Tell Your Mother

tell your mother

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Bill McGarvey was born a poor black child into a middle class Irish family of five. Or at least that's what it felt like keeping a lid on so much damn rhythm amidst four hair pulling girls in Philadelphia. True, McGarvey's been white for as long as he can remember but he's been dancing and playing to the beat of his own soulful drummer for just as long. Tapping out the beat to Nick Gilder's "Hot Child in the City" on the dashboard of his family's yellow Fiat one summer afternoon, McGarvey realized he could keep his talent under wraps no longer. He bought a drum set and only, like, three or four times really looked back.

Like so many doomed artists before him, McGarvey decided to make his way to NYC. He moved into a one-room basement apartment in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and began to play drums for various NYC bands, including long-lost favorites The Liquor Giants, Winter Hours, and The Vipers. It was around this time that McGarvey was introduced to Stephen Dima at NYC's home for wayward artists, CBGB's, and a partnership was born.

Out in front now singing and strumming, the two formed Valentine Smith. After releasing three records and touring and garnering critical praise from the New York Times, CMJ, The Washington Post, and Billboard (where their first album was the only independent record included in the year-end Critics Top Ten), the band broke up. McGarvey decided he wanted to be alone anyway.

McGarvey-stripped of all meddling contributors—recorded a solo album in his kitchen and mixed it in his living room. The resulting sound--resonating off his linoleum kitchen floor--is organic, original, and highly melodic, exactly how mad genius McGarvey wanted.

Product Description
SuperPetulaCinemaPop

After recording three records with his band, Valentine Smith, Bill McGarvey's debut solo cd Tell Your Mother is the culmination of his experience making music and has resulted in his most personal record yet.

McGarvey's melodies feel like they're being beamed directly into the new century from a 60's AM radio deep in his soul, where he combines them with an intelligent, slightly fractured lyrical perspective clearly tuned into the details of the present.

Tell Your Mother,Bill McGarvey,Thievery Records,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop,SuperPetulaCinemaPop with melodies that feel like they're being beamed directly into the new century from a 60's AM radio deep in his soul, combined with an intelligent, slightly fractured lyrical perspective.

Tell Your Mother

Average customer rating:

A Comic-Opera Treasure!
an obscure delight!

Dittersdorf: Arcifanfano, King of Fools

Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000003LIK
Release Date: 1994-12-12

Tracks:

Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Overture
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Chorus - We've Traveled Far (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Approach! What Is Your Name, Sir? (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - With A Sword That Is Sterner Than Moses (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Unhappy Oddling (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - My Fair Skin, My Bare Chin (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Was Ever There Insanity (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Snugly Hidden Safe From Prying (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Madness Beyond All Measure (Malgoverno)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - When The Purse Is Clinking (Malgoverno)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - There, Like A Vapor (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - O Look So Woeful (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Such As She Seems To Be Frigid (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Let's Sing, Let's All Be Jolly (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - For All Types Of Confusion
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - The Fierce One Lives Only For The Slaughter
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - I Beg You To Stop (Malgoverna, Gloriosa, Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - We Praise The Sun For Beauty (Malgoverna)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Bumpkin, Coarse-grained (Gloriosa, Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - If You Will Love Me, I Will Love You (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - No, They Cannot Persuade Me! (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Lovely Ladies, You Enjoying (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Where's My Lover, Sweetheart (Sordidone)

Tracks:

Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Sordidone, Be A Bunny
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Are You Hiding? (Sordidone, Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - See Comely Phyllis Wander (Garbata, Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Don't Come Near Me (Semplicina, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - The High And Mighty Lion (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Quiet At Last (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - Semplicina, Do You Hear Me? (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Quartet - Ever More Bitter Shall Be My Raging (Gloriosa, Garbata, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - What Now? What New Forms Of Madness? (Gloriosa, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Chorus - Long Live King Arcifanfano (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Earth, Our Dearest, Good And Nearest (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - That His Sowing Yield A Growing (Malgoverno)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Has The Fool Committed (Malgoverna, Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Ask Of Beauty, She Will Answer (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Hop And Stop It! (Furibondo, Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - All Of This Planet, I Cry To Each Man (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What's Unleashed These Dreadful Roars? (Garbata, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - I'm Simple And I'm Candid (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Mischief And Load This Purse Is!
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Goddess Bright As Morning
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Mother Always Used To Tell Me (Sordidone, Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - What A Lot I Need What I Need Lot's Of! (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - May He Not Come To Harm (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - There's A Devil In A Ducat (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Gather, O Subjects, About Us (Gloriosa, Garbata, Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Duet - If You Marry Me (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - With Curiosity All Aflame (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Quiet, Please, We Implore You!
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - The Wise And The Mad Have Got One Word For Their Dwelling

Customer Reviews:

A Comic-Opera Treasure!.......2007-01-28

Dittersdorf is a sort of working-man's Mozart; in fact, this opera sounds similar to some of Mozart's early operas. But Mozart sought to break the rules and to explore new musical ideas; Dittersdorf is not an innovator...yet he is no less a master! This performance, too, is a materpiece of refined (not always!) comedy; the arias include some extremely difficult vocal leaps and trills, yet the primary joy is the witty verse. W.H. Auden (no less!) ramrodded this translation to English. And Anna Russell, famed for her "Analysis of Wagner's Ring Cycle" steals every scene she's in! Ad-libbing shamelessly, her introductory aria, all by itself, is worth more than the purchase price!

an obscure delight!.......2002-07-31

Eleanor Steber's image on the cover of this set caught my eye while rummaging through the cut-out bins of San Francisco on a recent opera whirlwind. What a lost treasure this performance is - recorded "LIVE" in NYC 1965! All the principles shine, their energy ebullient. Don't hesitate, buy it and smile before it disappears.

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating:

variety in virtuosity: you will be amazed.
My mother didn't tell me, but I found The Sun anyway.

Did Your Mother Tell You?
The Sun
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Love & Death
The Sun - Blame It on the Youth
Ambulance LTD
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ASIN: B00031TXEA
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Tracks:

My Girlfriend's Best Friend
Valentine
Did Your Mother Tell You
Demons
Justice
Sandy
Song for Your Daughter

Album Description

With The Sun's 2003 debut EP Love & Death racking up critical acclaim and tours with the likes of The Flaming Lips, Hot Hot Heat, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre earning fans at every stop, the band follows up with its second EP, Did Your Mother Tell You. With every listen, the buzz in the underground about The Sun grows hotter.

Customer Reviews:

variety in virtuosity: you will be amazed........2004-12-02

I haven't had a sound in my head and heart like this since the first time I heard the Buzzcocks.

The wife and I saw The Sun for the first time in Chicago on Monday 11/22/04. We had caught the "Valentine" video `bout a month earlier when we paused surfing for a split-second on The Fuse. From the opening riffs to the final chop edit, my jaw dropped as I watched what I knew to be "the greatest f***ing band in the world, right now."

I was so amazed that I immediately looked for as many online tracks as I could. What I heard jazzed me still further. With each track I heard new sounds, rhythms, structures: wall of sound; melodic ballads; dissonant guitar and vocal harmonies arcing above a charging, brain-pan rattling bass-line counterpoint; crash starts and double stops, whiplash micro-drum breaks... anything but the ordinary. I haven't heard such variety in chops in a small space since The Beatles White Album.

On their tracks they play tighter than conditions of poor white trash in a red state. Even when they play loose, there's an "I meant to do that" of someone pleasantly flaunting authority. I was hooked. The show was over far too soon. I awkwardly asked for the set list like a giddy teenager. When I presented it to my wife she clapped her hands like little kid. "Fantastic!" she gushed, "they are fantastic! And adorable! Can we adopt them?"

We have 3 kids and our rockin' 7 year old walks around the house saying "my favorite band is The Sun."

We tell all our friends about the Sun, some of whom are old farts like us. Usually, when we hear a new band, I'm always thinking about what older bands sound their channeling or just flat ripping off. But these guys got a sound! I keep thinking I'm hearing stuff that reminds me of other bands with real sounds and energy: Stooges; DMZ, Beach Boys, Cramps, XTC, Simon & Garfunkel, Joy Division, The Jam, Kiss...
But The Sun is evocative, never imitative.

My mother didn't tell me, but I found The Sun anyway........2004-11-22

By chance I first heard the Sun's song, "Valentine," and was totally digging it, so I went and picked up the entire EP "Did Your Mother Tell You?". Let me just say, it's wonderful. It goes from being loud, full of rock and energy, to quiet folky songs. For just an EP, this body of work has a great amount of variety. The best part: it's all fantastic, catchy [but not to the point of insanity] and wonderfully written. I'd definitely check out this EP and watch out for the full length!

Magdalena Kozená - Love Songs (Dvorak, Janacek, Martinu)

Average customer rating:

On the Subject of Intelligent and Sensitive Recitals
Lovely
A Beautiful Disc
A stunning burst onto the world stage
Wonderful songs, and a singer with great potential

Magdalena Kozená - Love Songs (Dvorak, Janacek, Martinu)
Antonin Dvorak , Bohuslav Martinu , Leos Janacek , Magdalena Kozená , and Graham Johnson
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004SDO1
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Tracks:

Love Songs: Oh, Our Love Does Not Bloom
Love Songs: Death Dwells In So Many A Heart
Love Songs: Now I Stumble Past The House
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Love Songs: Gentle Slumber Reigns Over The Countryside
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Songs For A Friend Of My Country: Ponies On The Fallow Land
Songs For A Friend Of My Country: The Lost Little Slipper
Songs For A Friend Of My Country: A Religious Song
Songs For A Friend Of My Country: An Invitation
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Four Songs: Oh, That Was A Beautiful, Golden Dream
Four Songs: In Pain, My Heart Often Broods
Four Songs: Silence On The Mountains
Lullaby
Songs For One Page: Dew
Songs For One Page: Unlocking With A Single Word
Songs For One Page: Journey To The Beloved
Songs For One Page: The Footpath
Songs For One Page: At Mother's
Songs For One Page: The Virgin Mary's Dream
Songs For One Page: Rosemary
New Slovak Songs: So Tell Me
New Slovak Songs: I Had A Blouse
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: Who Is The Posy For?
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: A Lover's Picture
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: Little Posy
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: Constancy
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: Love
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: Parting
Moravian Folk Poetry In Songs: My Lover's Horses
Good Night, My Darling

Amazon.com

The composers Antonín Dvorák, Leos Janácek, and Bohuslav Martinu might not be the names that first spring to mind when love songs are mentioned, yet this fascinating collection gives us a taste of what delights we have been missing. They range from seven Moravian folk songs, collected by Janácek at the turn of the century, to songs written by Martinu in the U.S. in 1942. There's also early Martinu--including songs he collected in Slovakia in 1920--plus the world-premiere recording of Songs for a Friend of My Country, a cycle he wrote in France in 1940 on his way to America. All of these songs are of interest in giving us another aspect of each composer's work; most have much more to offer. Many are achingly lovely, especially those by Dvorák--including his Op. 2, a reworking of four songs from a cycle he had written almost 20 years earlier, and Love Songs, a revision of eight songs from the same cycle. "Good night, my darling," from his 1886 cycle In Folk Tone, is worth the price of this CD alone. Czech mezzo Magdalena Kozená, who put together the program, sings with pure, attractive tone. Graham Johnson is her excellent accompanist. --Richard Fawkes

Customer Reviews:

On the Subject of Intelligent and Sensitive Recitals.......2005-05-19

Combing the recorded literature to find CDs that showcase singers who not only own brilliant vocal gifts but who also possess the intelligence to program recordings of lesser known works in a sequence that makes for intelligent recitals, it is becoming more obvious that there are many singers who opt for purity of purpose rather than 'salesmanship' of careers in the PR arena. Magdalena Kozená is one of these gifted singers whose intelligence and sensitivity match her physical and vocal beauty.

LOVE SONGS is a tastefully selected panorama of lesser-known songs by Kozená's fellow countrymen (Czech) Antonín Dvorák, Leos Janácek, and Bohuslav Martinu. And while many of the Dvorák and Janácek songs have been occasionally heard in recitals, the Martinu "Songs for a Friend of My Country", an exquisitely beautiful work written in 1940, here receives its World Premiere recording. Kozená's voice is in prime condition for these songs and she is ably accompanied by pianist Graham Johnson. The special flavor of these Slavic emotions and songs has rarely been so well captured.

But over and above the beauty of Kozená's performance of these neglected masterpieces shines the glow of her sensitive programming. Recordings such as these are rare and should be included in the libraries of those who appreciate the lieder genre. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 05

Lovely.......2004-03-25

This is a beautifully performed selection of Czech lieder. Kozena has a lovely voice and sings with precision and nicely modulated emotion. The accompanying pianist, Graham Johnston, is excellent. Despite the title, not all these songs are love or romantic songs but all are well worth hearing. The selection of songs is excellent. Different listeners will prefer different songs. For me, the highlight of this recording are the rarely heard Martinu songs, many of which exhibit the lyrical aspect of his compositional style. Recommended strongly.

A Beautiful Disc.......2002-01-06

This is simply a magnificent recording. I like it better every time I put it on. The voice is fresh, supple, and expressive. I even find myself trying to learn some of the Czech words (from the translation in the booklet) they sound so nice. Both Kozena and the brilliant piano contributions by Graham Johnson are faithfully caught on the recording. There is enough variety and contrast that one doesn't tire in the least (over the generous 67 minutes of playing time) of hearing these playful, sometimes poignant, songs. One of the best discs, in terms of programming, performance, and sound quality, of the past couple of years.

A stunning burst onto the world stage.......2001-12-17

Magdalena Kozena is suddenly known around the world, thanks to this stunning disc of 42 lieder from her Czech homeland. Most of the songs are short - some come in under a minute, the longest 3-4 minutes. Each is a little gem and many have never been recorded before.

Kozena's voice is sheer delight. She does have resonances in her voice which are reminiscent of her compatriot, Lucia Popp, but is certainly a mezzo - although she has chosen her repertoire well so we hear no strain at the top. Her low resonances are delightful and consistent with her head voice. To compare Kozena's voice to that of the late diva (Popp), it is more pure, more consistent in tone from top to bottom, and doesn't have so much of the `squeezey' quality which Popp used to great effect in evincing the passion of her characters. Kozena can empty her voice of vibrato or let it out rich and full, and uses all her vocal resources to great effect in contrasting the individual songs. She has astoundingly mature lieder-singer's technique for such a young singer.

This recording rightly won a Gramophone award this year. Kozena deserves all the accolades she receives for this - doubtless all listeners will develop their own favourites from these delightful miniatures.

Wonderful songs, and a singer with great potential.......2000-10-08

What a wonderful, carefully thought out CD! Kozena obviously revels in these rarely performed songs by Dvorak, Martinu, and Janacek, and Johnson accompanies with his usual ease and sensitivity. What a pity the piano is balanced distantly -- we hear little of Johnson's variety of touch and dynamics. As for Kozena, she is obviously an intelligent musician with a voice of great potential. It is qutie beautiful as it is, yet the colour is still rather pale. Yes, there is something of the late Lucia Popp's timbre, yet it has little of Popp's depth and range of colour. BBC Legends released a CD of Popp a year ago which includes three Dvorak songs also sung by Kozena. The differences are quite marked -- while Kozena's timbre and interpretation suggests a dreamy yet earnest youth, Popp brings out an autumnal glow and a sharp pain that pierces at least this listener's heart. Kozena has started a wonderful career. Only time will tell how her voice will develop. I do hope it goes in the direction of Popp's unique lyric timbre. No one could ever equal Popp (perhaps it's obvious by now that Popp is my favorite singer of all time), but perhaps Kozena will become something of Popp's heir, while still being her own person. I hope so. But her musicality is not in question. Let's keep our ears open!

Average customer rating:

Puccini: Il Trittico

Manufacturer: Bella Voce Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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ASIN: B00003A9QR
Release Date: 1999-12-01

Average customer rating:

Now
Heavenly
Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops at its best
Nice, Nice, Nice!

One Hundred Fiedler Favorites

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pops Roundup
Fiedler Greatest Hits
Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops Play the Beatles
Pops Stoppers
Sixties Classics: The Encore Collection

ASIN: B000003FRA
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

Light Cavalry Overture
Little Fugue In G Minor
Hora Staccato
The Love For Three Oranges: March from The Love For Three Oranges
Tambourin chinois
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Morning from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Die Walkure: Ride of the Valkyries
In the Steppes of Central Asia
Oberon: Overture
Rodeo: Hoedown from Rodeo
Goyescas: Intermezzo from Goyescas
William Tell: William Tell : Overture

Tracks:

Poet And Peasant Overture
The Merry Wives Of Windsor: Overture
Lohengrin: Prelude To Act III
Hungarian Dance No. 6
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: Solvejg's Song
Der Freischutz: Overture
Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances
Sleigh Ride
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles
Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1
Gayne: Sabre Dance

Tracks:

Reverie
Jewels Of The Madonna: Dance Of The Cammoristi
Suite No. 3: Air On The G-String
Cradle Song
Xerxes: Largo
Serenade
Sadko: Song Of India
Gayne Suite No. 1: Lullaby
Serenade
Spring Song
Serenade
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
Quintet No. 11: Minuet
Liebestraum
None But The Lonely Heart
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chorus
Hansel And Gretel: Dream Pantomime

Tracks:

Tales From The Vienna Woods
The Skaters' Waltz
Pizzicato Polka
Wine, Women And Song
Thunder And Lightning Polka
Roses From The South
The Count Of Luxemburg: Waltzes
Music Of The Spheres
Acceleration Waltz
On The Beautiful Blue Danube

Tracks:

Aida: Grand March
Babes In Toyland: March Of TheToys
Semper Fidelis
Suite No. 1: Marche Miniature
Yankee Doodle
Up The Street
The Damnation of Faust: Rakoczy March
March Of The Siamese Children
Caucasian Sketches: Procession Of The Sardar
Sambre et Meuse
The Ruins Of Athens: Turkish March
Colonel Bogey
Dixie
American Salute
Strike Up The Band
Athalie: War March Of The Priests
Karelia: Alla marcia
Funeral March Of A Marionette
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Valdres March
National Emblem March
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Tracks:

Cuban Overture
Rhapsody In Blue
El Salon Mexico
Interplay: Gavotte
Interplay: Blues
Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
The Typewriter
George M. Cohan Medley: George M. Cohan Medley: Give My Regards To Broadway, Mary's A Grand Old Name, Little Nelly Kelly, You're A Grand Old Flag, You Remind Me Of My Mother, Harrigan, Yankee Doodle Dandy

Tracks:

In The Mood
Eleanor Rigby
Stardust
The Three-Penny Opera: Mack The Knife
Love Is Blue
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Love Me Tender
The Syncopated Clock
Laura
A Man And A Woman
Moonlight Serenade
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
The Brave Bulls: La Virgen De La Macarena
Moon River
Days Of Wine And Roses
Mame
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
Jalousie

Amazon.com

Perhaps I should start by admitting a bias: Many years ago, lying on Boston's grassy Esplanade by the Charles River on warm summer nights, I learned what a symphony orchestra should sound like, with Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops Orchestra. Those concerts were free; these seven compact discs are not--not quite. But for any lover of light classical music, they are certainly one of the best buys available. The orchestra (essentially the Boston Symphony) is one of the world's greatest; the music, from Smoke Gets in Your Eyes to the Goyescas Intermezzo and Ride of the Valkyries is instantly enjoyable and permanently valuable; the conductor is at the same time genial and exacting, convinced that any music you play, no matter how frivolous, deserves the best you can give it. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Now.......2006-11-03

Now, if you are a music-lover, and you like The Boston Pops & Arthur Fiedler. You should get it as soon as posible.
I cannot find any reasonable objection to this product.

Heavenly.......2003-02-02

Highly Pleasing. If you're a Fiedler fan this is a must have one. It encompasses his entire wealth of perception, understanding, knowledge, vision and talent. Buy it now.

Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops at its best.......2000-06-23

Anyone in Love with the Boston Pops during its great Fiedler years should have this set in their CD collection. Hours and hours of all our favorite Pops tunes. Enjoy!

Nice, Nice, Nice!.......1999-11-18

Definitly one of my favorite classical CD's....has a bit of everything, and it's all extremely well played and recognizable. I never go on car trips without it with me. If you buy only one classic CD (set), THIS IS IT!

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Average customer rating:

Goodall's Siegfried
"Do you know what Wotan wills?"
Slow and steady wins the race
Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!
Better than you might think....

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Rhinegold
Wagner: The Valkyrie
Wagner: Die Walküre
Wagner: Siegfried

ASIN: B000056KNC
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Act I.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act I., Scene 1: Wearisome Labour! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Hoiho! Hoiho! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Well, There Are The Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: A Whimpering Babe - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Much You've Taught To Me, Mime - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: I Found Once in The Wood - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act I., Scene 1: And Now These Fragments - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: He Storms Away! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: Hail There, Worthy Smith! - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: I Sit By Your Hearth - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: What You Needed To Know - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: The Fragments! The Sword! - Gregory Dempsey/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act I., Scene 3: Accursed Light! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Hey There! You Idler! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Have You Not Felt Within The Woods - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act I., Scene 3: Give Me These Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Notung! Notung! Sword Of My Need! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Hoho! Hoho! Hohi! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act II.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act II., Scene 1: In Gloomy Night By Fafner's Cave I Wait - Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: To Neidhohl By Night I Have Come - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: Not My Plan! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: Fafner! Fafner! You Dragon, Wake! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud/Clifford Grant
Act II., Scene 1: Now, Alberich! That Plan Failed! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 2: We Go No Further! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: So He's No Father Of Mine - Alberto Remedios

Tracks:

Act II., Scene 2: Could I But Know - Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: See My Mother - Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: Ha Ha! At Last With My Call - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant
Act II., Scene 2: Who Are You, Youthful Hero - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: The Dead Can Tell No Tidings - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
Act II., Scene 3: Hehe! Sly And Slippery Knave - Derek Hammond-Stroud/Gregory Dempsey
Act II., Scene 3: Tarnhelm And Ring, Here They Are - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London/Gregory Dempsey
Act II., Scene 3: Be Welcome, Siegfried! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 3: You Lie There Too, Mighty Dragon - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
Act III.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act III., Scene 1: Waken, Wala! Wala! Awake! - Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 1: Strong Is Your Call - Anne Collins/Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 1: You Unwise One, Learn What I Will - Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 2: I See That Siegfried's Near - Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act III., Scene 2: My Woodbird Fluttered Away - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: Young Man, Hear Me - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: Child, If You Knew Who I Am - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: With His Spear in Splinters - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Here in The Sunlight - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Come, My Sword! - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Hail, Bright Sunlight! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Siegfried! Siegfried! Glorious Hero! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: And There Is Grane, My Sacred Horse - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Oh! I Cared Always - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios

Customer Reviews:

Goodall's Siegfried.......2007-06-22

This is completely worth it. Other reviews aptly pointed out everything good, and this *is* good--brilliant. Alberto Remedios is the best Siegfried I've ever heard, and Rita Hunter is a stunning and convincing Brunnhilde. If I could give this more than five stars, I would.

"Do you know what Wotan wills?".......2007-06-12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

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

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

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

Slow and steady wins the race.......2007-02-07

Yes, we all know that Reginal Goodall's Wagner is VERY deliberate (read slow) at times. When I heard the late Rita Hunter singing in Sydney in the 80s, I asked her about working with Maestro Goodall, she said he was one of the most thorough and demanding conductor's you could wish to work with.

For me, this whole cycle is desert island material because the English translation is just superb. Fine singing and marvellous playing from the ENO orchestra.

Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!.......2005-05-03

As good as his die Walkure is, Goodall's Siegfried is even better. For me this is the most difficult opera of the entire Ring and Goodall pulls it off with honors indeed. Remedios is a wonder! Wish we had had him in the Met Ring Cycles of the past decade. Hunter again is a wonder with beauty and strength of tone. Once more I enjoy Bailey. I found That Alan Blyth in Gramophone 5/01 and I seem to appreciate him. It would seem that Goodall gives this opera all the wonderful performance it needs. Not an easy show to pull off. This recording absolutely belongs in any Wagnerian's collection. Had I been at this live performance, I definitely would not have fallen asleep and would have regretted its coming to its inevitable end. And the orchestra rises to the occasion splendidly. From Siegfried's climb to Brunhilde's rock until the end of the duet, the orchestral playing is rich, very moving bordering on the monumental just because it is live and thus more of a risk than a studio recording. Hunter is nothing short of stunning. The duet alone makes the recording a must have. Too bad artists are not fully appreciated until we no longer have them around to enjoy. Thank God this is on CD to be enjoyed at the listener's command.

Better than you might think...........2002-03-17

I had to think more than twice before purchasing this recording, especially since it isnt at a budget price, but I dont regret having done so. Wagner's original German language opera sung in English might seem more like a novelty recording (or a horrifying experience to hardcore Wagner fans) than a serious approach to the music, but surprisingly it works (for the most part). For the listener who doesn't speak and understand German this is a great way to understand Wagner's opera, as the connection between text and drama is made clearer--though I sometimes wish the singers diction and pronunciation were a bit clearer--but hey, its still opera and a complete English only libretto is included (along with a scene by scene summary of the drama, a summary of the preceding two operas, and an essay and photos of this particular project). Overall the orchestra and conducting is up to par and the sound is clear, balanced, and spacious, the only annoying thing being the audience clapping after the end of each act--its a live 1975 recording. While this is no substitute for the original in German, think of it as a great resource ... to understanding Wagner's opera cycle for listeners without the time or inclination to learn German.

Average customer rating:

Jones Laughing Record
Spike Jones
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006FX1Y
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Average customer rating:

English is an asset and a drawback
You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English
A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!
I love Carmen!

Carmen (Sung in English)
Bizet , Bardon , Gavin , Plazas , Magee , and Parry
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00007JGRN
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

Prelude
In The Plaza
Just Look At That Delicious Morsel
Here Come Our New Soldier Boys
Jose! There Was A Girl Here Looking For You Just Now
Off With You Old Soldier Boys
Corporal! Sir!
We Have Heard The Bell Summon Us To Meet Here
Ah, Just Look!
But Why Hasn't She Come, Our Carmencita?
Love's A Bird Wild As Any Rebel
Carmen! We Will Follow You High And Low!
The Cheek Of It!
Give Me News Of My Mother!
Your Dear Mother And I Were Leaving Church This Morning
I See My Mother's Face!
Wait A Moment - I'm Going To Read The Letter
Come And Help
So, Corporal: Tell Me What Happened
Well, Carmencita: What Do You Have To Say For Yourself?
Where Are You Taking Me?
There's An Old Bar In The City
Careful - It's Lieutenant!
Entr'acte
From Far Away Mysterious Sounds
Bravo, Bravo! More! Keep Dancing!
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
Who's That? It's Escamillo, The Bullfighter From Granada
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
You're Most Kind
We'll Come With You, Senor Torero
Toreador, Be Ready!
At Last! We Got Rid Of Them As Quickly As We Could
There's A Little Job That We're Starting!
Being In Love Is Not A Reason

Tracks:

To Bid You Welcome To Our Bar
La La La La La La La La...
Back To Camp!... Go At Once!
That Flow'r You Threw To Me I Treasured
No, It's Not Love At All!
Hello! Carmen!
Lieutenant Fair, It's True
The Sky Above The Open Road
Entr'acte
Keep Going, Dear Old Friend, Kep Going!
Right! Let's Stop For A While
Shuffle! Cut Them!
In Vain You Would Avoid The Bitter Things They're Saying
You're Back!
As For That Man, It Should Be Easy!
Is This The Place?
I Say That There's Nothing To Fear
It's Him! I'm Sure It's Him Over There!
Escamillo Is My Name, And I Come From Granada
She Had A Lover Here
Hola! Hola! Jose!
You Should Take Care, Carmen
Alas! Jose, Your Mother Is Ill
Entr'acte
A Few Cuartos! A Few Cuartos!
Here They Come! Here They Come!
If You Love Me, Carmen
It's You! It's Me!
Viva! Viva! What A Corrida!

Customer Reviews:

English is an asset and a drawback.......2004-07-20

The best thing about this recording of Carmen is the libretto. Conductor David Parry penned this facile and dramatic English translation. He avoids the pitfalls of literal translation to achieve an idiomatic flow that matches the rhythm of the original lyrics. I use this as a reference libretto for any of the French Carmens.

Unfortunately, the performance suffers from being sung in English. The singers declaim their parts with such proper British diction that Carmen comes across as a school marm. The spoken dialog is delivered beat for deliberate beat and is dripping with reverb. It makes the plaza, tavern and mountain pass all sound like a sewer pipe.

This is a good first Carmen for someone trying to understand the work. The libretto itself is a good investment for further listening. For an enjoyable performance with an emphasis on character and action, I recommend Regina Resnik on the London Double Decker set.

You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English.......2004-02-09

What a perfect introduction to opera. This newly released recording will surely get you hooked into opera. Carmen, a French opera by Georges Bizet, is the most recognizable and most popular in the opera world. It's famous melodies- the overture, the Habanera, The Toreador Song have all been featured in everything from cellular phone ring tones to Superbowl Commercial (last year's Superbowl with The "Opera In English" label has been making Italian operas into English for a number of years now. Also on the market are Verdi's La Traviata in English (with soprano Valerie Masterson as Violetta) Handel's Julius Caesar with Janet Baker and even Wagner's epic Ring Of The Nibeling sung in English. This is a terrific recording and I highly recommend it if you want to get into opera. Listen to this version first and then try the real, original French version Bizet had written. Patricia Bardon is sensational, sexy and dramatic as Carmen.

The real strength of this version is the dynamic drama. With the advantage of being sung in English, we get better insight on characters' emotions and motives, and we understand the drama a lot better. Carmen is all about great drama. Bizet drew the plot from the French writer Prosper Merimee's dark short story. Carmen is the ultimate femme fatale- a devil-may-care, sexy Gypsy living in Spain, seduces the conservatively raised soldier Don Jose, stealing him away from his fiancee, the passive Micaela, living a life of underground smuggling and rowdy taverns. "Habanera" and "The Gypsy Song and Dance" are very expressive of Carmen's extraordinarily liberal lifestyle. Don Jose, however, has fallen deeply in love- as he shows us in his song/aria "The Flower Song". But Carmen soon becomes tired of his constancy. Don Jose wants a committed, monogamous relationship with Carmen. But Carmen will not submit to love, since she is first and foremost a carnal creature. Eventually, she falls for the handsome Toreador Escamillo. Don Jose, consumed by jealousy, stabs Carmen at a bullfight after Carmen declares her love for Escamillo and rejects Don Jose's love. Don Jose's crazed, obscessive personality shines through in the English version as well. This tragedy has been done in English before so don't think this is the first time. Back in the 50's, there was a film, starring black actors "Carmen Jones" which was treated the same way as this opera- more like an English Broadway musical and with the dubbed singing voice of Marilyn Horne as Carmen. All in all, this recording is excellent.

A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!.......2003-09-17

This recording really sells "Carmen" as a drama. Although I have two other recordings of this opera and have seen it performed several times, it never quite worked for me dramatically. But thanks to the fine performances, conducting, and translation here, I've become a "Carmen" convert. Producing a good English-language performance of a foreign opera, especially a warhorse like "Carmen," is much more difficult than it might appear. You need performers who not only can sing the parts (of course) but also can sing *English* and make it halfway intelligible and make it sound like English and make it dramatically convincing to English-speakers. The singers on this recording do an excellent job all around. Don't be put off if you don't recognize their names -- they are up to the task musically and (especially) in their acting. Admittedly, as with *all* English-language recordings, some passages are very hard to understand without reading along, but most of the time the words are clear and effective. I would recommend this recording to any opera beginner or opera lover, even those who normally turn up their noses at performances in translation.

I love Carmen!.......2003-08-15

I do. I can think of no other opera with more melodic inventiveness, and few others with so sure a dramatic pulse. Carmen is popular and it thrills me to say that it is also a very good opera - not always true of popular things.

And what of this recording? Carmen sits well in English, so it is good to hear in translation, although some of the detais in the text jar. Escamillo refers to Jose as "my dear", which sounds rather peculiar, and the guide's line to Micaela: "it's not exactly inviting, is it?" sounds distinctly Middle England rather than Rural Spain. Some of the performers, not least Carmen herself, make the words work, although there are long tracts, especially with the chorus, where the language is distinctly indistinct.

The soloists are, by and large, strong. Patricia Bardon's deep, Handel-friendly voice adapts well to Carmen and she colours the music with phenomenal detail, sounding sexy and provocative from the start with an edge of pride and anger that emerges as the show goes on. She is out of her depth above the stave, though, and some extra top notes in the second act don't show her off to her best advantage. I have previously said that Julian Gavin is poorly served by recordings, though here he sounds much more even and gives a thrilling and musical performance (but his wooden spoken lines let him down). Mary Plazas is a lovely Micaela, rich-voiced and sincere (and word-perfect), but Garry Magee sounds miscast as Escamillo, lacking the ballast at the bottom of the voice to do justice to this tricky role.

The supporting cast is good (Mary Hegarty seems to do nothing but Frasquita these days!) but the really treasurable thing is the conducting. Stepping out of Italian Ottocento, David Parry turns his hand to this French Comedie with an appropriate lightness of touch. His pacing and handling of the set pieces is exemplary and the enrtractes go with a real swing.

Tracks:

Carmen Highlights: But We Can't See Carmencita
Carmen Highlights: When I'll Love You
Carmen Highlights: Tell Me About My Mother!
Carmen Highlights: You Mother Was Coming Out Of The Chapel With Me'
Carmen Highlights: I See My Mother..
Carmen Highlights: Then Tell Her That Her Son Loves Her And Venerates Her
Carmen Highlights: Near To The Ramparts Of Seville
Carmen Highlights: The Lieutenant!...Attention
Carmen Highlights: The Sistrum Bars Jangled
Carmen Highlights: I Can Return Your Toast
Carmen Highlights: I'm Going To Dance In Your Honour
Carmen Highlights: The Flower That You Threw Me
Carmen Highlights: No, You Do Love Me!
Carmen Highlights: Hey There, Carmen! Hey there!
Carmen Highlights: Come With Us Across The Countryside
Carmen Highlights: Diamonds, Spades...Death!
Carmen Highlights: Speak, Speak again, my beauties
Carmen Highlights: I Tell Myself That Nothing Daunts Me
Carmen Highlights: So It's You?...Yes, Me

Customer Reviews:

Golden Age Singing.......2001-02-21

In very good live-performance sound, this generous (74 minutes) selection of highlights boasts the finest Carmen cast and conductor I have ever heard in one production. Verrett's is the only performance not duplicated on a commercial set, and she is spectacular--as close to the perfect "Carmen voice" as any I have experienced. Te Kanawa's gorgeous sound is likewise unmatchable, even on her complete recording with the same conductor. Van Dam is perfection, and Domingo even better than one has come to expect. A word about the excerpts: they include all of the big "numbers," as well as enough ensemble work to allow one to fully appreciate the conducting of the great Sir Georg. Considering the modest cost, this disc is unbeatable.

A GREAT PERFORMANCE.......1999-10-29

Verrett is the best Carmen imaginable, Domingo the best Don José, Kiri the best Micaela and Solti it's a grand conductor. The ideal Carmen.

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