Cantara V.2 [Import]

cantara v.2 [import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Features Ophelias Dream 'fairy Dance' Chandeen 'imagination' Weltenbrand 'fovea Diaboli' Black Tape for a Blue Girl 'apotheosis'.

Cantara V.2,Various Artists,Zoom,Rock

Cantara V.2 [Import]

Baby Cello: Soothing Music from 24 Cellos

Average customer rating:

We love this C.D.!
Glorious sound

Baby Cello: Soothing Music from 24 Cellos

Manufacturer: Cala Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baby Sleep
Sweet Dreams
Planet Sleeps
Golden Slumbers: A Father's Lullaby
Masters of the Bow

ASIN: B0006UYOO2
Release Date: 2005-01-18

Tracks:

The Swan
Ave Maria
Greensleeves
Black Orpheus
The Dove
Vocalise
Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
El Condor Pasa
Begin The Beguine
A Child's Folksong
Farewell To Cuba
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Blessing
Satin Doll
The Girl From Ipanema
Coventry Fantasy

Product Description

Baby Cello CD. Soothing Music From 24 Cellos 1. The Swan 2. Ave Maria 3. Greensleeves 4. Black Orpheus 5. The Dove 6. Vocalise 7. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy 8. El Condor Pasa 9. Begin the Beguine 10. A Childs Folksong 11. Farewell to Cuba 12. Songs my Mother Taught Me 13. Blessing 14. Satin Doll 15. The Girl from Ipanema 16. Coventry Fantasy

Customer Reviews:

We love this C.D.!.......2005-04-03

We received the Baby Cello C.D. as a gift, and my husband and I just love it. The music is truly moving in the most uplifting way, and the songs chosen are just beautiful; not at all stuffy. The true test was when our two-year-old, who had not had a nap all day, got completely wired and still would not go to sleep after 10 p.m. She screamed for 20 minutes as we tried to get her down, until I put Baby Cello on, and the screaming stopped instantaneously! She went to sleep to the C.D. without another wimper! We highly recommend Baby Cello for parents and babies alike, and have bought it for other parents with babies that we know. It uplifts, as well as soothes, depending upon what time of day we put it on, and it serves as wonderful dinner music as well. We can't imagine anyone not loving this C.D.! A.and J. Pieri, Albany,CA

Glorious sound.......2005-01-23

I am so pleased with Baby Cello. The sound of this music is utterly glorious. Soothing doesn't begin to describe it. My 2 year old and I love listening to it at all times of day.

Average customer rating:

Not For Purists
Cute CD for Looney Tunes fans
Oh, the memories this brings back!
BRILLIANT AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE; THE CD IS JUST AS GREAT
Bugs at the Bowl

Bugs Bunny on Broadway

Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons, 1936-1958
The Carl Stalling Project, Volume 2: More Music From Warner Bros. Cartoons 1939-1957
Tunes from the Toons: The Best of Hanna-Barbera
That's All Folks! Cartoon Songs from Merrie Melodies & Looney Tunes
Cartoons Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002LOA
Release Date: 1991-01-29

Tracks:

Overture (Merrie Melodies Main Title Music)
This Is A Life
High Note
What's Up, Doc?
Baton Bunny
Jumpin' Jupiter
The Rabbit Of Seville
Act II Entr' Acte (Excerpt From Long Haired Hare And Merrie Melodies Main Title Music)
A Corny Concerto
Long-Haired Hare
What's Opera, Doc?
Merrie Melodies Closing Theme 'That's All Folks'

Amazon.com

Though it's the "cast album" to the touring Bugs Bunny on Broadway show, which featured a 50-piece orchestra playing to the original cartoons, the real stars here are not the musicians but Carl Stalling and Milton J. Franklyn. As the composers behind the Looney Toons cartoons, Stalling (and later Franklyn) expertly composed scores that borrowed from classical music, popular songs of the day, and the whimsical compositions of Raymond Scott. Working with talents like Chuck Avery (the most musically adventurous of Bugs Bunny's directors) and voice actors Arthur Q. Bryan (Elmer Fudd) and Mel Blanc (virtually everybody else), they created some of the best-loved music of the century. They also introduced classical music to new generations through their loving reenactments of Rossini's The Barber of Seville (as "The Rabbit of Seville") and, amazingly, the entire Ring cycle (condensed to seven minutes in "What's Opera, Doc?"). Not as expansive as the two volumes of the Carl Stalling Project, Bugs Bunny on Broadway nevertheless is a fine collection that concentrates on an oft-overlooked legacy of Bugs Bunny and company. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

Not For Purists.......2004-09-22

If you have an ear for the original recordings, then this collection is not for you. On tracks like "The Rabbit of Seville" the switch from the original soundtrack to the modern re-recording is both jarring and unsatisfying. If you loved the "live" show then this may bring back some memories for you. If you want to hear the original performances of the great music from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, I recommend "The Carl Stalling Project" instead.

Cute CD for Looney Tunes fans.......2004-04-03

Sure, it's not for everyone's taste but no fan of Bugs or Daffy can be without this CD. Outside of the famous 'Merry Go Round Broke Down' and Merrie Melodies theme the Looney Tunes cartoons are well known for paying tribute to and parodying classical music and there's loads of that behavior to be had on this CD. The popular song 'What's Up Doc' is also featured here and there's just enough of Daffy Duck included to keep me happy. Hard to come by but worth getting if you can pick it up cheap.

Oh, the memories this brings back!.......2003-03-05

I never thought I'd hear some of these again. At their height, the Warner Brothers studio used classical music very cleverly in their animations, and this compilation gives us a sampling of the best. About the only thing that made me not give it the full five stars was that it didn't have the excellent "Daffy's Rhapsody."

BRILLIANT AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE; THE CD IS JUST AS GREAT.......2002-03-12

I just had the incredible pleasure of seeing this production, conducted by George Daugherty, at The Sydney Opera House. If the week of sold-out audiences were any indications, it's "adult kids" who really love the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Ordered the CD immediately from Amazon when I got home, and have relived this magnificent production over and over. The music is as incredible as the animation, and Carl Stalling's incredible collaboration with the brilliant Chuck Jones is even more evident when one is just listening to the incredible orchestral performances of these spectacular scores. With the death of Mr. Jones, this CD is even more of a memento of a brilliant golden age of American animated cinema. As we say down here "downunder," it's a bloody ripper!!! (And that's a supreme compliment in Australian!!!!)

Bugs at the Bowl.......2001-07-14

Oh what joy there is in Bugs Bunny. Santa Claus came down the chimney last Christmas and left a beautifully wrapped gift with my name on it underneath our Christmas tree. A CD? For me? Yes, it was. I listened entranced and recaptured so many happy memories of my favourite Chuck Jones characters, all brought vividly to life in George Daugherty's brilliant Bugs Bunny on Broadway. But that wasn't the end of my dreams come true. I was lucky enough to see Bugs brought to life again at The Hollywood Bowl. Rush out and buy this joyful CD - then do your utmost to catch a live performance when it's next in your city.

Sacred Chants of the Contemporary Synagogue

Average customer rating:

Not at all what I expected
Marvelous
A Brilliant Cantorial Performance
Jewish songs and prayers beautifully sung!
Good but is this Jewish?

Sacred Chants of the Contemporary Synagogue
Cantor Rebecca Garfein , Morris Barash , Charles Gounod , Max Helfman , Max Janowski , Rachelle Nelson , Maurice Ravel , Stephen Richards , Ben Steinberg , Kurt Weill , Jacob Weinberg , and Lazar Weiner
Manufacturer: Bari Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Cantors: A Faith in Song
Golden Chants in America...Commemorating 350 Years of Jewish Music
Jewish Cello Masterpieces
Thank God It's Friday!: The Music of Shabbat
Legendary Cantors

ASIN: B0000488V6
Release Date: 1998-01-01

Tracks:

Ma Tovu
Ahavat Olam
Hashkiveynu
R'tzey
Shalom Rav
Grant Us Peace
Kiddush
L'dor Vador
Yosl Klezmer
A Nign
Avinu Malkeynu
Kaddisch
Ana Dodi
Entreat Me Not to Leave Thee
Cantor Garfein's Greeting to the Audience
Shehecheyanu
Yismechu

Album Description

Berliners say New York's Rebecca Garfein is causing a revival of Reform Judaism in Germany; this mezzo-soprano is making history with her music, recorded in the country where her great -grandmother perished in the Holocaust. In 1997, she became the first female cantor to sing in a synagogue in Germany; where she performed as part of Berlin's International Jewish Cultural Festival; and this exquisite 1998 release captures that ground - (and stained-glass ceiling) - breaking moment. It contains Jewish songs and prayers in Hebrew and Yiddish, selections from the Book of Ruth and Song of Songs - liturgical music previously only chanted my male clergy - operatic in character, performed in what was once the women's gallery in the Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue before its destruction. This live performance was attended by Jews and non-Jews, women and men, together, shattering the historical separation of faiths and genders. Beautiful, significant, and highly recommended!

Customer Reviews:

Not at all what I expected.......2006-01-21

Hmm... Ok, maybe it was not the best reason to want to buy this CD, but I heard one of the songs on it, Hashkiveynu, performed (partially) during an episode of the West Wing, and it sounded AMAZING (it was NOT the same cantor as on this CD). I am not Jewish and not even very spiritual, but I wanted to have that song in my collection.
I immediately searched the web for the info, got the name of the chant and found this CD. I almost purchased it without listening, when I found a different site, where they actually have rather long excerpts (2 min.) of most tracks, so I listened to them.
Boy, was I relieved and disappointed at once! Relieved that I didn't buy the CD and disappointed that I couldn't get the song I wanted (I was willing to buy a whole CD for just 1 song, that's how much it impressed me).
The song sounds very little like the one from the West Wing, although I do believe that the site where I found the info speficially pointed to this CD as having a recording of the same song used in the show. And I'm sorry to say it but the voice also doesn't hold a candle to the one used on the show - way too "operatic", as mentioned by many, and harsh and even unpleasant-sounding to me. It took all the charm and candor right out of the song (in the show, they had a much more natural voice do the song). I also agree that the choir does not mesh well with the soloist.
If anyone knows where and if I can purchase a recording of this song done by a different singer (if it can be the one from the West Wing, I'll be thrilled), please, let me know. In the meantime, I'm passing on this CD...

Marvelous.......2006-01-11

What a voice...!

A Brilliant Cantorial Performance.......2004-01-27

Cantor Rebecca Garfein has a magnificent voice which expresses the oft-overlooked nuances in the music she has chosen for this recording. Able to perform equally well in the metzo soprano and soprano ranges, the cantor delights the listener with thrilling high notes and sultry lower registers.

Organist-Choirmaster Arnold Ostlund, Jr. skillfully chooses registrations which enhance both the cantorial performance and the superb choral blend.

Jewish songs and prayers beautifully sung!.......2004-01-18

Cantor Rebecca Garfein's Sacred Chants is a memorial tribute to the cultural and spiritual greatness of the pre-war German Jewish synagogue. Some of the numbers were composed by Jews on Jewish themes -- for example, Mah Tovu by Cantor Meir Finklestein or Ahavat Olam by Cantor Morris Barash. Other numbers were composed by non-Jews, but they express traditional Jewish values. Throughout, Cantor Garfein sings with love and passion in the spirit of her tradition. Additionally, the beautiful organ music is wonderful to hear for those of us who have enjoyed hearing organ music as part of our Reform Jewish liturgy.

Good but is this Jewish?.......2004-01-07

I have to admit, it am in the process of converting and wanted a contemporary collection of Jewish music in the house. I was especially excited because it featured a female cantor. Unfortunately, I played this CD and it...reminded me of church not synagogue! Lovely for what it is though, with the opera voice, choir and organ music. Not quite what I expected.

Lost Songs of a Rhineland Harper [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Utterly convincing as Music!
A Complete Work of Art...
Sequentia shines out again!!

Lost Songs of a Rhineland Harper [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia
Aquitania
The Rheingold Curse: A Germanic Saga of Greed and Revenge from the Medieval Icelandic Edda
Chant Wars
Shining Light, Music from Aquitanian Monasteries

ASIN: B0002XEEBQ
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

Felix Qui Potuit Boni
Caute Cane, Cantor Care
Magnus Cesar Otto
Rota Modos Arte
David Reges Inclita Proles
Cigni (Instrumental)
Foebus Abierat
Clangam, Filii
Phebi Claro
Aurea Personet Lira
Iam, Dulcis Amica, Venito
Advertite, Omnes Populi
O Admirabile Veneris Idolum
Puella Turbata (Instrumental)
Suavissima Nunna
Veni, Dilectissime

Amazon.com

Presuming it wasn't always religion or lovesickness, what did people sing about in the 10th and 11th centuries? The answer is presented here by the small group known as Sequentia, in a program of songs which were found in a 1000-year-old collection at Cambridge University, songs that had been copied down by Augustinian monks. The subjects vary from re-telling the complete myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (in 10 minutes!) to one about King David, to a lover's tale of the appearance, at night, of her dead darling. Along the way there are songs about how good it is to sing, a dialogue between a man and the nun he is trying to seduce (actually, there are a few "seduction" songs here), one about the three German emperors named Otto and more. There are three singers---occasionally all are involved at once, at times there are duets, several are solos. A harp, lyre, and, occasionally, flute are used as accompaniments. While one can hardly expect toe-tappers, this fascinating collection is incredibly catchy; the three singers are expressive storytellers who sing in a natural, non-operatic manner, and the style, though unfamiliar, is riveting. Recommended---a fine curiosity. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Utterly convincing as Music!.......2007-05-05

Benjamin Bagby is a formidable scholar; though I'm an "early music" performer myself, I couldn't begin to challenge the historical authenticity of these performances. But I can swear they SOUND authentic. That is, I can imagine such performances by an 11th C minnesinger of the first rank, a world class poet/harper. This is a far more varied and enjoyable CD than Sequentia's "Edda", and one I will listen to purely for musical satisfaction. The lighter voices of tenor Eric Menzel and alto Agnethe Christensen complement perfectly the manly, world-knowing timbre of Bagby's mature voice, and Ms Christensen's Danish accent in Latin has a charm of its own, possibly sounding quite like how a Medieval Rhinelander might have pronounced Latin. The lyre/harp/flute accompaniments are more than mere noodling; they have musical substance to deliver. For the moment, for me, this CD is the gold-standard of performance of the "secular" 10th & 11th C repertoire.

A Complete Work of Art..........2005-07-24

I never realized I liked Sequentia until I heard this CD. I once borrowed their other CD's from a friend, which succeeded in putting me asleep. But don't miss this one! The booklet gives the history of each song (very intriguing) plus the words in latin and english. The arrangements are beautiful, sometimes ecstatic, and will whisk you away to another, simpler world. Perfect for a relaxing bath or an in-depth study of ancient music. The songs are divided into three sections, first "songs of the harp," second "the image of dawn" and third "desire and seduction." My favorites are the song about swans played through an actual swan's bone and "sauvissima nunna" - an amorous dialogue between a seducer and a nun. There is a complete English translation for each song that makes you realize how poetic the words really are. Not the CD to play in the background (it will get monotonous) but to listen to with rapt attention. With this CD, listening is a rewarding experience!

Sequentia shines out again!!.......2004-11-20

It has been a long time since Sequentia has recorded an album. Sure Benjamin Bagby and the group has suffered the tragic loss of Barbara Thorton, but for her sake and for their gift, they've continued to produce a feast of music. This one is a lovely album! I heard a few tracks and I loved it! I loved the lyre, harp, and flute accompaniements that went along with the songs. They sound almost like the songs of the trouveres and the pattern of the songs are easy to memorize! The four musicians on this disc are worth hearing again and again. You can play this on regular cd players and still get nice sounds!

Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Naomi & Ruth / Sacred Service for Sabbath Eve [Milken Archive of American Jewish Music]

Average customer rating:

A little bland.
A lovely Friday night service and a moving story of Ruth
Another side of a film composer.
Jewish Music by Castelnuovo-Tedesco

Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Naomi & Ruth / Sacred Service for Sabbath Eve [Milken Archive of American Jewish Music]

Manufacturer: Milken Archive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Darius Milhaud: Service Sacre [Milken Archive of American Jewish Music]
Toch-Cantata of the Bitter Herbs (Milken Archive American Jewish Music)
Jewish Voices in the New World [Milken Archive of American Jewish Music]
Berlinski: Avodat Shabbat / Schwarz
First S'lihot: Midnight Service

ASIN: B0000C508J
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Naomi And Ruth, Op.27 - Ana Maria Martinez
Ma Tovu
L'kha Dodi
Tov L'hodot
Bar'khu
Sh'ma Yisra'el
Mi Khamokha
Hashkivenu
V'sham'ru
May The Words
Kiddush
Let Us Adore
Va'anahnu
On That Day
Benediction
Adon Olam
I. Tema - Barbara Harbach
II. Hashkivenu - Barbara Harbach
V. Ra'u Banim - Barbara Harbach
I. Adanai Ma Adam - Cantor Simon Spiro
III. Yoshev B'seter - Cantor Simon Spiro
IV. Shiviti - Cantor Simon Spiro

Album Description

"This is one of the purest and most touching compositions you have ever written," wrote fellow émigré composer Ernst Toch to his friend Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco after hearing his cantata Naomi and Ruth. For Castelnuovo-Tedesco, America offered new opportunities to deepen and develop his Italian musical heritage and his Jewish spirituality. He dreamed that he might hear his Sacred Service "once in the synagogues of Florence," but instead this major work was premiered at New York's Park Avenue Synagogue, establishing a long tradition of contemporary sacred Jewish music commissioned from leading composers.

Customer Reviews:

A little bland........2004-02-06

Castelnuovo-Tedesco, best-known probably for his 1939 guitar concerto, wrote music that I don't believe can be called strongly memorable. It's expertly written, at times even beautiful, but it seems to disappear as soon as it's over. Furthermore, he never seemed to find himself, or at least to establish a strong artistic personality. At his best, he resorts to a neoclassic idiom. Most of the time, the music, despite its occasional prettiness, doesn't sound like much of anything.

The works here the composer wrote near or at the top of his game. Naomi and Ruth, a little cantata, tells the familiar story, with the soprano soloist taking the part of Naomi and the chorus taking over the narration and the words of Ruth. It's an almost archetypal example of the composer's unevenness, in that the music for the chorus is much stronger than that for the soprano. The Sacred Service has its moments, but large stretches of it simply go by. My favorite parts of the CD were the excerpts from the organ preludes, Prayers My Grandfather Wrote, and especially from the Memorial Service for the Departed. Here, whatever engagement the composer had with his inspiration manages to cross over to the listener.

The performances are mostly top-drawer, with Neville Marriner leading an outstanding Naomi and Ruth. The choir and orchestra knock you out with their precision and tone. By comparison, Ronald Corp's Sacred Service sounds muddy, and the baritone soloist, Ted Christopher, suffers from what sounds like occasional vocal tiredness. Organist Barbara Harbach gives an intense account of the Prayers, and canto Simon Spiro (though of modest voice) nevertheless sings beautifully and with wonderful communication in the Memorial Service. Indeed, the composer gets such strong performances, it may be difficult to separate one's pleasure in the singers and players from the pleasure in the work.

A lovely Friday night service and a moving story of Ruth.......2004-01-28

The major work is the Sacred Service for Sabbath Eve. It seems that this work was intended to be performed in a Reform or Conservative synagogue as a Friday night service. Complete Jewish service settings are rare. Few synagogues today would care to use this work as a service: Reform and Conservative congregations generally value participatory services and congregational singing, while Orthodox congregations do not use organ or mixed choirs (among other reasons). There is also a general trend away from communal Friday evening services in the U.S. (unfortunate, IMHO). The details of Jewish services and liturgy are very complex, varying with the season of the year, the branch of Judaism, Ashkenazik vs. Sephardic, and local tradition. These variations make it difficult to compose a large scale work that will be generally compatible with ritual worship. Happily there is a home for such works (also including the Milhaud and Bloch sacred services) on record, and (hopefully more often as a result of the Milken project) in concert.
Orthodox listeners should be warned that in this recording Hashem's names are pronounced as in prayer.
The mood is generally one of reverent awe, with the exceptions of the Mi Chamocha and the Kiddush, which are exuberently joyful. If you are a regular attendee at Friday night services you will enjoy hearing the familiar words in a skillfully arranged and heartfelt musical context.
The short cantata Naomi and Ruth tells the story, in English, of how Ruth came to adopt the faith of her mother-in-law, Naomi. It is generally for two-part women's chorus with a soloist in the role of Naomi. The choral writing is polyphonic, but allows the words to be clearly understood. The music is melodic and emotionally engaging, flowing with the natural cadences of English. The orchestration is exquisite. (Note the use of dry trumpets accenting the word famine, and the deaths of the husbands.) Ravkein's objection that the crucial words "my god" are missing is a typo in the booklet text; the words do appear in the cantata.
The selections from Memorial Service are pleasant, and Mr. Spiro sings them beautifully and delicately.
The essays in the booklet are outstanding. The tracking information and performer credits, the absence of which Ravkein noted, are on the back of the jewel box.

Another side of a film composer........2004-01-17

The Milken Archive of American Jewish Music is an ambitious enterprise which provides an opportunity to hear other aspects of composers that we identify with one genre. The project bespeaks extensive research and calls on such stellar performers as Neville Marriner and the Academy & Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. The music does not justify these rich resources.
Castelnuovo(-Tedesco) was one of the many emigres, most of them Jewish, who came to America fleeing from the Kingdom of Night. Presumably because of the opportunities provided by the film industry, most of them poured their creative inspiration into movies. Most were unable to return to, or gain a hearing for, their classical music, Erich Wolfgang Korngold being an exception.
Naomi and Ruth is pleasant if not profound. The Sacred Service selections are fragmentary and generally unrewarding, perhaps because the composer was not religious.
The album challenges the most educated listener to identify the cues and performers. This advertisement on Amazon tells us more about the 22 cues than the booklet. (The time is almost 70 minutes.) We are unable to identify the men who sing, one of whom is not introduced to us. The identification of the translations from Jewish Scriptures is incomplete The most important words from Ruth 1:16, "(and thy God,) MY GOD" are omitted from the text (page 13).
The composer was involved in the preparation of 200 films. This disk exposes us to another side of him, not especially distinguished.

Jewish Music by Castelnuovo-Tedesco.......2003-10-22

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) was an Italian-born Sephardic Jew who, like many other European Jews, emigrated to the United States in the 1930s. He was helped by Jascha Heifetz to get settled into Hollywood where he wrote numerous film scores. (The name 'Tedesco,' which means 'German' in Italian and which implies Ashkenazi heritage, was actually tacked onto the family name 'Castelnuovo' [originally, in Spanish, 'Castilla Nueva'] to incorporate the name of a wealthy Ashkenazi paternal uncle by marriage who had no children and wanted his family name perpetuated.) Before his emigration Castelnuovo-Tedesco had been a student of Ildebrando Pizzetti (now there's a composer whose music is due some attention) and was an emerging composer whose music, at the rise of Mussolini and Hitler, could no longer be played in Italy and the Germanic countries. Although not himself particularly observant in his early adult years, he became more interested after his emigration in providing music for religious purposes. All the music here reflects some aspect of that interest.

The 11-minute cantata 'Naomi and Ruth,' set to an English text from the Book of Ruth (1:1-17) tells the well-loved story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth. It tells how, after both their husbands had died, when Naomi was moving from Ruth's native Moab back to her own homeland, Judah, Ruth refused to abandon Naomi. It is set for soprano solo, women's chorus and orchestra. The words of Naomi are sung by the soprano; in this recording the lovely-voiced and impressive Ana Maria Martínez is the soloist. She is sensitively accompanied by Sir Neville Marriner conducting the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Aptly dramatic, the music is tonal, somber, mildly contrapuntal and entirely accessible.

'Prayers My Grandfather Wrote' (excerpts) is a set a organ variations based on a theme written by Castelnuovo-Tedesco's maternal grandfather, Bruto Senigaglia. The theme is a nine-note motto that, in the two variations excerpted here, is worked out contrapuntally by the composer. It is, on the present evidence, a fairly negligible piece, played nicely by organist Barbara Harbach. Apparently it meant a great deal to Castelnuovo-Tedesco as it was played at a memorial service after his death.

Three pieces are excerpted from the composer's 'Memorial Service fo the Departed,' here sung by Cantor Simon Spiro, the New York Cantorial Choir, and McNeil Robertson, organ, conducted by Neil Levin. These pieces are intensely moving--not particularly Jewish-sounding except for the Hebrew words--and quite beautiful. Cantor Spiro has a beautiful tenor voice capable of declaiming dramatically or singing as in a hushed lullaby. Levin is the artistic director of the project of which this CD is a part: the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music, being issued on Naxos. There have been four earlier issues in this series but I have not heard them.

The longest and most ambitious piece on the CD is the 40-minute 'Sacred Service for the Sabbath Eve, Op. 122.' The participating musicians are Ted Christopher, baritone; Jeremy Cohen, tenor; Rabbi Rodney Mariner, narrator; Hugh Potton, organ; The London Chorus; all conducted by Ronald Corp. It was composed in 1943 for a Reform congregation and thus the texts are from the reform Union Prayer Book. He separately set other prayers that were later added to the composition. The première of the full Sacred Service was given in 1950. Castelnuovo-Tedesco considered trying to write a monodic piece, in keeping with what was thought to be ancient custom, but gave up that idea and wrote it in his accustomed style, which could be described as polyphonic, tonal, with some chromatic excursions and melismatic decoration. Particularly moving are the opening movement, 'Ma Tovu,' ('How lovely are your dwellings, O House of Israel') which is choral with interjections by the baritone soloist, and 'Kiddush,' ('Praised be You, O Lord') which features the strong tenor of Jeremy Cohen (the only one of the soloists who for some reason did not merit a blurb about his background and career). The final, canonic and ultimately triumphant 'Adon Olam' ('Lord of the world, who reigned before form was created') ends with the reassuring 'The Lord is with me: I fear not.'

Heretofore I had only known some of Castelnuovo-Tedesco's lighter music and I have to say I was impressed with his skills here. He certainly was capable of writing memorable melodies and limning emotional states musically. All the performances here are more than adequate and in some instances (particularly the excerpts from the Memorial Service, and the cantata 'Ruth and Naomi') transcendent.

TT=69:40

Tracks:

I. Lord, The Heavens Cannot Contain Thee
II. Oh, Come Let Us Sing
IIIa. Open The Gates
IIIb. Chorale
IVa. Except The Lord Build The House
IVb. Except The Lord Build The House (Improvisation)
V. Lord, Lord
VI. Ye Shall Be Holy
VII. Shout Unto The Lord
VIII. When I Behold Thy Heavens
Ix. How Glorious Is Thy Name
X. The Lord Is Good
XI. His Truth Is A Shield
XII. Oh, Come Let Us Sing A New Song

Album Description

Dave Brubeck, a jazz legend, is going strong at 83, with major appearances throughout the USA in 2004, including Carnegie Hall. His trio and quartet draw standing room only crowds. The Gates of Justice, one of the first full-length jazz oratorios, was born out of the idealism and turmoil of the 1960s. Unique in its concept, "Gates" aims specifically to unite the spiritual and musical traditions of Judaism and African American cultures. "Gates" showcases the incomparable Dave Brubeck Trio within a choral and jazz-band setting, with two highly individual soloists: a Jewish cantor singing scriptures and prayers from the Jewish tradition, and a black baritone singing texts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spirituals, and jazz melodies. The blend of musical styles is captivating. This is a major release that can promote the entire Milken Archive series. It demonstrates the universality of the American Jewish music concept, crossing borders within the Judeo-Christian traditions, as well as the classical and jazz traditions.

Customer Reviews:

According to Mr. Brubeck..........2005-12-24

In 1996 or 1997, I was invited to see Mr. Brubeck's performance of 'The Gates of Justice' at Fairfield University in Connecticut. Music has always had the ability to move me deeply. As a musician, I was drawn to musicianship but more importantly, passion in the work.
By no means am I an aficionado of choral music but witnessing that performance on that summer evening changed me. I am also not a religious person, I tend to congratulate man for his accomplishments. Therefore, I decided to write Mr. Brubeck and convey my appreciation for what his performance meant to me. In particular, I noticed that the performance was being recorded by the university and I was interested in obtaining a copy being that his album was out of print. To my surprise, Mr. Brubeck told me that he did not have a copy of that work. According to him, that tumultuous period (the 1960's)produced many works that were either recorded or performed and forgotten about or lost.
So, from time to time I would do a search on Amazon to see if one was available and today, as I was listening to Yes' 'The Gates of Delirium', I thought to give it another try. So here it is!
Listening to the samples on the site I must admit, the live performance grabs the listener much more than the studio takes. To see the choir, the percussionists, the strings and horns, soloists and finally, Mr. Brubecks trio charge out of a crescendo was earth-shattering.
If a live performance does exist, I'd love to own it. If however, this is the best I can find, I'll take it.

POWERFUL MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES . . ........2004-07-02

Amazon's editorial review is an excellent introduction to this powerful recording. Additionally, Neil H. Levin states in the liner notes: "Dave Brubeck has always maintained that he wrote . . . THE GATES OF JUSTICE (1969) to bring together - and back together - the Jewish people and American blacks." Brubeck writes, "When I began exploring the music, I was thrilled to hear the similarities among Hebraic chant and spirituals and blues." Therefore, a cantor usually sings the tenor role and an African American the baritone role. And it would be hard to find any singers better suited to these roles than Cantor Alberto Mizrahi and bass baritone Kevin Deas on this recording.

Being an alumnus of several excellent choral groups, when listening to a new work I usually ask myself whether or not I would want to sing that particular piece of music. In this case the answer was an immediate "yes, definitely yes!" Not only is this an incredibly exciting piece of music, but one that also cries out for justice and an end to hatred and hostility.

Mr. Brubeck writes, "The deeper my involvement in the composition, the more apparent it became that I was no longer thinking in terms of social justice, as evidenced in the histories of Jews and American blacks. Rather, through their unquenchable will to survive and to be free, I had been led inevitably to the more basic problem of man (universal and individual), his relationship to other men, and ultimately to God."

GATES OF JUSTICE is not only powerful and exciting, it is also an important political and social statement for our times. One of the eternal religious obligations in Judaism is found in the admonition "Justice, justice you shall pursue"; and a bumper sticker of old reads, "If you want peace, then work for justice." Brubeck writes: "And when men have fulfilled their obligations to each other, they will no longer need to ask: 'Where is justice? Where is God?' It will be self-evident: 'HERE I AM!'"

Tracks:

Porgy And Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So
Kiddush
Cherymushki: Galop
Slavonic Dance In E Minor
Arrival Platform Humlet
Pavane pour une infante defunte
War And Peace: Waltz
This Guy's In Love With You
Take The 'A' Train

Customer Reviews:

Very Beautiful & Better than I Thought.......2006-08-01

I bought this CD out of curiosity. A few dozen violas produce an immense breadth of sound. Add to this some high-level playing, plus a variety of pieces. A wonderful way to explore the instrument.

The best of large group viola.......2002-07-11

This is a most unique collection of works. The mellow but sonorous sound that is unique to the viola is amplified 48 times - nothing else does tribute to the viola like this recording. This is the BEST recording for viola that I've ever heard!

Violins and 'celli. Who needs 'em??.......1999-08-08

A delightful exercise in orchestration, this recording features 48 violas from the major London orchestras in numbers ranging from Gershwhin to Bacharach to Faure. With the exception of some percussion here and there, a harp and the occasional string bass, these selections are NOTHING but violas.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating . . .
Naxos scores again!

Ofer Ben-Amots: Celestial Dialogues

Manufacturer: Milken Archive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brubeck - The Gates of Justice (Milken Archive American Jewish Music)

ASIN: B0001VSC7G
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Tracks:

Entrance Of The Sabbath Bride - BBC Singers
Peace Upon You, Angels Of Peace - BBC Singers
Come In Peace, Angels Of Peace - BBC Singers
Bless Me For Peace, Ye Angels Of Peace (V'taknenu) - BBC Singers
Go In Peace, Angels Of Peace (Echo) - BBC Singers
Am Kadosh - David Krakauer
Uv'yom Hashabbat - David Krakauer
A Gasn Nign - David Krakauer
Adonoi Melekh - David Krakauer
Celestial Freylekh - David Krakauer
Dinen - David Krakauer
Bay Dem Shtetl - John Musto
Bistu Mit Mir Broyges - John Musto
Klip Klap - John Musto
Royz, Royz - John Musto
Di Dray Neytorins - John Musto
Der Rebbe Tantst - John Musto
Psalm 81 - Permonik Children's Choir

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating . . ........2004-07-12

Usually I read the liner notes before listening to a new recording. I did not do so with this disc. I popped it into the car stereo and was soon asking myself, "What the heck is THIS?" Coming out of the speakers was a strange mixture of a wordless chorus and tiny, tinkling bells that sounded like the soundtrack for a science fiction movie or background music for a bunch of people sitting cross-legged on the floor trying to make contact with someone from the spirit world. Then the word "Haskivenu" is sung and the music almost finds a tonal center and moves on. Mysterious and mystical. The whole composition lasted less than ten minutes, and was something I wanted to hear again immediately. How were those singers (the BBC Singers)able to sing something so atonal? Who is this Ofer Ben-Amots, anyway?

He was born in Haifa, Israel in 1955, was something of a child prodigy, studied in Israel, Switzerland and Germany. (I read this after getting home, not while I was driving.) He emigrated to the US in 1987 and received his Ph.D in composition from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991. He has won numerous awards and prizes and his works have been performed by a wide range of orchestras and ensembles. Currently he is associate professor of music at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Although little of his work has been recorded, this recording hopefully will change that.

Besides the aforementioned "Haskivenu - Song of the Angels" (the angels who usher in Shabbat and accompany worshippers as they leave the synagogue and journey home for the Shabbat meal), the disc includes settings of six "Shtetl Songs," (in Yiddish) for voice and piano. These are masterfully performed by Israeli soprano Re'ut Ben-Ze'ev and pianist John Musto.

But the centerpiece of the recording is "Celestial Dialogues" which (according to the back of the CD jacket) ". . . combines two great Jewish musical traditions: a klezmer clarinet solo - deriving from the haunting virtuoso sounds typical of traditional eastern European Jewish bands - and cantorial vocal passages that emanate from age-old Ashkenzazi liturgical ritual."
As interpreted by Cantor Alberto Mizrahi, clarinetist David Krakauer (man, can this guy play!), and the Barcelona Symphony directed by Karl Anton Rickenbacher, this is fascinating and amazing music that is likely to have you listening with your mouth wide open. Wow!

Naxos' sound quality is top notch, the liner notes very informative. Text for the works are presented both in English and transliterated Hebrew. Definitely one of the best recordings in the excellent Milken Archive series. And a great price, too.

Naxos scores again!.......2004-05-18

The Naxos "Milken Archive" series continues to go from strength to strength, and this new release of music by Ben-Amots is one of the best yet released.
Ben-Amots, a contemporary composer, is not very well-represented in the catalog, in fact, I can find no other work by him available on disc. I'm sure after this release there will be more to come, because we see examples here of a composer with a sure hand, an original voice, and a clear mastery of evocative melody and harmony. In most of the pieces performed here, Ben-Amots has adapted already existing works, mostly folk melodies, but his interpretation of them makes them clearly his own.
The first work on the disc, " Song of the Angels", is probably the most astonishing. Based on an ancient Askenazi prayer which Ben-Amots heard and then transcribed from memory, the work at first flutters on the edges of tonality, while the chorus is heard at a distance. The piece soon finds a tonal center, but retains a mystical aura, a feeling that the listener cannot quite put his finger on. This reviewer was spellbound.
The remaining pieces on thie disc, while, perhaps, not as bold, are equally evocative, charming and mysterious. The "Celestial Dialogues" pair a soloist with a klezmer-style clarinet, a coupling that works in the most heartfelt way with jaw-dropping beauty. And the nostalgia of the charming "Shetl Songs", arrangments of naive Yiddish folk songs for soprano and piano, round out a most satisfying program.
Why haven't we heard of Ben-Amots before? As stated above, I'm sure this won't be the last we hear of him. Five most deserved stars for this outstanding recording.

Eddie Cantor:The Columbia Years: 1922-1940

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A Review in Praise of "The Columbia Years:1922-1940"
Fantastic Collection

Eddie Cantor:The Columbia Years: 1922-1940
Eddie Cantor
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet: Jolie's Finest Columbia Recordings
Al Jolson - 22 Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00000297R
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

I Love Her-She Loves Me
I'm Hungry For Beautiful Girls
Oh, Is She Dumb
Susie
Sophie
He Loves It
Joe Is Here
How Ya Gonna Keep Your Mind On Dancing
I Love Me (I'm Wild About Myself)
Ritzi Mitzi
Oh! Gee, Oh! Gosh, Oh! Golly I'm In Love
Eddie (Steady)
No No Nora
I've Got The Yes! We Have No Bananas Blues
Oh, Gee, Georgie!
If You Do What You Do
I'll Have Vanilla
On A Windy Day 'Way Down In Waikiki
Oh Papa!
Monkey Doodle
Charley My Boy
No One Knows What It's All About

Tracks:

Doodle Doo Doo
How I Love That Girl
Those Panama Mammas
Goo-Goo-Good-Night Dear!
Laff It Off!
If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)
We're Back Together Again, My Baby And Me
Row, Row, Rosie!
Oh! Boy, What A Girl
What A Perfect Combination
Look What You've Done
Over Somebody Else's Shoulder
The Man On The Flying Trapeze
Mandy
An Earful Of Music
When My Ship Comes In
Okay Toots
When My Ship Comes In
The Only Thing I Want For Christmas (Is Just To Keep The Things That I've Got)
If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie) (Alternate Take)
Little Curly Hair In A High Chair
Margie

Customer Reviews:

A Review in Praise of "The Columbia Years:1922-1940".......2000-08-02

Although I've heard a few of these tracks before from the original discs, the previous recordings didn't begin to compare with the improvements that they are able to make to the volume, sound quality, etc. of these recordings. It is also a profound pleasure to hear in every recording how Eddie Cantor was able to "put a song over", i.e. "sell" a song, even those that would be indifferent at best, treated by any other entertainer. This CD set is a vital additionto the collection of anyone who is fond of the great popular music and comic songs of the first four decades of the 20th century, and pays especial attention to the 1920s.

Fantastic Collection.......1998-09-21

This is a fantastic collection of Eddie's music. If you like Eddie Cantor as much as I do, you'll want this! That old time music is terrific, and so hard to find among the cd world. If you are interested in this one, you should also try the Al jolson one entitled 'You aint heard nothing yet,' by the same company. This eddie cd also contains information about his apprieciation society in the booklet, as well as a wealth of info on his columbia years. It's worth every penny, and I highly recommed it! :) Signed, 18 and loving E. Cantor!

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