Svegliarsi Un Anno Fa [Import]

Product Description
C.G.D.

Svegliarsi Un Anno Fa,Raf,Wea,Italian,World Music

Average customer rating: Patchy, with some fine moments Brilliant and alive!

Dowland: Farewell, Unkind John Dowland , Christopher Tye , Rene Clausen , Anne Azema , Karen Clark , Olav Chris Henriksen , Joel Frederiksen , William Hite , and Robert Mealy Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Dowland | Dowland, John | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Instruments | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Boston Camerata | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music ASIN: B000005E3V Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

1. I Invocation: Psalm 100
2. II In The Presence Of A Queen: Lady Laiton's Almain
3. II In The Presence Of A Queen: Humour, Say: A Dialogue
4. II In The Presence Of A Queen: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
5. II In The Presence Of A Queen: Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
6. III My Love Doth Wake: Galliard On 'Awake, Sweet Love'
7. III My Love Doth Wake: Come Away, Come Sweet Love
8. III My Love Doth Wake: III Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
9. III My Love Doth Wake: Come Heavy Sleep
10. IV To Die With Thee: Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard 'If My Complaints'
11. IV To Die With Thee: Pavan A 4
12. IV To Die With Thee: Can She Excuse My Wrongs
13. IV To Die With Thee: Lady, If You So Spite Me
14. IV To Die With Thee: Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
15. V Go, Crystal Tears: Go, Crystal Tears
16. V Go, Crystal Tears: Stay, Time, Awhile Thy Flying
17. V Go, Crystal Tears: If That A Sinner's Sighs
18. V Go, Crystal Tears: Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
19. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Mr George Whitehead His Almand
20. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Wilt Thou, Unkind, Thus Reave Me
21. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Tarleton's Riserrectione
22. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Far From Triumphing Court
23. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Lasso Vita Mia
24. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: The Frog Galliard
25. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Now, Oh Now I Needs Must Part
26. VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Farewell, Unkind

Customer Reviews:

Patchy, with some fine moments.......2003-06-14

The lively tracks fare best here. There is a lot to like about those particular tracks and the period tongue (loov instead of love, coom instead of come, etc) is not nearly as cumbersome as it might have been, due to the convincing performances of the singers.
However, the slower numbers are often, in my opinion, rather sour.
Having heard this disc several times, it strikes me that it becomes less attractive over time, with the novelty of the approach soon wearing thin.
Still, some tracks are very lively and the artists are obviously having fun bringing a rather unique angle to these pieces, so it might well appeal to those who like something unusual.
Recording quality is fine, though the final fade-out is clumsily managed.

Brilliant and alive!.......2002-10-07

This is a fresh, vibrant recording of a cross-section of Dowland's music, and will quickly dispel any myth of Dowland always being a composer of melancholy!
The singers use Elizabethan pronunciation, which can be quite revelatory.

Average customer rating: You get what you pay for

Bach: The Masterworks [Box Set] Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Variations | Forms & Genres | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mozart: The Masterworks (Box Set) Beethoven: The Masterworks (Box Set) Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set) Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set) ASIN: B00062FLII Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

You get what you pay for.......2004-12-04

In the Brandenburg Concerti, the tempo varies, trumpet volleys sound like French Horns, and the flute is off tune half the time. The harpsichordist was good but in one of the concerti, decided to enter at a different tempo than had been set by the rest of the orchestra. Since he had to play some very fast runs later, it is no surprise that he wanted to slow down the orchestra, but maybe they should have worked it out earlier. The orchestra sounds leaderless and out of sync at times. Can't find the groove. Violins are competent but playing with an orchestra that needs to practise what they are going to play a little more.

That covers the first 2 of 40 CDs. Don't know if I can bring myself to listen to the rest. Somebody who didn't know Bach would wonder what the attraction is after listening to this.

Average customer rating: ++

Mad About Opera Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Hadley, Jerry | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Studer, Cheryl | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Bernstein, Leonard | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Donizetti, Gaetano | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Puccini, Giacomo | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Rossini, Gioacchino | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Wagner, Richard | U to Z | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Vocal Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | U to Z | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Freni, Mirella | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Norman, Jessye | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Te Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Upshaw, Dawn | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Operas | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Operas | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music 4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mad About Italian Opera Mad About Sopranos Mad About Violins Mad About Beethoven Mad about Chopin ASIN: B000001GIJ Release Date: 1992-11-10

Tracks:

1. Candide: 'Glitter And Be Gay'
2. Carmen: 'Habanera'
3. The Barber Of Serville: 'Una Voce Pocco Fa'
4. Carmen: 'Flower Song'
5. Aida: 'Celeste Aida'
6. Madam Butterfly: 'Un Bel Di'
7. La Boheme: 'O Mimi'
8. Idomeneo: 'Zeffiretti Lusinghieri'
9. Tristan And Isolde: 'Liebestod'
10. The Elixir Of Love: 'Una Furtiva Lagrima'
11. Don Giovanni: 'Champagne Aria'
12. Tannhauser: 'Dich, Teure Halle'
13. The Marriage Of Figaro: 'Dove Sono'
14. The Marriage Of Figaro: 'Deh Vieni, Non Tardar'
15. The Marriage Of Figaro: 'Voi Che Sapete'

Customer Reviews:

++.......2004-11-01

While 'Mad About Opera' is in no way a comprehensive album of the great opera songs, it does include some excellent versions of easily recognizable songs. Regular opera-goers probably already own comparable versions of all of these songs, but the album is a good introduction for those new to opera who are looking to familiarize themselves with some of the standout songs.

Average customer rating:

Bach 2000 Light (Without Sacred Cantatas) Various Conductors , Various Performers , and Various Ensembles Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Allemandes | Baroque Dance Suites | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Carl Philipp Emman. Bach | Bach, Carl Philipp Emman. | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Heinichen | Heinichen, Johann David | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Canzones | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Trio Sonatas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Passacaglias | Variations | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Variations | Forms & Genres | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Oboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Academy of Ancient Music | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music ASIN: B00001IV8C Release Date: 1999-09-21

Amazon.com

The Bach renaissance--which began in earnest in the early 19th century thanks to the efforts of Felix Mendelssohn and others--inspired an endeavor of far-reaching significance. It led to the founding of the Bach Society in 1850, with the goal of gathering and publishing the composer's complete works, and thus set into motion one of the great projects of musical scholarship. That effort has continued and been refined throughout the 20th century, ultimately influencing not only our perception of how to perform early music but fundamental ideas of musical history, evolution, and reception as well.

Teldec's mammoth Bach 2000 box set represents a kind of culmination of that original attempt to come to terms with Johann Sebastian Bach's unparalleled legacy. This set brings together performances recorded over the last several decades--a small percentage of the recordings are previously unreleased--of all the extant works determined by modern scholarship to be authentic. There are also some pieces the authorship of which is still in question and a few now deemed "inauthentic" but familiarly associated with the composer. Bach was a prodigious reviser of his compositions, and alternate versions of a particular work have been included "where the changes seemed sufficiently important," such as the glorious Magnificat. No doubt manuscripts will continue to be unearthed here and there in various archives (Bach 2000 contains, for example, the "Neumeister chorales," which were rediscovered in 1984), but the set does not represent the many fragments of music that consist of just a few bars; however, there are some reconstructions of lost concertos (such as one for three violins reconstructed by Christopher Hogwood from an extant concerto for harpsichords).

Of course a truly comprehensive recorded edition of every note Bach wrote remains a utopian impossibility--about one-third of his cantatas, for example, have not survived. Even so, the dimensions of Bach 2000 are staggering. With its 12 boxes comprising 153 CDs, the set can be compressed into fewer boxes to save shelf space yet is still about ten times as long as the Ring cycle. (It should be noted that the packaging--using thin cardboard sleeves for the CDs--is distinctively unattractive.) That adds up to just under 160 hours of music--but a lifetime of discovery. Each box (grouped according to genre) contains a booklet with excellent notes on individual works and--for all the choral works--texts and translations. Tracking indexes are useful and thorough. Also included is a profusely illustrated hardbound volume of 24 Inventions, in which journalist Wolfgang Sandberger uses the composer's biography as a peg for some enigmatic and fascinating musings on the meaning of Bach today.

The presiding philosophy behind this project and its approach to musical interpretation can be largely ascribed to Nikolaus Harnoncourt, a true musical pioneer and galvanizing force of the "period performance" movement. Harnoncourt's epoch-making recordings of the sacred cantatas (using, for instance, boy sopranos and choristers according to the practice in Bach's time) with the Concentus musicus Wien and colleague Gustav Leonhardt comprise the first four volumes here (those who already own them can turn to the Bach 2000 Light edition, which contains everything sans the cantatas). These recordings--which were not remastered for this set--have long been controversial and are notably uneven, embracing some magnificent accounts as well as others that lack fire and seem clearly underrehearsed. But Harnoncourt is one of the most fascinating conductors of our era, and his interpretations amply bear out his assertion: "I have never felt that Bach worked in a routine manner, that he repeated himself in his works." Harnoncourt--who has articulated many of his ideas in his book The Musical Dialogue--displays his gifts as a cellist in a remarkably probing performance of the Cello Suites (originally recorded in 1965) and in his concertizing for a number of chamber works. For\ the St. Matthew Passion, you get Harnoncourt's groundbreaking earlier account from 1970, while his 1986 recording of the sublime B Minor Mass is also represented here (the St. John Passion included is Harnoncourt's 1995 acount).

Other artists included are colleague Gustav Leonhardt, whose thoughtful if occasionally dry harpsichord artistry is heard in the Goldberg Variations as well as in the concertos and chamber music. The harpsichord is in fact used throughout in preference to piano for the keyboard works. Ton Koopman (himself the conductor of an ongoing complete cantata series and of the Easter Oratorio included here) performs the organ works, including some newly recorded offerings, while Il Giardino Armonico's well-known high-energy account represents the Brandenburg Concertos. Violinist Thomas Zehetmair is exceptionally compelling in the unaccompanied sonatas and partitas, and the Concentus musicus Wien--again under Harnoncourt--perform a superb Musical Offering that richly repays frequent listening.

The result of Bach 2000 as a whole is an aptly encyclopedic grappling with the infinite legacy of this most compendious of composers, whose works are on one level a summation of all the styles available to him. Bach was once thought to represent a "terminal point" (to use Albert Schweitzer's famous formulation), the end of an era; today he is at least equally recognized as a fertile source of inspiration for composers since. To be sure, individual recordings of particular works will be found to be preferable, and it would be misguided to consider Bach 2000 any kind of "final" or "definitive" word. Instead, it's an indispensable starting point that represents a monumental achievement for our own contemporary understanding of Bach. --Thomas May --This text refers to the complete edition of this title

Album Description

Volume 1, 11 Discs
Secular Cantatas App. Sacred Cantatas; 11 CDs; Koopman, Harnoncourt, Koopman, Goebel and others

Volume 2, 14 Discs
The Sacred Vocal Works Masses,Magnificat, Passions, Oratorios; 14 CDs; Harnoncourt, Koopman, Corboz and others

Volume 3, 7 Discs
The Motets, Chorales & Songs Kirnberger Chorales,Schemelli Songs, Quodlibet

Volume 4, 16 Discs
The Organ Works; 16 CDs; Ton Koopman

Volume 5, 11 Discs
The Keyboard Works (I) The Well-Tempered Clavier, English & French Suites, Partitas etc; 11 CDs; Curtis, Ross, Wilson, Ruzickova

Volume 6, 11 Discs
The Keyboard Works (II) Goldberg Variations, Toccatas, Fugues, Italian Concerto, etc; 11 CDs; Staier, Barchi, Leonhardt, von Asperen, Baumont, and others

Volume 7, 13 Discs
The Chamber Music Violin Sonatas & Partitas, Flute Sonatas, Works for Lute, Art of Fugue, Musical Offering, etc; 13 CDs; Harnoncourt, Pianca, Tachezi, Brggen, Zehetmair, and others

Volume 8, 10 Discs
The Orchestral Works The Concertos & Orchestral Suite; 10 CDs; Il Giardino Armonico, Harnoncourt, Leonhardt

Average customer rating: a voice teacher and early music fan An wonderful recording of this important opera that set Handel on his path to fame and history Jones and Miles are fantastic first class recording of one of Handel's finest operas Absolute Genius from young Handel.

Handel - Agrippina / D. Jones, A. Miles, Ragin, Chance, Brown, J. P. Kenny, von Otter, EBS, Gardiner Michael Chance , Donna Brown , George Mosley , Jonathan Peter Kenny , Anne Sofie von Otter , and English Baroque Soloists Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000041JV Release Date: 1997-04-15

Tracks:

1. Agrippina: Sinfonia
2. Agrippina: Act One : Recitativo - Nerone, amato, figlio! (Agrippina, Nerone)
3. Agrippina: Aria - Col saggio tuo consiglio (Nerone)
4. Agrippina: Recitativo - Per cosrande impresa (Agrippina)
5. Agrippina: Aria - La mia sorte fortunata
6. Agrippina: Recitativo - Or che Pallante into (Agrippina,)
7. Agrippina: Aria - Volo pronto, e lieto il core
8. Agrippina: Recitativo - Quanto fa,quanto puote (Agrippina); Aria - L'alma mia fra le tempeste (Agrippina)
9. Agrippina: Arioso - Qual piacere a un cor pietoso (Nerone); Recitativo - Prendi tu ancora, prendi (Nerone); Arioso - Ma rassembra tormentoso (Nerone)
10. Agrippina: Recitativo - Amici, al sen vi stringo (Nerone, Agrippina)
11. Agrippina: Recitativo - Voi, Che dell'alta Roma (Agrippina); Quartetto - Il tuo figlio (Pallante, Narciso, Agrippina, Nerone)
12. Agrippina: Recitativo - Ma qual di liete trombe (Agrippina); Arietta - Allegrezza, allegrezza!; Recitativo - Che sento! (Nerone)
13. Agrippina: Recitativo - Alle tue piante, o Augusta (Ottone, Agrippina)
14. Agrippina: Aria - Tu ben degno (Agrippina)
15. Agrippina: Recitativo - L'ultima del gior meta gradita (Ottone); Aria - Lusinghiera mia speranza (Ottone)
16. Agrippina: Aria - Vagne perle, eletti fiori (Poppea)
17. Agrippina: Recitativo - Otton, Claudio, Nerone (Poppea, Agrippina)
18. Agrippina: Aria - E un foco quel d'amore (Poppea)
19. Agrippina: Recitativo - Ma qui Agrippina viene (Poppea, Agrippina)
20. Agrippina: Aria - Ho un non so nel cor (Agrippina)
21. Agrippina: Recitativo - Cieli,quai strani casi; Aria - Fa quanto vuoi
22. Agrippina: Recitativo - Non veggo alcun
23. Agrippina: Aria - Pur ritorno a rimirarvi (Claudio)
24. Agrippina: Recitativo - Ma, oh ciel, mestra e confusa (Claudio)
25. Agrippina: Arietta - Vieni, o cara (Claudio)

Tracks:

1. Agrippina: Act One : Recitativo - Che mai faro (Poppea, Claudio); Terzetto - E quando mai i frutti (Claudio, Poppea); Recitativo - Pur al fin si riando (Poppea, Agrippina)
2. Agrippina: Aria - Non ho cor che per amarti (Agrippina)
3. Agrippina: Recitativo - Se Ottone m'inganno (Poppea); Aria - Se giunge un dispetto (Poppea)
4. Agrippina: Act Two : Recitativo - Dunque noi siam traditi?
5. Agrippina: Aria - Coronato il crin d'alloro (Ottone); Recitativo - Roma, piu ch'il trionfo (Ottone, Agrippina, Nerone)
6. Agrippina: Recitativo - Ecco il superbo (Agrippina, Poppea, Nerone, Ottone)
7. Agrippina: Coro - Di timpani e trombe (Poppea, Nerone, Agrippina, Ottone)
8. Agrippina: Recitativo - Nelle Britannia vinta (Claudio); Aria - Cade il mondo soggiogato(Claudio)
9. Agrippina: Recitativo - Signor, quanto il mio core (Agrippina, Claudio, Poppea, Nerone, Ottone)
10. Nulla sperar da me (Agrippina); Recitativo - E tu, Poppea (Ottone); Aria - Tuo ben l trono (Poppea); Recitativo -Soccorri almen, Nerone! (Ottone); Aria - Sotto il lauro ch'hai sul crine (Agrippina); Recitativo - Scherzo son del destino (Ottone)
11. Agrippina: Recitativo - Otton,qual portentoso fulmine (Ottone)
12. Agrippina: Aria - Voi che udite il mio lamento (Ottone)
13. Agrippina: Aria - Bella pur del mio diletto (Poppea); Recitativo - Il tormento d'Ottone (Poppea)
14. Agrippina: Arioso - Vaghe fonti (Ottone); Recitativo - Ma qui che veggo, oh cieli! (Ottone); Recitativo - Ottone traditore! (Poppea, Ottone)
15. Agrippina: Aria - Ti vo'giusta e non pietosa (Ottone)
16. Agrippina: Recitativo - Di quali ordite trame (Poppea, Nerone)
17. Agrippina: Recitativo - Pur al fine ti retrovo! (Poppea)
18. Agrippina: Aria - Col peso del tuo amor (Poppea)
19. Agrippina: Recitativo - Qual bramato piacere (Nerone); Aria -Quando invita la donna l'amante (Nerone)
20. Agrippina: Aria - Pensieri, voi mi tormentate! (Agrippina); Recitativo - Quel ch'oprai e soggetto a gran periglio (Agrippina); Aria - Pensieri, voi mi tormentate! (Agrippina)
21. Agrippina: Recitativo - Se ben nemica sorte (Agrippina)
22. Agrippina: Aria -Col raggio placido

Tracks:

1. Agrippina: Act Two : Recitativo - Di giunger non dispero al mio desire (Agrippina)
2. Agrippina: Aria - Spereroi che mel dice
3. Agrippina: Recitativo - Per dar la page al core (Agrippina, Claudio)
4. Agrippina: Aria - Basta sol che tu chieda (Claudio)
5. Agrippina: Recitativo - Favorevol la sorte oggi m'arride (Agrippina); Aria - Ogni vento ch'al porto lo spinga (Agrippina)
6. Agrippina: Act Three : Recitativo - Il caro Ottone al precipizio io spinsi (Poppea, Ottone)
7. Agrippina: Aria - Taceracerttone)
8. Agrippina: Recitativo - Attendo qui Nerone e Claudio ancora (Poppea, Nerone, Ottone)
9. Agrippina: Aria - Coll'ardor del tuo bel core (Nerone)
10. Agrippina: Recitativo - Amico ciel, seconda il mio disegno (Poppea, Claudio, Nerone, Ottone)
11. Agrippina: Aria - Io di Roma il Giove sono (Claudio)
12. Agrippina: Recitativo - Pur al fin se ne andoppea, Ottone)
13. Agrippina: Aria - Pur ch'io ti stringa al sen (Ottone)
14. Agrippina: Recitativo - Piega pur del mio cor (Poppea); Aria - Bel piacer (Poppea)
15. Agrippina: Recitativo - Cotanto osppea? (Agrippina, Nerone)
16. Agrippina: Aria - Come nube che fugge dal vento (Nerone)
17. Agrippina: Recitativo - Evvi donna piia? (Claudio, Agrippina)
18. Agrippina: Recitativo - Adorato mio sposo (Agrippina, Claudio)
19. Agrippina: Aria - Se vuoi pace, o volto amato (Agrippina)
20. Agrippina: Recitativo - Ecco la mia rivale (Agrippina, Poppea, Nerone, Ottone, Claudio)
21. Agrippina: Coro - Lieto il Tebro inscrespi l'onda
22. Agrippina: Recitativo - D'Otton e di Poppea sul grande innesto; Aria - V'accendano le tede
23. Agrippina: Ballo

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-05-20

May I Please award this l0 stars!!!!Every singer in this opera was first-rate. And imagine having that great duo of countertenors :Michael Chance and Derek Ragin together again as in the opera "Tamerlano". IN addition, we have Jonathan Kenny another countertenor who sings quite well. This opera gave Handel the first great popular triumph of his career. It was composed while he was visiting Italy in 1706. The story is about Agrippina who was Nero's mother and her manipulations to get him the throne from the emperor Claudius. The situations are full of humour, but for the most part, the characters are motivated by strong, even passionate impulses. Michael Chance portrays "Ottone" the commander of the imperial army and the one who is deceived thruout the entire opera until the end when (believe it or not) everybody gets what they want. The voices of Chance and Ragin make a nice contrast:Chance's voice: rich, mellow filling up his entire body with sound;Ragin's voice: lighter, strong prone to more vibrato and ornaments. This opera is a marvelous listening treat; worth the effort it will be to purchase it.

An wonderful recording of this important opera that set Handel on his path to fame and history.......2005-10-31

Some believe that it was the brilliance of this opera that led to Handel being invited to London. Handel was reluctant to write because he didn't see any advantage to doing all that work. However, he was persuaded and set it to a brilliant libretto by Vincenzo Grimani. Apparently the entire opera was written in only a few weeks. Some dispute this because of the quality of the writing, but contemporary testimony and Handel's fast work habits lead others to believe this accomplishment to be true.

Beyond the names, general moral depravity, and a broad historical shape, this is not an historical story. Some see it as simple a comedy of courtly manners, but others see some sly commentary on the War of Succession that was then ongoing. When Charles II died he bequeathed the crown to Phillip V much to the consternation of Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor, who wanted to maintain his territory intact. In this opera, Claudius names Otho his successor much to the consternation of Agrippina.

The opera opens when Agrippina receives news that Claudius has died at sea. She seizes the opportunity to advance her son, Nero, to be named Emperor. However, just before he can be crowned, Claudius arrives. He had been saved by Otho and in gratitude named him his successor. Agrippina cannot confront him directly but uses her knowledge of Claudius and his lust for Poppea to spring her trap and it almost works.

Poppea is a beauty who trades on that, but if she cares for anyone it is Otho, but she cannot deny the Emperor. It also turns out that Nero has improper desires for her as well. It is Nero's chasing her that actually undoes Agrippina's plan, but in the end all works out. Agripina gets her son names to the throne, Poppea gets Otho, and Claudius gets some peace and quiet.

The music is marvelous. It is important to remember that opera was only a century old at this time; about the same distance from the beginning of football or maybe basketball to our present time. Certain aspects of the recitative and aria had certainly been developed and made more brilliant, but there was much left to explore in the form. Handel added a great deal to the expressiveness and character development in his creative use of music appropriate to the character, for example Claudius is given wide leaps and musical lines the emphasize his clumsy and awkward qualities. These are qualities Handel develops over his career writing dozens of brilliant operas.

In this opera the roles of Nero, a boy still learning evil from his mother, was written for a castrato, but sung here by the brilliant countertenor Derek Lee Ragin. Otho was originally written for a woman, but sung here by the terrific countertenor Michael Chance. Agrippina is given all her devious splendor by Della Jones, and Poppea's beautiful shrewdness by Donna Brown. Claudius requires a very special bass voice that can plumb the depths down to the C below the staff and Alistair Miles is simply wonderful in the role.

This is a treasure of a recording of a very important opera to Handel's career. Starting with "Rinaldo" Handel wrote more brilliant operas, and others that were more subtle. However, this was the one that got him the attention that set him on the course of fame and history.

Jones and Miles are fantastic.......2001-10-03

I'll stay out of the pro/contra countertenor argument- I am by far most impressed with Della Jones and Alastair Miles. They sing their music magnificently, not just with generally impeccable technique but with as much drama as any Verdi opera. No boring stand and sing baroque nonsense with these two. Miles has a big, rich, incisive, gorgeous basso that could sing Verdi, yet has no trouble with the coloratura. Beautiful diction and full understanding in the delivery of his recitative (Donna Brown deserves credit in this area as well).

It is almost needless to say, but Della Jones delivers her usual hgihly involved, totally committed performance with complete conviction. Every word from scheming Agrippina is invested with meaning- when do baroque recitiatives (which can be so tiresome) sound this exciting? Her arias could hardly be better sung, with beautiful line in her slow solos and accuracy at high speed in the fast coloratura. Nothing is tossed off as mere display- she sacrifices tone for dramatic expression, but just a couple of times. A real tour de force for Jones, and more justification for my impulse to buy any recording with her name on it without having to hear it first.

first class recording of one of Handel's finest operas.......2000-11-18

When it comes to recordings of Handel's Agrippina there is admitedly little to choose from. Fortunately the two recodings we have available are excellent and either will give you a fine representation of the score. Ultimately it will come down to which conductor you prefer: Gardiner versus Mcegan. Gardiner seems to favor a more dramatic, and slightly slower approach, to the music. The orchestra really crackles in the fast numbers ("lalma fra le tempeste", etc.) in a way that Mcegans do not. I miss something of Mcegans lightness and finesse at times, but Gardiners dramatic take on the music is undeniably well executed by his forces. The singers are an interesting lot and I mean this in the best way possible. Della Jones flies through Agrippinas spiky coloratura with extraordinary ease and her highly unique true mezzo helps to give the character necessary venom. Her countrerpart on the Mcegan set is the very fine Sally Hayword who sings coloratura as brilliantly as Della Jones and makes up for what she may lack in vocal juice with a keen verbal sense. Donna Brown has a juicier voice than Lisa Safer on the Mcegan set. She sings Poppeas virtuosic music exceedingly well and creates a compelling character. As for Nerone, Derek Lee Ragin frankly sounds uncomfortable with the soprano tessitura of his part (the part lies higher than Agrippinas part) but when coloratura is called for he delivers brilliantly. On the Mcegan set Ottone is sung by the fine Drew Minter and while his slightly chalky voice may not be the most beautiful sound in the world he uses it with such complete musicality and strong sense of Handelian style that it makes up for any vocal shortcomings. Michael Chance sings well as Ottone on the Gardiner set but I find the voice a little colorless and uninteresting. I miss something of Minters dramatic fire. Miles is a very good Claudio. His voice is more cupo than we are used to hearing in Handel's music nowadays but he handles the fiendishly wide ranging coloratura so well that he seems beyond reproach. The supporting players are better on the Gardiner set including the added bonus of Ann Sofie von Otter singing as stylishly as ever as Giunone.

Absolute Genius from young Handel........2000-11-03

This recording of Handel's 3 opera, is indispensable. The voices are beuatiful, and the music, (as always) is beuatiful and gorgeous. The leading role of Agrippina, Della Jones, is great, the Nerone, Derek Lee Regin, is great in the soprano role. I had never Ragin's voice before, when I heard this, I thought a real female soprano was singing this, this man is great! The Claudio is a little to cupo, I think he sould back off some, the two henchmen are also good. And of course, Anne sofie, and Micheal Chance are always great. The orchestra is on Period instruments, which I very much appreciate (thank you so much John Eliot Gardiner) and of course, Gardiner is a great Handel interpreter. The orchestra is very crisp, and very good on the slow tempi arias, and brisk and quick on the bravuratura arias. The Beautiful, gorgeous aria, in the second act of this opera, "Voi che uditi il mio lamenti" is absolutely beautiful, the rythmic balance, Polyphony are genius, and this is why I love Handel's Music. The Arias are gorgeous, and the music is always great. I cannot begin to complement Gardiner, and the english Baroque Soloists on their porformance of this opera. The tempi is great, and I will always cherish this recording for ever. Buy this it is worth it's money!

Average customer rating: An Introduction

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Tracks:

1. Mi Chiamano Mimi
2. Suo Gan (Lullaby)
3. Summertime
4. Ave Maria
5. Meine Lippen
6. Una Voce Poco Fa'
7. Bachianas Brasileiras No.5: Aria
8. Rejoice
9. Ach, Ich Fuhl's
10. Je Veux Vivre
11. Panis Angelicus
12. Sheep May Safely Graze - Ivan Tvrdik
13. Piangero
14. In The Bleak Midwinter
15. Pie Jesu

Customer Reviews:

An Introduction.......2006-02-18

Denise Leigh makes her debut solo recital album here with a varied program of isolated arias and songs that really do not indicate the depth of talent that may be there. The voice is small, sweet, true in pitch, capable of nice phrasing and breathing techniques, but a touch on the superficial side of the works she sings.

Of note, Denise Leigh was born blind and overcame her distracters who said she would never make it as an opera singer on stage when she won the English National Opera 'Operatunity' award with her colleague Jane Gilchrist. Since that award in 2004 she has appeared with the English National Opera and has a following not unlike that of Bocelli. Here is an artist of courage, at the beginning of a career and it will be interesting to follow just how the voice will develop.

On this recital Leigh sings arias from 'La Boheme', 'Otello', 'Porgy and Bess', 'Il barbière di Siviglia',
'Roméo et Juliette', 'Giulio Cesare in Egitto', 'Die Zauberflöte', 'Giuditta', as well as arias from 'The Messiah', and works by Franck, Villa-Lobos, Bach, Rutter and others. It is indeed a sampler and while not all of the arias succeed, there is a plaintive gentle quality to her voice that, given the right roles at the right time, may result in an important artist.

She is ably accompanied by Leo Siberski conducting the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Perhaps this will be a voice to watch...Grady Harp, February 06

International Music:

1. Tour De France [Import]
2. Tromba [Import]
3. Tropico Del Nord [Import]
4. Tua... Mina [Import]
5. Una Storia da Raccontare [Import]
6. Uomini Soli [Import]
7. Vai Rrouge [Import]
8. Vendeurs de Larmes [Import]
9. Viva [Import]
10. A L'olympia [Import]

International Music

International Music