Ralph Sounds

ralph sounds

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
On Chaotica, sound artist Tom Recchion takes exotica and lounge records to new extremes. Latin rhythms overlap one another, minimalist keyboards kick in, and the buzzing of who-knows-what keeps you on your toes. Recchion does all the work on this 21-track effort, without the use of overdubs, edits, or samplers (in fact, all the tracks here are live improvisations). It's a dizzying mess of prerecorded tape loops, records, and cassettes, but it's thoroughly fascinating as well. Where other found-sound artists often succumb to noise, Recchion remembers that melody (at least most of the time) comes first. --Jason Verlinde

Chaotica,Tom Recchion,Birdman,Alternative Pop/Rock,Experimental Rock,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

Ralph Sounds

Average customer rating:

Flanagan!

Always
Ralph Flanagan
Manufacturer: Sounds of Yesteryear
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Dancing in the Dark
The Complete Original Hits
You Belong to Me

ASIN: B000KRMS62
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Tracks:

Always
St Louis Blues
Tell Me Why
My Hero
Penthouse Serenade
Don't Cry Joe
It Might As Well Be Spring
Some Enchanted Evening
Mona Lisa
Stars And Stripes Forever
Joshua
Never The Less
On The Road To Mandalay
The Blues From An American In Paris
The Wang Wang Blues
Baltimore Rag
Tippin' In
Love Is Here To Stay
Hot Toddy
Serenade
Rub-A-Dub-Dub
Singing Winds

Customer Reviews:

Flanagan!.......2007-03-21

I am an avid fan of Ralph Flanagan's music. I am very glad to hear his music in the CD format. I sincerely wish that much of his music can be put in the CD format.His pieces like I Walk Alone,Why,Down Old Oxford Road,Kiss of Fire.....Great stuff..should be on CD.

This is a wonderful disc!

Average customer rating:

a good'un
Torn between 4 and 5 stars.
Torn between 4 and 5 stars.
He's a pretty good guy.. with a great cd
TOP TEN FOR YEAR 2001

Live: Ralph's Last Show
Fred Eaglesmith & the Flying Squirrels
Manufacturer: Signature Sounds
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

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General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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50-Odd Dollars
Balin
Falling Stars and Broken Hearts
Drive-In Movie
Lipstick, Lies & Gasoline

ASIN: B00005BGKE
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Intro
Freight Train
105
Mighty Big Car
White Trash
Good Enough
Livin' Out On the Road
Carter
Time To Get A Gun
Flowers In The Dell
He's A Good Dog
Lucille
How's Ernie

Tracks:

Pretty Good Guy
John Deere
Carmelita
Benchseat Baby
Spookin' The Horses
Crazier
Big Hair
I Like Trains
Rodeo Boy
Crashin' & Burnin'
Alcohol & Pills
49 Tons

Amazon.com

In their inimitable 1958 Wayne touring bus, stuffed with flea-market couches and a propane stove, Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels have spent the last decade descending from Canada to play any venue that will have them. These two discs generously capture the fury and fun of their live gigs, despite the track fade-outs and the absence of Eaglesmith's hilarious between-song storytelling. The set includes the previously unrecorded (for good reason) novelty tunes "White Trash," "Big Hair," and "How's Ernie?" yet another car song "Benchseat Baby," but also "John Deere" and "Carmelita," rare gems that stand with the best of Eaglesmith's working-class portraits. He growls and snarls through every line, while his cohorts--including human salvage yard Washboard Hank, distortion-pedal-loving mandolinist Willie P. Bennett, and harmony vocalist and bassist Ralph Schipper (whose last show the set documents)--rock like punks on a mission. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

a good'un.......2002-05-21

Just what you probably think you don't need--yet another two-disc thematic song suite on an indie label. "Ralph's Last Show" (named for the bandmate whose green card has since expired) sounds like the worst sort of treacle in theory--songs about trains, old cars, old loves, even, so help me, one about an old dog. In reality these are beautifully observed, sometimes sweet, often hilarious songs written by a journeyman Canadian folkie whose voice has just the right amount of road- (if not world-)weariness in it. All that and an Appalachian murder ballad that sounds more authentic than anything Gillian Welch has come up with. Docked a notch only for spreading two 40 min. sets across two cds when both would've easily fit on one.

Torn between 4 and 5 stars........2001-09-09

FOUR car songs, three train songs, a tractor song, and a bunch of awesome non-machinery songs too... I'd label it country/folk with an edge, with tons of fiddling in the background. Unless you hate that kind of music, what's not to like?

Well, it comes in a cardboard sleeve with no lyric sheets, and parts of it wouldn't play in my finicky old CD player, probably because the CDs got a little warped in transit because of the cheesy packaging. (The lyrics are pretty clear in the songs, so not having a lyric sheet isn't a crisis. The songs I could play on the old player were good enough to justify purchasing a new CD/DVD player the day after I got the CD, which plays both disks just fine.) "Flowers in the Dell" is a little creepy. And after a while the album's overall vocal and musical roughness got on my nerves, so I had to play something else for a bit.

Still, it's an amazing album, too good to knock down a whole star. But if 4.5 was an option, it'd be that.

Torn between 4 and 5 stars........2001-09-09

Still, it's an amazing album, too good to knock down a whole star. But if 4.5 was an option, it'd be that.

He's a pretty good guy.. with a great cd.......2001-08-30

I've seen quite a few live Fred shows, and this cd captures the band at its musical peak. Included are some very new songs, some standards, and some revived classics. The best news is that you can really hear Washboard Hank, who's been a major force in the live shows but sadly missing from the recordings. Pay close attention to Hank's excellent dobro work!
On the down side, the cd doesn't include the between-songs stories, quips, and banter that make a Fred Eaglesmith show a truly a wonderful experience.

TOP TEN FOR YEAR 2001.......2001-06-19

This is cd is more acoustic than his last cd's, you'll have to go back to "Paradise Motel" for the same feeling. The cd is full of raw energy, and Eaglesmith as always is amazing. It's his best cd (from the ones I've heard) and one of the best cd's this year.

Amazing!

Tracks:

Rag Mop
On The Road To Mandalay
I Should Care
Hot Toddy
Just One More Chance
Slow Poke
(When We're Alone) Penthouse Serenade
Nevertheless
I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time
Dear Hearts And Gentle People
La Vie En Rose
Dont Cry Joe (Let Her Go)
Some Enchanted Evening
Harbor Lights
Joshua
An American In Paris: The Blues
Singin' In The Rain
Slow Drive
You're Breaking My Heart
Singing Winds

Customer Reviews:

One of the best post World War II big bands........2002-10-12

Ralph Flanagan had one of the best -- and most popular -- big bands in the post World War II era. Although influenced -- as many big bands were -- by the Glenn Miller sound, Flanagan's band did not blatantly copy the Miller sound but had a clearly recognizable style of its own. Many of us who were around at that time were big Flanagan fans and the Flanagan band was a top band for a while. Unfortunately, Flanagan's band came along toward the end of the big band era and did not stay around very many years. Worse still, it has largely been forgotten while lesser bands are still remembered. If you like big band music and want to hear a top notch big band from the 1950s get this CD. I think you'll be impressed and wonder how a band this good has been overlooked so long.

Flanagan fans shouldn't miss this CD!.......2001-07-10

This release contains Flanagan's top hits in terrific sound (I have the original 78s so I KNOW). But there's another treat -- and it's not mentioned in the liner notes -- the track of THE BLUES from AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is a rare alternate take to the original single release, previously out only on an RCA Victor 45 extended play record in the mid-1950s! No Ralph Flanagan collection is truly complete without this CD.

Memories.......2001-01-21

There are no words to explain the music of Ralph Flanagan and his orchestra. Brought me back to the "good old days" when music was music.

Takes Me Back.......2000-07-08

This album takes me back to a time when music was more civilized, when music was music and not noise. Ralph Flanagan basically plays the Glenn Miller sound. Although I am a BeBop Jazz fan, this band reminds me of dances I used to go to as a young man. It may sound corny to the younger generation, but it's pure nostalgia to me. When the young dudes become old social security dudes, they'll have their "I can't Get No Satisfaction" to remember. I got mine.

Average customer rating:

Sing We Merrily: Choral Music

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | 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
ASIN: B0000006YA
Release Date: 1992-12-11

Tracks:

Sing We Merrily unto God Our Strength
For the Beauty of the Earth - Tom Blomster
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - Tom Blomster
There is a Green Hill Far Away
O Hear Us, Lord
Greater Love Hath No Man - Cynthia Templin/Nathan Jones
Loch Lomond
Jubilate Deo
A Song to the Lamb
The Lord is My Light
Warm-up - Tome Blomster/Susan Brown
What Sweeter Music - Alex Komodore/Tom Blomster
Agnus Dei - Jean Cioffi
Advent Procession - Tom Blomster/Susan Brown/Gregg Fanselau/Jean Cioffi
Easter Anthem - Tom Blomster
And All in the Morning
Epiphany Alleluias - Tom Blomster

Average customer rating:

Perfect for dance...

Sounds of the Circus Vol. 18

Manufacturer: Sounds of the Circus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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

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Sounds of the Circus - Volume 19

ASIN: B00004S2XS
Release Date: 2000-01-26

Tracks:

Mile-A-Minute Galop (English)
A Vision Of Salome (Lampe)
Easy Goin' (Warner)
Bolero (Ravel)
Balloonograph (Eisenberg)
Deep Purple (Rose)
Argentina (Damerell/Evans)
Baby Boo (Jewell)
Bill Lee's Triumphal (Pruyn)
Fairy Kisses Waltzes (Johnson)
Knockout Drops (Klickmann)
Bulgarian (Straus)
Everybody Two-Step (Herzer)
Mosquitoes' Parade (Whitney)
Castanets (Carazo)
Big Time (Basile/Longo/DeMasi)

Album Description

Band music from the golden age of the American circus played by 25 enthusiastic musicians.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect for dance..........2000-12-30

My mother, teaching a ballet class of 3 and 4 year olds, was set to the task of trying to find music for "tightrope walkers," going along with the whole circus theme of the recital taking place in June. This CD was perfect, not just for her class, but also for three other teachers looking for songs! The songs are fun, funny, and adorable sounding, capturing the "sounds of the circus" in its many parts truly well.

Average customer rating:

Great Christmas music -- but the sleeve MIGHT have a printing error
SACD?
Wait until you hear the SACD Stereo/Surround/Hybrid Disc
There are some great songs that should be classics

Dallas Christmas Gala

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
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A Feast of Carols

ASIN: B00004WJM1
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Seasonal Sounds
Caroling, Caroling
Personent Hodie
Festival Fanfare For Christmas
The Holly And The Ivy
A Christmas Flourish - Shiloh - Joy To The World - Silent Night - Angels We Have Heard On High
Sleigh Ride
White Christmas
O Magnum Mysterium
The 12 Days After Christmas
Bellsong Fantasy
This Christmastide
A Christmas Garland - Ding, Dong Merrily Oh High - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Customer Reviews:

Great Christmas music -- but the sleeve MIGHT have a printing error.......2006-10-10

I purchased this CD for the purpose of practicing what is listed as Track 7, "A Christmas Flourish," arranged by Randol Alan Bass, which is a choral medley of "Shiloh," "Joy To The World," "Silent Night" and "Angels We Have Heard On High." Instead, Track 7 turned out to be what is listed as Track 2: a Bass arrangement entitled "Seasonal Sounds," which is a choral medley of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer" "Frosty The Snowman" and "Jingle Bells." Not having listened to the rest of the CD, I wrote to the publisher, asking what happened. I received the company's very prompt reply that both recordings ARE there, but Tracks 2 and 7 were inadvertently switched on the sleeve; that later shipments of the CD contained a corrected contents list. If it is there at all, the printing error should not deter any potential buyer from purchasing this very fine recording. If need be, just get out your pen and fix the sleeve.

SACD?.......2005-12-23

I must have missed that release of the SACD. I have fantastic surround system and the CD sounds great on it, BUT, if there is an enhanced CD for surround, I would sure like to know how to get it. The DSO is right here in my area and I enjoy going to the Meyerson and listening to the DSO and Chorus. Especially, the Christmas program. I believe the Lay Family Organ to be one of the finest examples of workmanship of a concert organ. To hear that ole 42' Bourdon on my system would probably shatter the windows! :)

How can I get this SACD? Anyone know?

Wait until you hear the SACD Stereo/Surround/Hybrid Disc.......2001-11-26

The CD was great, but this is a truly spectacular recording in the SACD version. While the selections tilt the balance more towards the secular, one of the most richly rewarding large versions of Silent Night are included in the "A Christmas Flourish" medley, all grounded by the deep pedal tones of the C. B. Fisk pipe organ. The Festival Fanfare for Christmas is great fun.
This disc certainly makes a joyful noise and will give your sound system a full workout!

There are some great songs that should be classics.......2000-12-15

This CD has some great songs that I haven't seen on other CDs before, but it also has some cheesy ones (albeit well performed). Favorites include This Christmastide, O Magnum Mysterium, and the Twelve Days after Christmas. On the cheesy side...Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas. Overall, a good album.

Average customer rating:

Ralph Sounds
Ralph Carney
Manufacturer: Birdman
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005HOH
Release Date: 1997-07-08

Tracks:

Out Of The Bag
Dirge
Piano Solo #1
She Knows Herself Better Than Me
Lotsaflutes
March Of The Puppets
Loon
The Coming Of Joey
Alto Solo #1
Fun Fun Fun
Alto Solo #2
Robert Wyatt
The Lonely Sealacanth
Out Of The Bag #2
Peru Boo
Krelm
Low Yo-Yo-Mama
These Foolish Things
The Monster Waits

Average customer rating:

strangely disappointing in Verdi
Live wire
Contemplative performances from Karita Mattila
Mattila superb in Verdi, Puccini, and Wagner!
Interesting Recital

Karita Mattila Live in Helsinki

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Karita Mattila - Arias & Scenes / Yutaka Sado, LPO
Excellence: The Artistry of Karita Mattila
Karita Mattila: German Romantic Arias
Bach: Cantatas BWV 82 and 199
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000053SLK
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Tracks:

Tannhauser: I Greet You, Dear Hall
Rusalka: Song To The Moon
Aida: Return, Victorious!
La Forza Del Destino: Peace, Grant Me Peace O Lord
Tosca: I Have Lived For Art
Die Fledermaus: I Like To Invite Guests
Die Fledermaus: My Dear Marquis
Die Fledermaus: Sounds Of My Homeland
The Tryst
You Thought I Was Watching You
Why I Sing
I Still Have A Suitcase In Berlin - Finnish RSO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Falling In Love Again
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
Porgy And Bess: Summertime (Encore) - Karita Mattila/Peter Lerche

Amazon.com

Any doubts that Finnish singer Karita Mattila--fresh from her triumph in the Met's new production of Fidelio in the 2000-2001 season--has moved from the top ranks of today's sopranos into the rarefied aura of full-fledged diva status are dispelled by this remarkable disc capturing her in full flight at a concert in Helsinki. She opens with an ecstatic "Dich teure Halle" from Tannhäuser, follows with a sinuous Dvorák "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka, moves on to satisfying Verdi and Puccini arias, then launches into three delectable arias from Strauss's Die Fledermaus, in which she perfectly portrays three characters of wildly different voice types: Orlofsky, Adele, and Rosalinde. As if that wasn't enough, Mattila then lavishes her gorgeous soprano on a group of Finnish songs, does a convincing version of a Marlene Dietrich classic, and finishes with an idiomatic "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" and a bluesy "Summertime." It's hard to think of another soprano who could tackle a program this varied or sing it as well. Throughout, Mattila beautifully characterizes each piece and sounds as if she's having a great time. So are we. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

strangely disappointing in Verdi.......2006-03-14

On the whole, this is an enjoyable live recital. Mattila opens with a very plugged-in, alive delivery of the Hall of Song aria from Tannhauser. I hope she records this in the studio, if she has not already done so.

Unfortunately, though her best roles include Amelia from Simon Boccanegra, she doesn't excel in the arias from Aida and La Forza. Ritorna Vincitor fares the worst. Her pacing is schizophrenic, her pronunciation of the vowels rather odd. Instead of choosing such a "heroic" Verdi aria, she should have turned to something more lyrical. Something from Un Ballo in Maschera, perhaps?

Pace, Pace Mio Dio fares better, though marginally. Mattila makes the most out of the lyrics, drawing much from the text, even better than some revered artists from the fifties and sixties. Her urgent singing of "fatalita" will rankle the purists. I, for one, welcome something more than mindless floating and note-spinning, a la Zinka Milanov. Karita's ability to draw even more from the text than native speakers reminds me of Edita Gruberova. However, like Gruberova, such passioned delivery comes at the expense of some covered notes and laborious approach.

Things improve dramatically with the three arias from Die Fledermaus. Most enchanting is Mein Herr Marquis. Mattila proves herself to be a ravishing coquette in this delicious interpretation. She even makes an honest-to-goodness stab at the coloratura, acquitting herself quite well, given that she is a lyric soprano.

Of the Finnish songs, the first one, The Tryst, is the best. Then, near the end, we are treated to some lighter fare. Her hommage to two other blonde sirens, Dietrich and Monroe, is spot-on. Falling in Love is my favorite of the two, with Mattila showing off a very convincing lower register.

Now, I couldn't get through Summertime with the guitar accompaniment. Still, there are enough tasty morsels in this recital to whet the appetite.

Live wire.......2005-09-26

Karita Mattila has more vocal brilliance & stamina and dramatic spunk than just about any other soprano singing today and I first became aware of that when listening to this collection.
Her technique is perfect, and she has lungs of steel- not that she cannot drop the opera hat in a second and adopt a cabaret persona, as aptly demonstrated here.
That she is drop dead gorgeous, and a great actress, doesn't hurt either, but this is an audio CD and opera recital first, and she has the goods, in spades, when it comes to hardcore opera repertoire.
And what a selection it is- soaring Wagner, full blooded Verdi, fantastic Tosca, a beautiful, lyrical Song to the Moon, the three heroines from Fliedermaus- each different and absolutely spot on- plus Finnish songs and some old fashion diva selections- Marilyn Monroe's and Marlene Dietrich's songs, and for finish, Summertime. This list is as crazy as it gets, and yet somehow everything works- and how! The word sparkling is often to use to describe singing of fluffy coloratura sopranos, but that would apply- there's a sort of electrical buzz that Mattila creates: every song is exciting, utterly absorbing. This is a recording of one fully-fledged diva in a great live performance.

Contemplative performances from Karita Mattila.......2001-11-01

I love live recordings. I first became aware of this music several months ago. I listen to this CD quite a bit at home and in the car. I really relish her performances. And then there is Wagner's music!

Mattila superb in Verdi, Puccini, and Wagner!.......2000-12-03

A friend of mine sent this CD for me, and I was stunned. There are great Verdi singers in the world after all! The opera arias are all outstanding, packed with emotion, sung in resplendent tone and perfect technique (portamento, legato line, strong chest voice). My favourites on this disc are hauntingly beautiful Rusalka's aria, "Pace, pace, mio Dio" from Forza, and Elisabeth's greeting from Tannhäuser. Operetta pieces are wonderful. I don't care that much about the lighter department, but she certainly shows her versatility. Marlene Dietrich song (from Blue Angel) is more succesful than the Marilyn one.

This is a must have for every opera lover! IMO she is the most exciting opera personality in the world today. BTW - the CD program in here looks strange, my copy does not include Elsa's dream (I wish it would) or Edith Piaf song. I became a fan of her after seeing her as Manon Lescaut (I wish she would record "Sola, perduta, abbandonata" someday).

Interesting Recital.......2000-11-27

The CD is a live recording from a concert Karita Mattila gave here in Helsinki. I did not get a ticket, but listened the concert on the radio (Mattila is accompanied by Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra). She was almost tireless, singing for over three hours (no guest artists).

The programme was interesting. I would love to hear Mattila as Elisabeth, Leonora or Aida, because she sings their arias beautifully. Her lyric but strong voice suits Verdi and "lighter Wagner" very well, I think. Vissi d'arte was also very good; Tosca would be a perfect role for a diva like Mattila. She sang Musetta's waltz in the concert, but it has not found it's way on the recording. The Fledermaus arias show the artist's versatility and make it clear that Mattila likes to sing operetta.

Mattila is generally better suited to opera than lied, but in Finnish music she is excellent - my personal favorite is "Flickan kom ifrån sing älsklings möte" by Sibelius. The "lighter" music is not that successfull, and I wonder why trained opera singers are so enthusiastic in performing and recording music that obviously does not fit their voices. Mattila imitated Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn in the concert, which was quite fun, but not to my liking. In addition, Mattila's encore was "Summertime" (included in the recording), a song she obviously likes very much, but sings less successfully. I think she should stick to classical music.

Tracks:

Overture
No. 2. Opening Chorus: 'Secret Are The Sounds...'
No. 3. Scena. Gallanthus: 'What's That?'
No. 4. Scena. Angelica: 'Day Is Dawning'
No. 5. Duet. Gallanthus: 'It's Really Time...'
No. 6. Ensemble. Hob, Lob And Gob: 'Here We Come...'
No. 7. Duet And Chorus. Dipsacus: 'I'm A Sorcerer Bold'
No. 8. Duet. Amaryllus: 'It's True I'm Inclined...'
No. 9. Ensemble. Tormentilla: 'Hush, Lovely Cobra'
Amaryllus: 'Desist, Lest You Die!'
No. 10. Duet. Amaryllus: 'I Know We See...'
Amaryllus: 'Blue Larkspur In A Garden'
No. 11. Ensemble. Dipsacus: 'Who's In My Forest?'
Dipsacus: 'North Wind, South Wind'
Tormentilla: Angelica?
Amaryllus And Gallanthus: 'O, Come To Our Arms'
No. 12. Song. Tormentilla: 'O, Who Would Be...'
No. 13. Finale. Dipsacus: 'All Is Ready!'
No. 14. Introduction
No. 15. Chorus: 'Here We Come'
No. 16. Song And Chorus. Angelica And Flower Girls: 'By All The Powers...'
No. 17. Trio. Lob: 'Ho There!'
No. 18. Duet. Angelica: 'It Does Not Apear...'
No. 19. Trio. Third Medium: 'If You Want To Escape'

Tracks:

No. 20. Chorus: 'Tormentilla! Tormentilla!'
No. 21. Song And Duet. Tormentilla: 'There Was...'
No. 22. Ensemble. Amaryllus: 'Twas Here It Bade...'
No. 23. Serenade. Amaryllus: 'Dear Love, Behold...'
No. 24. Duet. Tormentilla: 'Sleeping Or Waking'
Tormentilla: 'You Must Not Kiss Me'
No. 26. Finale. Tomentilla: 'Too Dark For Me...'
No. 27. Introduction
No. 28. Trio. Mediums: 'Behold Our Mystic...'
No. 29. Ensemble. Empress: 'Monstrous Vision!'
No. 30. Ballad. Empress: ' When I Was Young...'
No. 31. Ensemble. Empress: 'You Can Leave Us'
No. 32. Duet. Tormentilla: 'Is My Love Alive?'
Empress: 'Love Breaks All The Rules...'
No. 33. Invocation. Empress: 'Imps And Demons'
No. 34. Ensemble. Empress: 'Come, O Gentle Powers'
No. 35. Duet. Empress: 'Can You, Can You Remember'
No. 36. Quartet. All: 'Love In A Hut...'
No. 37. Sextet. First Medium: 'Horrid Monster!'
No. 38. Duet. Gallanthus: 'It's The Proper Thing To Do'
No. 39. Finale. Chorus: 'Love Has Conquered!'

Customer Reviews:

Urgently recommended despite some production missteps.......2007-01-07

This premiere recording makes some very beautiful music available for the first time. The opera was first performed in 1936, and Vaughan Williams continued to make revisions into the mid 1950s. The music is representative of the composer's mature style. In the opera's later version given here, Evelyn Sharp's original book was revised by Ursula Vaughan Williams.

The Poisoned Kiss is a romantic comedy, a fairy tale about the triumph of true love over revenge. The opera is not through-sung; rather, the dramatic action is carried forward by dialogue in a manner reminiscent of Gilbert and Sullivan or the West End. At times, the witty, good-naturedly sarcastic text and playful rhyme schemes are reminiscent of Noel Coward.

The musicians are just about ideal. Hickox leads a luscious performance, capturing by turn the music's pastoral beauty and (not very threatening) irony. The singers are of uniformly high quality, with the characterization and fresh voices of James Gilchrist and Janice Watson as the young lovers deserving special mention. Anne Collins's fruity, wide-vibratoed contralto at times seems to be a musical caricature, but it works nicely in the role.

The production has two major flaws. First, the sound image is placed rather distant from the listener. I felt as if I were sitting towards the back of the auditorium and wanted to move up closer to the stage. The SACD's surround mode did add compensatory perspective and body to the sound, as well as a little extra punch to the thunder, cat shrieks, and other fairy-tale sound effects. The two-channel version sounded significantly flatter and more distant. Second, almost all of the dialogue has been omitted. It would have been enjoyable to hear the music in its dramatic context. Indeed, the abrupt juxtaposition of musical numbers that in performance would be separated by dialogue and a shift of dramatic tone is sometimes jarring. With less than an hour on each disc (and with singers who display such fine diction and acting skills), this is a major missed opportunity. Fortunately, the dialogue is printed in the libretto.

Despite these quibbles, this set is still urgently recommended!

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