Beleleu [Import]

Product Description
This is the First Album (1980) Itamar Assuncao Recorded in his Career. A Great Album by a Great Artist. Fully Remastered.

Tracks:

Una Voce Poco Fa - Sherrill Milnes
Dunque Io Son - Sherrill Milnes
Contro Un Cor - Sherrill Milnes
Ah, Qual Colpo Inaspetatto! - Sherrill Milnes
E Il Sol Dell'anima... Addio! Speranza Ed Anima - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Gualtier Malde... Caro Nome - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Tutte Le Feste Al Tempio... Compiuto Pur Quanto... Si, Vendetta - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
V'ho Ingannato... Lassu In Cielo - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere... So Anch'io La Virtu Magica - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Pronta Io Son... Vado, Corro - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Via, Caro Sposino - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Tornami A Dir Che M'ami - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
La Morale In Tutto Questo - Ambrosian Opera Chorus

Tracks:

Vilia - Beverly Sills
Ah! Je Suis Seule... Dis-Moi Que Je Suis Belle - Beverly Sills
Cielo! Che Diverro?... Si, ferite... Dal Soggiorno... Ah! Che Spiegar - Beverly Sills
Libiamo Ne' Lieti Calici - John Alldis Choir
Un Di Felice, Eterea - John Alldis Choir
E Strano... Ah, Fors'e Lui... Follie! Follie!... Sempre Libera - John Alldis Choir
Pura Siccome Un Angelo... Ah! Dite Alla Giovine - John Alldis Choir
Che Fai? - John Alldis Choir
Addio Del Passato - John Alldis Choir
Parigi, O Cara - John Alldis Choir

Amazon.com

Beverly Sills hardly needs an introduction. She sang on the radio as a child and on the operatic stage as a teenager; her meteoric international career was launched by appearances in several virtually unknown bel canto operas at the New York City Opera. This compilation of arias and ensembles from some of her signature roles, recorded in the 1970s, with splendid partners like Nicolai Gedda, Alfredo Kraus, and Sherrill Milnes, displays her unique vocal and dramatic artistry at its peak. Her voice, effortlessly produced over an enormous range, is bright, pure, infinitely variable in color, inflection and intensity. Her intonation is impeccable even in huge leaps, and her breath is endless. The coloratura roulades are like strings of perfect, luminous pearls, clearly articulated in seamless legato. But this stunning technique (whose only flaw is a sometimes wide, wobbly vibrato) is never used for show; every note has life and expression, serving the music and the dramatic situation. Indeed, her characters are flesh-and-blood human beings, whose thoughts, emotions and interactions, from inwardness to ecstasy, from lamentation to overflowing joy, she projects with riveting concentration. Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville is a charming, mischievous minx who succumbs to delighted tenderness; Pamira's great scene from his Siege of Corinth shows clearly why her Metropolitan Opera debut in that role was a sensation. In Verdi's Rigoletto, Gilda's hopeful innocence turns into hopeless despair: she dies, palpably, on a floating, celestial pianissimo. In his La traviata, Violetta's initial cool, hesitant restraint gradually melts as she opens herself (and her voice) to Alfredo's ardor and the bliss of love. The vocal balance in their final duet is uncanny; its tremulous tenderness in the shadow of death breaks the heart, as does her duet with Germont. Massenet's Thais is sensuous; Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Lehár's The Merry Widow provide comic relief. --Edith Eisler

Album Description

Details TBA. EMI. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Beverly Sills - The Best.......2007-04-01

What a voice. No coloratura can compare, and she makes it seem so easy.

Beverly Sills' highs are breathtaking!.......2006-09-18

Adio del Passato is incredible! Beverly's high, floating coloratura is no less than ethereal which takes you to another world. Her voice has given me so much joy that it is hard to say one recording is better than another because I love her Mozart album equally with her Bellini/Donizetti. It is so wonderful to have these recordings captured on CD! Enjoy!

THE 2005 OPERA CD OF THE YEAR.......2006-08-19

THIS CD WAS THE BEST OPERA CD ISSUED LAST YEAR, AND HAS CAUGHT THE WORLD'S EAR IN NO TIME. I WAS BUSY WRITING IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL, WHILE THE STATEOWNED FM RADIOSTATION, DEDICATED TO CULTURE, WAS SOFTLY PLAYING OPERA ARIAS IN THE BACKGROUND. SUDDENLY I HEARD THE MOST FANTASTIC RENDERING OF "SEMPRE LIBERA" FROM "LA TRAVIATA". I GOT UP, SAT BY THE RADIO AND WAITED TO KNOW WHO WAS SINGING... THEN GOT BACK TO THE COMPUTER TO ORDER THIS CD FROM AMAZON! INCREDIBLE: ONLY 17 BUCKS FOR THIS, WHILE QUITE A BIT OF TRASH IS SOLD FOR 30.40 AND MORE...
A LADY FRIEND ONCE TOLD ME SHE COULD NOT LISTEN TO THE DUET IN "MADAMA BUTTERFLY" WITH MIRELLA FRENI AND LUCIANO PAVAROTTI (RECORDED IN 1974, BY VON KARAJAN) WITHOUT CRYING. WELL, YOU CANNOT LISTEN TO SILLS IN "LA TRAVIATA" DRY-EYED, NO MATTER WHO THE TENOR IS. SHE PROJECTS THE SAME DRAMATIC FEELING OF "LA DIVINA" CALLAS WITHOUT THOSE SHRIEKED HIGHNOTES; SHE OFFERS THE SAME COLORATURA VOCAL GYMNASTICS AS "LA STUPENDA" SUTHERLAND BUT WITH WARMTH... WHEN BEVERLY SANG, AS IN EVERYTHING ELSE SHE DID, SHE ALWAYS GAVE HER UTMOST. SHE WAS "LA GENEROSA" TO BE SURE.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE READING WHAT OTHERS THINK.
ORDER THIS CD NOW AND MARVEL AT HOW THIS GREAT AMERICAN LADY, IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS, ALSO COULD SING!

EMI Does It Again: Beverly Sills - A Tribute.......2005-07-22

EMI's "Very Best Of" series are perfect introductions to operatic singers of the 20th century. Once you hear these artist tribute albums (much like The Singers series) you will get hooked on the singer and seek out their full-length studio recordings. Beverly Sills was the first truly famous American opera star. One may argue that she was not, that she was merely a continued tradition of American divas such as Mary Garden and Lily Pons and which still continues today with Renee Fleming, Elizabeth Futral and Susan Graham. Beverly was raised in New York City, which is still her home, and which is the home of the New York City Opera and the Met, opera houses which rocketed her to fame. Her first success (not featured in this recording...UH WHY ?) was Cleopatra of Handel's Julius Caesar, a performance she sang opposite the illustrious baritone Norman Treigle. Those performances were legendary because coincidentally at the same time the Met was opening its new theatre and season with what became a disastrous Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra starring Leontyne Price in an overblown, big-budget, epic fiasco. The great roles that followed the 1965 Cleopatra were Manon, Queen Elizabeth I in Roberto Deveraux, Maria Stuarda and Anna Bolena in the Donizetti Tudor Queen operas, Pamira in The Siege of Corinth (which were Sill's La Scala and belated Met debut. None of the Queens are featured in this recording, though its supposedly the Very Best Of. An aria from Rossini's Siege of Corinth is featured here however. What we are treated to however are fine lyric roles- Beverly Sills shone brightly and acted convincingly as Gilda in Rigoletto (the final scene is featured here) as Violetta in La Traviata, Thais, The Merry Widow (the beautiful Vilja is featured here)and the ingenue role of Norina in Don Pasquale is also showcased here. To each of these roles, Beverly Sills delivered an authenticity and dramatic interpretation, not ot mention beautiful, sweet tone. I love her pianissimos, her high notes, her chest register. It was the voice of Beverly Sills who first hooked me into opera. For a recording that should showcase her best work, Manon is not featured nor any of her prized French heroines- Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment and the heroines in Tales of Hoffman. Also not in here is the role that was her first success- the Broadway opera Ballad of Baby Doe. Even as such, the arias here are gorgeous. The Barber of Seville is in here and as Rosina she is playful and charming. Sills was a modern singer, with a voice that was beautiful but willing to sacrifice beauty for the sake of dramatic content. When Sills was once asked what she thought of the supposed rivalry with Joan Sutherland (which was never real and only gossip from partisan fans) Beverly said something to this effect -Joan and I are apples and oranges in our take on opera, we are Picasso and Monet. She would do anything for the effect of beauty and tone, I'd sacrifice beauty for the sake of dramatic text. Even as such, I see no ugliness to any of the roles here. All of them are beautiful to hear, full of rich floating celestial tones. It would have been nice to hear the roles that did call for Sills to step up the tense drama - Norma, will her recording ever be reissued by EMI ? Also, few people know that Beverly Sills sung role most would consider dangerous for her voice (though she sang them long before her career even took off)- Aida and Carmen!!

Glad To Be The First Review- Beverly Sills Treasury Of Arias.......2005-04-29

At last EMI's "The Very Best Of" series has issued some of the finer recorded documented arias of the incomparable soprano Beverly Sills. Fans of this down-to-earth, warm patron of music and the most unique lyric-coloratura-dramatic soprano, will be in Heaven. Sure, this is only some of the arias in only a small number of the many operas Sills performed. To be truthful, this is not what I'd personally regard as the best of Beverly Sills. Other albums of hers do use greater vocal masterpieces she sang- the best being "The Singers" Series, and another EMI edition called The Art of Beverly Sills Volume 2 and then there's the rare and brilliant "Sillsiana". Nevertheless, this album has its charm and appeal. Beverly Sills sings arias from Rossini's Barber of Seville, Verdi's Rigoletto and Traviata. This recording seems to highlight mostly her mastership of the bel canto repertoire and Verdi. Gilda and Violetta were roles she sang with supreme dramatic integrity and sweetness and purity of vocal line. Yet, it is hardly "the best of". Where are scenes from the masterful interpretations of Donizetti, truly Sills strongest suit- Lucia Di Lammermoor, Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereaux, where is Sills' Manon, which even she hails as her best ? And when will her recorded Norma ever see the light of day ? Sills also excelled in the French repertoire- Faust, Thais, La Fille Du Regiment, The Tales of Hoffman and she was an incredible Queen Shemakha in Korsakov's Coq D'Or. True, Sills had a light, girlish, delicate voice, bright and small, but this worked in her favor in tragic roles. Dramatically, she could get into character as passionately and convincingly as Maria Callas. When she could darken her voice and use her chest voice for dramatic effect it was often thrilling. This is the latest recording in a number of recordings that are coming out, further promoting a great singer of the past. Beverly Sills. She was the working man's soprano. She worked hard to get to the top. She was the reigning singer of the NYC Opera where she starred in such great operas as Handel's Giulio Ceare Sills as Cleopatra (also not on this recording) and Tales of Hoffman singing opposite the great but underrated bass Norman Treigle. Sills is a wonderful human being and she has a beautiful voice that I cannot get out of my mind. She will always be the greatest to me. She got me hooked into opera.

Average customer rating:

This gal and her music are white hot!
Good
What a great surprise!
Best work yet from an artist whose talents are blossoming so rapidly they'll need that room to grow!

Room to Grow
Adrienne Young
Manufacturer: Addie Belle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000P46QBI
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

All for Good
Sgt. Early's Dream/Maids of Castlebar
Room to Grow
Natural Bridge
In Between the Heartbeats
High Flyin' Dream
Free Man in Paris
River and a Dirt Road
Givin' Up the Fight
Dark Around the Moon
How Is This World Better Now
Once More
Leaving It Behind
Happy Ending

Amazon.com

Adrienne Young has the banjo skills to make a bluegrass disc with the best of them. But on her third album, she largely trades in the string-band sound that characterized her previous efforts for a more straightforward folk-pop approach. As the lead track proclaims, this is "All for Good," and Room to Grow turns out to be a confidently self-produced work of both personal and artistic maturity. On first listen, Young's opener might seem to be a page out of Candide, with its refrain "all that is here is for good." But the song's lyric "struggle is perfect" is a clue to Young's larger themes. Besides that of nature, most purely celebrated here by "River and a Dirt Road," the album gives an inescapable feeling, not exactly of hope or optimism, but of sweet surrender: surrender not to defeat but to the idea of fully living one's life by "relinquishing control," as Young sings in "Giving Up the Fight," and concentrating on the here and now. "All this worryin' about what's to come/Don't amount to nothin' when it's said and done," says Young in "In Between the Heartbeats," and "It's a flyin' leap from birth to death/Gotta treat each moment like a special guest." And though "we all outgrow the skin we're in," as she sings on the title track--along with "All for Good," the high point of a record that should bring Young the acclaim she richly deserves--"we can weave, we can mend/Stitch by stitch, row by row/Making sure there's room enough to grow." One does wish she and her cowriters (longtime collaborator Will Kimbrough and Mark D. Sanders--who penned, among other country #1s, Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance") had included two more originals in favor of otherwise admirable Joni Mitchell and Dusty Owens covers, as they are obviously self-sufficient. But that doesn't diminish the force of this resounding, album-length carpe diem. --Benjamin Lukoff

NOTE: The Save a Seed Fund has been "founded by Adrienne Young and AddieBelle Music, in conjunction with the American Community Garden Association, to promote continued efforts to preserve all aspects of our collective heritage. AddieBelle Music will donate a portion of the proceeds from each copy of Room to Grow sold to a seed fund which will provide non-genetically modified seeds and support for urban and community gardens throughout the United States and Canada."

Customer Reviews:

This gal and her music are white hot!.......2007-06-17

On June 14, 2007 two of us caught her show at Longwood Gardens in PA. All I can say is this was a treat for the ears and down right FUN. I loved everything she played and you could she that she really enjoyed what she is doing. You could feel her spirit in every song! She got so into it that after about 55 solid minutes of song she was surprised to learn that she was running out of time. All of the artist were GREAT! This was my fist exposure to Bluegrass and it won't be my last. Adrienne all we can say is YOU GO GIRL...you ROCK!

Good.......2007-06-13

I like this CD. Nearly all the songs on it are really strong lyrically compared to the other 2 albums. Musically though this is not as unique as the others. I'd like to see her do another album on the other end of the spectrum. Less commerical sounding with more old timey.

What a great surprise!.......2007-06-07

I had never heard of her prior to attending the Appel Farm Art & Music Festival on June 2, 2007. She was one of the performers at the festival. I immediately took a liking to her music. I purchased this CD at the festival and have listened to it countless times without getting tired of it. Their isn't a song on the CD I don't enjoy listening to over and over again. She puts much feeling into her music. The added plus is to see a musician with a social conscious, unlike some of the canned music coming out the music industry these days, with her Save A Seed Fund. Looking forward to seeing her play next week at Longwood Gardens!

Best work yet from an artist whose talents are blossoming so rapidly they'll need that room to grow!.......2007-05-26

While Room To Grow has much in common with Adrienne Young's earlier CDs, is a much more polished and mature effort than its predecessors. This is clearly the work of a more seasoned professional, somebody who's serious about what she's doing, somebody who's ready to play in the big leagues. The whole project, the songwriting, the performances, and the production, absolutely shine.

These songs carry the positive messages Adrienne's fans would expect, but they're tempered by an understanding that the world can and often does crush our best efforts. This acknowledgement of the struggle between good & bad, light & dark, runs throughout the album, but nowhere is that duality presented better than in the opening track, "All For Good." Where the previous CD opened with the rollicking and anthemic declaration, "Gonna start a revolution, made of action not of words," this one begins with sparse instrumentation, an almost autumnal melody, and world-weary resignation: "It's just one more day out of my life gone for good... I keep turning over in my mind, did I get it right?" It's the self-doubt of the traveler who has devoted enormous energies to making a positive impact during life's pilgrimage, but inevitably must confront the possibility that it wasn't enough, or worse still that it's all been for naught. But then out of the darkness comes a beam of light, a joyous and hopeful chorus made all the more beautiful by the contrast, justifying the effort and resolve required to forge on. The realization that "all that is here is for good" makes for an even more powerful anthem than the one that opened the last record.

Even the up-tempo, happy numbers, like the title track, are made more potent by at least a passing nod (or is it a wink?) to life's downside. Extolling the virtues of those pastures where there's "room enough to grow" implies an understanding of less enjoyable places and ways of life. Like the places that inspired "What I Wouldn't Give For a River," an aching expression of yearning for the solitude of a quieter and simpler way of life that is among Adrienne's best songwriting efforts. "Natural Bridge," the track that's racked up the most plays on my iTunes, could be the result of having finally gotten a taste of that simpler life where "my soul will dance again with my true love and all my kin." It also features some lovely dobro work from Andy Hall. The amazing Will Kimbrough, Mike Gordon from Phish, and one of my favorite bluegrass singers, Dale Ann Bradley, also make marvelous contributions to this CD. Former members of Adrienne's band (including fiddler Eric Merrill, bassist Kyle Kegerreis, and guitarist Hans Holzen) lend their considerable talents as well, and I would be remiss not to mention the wonderful work of guitarist Edward O'Day who is definately someone from whom we should expect big things.

Initially I questioned the decision to cover Joni Mitchell's "Free Man In Paris." Amazingly, it fits very comfortably smack dab in the middle of Adrienne's songs. If her originals weren't so good, Joni's tune would stick out like a sore thumb, but as it is, "Free Man" is just another great song among many and is a spirited, first-rate performance by both vocalist and band. Plus it nicely echoes the sentiments of the opening track: "you just can't win," but you do your best just the same.

"Plow to the End of the Row" and "The Art of Virtue," both of which I love, serve as the great foundation upon which "Room to Grow" and whatever may follow will stand. This is something more than what we've heard from Adrienne in the past, and something greater and more powerful than we could have expected. Here's hoping it's just one more step down a long and fruitful path.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's.
Good for relaxing pregnant women
Too much opera
Does what it set out to do, very well
TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Johann Sebastian Bach , Léo Delibes , Gabriel Fauré , Erik Satie , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saens , Henryk Gorecki , Antonio Vivaldi , Edward Elgar , Jocelyn Pook , Sergey Rachmaninov , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Luigi Boccherini , Jules Massenet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Jacques Offenbach , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Giacomo Puccini , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Alexander Borodin , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Samuel Barber
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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25 Classical Favorites
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

A fine studio effort!!
excellence and mediocrity
You'll be skipping over the furrows with this band
Adrienne Young
What do you say...

Plow to the End of the Row
Adrienne Young & Little Sadie
Manufacturer: Addie Belle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Waterloo, Tennessee

ASIN: B0001XARE0
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Tracks:

Plow To The End Of The Row
Leather Britches
Home Remedy
Sadie's Song
Nippers Corner
I Cannot Justify
Conestoga
Poison
Her Eyes Were Watching God
Blinded By Stars
Soldier's Joy
Marching Jaybird
Lonesome Road Blues
Satan, Yer Kingdom Must Come Down

Customer Reviews:

A fine studio effort!!.......2006-08-15

Recording & mixing is excellent. Adrienne has such fine voice and style. All of the musicianship from the band members is quality.

excellence and mediocrity.......2006-03-21

Some of these songs are pure excellence! Young's arrangement and performance of traditional tunes is fantastic- good for a big fun family dance party. The original songs are eneven: Plow to the End of the Row is really good, but Home Remedy is sappy and gets old fast. A couple of political songs are well written and performed, but annoying in their suprficial treatment of complicated issues (or maybe I just disagree with her!). I bought this after hearing Leather Breaches on the radio and thought I would get a great old-time music album. What I got was a good folk album with some strong old time influence. If that's what you're after and you agree with her politics (she is admirably spunky) you will love this. If your looking for good old-time music you'll get about three excellent songs here and some filler.

You'll be skipping over the furrows with this band.......2005-09-27

Wow! what a great band. Heard "Wedding Ring" on XM Radio and promptly purchased both Plow... and The Art of Virtue. An easy way to raise one's spirits, put a smile on your face and want to dance. (And, that's just the music, before you listen to the thoughtful lyrics). Anxiously awaiting any music they produce in the future. Get both of these albums; all the tracks are exceptional!! Thank you Adrienne Young and Little Sadie for such fine music.

Adrienne Young.......2005-09-06

Sitting in a Starbucks, I heard a song of hers for the first time and loved it so much that I was compelled to ask Starbucks staff who was singing (had never heard of Adrienne Young before). After returning home, I went straight to the computer and ordered "Plow to the End of the Row" from Amazon -- and have since bought two more copies as gifts. Second best part: Her CD came with flower seeds!!!

What do you say..........2005-05-01

when you're speechless? Trust me, you will feel cheated when the CD is over. You'll wish it would go on and on. Adrienne Young is fabulous. If I had only one word to describe this music it would be "comfort". Thanks Adrienne and Little Sadie.

Average customer rating:

Great songs in great packaging
The Art of Virtue
Virtuoso Performance
Underwhelmed...
The Best Album of 2005

The Art of Virtue
Adrienne Young & Little Sadie
Manufacturer: Addie Belle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Plow to the End of the Row
She Waits for Night
Song of the Traveling Daughter
Room to Grow
The Duhks

ASIN: B0009U5FQK
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Art Of Virtue
Bonaparte's Retreat/My Love Is In America
Hills And Hollers
Jump The Broom
My Sin Is Pride
My Love Will Keep
Ella Arkansas
Rastus Russell
Wedding Rings
Don't Get Weary
Golden Ticket
Walls Of Jericho
It's All The Same
Farther Along/Billy In The Low Ground
Brokedown Palace

Amazon.com

Adrienne Young & Little Sadie's The Art of Virtue is a fun, poppy country-folk album--more folk than country and more either than pop, but nevertheless accessible while remaining true to its roots. (There isn't a thing wrong with their renditions of the traditional "Farther Along" and "Bonaparte's Retreat"--this is a string band, featuring Young on clawhammer banjo, that knows what it's doing.) What really makes the album special, though, is Young's originals, whose earnestness it's hard not to get caught up in. Just try listening to the title track or "Jump the Broom" while sitting still. Another highlight is "Hills & Hollers," Young's elegy for the built-over American landscape ("There used to be hills and hollers here/Wild turkey and the white-tailed deer/Creeks runnin' crystal-clear/Water on its way to the Gulf of Mexico"). Like its predecessor, Plow to the End of the Row, the album is coproduced by the multitalented Will Kimbrough, who also lends his instrumental, compositional, and singing talents to many of the tracks. --Benjamin Lukoff

About the Artist

Fusing past and present in her pop-inflected old time music, Adrienne Young applies a worldly compassion, a poet's pen and a spirit of independence and self-reliance to her sophomore effort The Art of Virtue, out June 28, 2005, on her own Addiebelle Records (distributed by Virtual Label/Ryko).

Inspired in part by Ben Franklin's `virtues of man' writings and stories from an older and perhaps wiser America, Young expands upon the themes of cultivation and stewardship so beautifully asserted on her acclaimed debut Plow to the End of the Row. With Virtue, Young makes a statement both personal and universal, both idealistic and constructive.

"There seems to be a growing passion--collectively and individually--to understand the foundation of our American culture and how we've turned from that," states Young. "Personally, it steered me back toward a time when our country was rooted in agrarian ideals and words were powerful enough to begin a new world. Ben Franklin had such a practical approach toward nurturing virtue, the first point being nobody's perfect!"

The Art of Virtue was produced by Young with able assistance from long-time collaborator Will Kimbrough and acoustic recording genius Gary Paczosa. Besides Young's accomplished songwriting, the 15 tracks include old-time fiddle tunes reimagined for a new day, the gospel standard "Farther Along," and the Grateful Dead's classic anthem of renewal "Brokedown Palace." The message is consistent: every choice we make, from the food we buy to the channels we watch to the history we do or don't preserve, has consequences. Our standards can be higher, she says, despite the many forces that seem to corrode them. Few songwriters can negotiate this terrain with ease and assurance, but Young is one who can.

Raised in Florida and influenced by her grandfather (who at age 80 still picks in a bluegrass band), Young evolved from actress to recording artist after moving to Nashville and enrolling in Belmont University's music business program. Her career accelerated after she took first place in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at North Carolina's Merlefest. Then, working with Nashville pop and alt-country visionary Will Kimbrough, Young made Plow to the End of the Row. Not only was the album acclaimed by critics, it earned a Grammy nomination for album design. Those who bought the album were rewarded by the tiny package of seeds nested in the CD sleeve, an idea of Young's that made her worldview tangible.

With The Art of Virtue, Young's singing and songwriting has achieved a new level of lushness and depth. The pop freshness so apparent on Young songs like "Home Remedy" and "I Cannot Justify" is here, though perhaps nestled deeper inside a musical bed chiefly made of Young's old-time banjo, striking fiddling and silvery, bold acoustic guitar. In songs like "Rastus Russell," "Walls of Jericho" and "It's All the Same," Young articulates a moral vision with stories and allegory. In the title track, she asserts a more direct call for action and accountability, in her own life and indirectly in the rest of ours.

Customer Reviews:

Great songs in great packaging.......2007-03-20

I could not believe the awesome packaging this CD came in when it arrived. In addition to extensive liner notes with all the lyrics printed, there was a sticker of the cover, a book of virtue charts created by Benjamin Franklin, a card with a free download, and a lot of other extras. I am a big B. Franklin fan, so this was a more than pleasant surprise.

Now, the music. WOW! I am a card-carrying bluegrass/folk fan, but have found some recent offerings to be lacking. NOT THIS ONE! This is great music, pure and simple. Sample "Art of Virtue", "My Sin is Pride", "Hills and Hollers", and "Brokedown Palace". I heard Adrienne on Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion" do "Brokedown Palace" and knew I wanted to hear more.

Finding that the CD was co-produced by Will Kimbrough factored into my enjoyment. I followed Will's early music career with Will & the Bushmen and always loved his style and songwriting.

This is a great CD folks. Even your friends that do not listen to folk/bluegrass will like it.

The Art of Virtue.......2006-07-25

GREAT lyrics and music...loved the up-dated bluegrass sound and the beautiful packaging of the disc! I heartily recommend this disc to all "country" fans who are open to Lucinda Williams and others who have a unique sound. The mandolin accompaniment included in several of the songs on this disc is really well done!

Virtuoso Performance.......2006-02-14

Excellent lyrics!

Masterful musicianship!

Beautiful voice!

This recording is simply superb!

Not a weak song on the disc. Each song is better than the next and the one before better than all that follow.

Brokedown Palace was a great way to end it. JG would have loved it -- JC too!!

(And one does not have to hear an interview to undestand the flake factor...just read the liner notes....but disregard that....that seems to be pretty common for the artists amongst us.....for this is a magnificent piece of music.....and it speaks for itself....)

Underwhelmed..........2006-01-15

This CD came highly rated by several critics, making it onto several reviewers' "Top 10 Folk CDs of 2005" lists. I was excited to hear it, since I appreciate bluegrass, Appalachian folk, and the amazing instrumentation that can accompany well-arranged traditional music (or music played in traditional style). After several listens to this CD, I am very disappointed... the playing is proficient, but not inspiring; the arrangements are mediocre... the packaging is deceptively beautiful, however (I'll give them that). The theme of the CD is intriguing, but most of the songs are so similar that it seems to get lost.

For anyone who wants to hear truly amazing Appalachian influenced folk music, I suggest anything by Atwater-Donnelly. Bluegrass? Alison Krauss is way better, though some feel she has "sold out." This CD is okay... but underwhelming.

The Best Album of 2005.......2006-01-04

The Art of Virtue is a wonderfully conceived and beautifully executed album from one of the brightest lights shining for the future of country music. Young, with her band Little Sadie, turns a perusal of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac into a album which contemplates both the history of our country and the place of a person trying to be good and true to themselves in current society. The album art even includes a book of the thirteen virtues for those who want to contemplate they (or even just contemplate the ones on which Franklin himself fell short.) Wrapped up in parables and poetry, Young delivers the goods on her Sophomore album, providing the perfect balance of an album that is intelligent and thought provoking as well as catchy and fun.
The album opens with the title track, a rousing bluegrass declaration of intentions which finds Young asserting "Gonna start a revolution/made of actions not of words/practice in the art of virtue/draw right on the learning curve." Next comes Little Sadie's rendition of the classic Bonaparte's Retreat. She follows this up with the song it inspired, "Hills and Hollers" about the changing landscape in America. A flurry of fiddle and banjo takes us back in time and traces the roots of the African slave ritual of "Jump the Broom" up the mountains where poor white people borrowed it's practicality in a place too few preachers ventured far too seldom. Will Kimbrough provides heavenly harmony vocals throughout the entire album, and few places is this more evident than on the lovely "My Sin Is Pride," a song about the strain pride puts on a relationship. Young and songwriting partner Mark Sanders touch on Emily Dickson with "My Love Will Keep," a song who's seasonal chorus reflects Dickson's "In the Spring of the Year," with opposite meanings of course. Next Young pays tribute to her family on a pair of wonderful ballads. "Pretty Ella Arkansas" sings of a strong willed, high spirited woman who lived to 91 and raised 9 children. Rastus Russell is a bloody, gothic story about a cold blooded killer and the swath of terror he cut through the country side (Young's grandfather was the police man who put the handcuffs on him). Next up is an old-fashioned, tongue in cheek song about a woman looking for a man to put a ring on her finger. She follows this with a fun and rousing rendition of Uncle Dave Macon's "Don't Get Weary." "Golden Ticket" provides another instrumental classic interlude. A pretty fiddle run leads us into the melancholy "Walls of Jericho." "It's All The Same" was inspired by the perspective's recorded in Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, fit very easily into contemporary times from the opening "One foot in front of the other/It's hard as hell these days" through the closing "We stake it all on the coming of a savior/to right all the wrongs we've done." After this comes a warm and lively rendition of "Farther Along" (Billy in the Low Ground). Young closes the album with a delicate and understated cover of The Grateful Dead's melancholy and redemptive "Brokedown Palace."
With The Art of Virtue Young makes an album in the true spirit of traditional bluegrass--a contemplation of values and ethics set to parables. However, there is no denying that Young's sound is completely her own and she renders all questions of new or old country moot by making a completely timeless album. Informed by and involved with the world around her (the back page of her liner notes offers fans websites to help them find local farmers markets and co-ops because "Eating is a spiritual, moral and political act."). In this album she moves past the personal journal styled writing of many of her contemporaries and into the realm of such greats as Rodney Crowell and Bob Dylan. Add to the mix understated, yet tightly woven and perfectly played instrumentals and evocative vocals and harmonies and the album is a rare jewel of high value. In a year that features new releases from such perennial benchmark setters as Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash, Adrienne Young and her band Little Sadie may have just put out the album of the year.

Average customer rating:

A Legendary Singer.
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's Bach: The mind of God revealed!!
Glorious singing to treasure for decades
Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson (1954-2006), supreme Handelian
The Stellar Hunt Lieberson

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Handel Arias

Manufacturer: Avie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00022LZW8
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

Ah! Whither Should We Fly...
...As With Rosy Steps The Morn
O Bright Example Of All Goodness!...
...Bane Of Virtue, Nurse Of Passions
The Clouds Begin To Veil The Hemisphere...
...Defend Her Heav'n!
Lord, To Thee Each Night And Day
She's Gone, Disdaining Liberty And Life...
...New Scenes Of Joy
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Se Bramate D'amar, Chi Vi Sdegna
Frondi Tenere E Belle...
...Ombra Mai Fu

Amazon.com

If you think you've heard Handel's "Ombra mai fu" (known as his "Largo") so often, and in so many different arrangements, and sung by so many different voices, that you can no longer be moved or surprised by it, think again. This CD of Handel arias, mostly from his Theodora or the cantata La Lucrezia, ends with "Ombra mai fu," and as sung by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, it is so tender, so beautiful, so impeccably shaded, that you'll think you're hearing it for the first time. But that's only four of this disc's 67 minutes---a follow-up to Hunt Lieberson's extraordinarily successful CD of Bach cantatas. There's not a dull or disinterested moment to be heard anywhere. As the violated Lucrezia, Hunt Lieberson alternately rages against the man who raped her and turns her grief inward; the former is terrifying in its intensity, the latter makes us almost feel as if we're eavesdropping. The five arias for Irene, Theodora's friend, confidante, and the upholder of Christian beliefs are all magical prayers or statements of faith, and from Hunt Lieberson, they become real, with each word honestly conveyed and colored. The voice itself is unfailingly beautiful---warm, lush, never forced, agile when necessary---and her breath control is stunning. She is backed ideally by Harry Bicket and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the string soloists in the ensemble---the viola da gamba player, lutenist, etc.---are as gifted as she is. If you want proof that Handel was a great dramatist with a special gift for communicating emotion, all while listening to sublime sounds, this CD is a must. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A Legendary Singer........2007-03-07

I simply don't have the heart to review Mrs. Lieberson's works.
If we call Ms. Bartoli a 'great' singer, then the description of 'legendary' more aptly depicts Mrs. Lieberson.
If ever a truly good artist lived, Mrs. Lieberson is one such.
The only singer that could be recalled singing in such style is Teresa Berganza; but still, they are different.
This is one of my favourite interpretators of Haendel. Having been 'treated' by those coloraturas of arias of Haendel's period by Ms. Bartoli and others, I find the singing of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson a great relief - at last, this is what Haendel would want it to be. And I equally enjoy the singing of soprano arias by Mrs. Lieberson - the timbre is warmer, but still with all the shimmer - so different from the dark mushy tones of other celebrated 'lyrical soprano' around.
Don't want to say more. Mrs. Lieberson's leaving last year is too heavy a news for me.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's Bach: The mind of God revealed!!.......2007-01-06

These deeply felt performances of two of Bach's most moving cantatas show this transcendent singer's combination of emotional honesty and profound musicality, all combined to reveal the very mind of God through divine redemption from suffering. The disc is to be treasured even more in light of the Ms. Lieberson's recent untimely death from cancer. I'm an agnostic, but this music makes me envious of those who can believe. Roy in Pope Valley, California

Glorious singing to treasure for decades.......2006-07-11

By any measure, America's Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is at least the equal of Italy's premier diva, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, although she does not have the same superstar status. It is difficult to recall past mezzos with clearer enunciation of English text, (as favoured in nine excerpts from Theodora), the richness of voice, displayed in full-throated fortissimo and sharply contrasted pianissimo of utmost delicacy, evokes fondest memories of the tragically doomed Kathleen Ferrier. Masterfully chosen to display every facet of Hunt Lieberson's consumate command of Handel's dauntingly difficult music, the disc's repertoire - recitatives and linkig arias from the operas Theodora and Serse, and the cantana La Lucrezia - is stunning. An unsung mezzo who makes the senses tingle!

Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson (1954-2006), supreme Handelian.......2006-07-06

I have never heard a voice purer of tone, more flexible in phrasing, and so gorgeously produced in a homogeneous column of sound such as this artist in Handel's repertoire. It is very tastefully sung (unlike a certain person whose name begins with R and ends with enaaay Fleming) and so dramatically touching that one could not help but feel that this repertoire finally has found its instrument. And how sad it is to know that this instrument has passed away two days ago. Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson died two days ago in her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico of breast cancer. It is such a huge loss to the opera world, as she is an artist who is still experiencing the prime of her career. The voice is just so beautiful, the tone so pure, that I lament that we can no longer hear any great roles from this artist. She will be missed.

The Stellar Hunt Lieberson.......2006-03-19

Simply put, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is one of the very best classical singers alive. She combines vocal elegance and purity with an emotional delivery that raises her above the crowd of technically proficient singers who just don't possess her depth of musical understanding or emotional commitment. Hunt Lieberson is a true artist who resists easy classfication except to say she is perfect in what she does.

Average customer rating:

best record ever
The Life Pursuit
i never knew
Thoughtful, sentimental, sad, upbeat, sublime, melodic
nice and breezy

The Life Pursuit
Belle & Sebastian
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Crane Wife
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ASIN: B000E11568
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Tracks:

ACT OF THE APOSTLE
ANOTHER SUNNY DAY
WHITE COLLAR BOY
THE BLUES ARE STILL BLUE
DRESS UP IN YOU
SUKIE IN THE GRAVEYARD
WE ARE THE SLEEPYHEADS
SONG FOR SUNSHINE
FUNNY LITTLE FROG
TO BE MYSELF COMPLETELY
ACT OF THE APOSTLE II
FOR THE PRICE OF A CUP OF TEA
MORNINGTON CRESCENT

Amazon.com

Oh to be free and frivolous, like Stuart Murdoch and his extensive cast of players as they engage The Life Pursuit. There's no "Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It" or "Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying" on this disc. Life has gotten easier, it seems, since Belle and Sebastian's early days. To boot, since 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress, the Belle cast has indulged a more 70s-era set of influences: Isn't that Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" beat on the funny "White Collar Boy," a near sequel to "Step Into My Office, Baby"? And how about the T-Rex touch on the opening of "The Blues Are Still Blue"? No worries, Belle and Sebastian retain their gleam flawlessly. A jaunty lift is still in their step, a carefree abandon that charms even as it also reaches to the 70s for the funk-meets-psychedelia, "Song for Sunshine." It's bright and breezy throughout (the titles tell some of the story: "Another Sunny Day" and "Funny Little Frog"), with memorably decorous, familiar bouncing rhythms marking much of the album. The downtone "Dress Up in You" and "Mornington Crescent" are spare and lovely, wide-open in their pacing. All the same, "For the Price of a Cup of Tea," almost triggers a sing-along with just its name. --Andrew Bartlett

More from Belle & Sebastian

Push Barman to Open Old Wounds
The Boy with the Arab Strap
Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant

If You're Feeling Sinister
Tigermilk
Belle & Sebastian--Fans Only

Customer Reviews:

best record ever.......2007-06-10

I've always liked Belle & Sebastian. This is the best record they ever made. Anybody who doesn't like because it's too "slick" or "glossy" you are stupid. You may yearn for the charm of un-produced songs of the past and they were great but these songs are better. I don't skip over nothing. This is one of the better full record/albums prolly ever made. I really believe that.

The Life Pursuit.......2007-06-08

Reductive as it may sound, recent decades have musical signifiers that define the eras that spawned them. The `70s had disco. The `80s had synth-pop. The `90s had grunge. If you didn't look very hard, you might conclude that the `00s lack a musical style to call its own, but in fact, many of today's rock musicians have made their mark by culling from genres past: post-punk, folk-pop, new wave, garage rock and surf rock, just to name a few.

Forced to give an example of this trend, you could do a lot worse than Belle & Sebastian. They blazed onto the scene in 1996 with their first wide release, If You're Feeling Sinister, a winsome folk-pop pastiche that channeled The Field Mice, Nick Drake (in a big way) and Simon & Garfunkel. But even past-dependent bands need to evolve, and after treading water on 2000's Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant, they bounced back in 2003 with the sonically rich Dear Catastrophe Waitress and again in 2006 with The Life Pursuit--an album even more varied and energetic than its predecessor.

Playing "Spot the Influence" on The Life Pursuit is pretty easy if you've been following your music history. The carefree, eclectic spirit of The Smiths echoes throughout the album, most prominently on the sprightly "We Are the Sleepyheads" and the infectiously catchy "Funny Little Frog." There are shout-outs to `50s rockabilly a la Bill Haley ("The Blues Are Still Blue"), road trip-style Americana ("Another Sunny Day") and even Motown soul ("Song for Sunshine"), reminiscent of Marvin Gaye's more uptempo numbers.

The Life Pursuit transcends mere idol worship, however, due to Belle & Sebastian's ever-apparent modernist skew. "White Collar Boy" is the obvious exemplar: It's backboned by a stomping beat lifted from The Clash's "London Calling," and its jangly, bouncy guitars recall those oh-so-cheery performances on "American Bandstand." But the band takes advantage of modern instrumentation by incorporating a squelchy Korg in lieu of a bass, which makes sense in this flashy context. Additionally, the subject matter concerning an unceremonious white collar crime stands in blatant contrast to the song's instrumental cuteness. Think Stereolab in full Marxist mode and you've got the idea.

Between 2000 and 2006, Belle & Sebastian transformed from a collaborative outfit to what is now, essentially, a Stuart Murdoch solo project. As with Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Murdoch serves as principle songwriter, lyricist, vocalist and guitarist. He's more willing to take left turns than the rest of the band, and while his R&B singing comes off a little awkwardly, he has an unusually high success rate when he stretches himself. "Another Sunny Day," for example, is prime alternative country-rock, its driving rhythm and twanging guitars recalling the sunny, expansive highways of Nashville. As if that weren't enough, he's complemented by Waitress producer Trevor Horn, who has an intuitive feel for the band and lends them an appropriately crisp sound.

The Life Pursuit is Belle & Sebastian's most energetic release, and therein lies its only flaw. If someone had described Belle & Sebastian as "energetic" circa 1996, you probably would have laughed, but after ten years the band has moved fully out of the bedroom and into the world at large. The problem is that the most valuable introspection often occurs in the quiet confines of the bedroom, and for all of The Life Pursuit's giddy joy, most of its appeal lies right on its surface and doesn't especially reward deeper listening. If that makes The Life Pursuit slightly less masterful than Dear Catastrophe Waitress, it also firmly cements Belle & Sebastian's exciting new direction and heralds them as some of the finest torch-bearers of the 2000's zeitgeist.

i never knew.......2007-05-25

wow! i truly love this album. the songs are melodic but not depressing. the lyrics are beautiful and fierce! and all i wanna do is listen to this album again and again! "funny little frog" has a wonderful beat to it and makes me wanna hug somebody! all i wanna do when listening to "we are the sleepyheads" is drive with the wind in my hair! all the songs are great! buy this album!

Thoughtful, sentimental, sad, upbeat, sublime, melodic.......2007-04-02

Such an interesting set of emotions this music conjures, with ranging from the effervescent and hopeful "For the Price of a Cup of Tea" to a winding and countryish, starkly devastating "Another Sunny Day".

There are stories in every song, yet without otherwise downbeat, morose or self-important tones meant to drive meanings home. Often, the music seems an ironic consideration, offering even subtle sarcasm and unabashed expression to carry (and parry?) the prosaic tellings. I can hear creative timing and inescapable, sugary licks from 10cc, with the modern exuberance of Supergrass, in pop elements of their formulations. Some later Stranglers modern rock and even 70s Bowie influences infect a number of tracks. Throughout, there is a sense of arthouse sensibilities beneath the slick production - which seems a polished representation of their actual music, rather than being a simple covering or gussying up of inferior music that we often hear from obfuscatory, post-production effects in such prevalent use these days.

Loads more influences are evident, but hopefully you get the idea: each song has been imbibed with meaningful consideration of its unique storyline, yet wrapped in driving, highly complementary and fresh sounds that evoke familiar influences. It almost sounds like pop music that *must* have already been recorded by others, yet you are constantly reminded that it was never quite like this.

There are no didactic qualities to the otherwise thoughtful tales - they seem offered for reflection on both the speaker and yourself, as seems fitting. No moralizing in subjects touching on religion, relationships or society. Marvelously open to your judgement, with layers of depth to consider during and even after the listen. Regardless of whether you find a personal sharing in the situation or not, these individual themes evoke empathy by virtue of their thorough crafting and closely conjoined melodies.

At first, the tunes themselves pulled me in to a purchase. But, after a handful of repeated listenings (and, I rarely "repeat listen" to anything) the lyrical depth of consideration, whimsy and even simple story-telling craft carved deep furrows into my daydreaming times. Some songs have gained more emotional weight than I initially expected - yet, they remain so compelling, I keep going back to listen again. And, I have kept coming back to this record throughout my first week of ownership, many times a day. Quite odd for me, really.

Since this purchase, I've gone back in their catalogue to buy "If You're Feeling Sinister", which seems from the same roots . . . just, less musically advanced, more fragile in the production and certainly not near as confident in the presentation in contrast to The Life Pursiot. Yet, just as deep and emotionally considerable without being too ponderous, even then. Both albums are lovely and enjoyable in their own ways, with much shared between them, essentially.

I feel this latest album by Belle & Sebastian sounds part of a natural progression, perhaps a maturation of both musicality and acceptance/understanding of their subject matter, and can see plenty of room for broadening their sound styles beyond "The Life Pursuit" without losing who they appear to be at the core.

Recommended.

nice and breezy.......2007-03-30

i never really heard any of their stuff before...and i am reminded of that other scottisch band Zephyrs in places, but less spacy. This record sparkles and is just right.

Average customer rating:

Yankee Doodle Dandy Review
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Amazing! Wonderful! Just buy it - you won't be sorry!
What a find!!
A Soundtrack Every American Should Own

Yankee Doodle Dandy
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954 Film Soundtrack)

ASIN: B000066RM7
Release Date: 2002-06-18

Tracks:

Main Title: Warner Bros. Signature/Yankee Doodle/Yankee Doodle Boy/Mary's A Grand Old Name/Off The Record - Warner Bros. Orchestra
Early Years Sequence: Columbia The Gem Of The Ocean/The Dancing Master/While Strolling Through The Park One Day/At A Georgia Camp Meeting - Walter Huston
I Was Born In Virginia - Walter Huston
The Warmest Baby In The Bunch - Sally Sweetland
Harrigan - Sally Sweetland
Yankee Doodle Boy - James Cagney
Little Johnny Jones Sequence: The Yankee Doodle Boy/Good Luck Johnny/Little Johnny Jones Special/Finale Special/All Aboard For Old Broadway/Rocket/Give My Regards To Broadway - James Cagney
Medley: Oh, You Wonderful Girl/Blue Skies, Gray Skies/The Belle Of The Barber's Ball - Walter Huston
Mary's A Grand Old Name - Sally Sweetland
Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway - James Cagney
Fay Templeton Medley: Mary's A Grand Old Name/Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway/So Long, Mary - Irene Manning
You're A Grand Old Flag - Walter Huston
Over There - Frances Langford
Medley: In A Kingdom Of Our Own/Love Nest/Nellie Kelly, I Love You/The Man Who Owns Broadway/Molly Malone/Billie - Frances Langford
Off The Record - James Cagney
Finale And End Cast: Over There/Yankee Doodle Boy - James Cagney
You Remind Me Of My Mother (Outtake) - James Cagney
Medley: Oh, You Wonderful Girl/Blue Skies, Gray Skies/The Belle Of The Barber's Ball (Piano Only Version) - Walter Huston
Give My Regards To Broadway (Rehearsal) - James Cagney
You're A Grand Old Flag (Rehearsal) - James Cagney

Amazon.com

When one thinks of musicals from Hollywood's golden age, the initials MGM come almost instantly to mind. Indeed when veteran song-and-dance man George M. Cohan was negotiating a film based on his colorful life story, his first choice was Metro--until a falling out with studio chief Louis B. Mayer. But L.B.'s loss eventually became Warner Brothers'--and film history's--gain when the Burbank studio's Cohan musical became a massive, patriotic hit in the opening months of World War II. As chronicled in this vibrantly restored, first-ever complete soundtrack for the film, it was a compelling twist of fate. James Cagney turns in one of the screen's most ostensibly unlikely--and ultimately indelible--musical performances (netting him his only Best Actor Oscar ^®), teaming with studio music director Roy Heindorf to update Cohan's once-quaint turn-of the-century patriotic ditties ("You're a Grand Old Flag," "Over There," "Yankee Doodle Boy") and infectious vaudevillian chestnuts ("Give My Regards to Broadway," "Harrigan") with bracing dollops of the studio's '40s orchestral sass--and, just months after Pearl Harbor, some crucial historical parallels. Also included are four bonus tracks that remarkably survived the film's preproduction, including an outtake of "You Remind Me of My Mother" and voice-and-piano-only rehearsal versions of "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "You're a Grand Old Flag" that further underscore Cagney's deceptively effortless ability to sell a song despite his limited musical gifts. It's a long overdue showcase for a true American film musical gem. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Yankee Doodle Dandy Review.......2006-11-03

It's an old movie with an old soundtrack, but I loved the movie, I love the music, and I'm very happy with my purchase.

Yankee Doodle Dandy.......2006-06-30

Excellent in black and white and color. James Cagney also got a medal from a President. (President Reagan!} If you like entertainment...this is it!

Amazing! Wonderful! Just buy it - you won't be sorry!.......2005-03-05

I am so very glad I bought this CD. I own the DVD of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and watch it all the time, so I almost didn't buy this, wondering if I really needed yet another CD.

Well, thank God I didn't pay any attention to that dumb idea!

If you love "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and Cagney, you just have to buy this soundtrack. It's like being able to take the movie with you anywhere ... it's not just the songs - as others have said - but also includes bits of Cagney's voice-overs, even the tap-dancing from the end of "Little Johnny Jones." And since the audio system in my car is better than my TV's, it all seemed even bigger, richer and better. (George M. would love that!)

Wonderful, wonderful stuff!

What a find!!.......2003-06-15

I haven't been able to see this movie on TV since Turner bought it (don't get TCM), but if you've seen the movie several tims, as I have, listening to this CD is very nearly as good as watching it all the way through. (I'm so delighted with it that I'm even willing to forgive TCM for putting a paper ad inside with the disc.)

Monumental effort must have gone into this soundtrack, given the age of the original recordings. The tracks here are crisp, clear, and bright, with no evidence of how long ago they were first put down. The editors were also generous in their inclusion of dialogue that ties some of the tracks together (for example, we hear the man tell Johny Jones to watch for the skyrocket, then we hear the skyrocket as it leads into "Give My Regards to Broadway"). There are a couple of places where the endings are slightly abrupt but this is because, in the movie, the music fades into extended dialogue.

The only bit of dialogue I expected to hear in a song, but didn't, is in "Over There" near the very end of the film, when Cagney/Cohan has fallen in step with the soldiers going off to WWII, as they're singing "Over There", when the soldier nearest him says something like, "What's wrong, old timer, don't know the words?" and Cagney says, "Seems to me I do" and starts singing along. That's minor and pales next to how wonderful the rest of this soundtrack is.

One of the biggest treats on this CD is that we get to hear some of Cagney's tapping, notably in "Give My Regards to Broadway", "You're a Grand Old Flag", and - one of my favorite moments in movie history - when he dances down the White House stairs to "Yankee Doodle" near the end).

The outtake is not a humorous one, simply a track they decided not to use. It and the rehearsal tracks are all just the performers voices with piano accompaniment. I especially enjoyed hearing Cagney rehearsing "You're a Grand Old Flag".

If you like Cagney, if you like Cohan's music, if you like movies "the way they used to make them", or if you're not ashamed to get a little choked up with patriotism once in a while, you will not be disappointed in this CD!

A Soundtrack Every American Should Own.......2002-09-23

Finally! If you own that Hollywood Soundstage abomination of the "Yankee Doodle Dandy" soundtrack you can finally pitch it. Here is the real article. Rhino (Turner Classic Movies Music) lovingly restored the music from the beloved "Yankee Doodle Dandy" motion picture starring James Cagney. This soundtrack sounds astonishing considering it's 60 years old. It's very obvious some loving care was taken in it's production for which we all should be greatful. The liner notes also are great with informative text and wonderful photos from the movie. The marvelous George M. Cohan songs gives one goosebumps and bring tears to the eyes. We all need this type of patriotic pep rally, especially in these tough times. As I've said, this soundtrack belongs in every American's home just as much as that "Grand Old Flag"! I believe there are plans to release the movie on DVD, hopefully soon.

Average customer rating:

Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works
Don't...!!!
Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality
Great Music......Horrible Mastering
Surely I am proud to be an Italian-American!!

Pavarotti: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000042HZ
Release Date: 1997-09-30

Tracks:

Turandot: Nessun dorma
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
La Traviata: Brindisi
Aida: Se quel guerrier io foss ... Celeste Aida
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
Martha: M'appari
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Fedora: Amor ti vieta
Pagliaccci: Recitar!... Vesti la guibba
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
L'africana: Mi batte il cuor ... O paradiso
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
Manon Lescaut: Ma se vi talenta ... Tra voi, belle
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
La Favorita: Spirito gentil
II torvatore: Di quella pira
L'amico Fritz: Suzel, buon di

Tracks:

O sole mio
Torna a Surriento
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Core 'ngrato
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Funiculi Funicul
Notte 'e piscatore
O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel)
Panis angelicus
Ave Marie: Ave Maria
Mattinata
La danza
Caro mio ben
Caruso
My Way
Santa Lucia
Tu che m'hai preso il cuor
Mamma
La mai canzone al vento: La mia canzone al vento
Volare
Passione
Granda: Granada

Customer Reviews:

Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works.......2007-03-01

This is a "Super hits" CD, with over forty different cuts (quite a few of which have appeared elsewhere, of course). For those who are aficionados of Pavarotti, this is what might be called "hog heaven."

Disc 1 features estimable works such as "Nessun dorma" (well done, with his voice showing to good effect), "Che gelida manina" (excellently done, with good characterization), ""Celeste Aida" (elegantly sung), "Di quella pira" (a much better than average version), "E lucevan le stelle" (Pavarotti does a nice job in the Puccini-Verdi repertoire), "La donna e mobile" (sung with aplomb), "Recondita armonia" (the other aria from Tosca, which also shows Pavarotti's voice off to good effect), and so on.

Disc 2 is especially interesting, because it features a more popular set of works, from the redoubtable "O sole mio" (richly orchestrated and nicely sung, not overpowered by Pavarotti's operatic voice), "Core n'grato" (compare with Caruso's version), "Oh, holy night," "La danza" (spritely sung with excellent breath control in a treacherous song), "Santa Lucia" (again, smoothly sung), "Ave Maria" (seemingly sung with respect and affection).

A cornucopia of Pavarottiana. For those fans of Pavarotti, this "greatest hits" collection will be welcome. For those who may not be aware of this tenor when his voice was still fresh, this is a fine entrée to his work.

Don't...!!!.......2005-01-24

To combine a voice as beautiful as Pavarotti's with some of the world's greatest music and outstanding orchestras, and end up with this...`thing'...is unforgivable. After buying and listening to it, it brought to mind those painful words "A fool, a fool. I saw a fool today. I saw him in the mirror."

R. J. Rogers

Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality.......2004-10-11

I have never been a huge fan of Maestro Pavarotti but I must admit that this compilation is a masterful collection of his operatic highlights.

I particularily enjoy the first disc which contains just about all the major tenor arias. The singing is superb and listening to this CD it becomes obvious what the fuss over the pre-3 Tenors Pavarotti was all about - the man really did have one of the greatest tenor voices of all time.
His diction was flawless, his line perfect and his interpretation in keeping with the greatest of the Italian tenors of days gone by.

The second disc is interesting in that it is a bit uneven. It contains a few neapolitan standards, a x-mas song, a duet with Frank Sinatra and some other random selections.

Overall this is a 5 star CD but due to the extremely low volume, particularily on the first and most important disc I can only give it a 4 star rating.

On a final note, anyone puzzeled by the current hype over the now againg and commercially over-blown Pavarotti should purchase this CD. This is the great tenor in his prime and as such a CD well worth having...even if you're not a Pavarotti fan.
I'm still not, but I recognize greatness when I hear it.

Great Music......Horrible Mastering.......2004-07-24

Pavarotti has a voice that can take hold of you and change your entire mood...even if you don't know Italian. The problem with this set is the mastering (mastering evens out the volumes and signal to noise ratio on an album). The first CD in this collection is so quiet that you literally have to crank your player to get any kind of volume. For a professional CD this is absolutely unacceptable.
The song choices are good with the exception of "My Way" with Frank Sinatra. Both singers sound ....ummm...let's just say less than their best on the recording. It sits out like a boil on a pretty girl's face.

Surely I am proud to be an Italian-American!!.......2004-06-26

With his wondrous soaring vocals and the humble demeanor within his strong body, Pavarotti is an inspiration to Italian- Americans everywhere - Italian-Americans like me. My family plays his beautiful operas on vinyl nearly every day in me Papa's little wine and cheese shop on 18th and Broadway. The customers compliment the music with glee, pinching my plump cheeks with merriment and wishing me well on their way out the door. Ah, how I love this land of America!!

Oops, I am sorry, Nana.

My Nana has shushed me to "pipe down, little bambino."

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Allegro
I: Allegro Assai
II: Adagio
III: Presto
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Amoroso
III: Rondeau: Allegro
I: Adagio
II: Menuetto I - Menuetto II
III: Allegro
I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Presto

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Rondeau En Polonaise: Andante
III: Tema (Andante) Con Variazioni (I-XII)
I: Allegro Con Spirito
II: Andante Un Poco Adagio
III: Rondeau: Allegretto Grazioso
I: Allegro Maestoso
II: Andante Cantabile Con Espressione
III: Presto

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Spirito
II: Andantino Con Espressione
III: Rondeau: Allegro
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Cantabile
III: Allegretto
I: Tema (Andante Grazioso) Con Variazioni (I-VI)
II: Menuetto - Trio
III: Alla Turca: Allegretto
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegro Assai

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante Cantabile
III: Allegretto Grazioso
Adagio - Allegro - Andantino - Piu Allegro - Tempo I
I: Molto Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegro Assai

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante Cantabile
III: Allegretto
I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Rondo
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegretto
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegretto

Tracks:

Tema ('Laat Ons Juichen'): Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7: Adagio
Variation 8: Tempo I
Tema (Air): Allegro
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5: Adagio
Variation 6: Tempo I
Variation 7
Tema (Menuetto): Andante
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5: Adagio
Variation 6: Allegretto
Tema (Menuet)
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Allegro
Tema (Air): Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8: Tempo Di Menuetto
Variation 9
Variation 10: Allegretto
Variation 11
Variation 12: Molto Adagio
Allegretto

Tracks:

Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Allegro
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Presto
Tema: Andante
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8: Adagio
Variation 9: Allegro
Tempo Di Tema
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7: Adagio
Variation 8: Allegro
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6

Tracks:

Tema: Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9: Adagio
Variation 10: Allegro
(Tempo I)
Tema: Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Allegro
(Tempo I)
Tema: Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8: Adagio
Variation 9: Allegro
(Tempo I)
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7: Adagio
Variation 8: Allegro
(Tempo I)

Customer Reviews:

like sparkling mineral water.......2006-12-22

It is something near to a cleansing experience to listen through the Mozart piano repertoire as performed by Daniel Barenboim.

For starters, Mozart achieves his sparest, cleanest, most limpid lines when writing for solo piano. Then comes Daniel Barenboim, whose reading of Mozart is crisply and unemotionally classical. Not for him the drawn-out keyboard soliloquy. On the contrary, Barenboim gives us Mozart, only Mozart, and nothing but Mozart, clean and shimmering as sparkling mineral water.

This is not to say that Barenboim as pianist is unfeeling. On the contrary, the Fantasia in C Minor - to choose just one example with almost random lack of care - is quite moving. But not with a flourish. Rather, with almost sinewy restraint. The presentation represents a fine grasp of the master composer, nurtured with discipline across the length and breadth of the voluminous sonatas.

Indeed, the sheer volume of the Mozart piano sonatas is intimidating. It is astonishing to imagine one man having mastered it as Barenboim has. EMI Classics has done us the favor of collecting these two gentlemen's asynchronic collaboration in one set, affordable at that.

If Mozart is a musician for the ages and Barenboim a performer who left a formidable imprint on the twentieth century, their collaboration as represented in these recordings is a watershed that will need to be referenced by students of classical piano for at least another hundred years, or until people can only remember as far back as the Dixie Chicks.

Buy Barenboim on Mozart before that happens, and so stick your thumb in the dike against the evil day.

Soulless Rendition.......2005-10-16

I have several artists' renditions of Mozart's piano sonatas in my library. Daniel Barenboim's is the worst. His technique is timid. His rendition is soulless and perfunctory. I regret purchasing this collection. The best rendition I have is the collection of Glenn Gould. If you like Mozart's piano sonatas played the way Mozart intended, give Barenboim a pass and listen to Gould.

Lovely.......2005-03-17

As a pianist myself, I love Barenboim's playing. He does not play Mozart too Beethoven like. His performances are usually VERY good, and this is one example. Also includes the complete variations, which are very nice. The sound quality is excellent. Very highly recommended.

"The sonatas of Mozart are unique: too easy for children, too difficult for adults. Children are given Mozart to play because of the quantity of notes; grown ups avoid him because of the quality of notes." - Artur Schnabel

Top notch performances.......2004-06-17

Daniel Barenboim played this whole set with an interesting approach to WAM . The notations about classical , beethovenian style are always hazardous.
When you are a musician you must avoid in the cliche , and you should feel the music as a whole and the playing must be the consequence of a overlong process that begins in your soul , then your inner mood , your intellect and finally your fingers. I remark the aspect when you are in front of Mozart, Beethoven Wagner, Bruckner, Bach , Schubert and Bartok , because these composers are in a highest level than the others and the music itself is merely a device for expressing deeper issues.
That's why this set is superb. Barenboim plays a Mozart rich in expresiveness , he gives to Mozart presence .
Barenboim plays music as Vegh or Furtwangler did it , always seeking the landscape far beyond the score . That's why they are so original in their performances . The rapture is not a device for exhibite his skills , it''s the final product of a long process.
Acquire this set. It's an unvaluable treasure.

Very good, but a bit misleading?.......2004-05-15

Barenboim playing Mozart has his critics, who say he's "too Beethovian" when performing Mozart's piano sonatas and piano concertos. I disagree; I love his style. Others might not.

My only complaint with this 8 CD set is that the advertised piano sonatas occupy the first 5 CDs; the last three are piano variations -- interesting, but not of the quality of the sonatas themselves. Surely a less-expensive 5-CD set, providing just the sonatas advertised in the title, would offer better value for money. On the other hand, 5 great CDs for $48 isn't a bad deal.

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