VII. You Promised To Marry Me - Thomas Ades
VIII. Whose Lad - Thomas Ades
IX. Whose Lass - Thomas Ades
X. When I Lie Down - Thomas Ades
XI. A Stream Is Running - Thomas Ades
XII. The Hradcany Clock - Thomas Ades
XIII. On A Black Mountain - Thomas Ades
XIV. On That Javorine Plain - Thomas Ades
XV. On That Clear Field Of Hurasky - Thomas Ades
A Reminiscence, JW VIII/32 - Thomas Ades
In Memoriam, JW VIII/9 - Thomas Ades
Andante, JW VIII/31 - Thomas Ades
Moderato, JW VIII/21 - Thomas Ades
The Golden Ring, JW VIII/33 No.12 - Thomas Ades
I Wait For You, JW VIII/33 No.13 - Thomas Ades
Christ The Lord Is Born, JW VIII/20 - Thomas Ades
X. God In Heaven - Ian Bostridge
XIV. The Sun Climbs High - Ian Bostridge

Amazon.com

Janácek's Diary of One Who Disappeared is a cycle, almost a quasi-opera, of 22 songs for tenor, mezzo, an offstage chorus of three female voices, and a piano. It's based on poems the composer found in a Czech newspaper purporting to be the confessions of a young man who leaves family and village for the gypsy girl he loves. The songs speak of longing, sexual attraction, guilt, regret, anxiety, and a host of other emotions wonderfully captured by Ian Bostridge, whose high tenor voice has more body and thrust than in his other recordings. Singing in the original Czech, Bostridge sounds as comfortable as a native speaker. Thomas Adès, best known as a composer, is also a superb pianist. He has to be, because the keyboard part is of vital importance, not only commenting on the vocal line and in extended postludes, but in a brief solo as well. Ruby Philogene is appropriately sultry as the gypsy, and this deeply felt performance is a triumph for all concerned. Adès scores again in the Moravian Folksongs for solo piano and in the miniature solo pieces, some of which say more in their brief span than many longer works. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

An Aspect of Leos Janácek seldom heard.......2006-02-23

Leos Janácek was clearly one of the 20th century's great composers and while his operas and orchestral works are widely performed, his chamber works are nearly well kept secrets. And so it is with pleasure that this completely unique recital by two of our finest musicians joins the CD repertoire.

Janácek's 'The Diary of One Who Disappeared' is related to his operas in the dramatic intensity of the writing. Composed as his only song cycle the work is designated 'song cycle for mezzo-soprano, tenor, female chorus & piano' but in reality it is primarily a work for tenor and piano. In the hands of Ian Bostridge, whose Czech pronunciation is wholly convincing, the plight of the young man who leaves both family and town behind to follow the love for a gypsy is full of folk melodies and intense passion. Brilliant composer/conductor/pianist Thomas Adés provides the sensitive collaboration and the two are joined by mezzo Ruby Philogene as the gypsy and as part of the three voice female chorus offstage along with Diane Atherton and Deryn Edwards. This is a deeply moving work and the performance is first rate.

Filling out the recital Thomas Adés performs Janácek's works for piano, including excerpts from 'Intimate Sketches' and 'Moravian Folk songs'. His playing is subtle, intuitive and he finds all the quirky rhythms and soulful melodies inherent in Janácek's writing. Adés continues to be an outstanding piano soloist as well as one of the most important composers today. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, February 06

A song-drama and short solo piano pieces based on Moravian folk songs - fine listening.......2005-11-23

Leos Janáček (1854-1928) was (and remains) an important Czech composer. As a young man he became friends with Dvorak and was one of the early so-called nationalist composers. This movement urged its composers to write music of their homeland and Janáček was among the early group who turner to the folk songs of his native land for source stylistic materials. Many others followed his lead in their own lands (think of Kodaly, Bartok, and even Stravinsky as examples of a much larger group).

This disk contains his only surviving song cycle - which is really a kind of song drama. It is based on some poems that appeared in a newspaper and caught the composer's eye. He clipped them out and took them with him on a trip to a spa and began working on the songs. The poems were published anonymously and were ostensibly by a rustic farm boy who is lured away by a gypsy and is never heard from again. It turns out they were by Ozef Kalda (the pseudonym of Josef Kalda (1871-1921). The songs are mostly for the tenor, but the gypsy makes her appearance, as do three female voices urging the boy to follow the gypsy. Ian Bostridge is superb as the rustic who disappeared and Ruby Philogene is fine as the gypsy.

The pianist, Thomas Adès, not only accompanies the song cycle, he also plays some wonderful solo pieces. One set is of piano pieces based on Moravian folk songs and then there is a set of miscellaneous pieces. All are quite short, but very expressive. Adès is a fine and expressive artist.

The disk concludes with earlier versions of two of the songs from the song cycle.

I think it is always good to stretch your musical experience. This music is quite different than the German, Italian, French art music and song writing that you are probably more used to hearing. This music, while certainly tonal, is quite different in harmonic language, melodic angularity and spacing. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating:

CD 1 WRONG MUSIC
CD 1 Wrong Music

Best Loved Christmas Carols

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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Similar Items:

O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge
Carols from Trinity
Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Heavenly Voices

ASIN: B0002YLD1O
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

Once In Royal David's City
Angels, From The Realms Of Glory
Adam Lay Ybounden
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
In Dulci Jubilo
The First Nowell
I Saw Three Ships
Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance Flowing?
Quam Pastoras Laudavere
Personent Hodie
The Holy And The Ivy
A Spotless Rose
Away In A Manger
While Sheperds Watched
Tomarrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Up! Good Christian Folk And Listen
In The Bleak Midwinter
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
Silent NIght
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
The Three Kings
I Saw A Maiden
Sussex Carol
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Tracks:

Matin Responsory: I Look From Afar
Come, Thour Redeemer Of The Earth
I Wonder As I Wander
The Cherry Tree Carol
Gabriel's Message
Sussex Carol
Stille Nacht!
Chester Carol
A Babe Is Born, Op. 53
A Maiden Most Gentle
I Sing Of A Maiden
Myn Lyking
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
A Child Is Born In Bethlehem
Hodie Christus Natus Est
Hosanna To The Son Of David
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
When To The Temple Mary Went
Angelus Ad Virginem
Angelus Ad Virginem
Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!
Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
That Lord That Lay In Asse Stall
In Dulci Jubilo
In Dulci Jubilo: Chorale Prelude

Amazon.com

Originally recorded between 1964 and 1985, this generous 2-CD compilation ranges from carols dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries to timeless, mostly traditional popular favorites. The arrangers include such eminent composers as Vaughan Williams, Gustav and Imogene Holst, Arthur Sullivan, Peter Cornelius, and Felix Mendelssohn, as well as the Choir's own Directors, David Wilcocks and Philip Ledger. The 50 carols are carefully chosen for maximum contrast of tempo, mood and character; the settings, too, endeavor to create variety of texture and dynamics between the often numerous verses by alternately using solos and choruses, male, female and combined voices, creating cumulative build-ups, and adding a descant to the final strophe. However, even all these techniques and devices tend to become predictable, so it may be advisable to enjoy the program in judicious doses. Among these riches, listeners will find their own favorites, but it may be worth noting that "Silent Night" appears twice, once in English and once in German, and that two of the most famous carols--"O come, all ye faithful" and "Hark! The herald angels sing"--are accompanied by a very loud brass band playing fanfares with incongruous, "up-dated" harmonies--the only false note in the program. By contrast, the organ, employed in several introductions, as well as to provide powerful chordal support and all kinds of tinkling, bell-like effects never seems out of style or character. The singing is splendid. Basically "white," without vibrato, the sound has a wonderfully pure, truly celestial quality, but can rise to full, rich, ringing sonorities in the climaxes. Intonation, balance and ensemble are impeccable, the soloists are excellent. The reverberant acoustics of the Chapel of King's College, where the recordings were made, cushion the voices without obscuring the clarity of the lines. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

CD 1 WRONG MUSIC.......2004-12-31

I was very disappointed when I listened to CD 1 and realised it was club music.Having now read the other review I don't think I will get satisfaction,therefore I cannot rate this item properly.

Errol
Barbados,West Indies

CD 1 Wrong Music.......2004-12-21

I put the CD in and was met by club music, I thought maybe it was some strange take on "Morning in the City of David" nope, the CD had been burned with the wrong image. I sent it back and received a new copy, it had the same issue. I listened to the second CD and loved ever moment of it, but until EMI/Amazon can rectify this issue, I cannot fairly rate it.

Britten: The Canticles; Ian Bostridge, David Daniels

Average customer rating:

Benjamin Britten and English as a Musical Language
Excellent
Three Amazing Voices at Their Peak
Literate, Schmiterate
Exquisite Singing in Lesser Known Britten

Britten: The Canticles; Ian Bostridge, David Daniels
Ian Bostridge , David Daniels , Christopher Maltman , Julius Drake , Aline Brewer , Timothy Brown , and Benjamin Britten
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Britten: Holy Sonnets Op35 / Bostridge, Johnson
Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Britten: Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; The Holy Sonnets of John Donne; Winter Words
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc

ASIN: B00005UV9G
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

Canticle I: My Beloved is Mine
Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac
Canticle III: Still Falls the Rain
Canticle IV: Journey of the Magi
Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus
The Plough Boy
The Salley Gardens
The foggy, foggy dew
There's none to soothe
O Waly, Waly
The Ash Grove
Greensleeves

Amazon.com

If you were assembling a latter-day dream team for a package program of all five Britten Canticles, this would probably be it. With one or two exceptions, it delivers everything you'd want. Ian Bostridge--the most literate tenor on God's earth--was born to sing this repertory, observing subtleties of text and niceties of diction without compromise to the beauty of fine-spun legato lines. David Daniels, an accomplished actor, sings the boy in Abraham and Isaac with exactly the right mix of pathos and restraint. Christopher Maltman provides the vocal equivalent of lithe, young, gym-toned muscularity in "Journey of the Magi" and the group of folk-song settings that pad out the disc. And Julius Drake homes in as if by instinct on what really tells in the accompaniments: a figure here that signals something to the voice, a chord there that transforms the color of a phrase. The two supporting instrumentalists (Timothy Brown, horn, and Aline Brewer, harp) add to the pleasure of it all. Just one reservation: Bostridge doesn't quite have the climactic roar of joy required for "My Beloved Is Mine" or the authoritative weight for Abraham, and Daniels can sound womanly, as well as overartful in the folk songs (although not everyone feels comfortable with countertenors singing folksongs). And in any case, it's not enough to counter the outstanding virtues of the disc. --Michael White

Customer Reviews:

Benjamin Britten and English as a Musical Language.......2007-01-22

Benjamin Britten was a prolific composer who managed to conquer every range of musical writing - chamber works, symphonies, operas, big choral works, song cycles for both soloist and orchestra and soloist and piano, children's works, ballets, works for amateur performers (such as the Church Parables), concerti, and works for solo instruments. There are few composers even today who understood the complexities of the English language as a source of lyrics as did Britten and though all of his works are penultimate examples of this talent, surely the Five Canticles are the zenith of this gift.

The Canticles were composed over a thirty-year period (1947 - 1974) and are a microcosm of Britten's development as a composer and philosopher. The five works are all inspired by religious themes and yet they also can be seen as occult references to Britten's own homage to his sexual proclivity. Here the canticles are sung impeccably by Ian Bostridge, tenor, David Daniels, countertenor, and Christopher Maltman, baritone and the series is beautifully united by the pianism of Julius Drake (with collaboration of harpist Aline Brewer and horn player Timothy Brown). To review each canticle would take far too much space, but at least some mention must be paid to the opening of the second canticle (Abraham and Isaac) in which the voice of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son is intoned by close harmony duet by Bostridge and Daniels: the effect is ethereal and wholly spiritual. Each of the five canticles is successful on every level.

Accompanying the Canticles are seven of Britten's Folksong arrangements and each of the three singers is given time and interpretive flair for each one. It would be difficult to imagine three better matched singers than Bostridge, Daniels, and Maltman - three artists who continue to grow in stature (these recordings were made in 2001). This CD contains some of Britten's more difficult works - but also some of his most sublime. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 07

Excellent.......2006-09-03

This is a really nice recording of the Britten Canticles with some of the folk song arrangements added to fill out the CD. The quality of singing is excellent though some aspects of interpretation could be argued. Excellent accompaniment as well.

Three Amazing Voices at Their Peak .......2004-08-17

With tones alternately dream-like and discordant, Benjamin Britten could certainly write music that can challenge as well as soothe, and his five canticles are no exception. Amazingly, he wrote these canticles over a 26-year period, the first in 1947 and the last in 1973 near his death, yet in spite of each canticle's individuality, they feel very much like parts of a whole. The two longest canticles, "Abraham and Isaac" (Canticle 2) and "Journey of the Magi" (Canticle 4, based on the poem by T.S. Eliot), are the most dramatically effective. Canticle 2 is especially moving because of the touching story it tells of the sacrifice of the child Isaac for his father Abraham only to be spared at the last minute. Canticle 4 provides an emotional retelling of the Three Kings' journey to the Christ child heightened by the immaculate blending of the three distinct voice types. It is no coincidence that countertenor David Daniels plays a prominent role in both as he is a highly skilled and versatile actor when it comes to playing a king or evoking the pleas of an innocent child. The voice, of course, is unparalleled. Tenor Ian Bostridge sings prominently on all five canticles and does quite well throughout, in particular, with his diction and tone. He is called on to exhibit a wide variety of emotions, and he rises to the challenge despite the towering shadow of Peter Pears.

The last twenty minutes of the disc are devoted to a wide array of English folk songs, and this is where each singer gets an opportunity to shine in solo turns. In particular, baritone Christopher Maltman does a fine job on "The Plough Boy" and "The Salley Gardens". Although Britten is not for everyone's taste, this is a beautifully realized recording with three great singers at their peak, and special mention needs to go to pianist Julius Drake who accompanies with great skill.

Literate, Schmiterate.......2003-12-10

What you need is a tenor with gonads. These canticles rank among my favorite works by any composer, and I do like Bostridge sometimes, but I can't stand the hooting around I hear on this disc. I mostly agree with the editorial review in the details, but not at all with its recommendation. I think the negatives far outweight the positives. Try the Hyperion release with Anthony Rolfe Johnson. It's also flawed,