Evening Light

About the Artist
Ustad Habib Khan is regarded as one of the best sitar players in the world today. He was born into a family of musicians and can trace his lineage back several generations to when classical music enjoyed the patronage of the nobility and royalty of India.

He began his training at the tender age of five under the strict eye of his accomplished father, Ustad Hameed Jaffar Khan. The Jaffar Khan family was from Indore and was well known for their unique style of playing the sitar, melding the effect of the human voice and the instrumental tone into a harmonious whole.

Habib Khan has carved out a distinct style of his own which is a blend of his father's traditional techniques and his own imaginative innovations. He is as much at ease with light classical and religious music as he is with pure classical renderings of raagas.

Habib Khan lives and teaches in the San Francisco Bay Area. He performs all over the world. He has composed music for several CD ad performed with world class musicians including Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Pandit Ramesh Misra, Pandit Vikku Vinayakram, Hamze Aul Din and others.

Product Description
Evening Light is a collection of five romantic raagas performed by world renowned musicians. Here simplicity of only two instruments, Sitar and Tabla, turns into a creation of some of the most passionate and romantic, yet meditative music. As performers they are much at ease with light classical and devotional music, as they are with pure classical rendering of raagas. (Over 77 Minutes)

Style/Genre: World /Indian Classical

Instrumentation: Sitar, Tabla.

Evening Light,Ustad Habib Khan & Swapan Chaudhuri,X Dot 25,Indian,Int'l & World Music,Pop

Average customer rating: Wondrous gentle music hauntingly beautiful The voice of the soul Divinely Joyous Breathtaking!!!

Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Joyous Light Armenian Anonymous , Sahag Bartev , Khacadour Vartabed of Daron , Mekhitar Vartabed of Ayrivank , St. Gregory of Nareg , Gomidas Vartabed , Raffi Armenian , Isabel Bayrakdarian , and Elmer Iseler Chamber Orchestra Manufacturer: Cbc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Azulão Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Pauline Viardot-Garcia (Lieder, Chancon, Canzoni, Mazurkas) Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Cleopatra Ararat A Long Journey Home ASIN: B00005S6VZ Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

1. Where Are You, O Mother
2. You Are A Profound Mystery
3. Trisagion - Isabel Bayrakdarian
4. We Celebrate
5. Chosen Of God
6. Joyous Light - Isabel Bayrakdarian
7. My Heart Trembles
8. Lord Have Mercy - Isabel Bayrakdarian
9. Entrance To The Tabernacle
10. The Fowl
11. The Mother Of The Lord
12. Open For Us, Lord - Isabel Bayrakdarian
13. Be Delighted, O Holy Church
14. Rejoice, O Holy Church - Isabel Bayrakdarian
15. You Are The Only Holy One
16. Doxology
17. O Gardener
18. The Lord's Prayer

Customer Reviews:

Wondrous gentle music.......2007-01-10

I first saw Isabel on an SBS programme and was amazed at the glorious sounds she was producing. This album is great, relaxing, full of strength and beauty. My only word of caution would be that unless you are in the right mood it can sound a bit repetitive by the time you get to the end of the album. However, I am very glad that I bought it.

hauntingly beautiful.......2006-08-22

Very beautiful melodies and a gorgeous voice - doesn't vary as much though as a whole cd -
can get monotonous after a few songs

The voice of the soul.......2006-01-01

Growing up in the Armenian church, it was impossible not to be powerfully moved by the music. Isabel Bayrakdarian was clearly also moved in the same way. Her singing is so flawless, yet it conveys the depths of her spiritual feelings. It is wonderful that people who have not been exposed to this music will have a chance to experience its power and beauty.

Divinely Joyous.......2005-09-28

Isabel Bayrakdarian is a certified classical music diva today, an excellent Mozartian, Handelian, songs and lieder recitalist and overall a very bright star in the current line-up of young sopranos. And this is how she started her recorded career- with a disc of Armenian liturgical music.
For me it is actually very refreshing to listen to songs in language that I don't understand at all- and a nice break from the usual Latin, German, and my native ones- but at the same time, knowing that they are sung by someone who understands the texts and has a spiritual connection to them is a nice bonus. (And if you want to explore the meaning behind the sounds, the original Armenian texts and translations are included in the CD booklet...) It's also a new musical experience to my ears- I am used to certain melismatic forms of Indian music, and Soeur Marie Keyrouz records of Byzantine chants, yet this music still sounds quite exotic to me. And, at all times, very beautiful.
Like Gregorian chant in its pure form, it would get somewhat monotonous, if it wasn't for Bayrakdarian's heartfelt delivery. I find that the opening song is my favourite and often end up listening to it over and over again, but the whole album is very addictive. Not all the songs have the same joyous rapture feel- some are melancholy tinged, some are both at the same time. You need to listen to this music to appreciate its strange charms. It's beautiful and deeply spiritual, all in one. It is certainly Sacred Joy for my ears.

Breathtaking!!!.......2002-08-14

This is a stunning recording. Isabel Bayrakdarian's voice is a wonderful clear soprano, rich and warm throughout its range and free of any roughness. Her long familiarity with this repertoire lets her shape each phrase beautifully and, apparently, effortlessly.

The disk derives from a concert that took place in Toronto in September, 2001 commemorating 1700 years of Christianity in Armenia. It consists of 18 pieces of liturgical music. In some Bayrakdarian sings a capella, but in most she is supported by a chamber orchestra. One is aware that this is not western music, but the modes in which it is written are just unusual enough to European ears to be a little exotic while remaining entirely accessible. It's not quite melodic, but not quite chant either. Bayrakdarian's melismas are always sensitive and subtle. The whole effect is soaring, haunting, ethereal, transporting, utterly wonderful.

This is a desert island disk for sure.

Average customer rating: A Masterpiece Clear and simple

AMERICA'S BUGLE CALLS Manufacturer: Documentary ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Mel Bay Bugler's Handbook Mel Bay Fun with the Bugle One Nation Under God Marching Cadences of the U.S. Marines Mel Bay Presents Infantry Bugle Calls of the American Civil War ASIN: B00005OA52 Release Date: 1996-01-01

Tracks:

1. Reveille/Morning Colors Sequence
2. First Call
3. Attention
4. To the Colors
5. Carry On
6. Assembly
7. First Sergeant's Call
8. Adjutants Call
9. Mass Call
10. Pay Call
11. Officer's Call
12. Semper Fi
13. Roast Beef of Old England
14. Marines Hymn
15. Anchors Aweigh
16. Army Song
17. Semper Paratus
18. Air Force Song/Evening Colors Sequence
19. First Call
20. Attention
21. Retreat
22. Carry On
23. Tattoo
24. Call to Quarters
25. Taps [Single Bugler Version]
26. To Arms
27. General Quarters
28. General Muster
29. To Horse
30. Fligh Quarters
31. Man Torpedo Defense Battery
32. Main Battery Fire Control Exercise
33. Call Away All Boats
34. Fix Bayonets
35. Commence Firing
36. Charge! [Version One]
37. Charge! [Version Two]
38. Cease Firing
39. Abandon Ship
40. Light Smoking Lamp
41. Out Smoking Lamp
42. Company Left March
43. Company Right March
44. Liberty Call
45. Church Call
46. Recall
47. Mail Call
48. Police Call
49. Sick Call
50. Stable Call
51. Band Call
52. Movie Call
53. Surgeon's Party
54. Hail to the Chief - Matthew Farquhar, The Flourishes
55. General's March - Matthew Farquhar, The Flourishes
56. Flag Officer's March
57. Secure
58. Taps [Two Bugler Version]

Album Description

Music: Instrumental only

The famous bugle calls from America's Armed Services including Reveille and Taps.

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece.......2007-06-20

Clear and crisp and played with vigor and heart. Mass call is of course Mess Call that someone spelled wrong. What worked for me is that I review four or five calls each night before bed. I hum them first and then listen to the call on the CD. The next day, I work out on the bugle until lip fatigue sets in.

Clear and simple.......2006-08-04

Single bugle calls, clear and simple-recognizable to this Navy/Marine Corps veteran. Also some army stuff if you desire that sort of thing. Quite a lot of quality stuff.

Average customer rating: One last touch of Paris (but oversold by the critics) wonderful perforance of excellent songs Classic Rorem Songs! Come To Pop, Baby! Worthy indeed - a gem

Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem Susan Graham , Martin Martineau , and Ensemble Oriol Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Bartoli, Cecilia | Battle, Kathleen | Bonney, Barbara | Caballe, Montserrat | Callas, Maria | Crespin, Regine | Eaglen, Jane | Ferrier, Kathleen | Flagstad, Kirsten | Fleming, Renée | Freni, Mirella | Gheorghiu, Angela | Horne, Marilyn | Janowitz, Gundula | Jones, Gwyneth | Kasarova, Vesselina | Kirkby, Emma | Larmore, Jennifer | Ludwig, Christa | McDonald, Audra | Milanov, Zinka | Modl, Martha | Nilsson, Birgit | Norman, Jessye | Otter, Anne Sophie von | Podles, Ewa | Ponselle, Rosa | Price, Leontyne | Sayao, Bidu | Scotto, Renata | Soderstrom, Elisabeth | Sutherland, Joan | Te Kanawa, Kiri | Troyanos, Tatiana | Upshaw, Dawn | Vishnevskaya, Galina | Von Stade, Frederica Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Rachmaninov, Sergei | Ramirez, Ariel | Ravel, Maurice | Rodgers, Richard | Rossini, Gioacchino | Saint-Saens, Camille | Satie, Erik | Scarlatti, Alessandro | Schubert, Franz | Schumann, Robert | Shostakovich, Dmitri | Sibelius, Jean | Sondheim, Stephen | Spontini, Gasparo | Strauss Jr., Johann | Strauss, Richard | Stravinsky, Igor | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | Thomas, Ambroise | Toselli, Enrico C to G | Featured Performers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Caballe, Montserrat | Callas, Maria | Caruso, Enrico | Cassinelli, Ricardo | Christie, William | Church, Charlotte | Corelli, Franco | Crespin, Regine | Della Casa, Lisa | Di Stefano, Giuseppe | Eaglen, Jane | Ferrier, Kathleen | Fischer-Dieskau, Dietrich | Flagstad, Kirsten | Fleming, Renee | Ford, Bruce | Freni, Mirella | Gahmlich, Wilfried | Gambill, Robert | Gedda, Nicolai | Gencer, Leyla | Gheorghiu, Angela | Giacomotti, Alfredo | Giannini, Dusolina | Gigli, Beniamino | Gruberova, Edita Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music | Gahmlich, Wilfried | Galbraith, Paul | Galway, James | Gambill, Robert | Gedda, Nicolai | Gencer, Leyla | Gheorghiu, Angela | Giacomotti, Alfredo | Giannini, Dusolina | Gieseking, Walter | Gigli, Beniamino | Gilels, Emil | Glennie, Evelyn | Goode, Richard | Goodman, Benny | Gould, Glenn | Grainger, Percy Aldridge | Graves, Denyce | Grimaud, Hélène | Gruberova, Edita | Grumiaux, Arthur | Guarneri String Quartet General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Ned Rorem: Selected Songs The Faces of Love ~ The Songs of Jake Heggie / Fleming, McNair, Larmore, von Stade, Forand, Cao, Clayton, Vaness, Asawa Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn) Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été Poèmes de l'Amour ASIN: B00004R9BK Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

1. Sonnet [Bynner]
2. Clouds [Goodman]
3. Early In The Morning [Hillyer]
4. The Serpent [Roethke]
5. Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal [Tennyson]
6. Opus 101 [Bynner]
7. I Strolled Across An Open Field [Roethke]
8. To A Young Girl [Yeats]
9. Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair [after Foster]
10. Ode [de Ronsard]
11. For Poulenc [O'Hara]
12. Littlle elegy [Wylie]
13. Alleluia
14. Look Down, Fair Moon [Whitman]
15. O You Whom I Often And Silently Come [Whitman]
16. I Will Always Love You [O'Hara]
17. The Tulip Tree [Goodman]
18. The Wintry Mind [Bynner]
19. I Am Rose [Stein]
20. The Lordly Hudson [Goodman]
21. O Do Not Love Too Long [Goodman]
22. Far - Far - Away [Tennyson]
23. For Susan [Goodman]
24. A Journey [Glaze]
25. Sometimes With One I Love [Goodman]
26. Love [Lodge]
27. Orchids [Roethke]
28. Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening [Frost]
29. Do I Love You More Than A Day [Larson]
30. Ferry Me Across The Water [Rossetti]
31. The Sowers [Bynner]
32. That Shadow, My Likeness [Whitman]

Amazon.com

Contemporary composer Ned Rorem is typically likened to an American Schubert (living in Paris) for the fecundity, emotional range, and quality of his songs (though this represents only one facet of a prolific career). And Rorem's masterful 1998 cycle Evidence of Things Not Seen would seem to justify that reputation, as does this marvelous anthology from the Rorem songbook of the past half-century. The composer is fond of dividing musicians into the "German" and the "French," clearly identifying himself with the latter for the elusive sparkle and subtle play of shadows that characterize his art. What other kind of sensibility could "through-compose" Gertrude Stein's "I Am Rose" in a deftly perfect 27 seconds? Fortunately, American lyric mezzo Susan Graham intuitively understands this expressive aspect, as does pianist-partner Malcolm Martineau. Graham is constantly attentive to the marriage of music and text in the 32 songs here and phrases their little worlds into being with grace and wit. She can shade to a sweet vanishing point or allow her voice to blossom, orchidlike, into a dazzling profusion of colors. Few of these songs, which draw on the poetry of Walt Whitman, Theodore Roethke, Frank O'Hara, and many others, last more than two minutes. But their resonance lingers, whether in the haunting "Opus 101"--with its lean but potent string trio scoring--or the enigmatic "That Shadow, My Likeness" from Whitman. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

One last touch of Paris (but oversold by the critics).......2005-10-11

Ned Rorem is the last survivor, since the death of Virgil Thompson, of the long reach that Paris exerted over a generation of American expatriate composers, many of whom drifted overseas between the wars to study with the legendary Nadia Boulanger. Rorem's songs sometimes have American folk roots, but mostly he writes chansons, and like their French counterparts, his are crystalline, spare, sophisticated, and precisely defined emotionally.

If he were more tlaneted he might have wirtten masterpieces, but mostly this sounds like Samuel Barber on skim milk. Rorem often sets minor, if not trivial poetry. His lyrical gift is modest. But there's no doubt that he has been neglected, largely because of his stubbornly tonal conservatism, and now that tonality is repsectable again, he is being accorded last-minute honors. I'm glad for him, and his best work, which consists of his multi-volume memoirs, has added much to American culture. But even when skillfully sung by an artist of the caliber of Susan Graham, a hour's worth of Rorem's tiny jewel-like chansons is about twice too much at one sitting.

wonderful perforance of excellent songs.......2005-01-20

I'm a neophyte to Ned Rorem's work. To be honest I purchased this CD because I really enjoy listening to Susan Graham. Although I really love hearing Ms. Graham's opera performances, I find it refreshing to hear her singing something in English. I also appreciate how she's taken time to perform something other than opera. Susan Graham's performance of Ned Rorem's songs has me seeking out other performances of his work.

Classic Rorem Songs!.......2004-05-18

Susan Graham has a remarkable mezzo voice and sings Rorem as though she really is a sounding board for the composer. Kudos to her and this CD comes highly recommended to newbies to Rorem songs and those many die-hard fans!

Come To Pop, Baby!.......2004-03-12

Recently, I heard Susan Graham on Garrison Keillor's "Prarie Home Companion" show. Wow! I didn't know who she was, but she had so much humour, verve and style while singing some show tunes, and that incredible voice. I rushed to amazon but all the English language songs I could find seemed to be on this album of Ned Rorem music. Well, whatever the weight lieder songs carry for the Germans, it seems that art songs in English mean songs you can't snap your fingers to, can't slap out a beat to and would never, ever, sing with your friends. I know, I know, I'm a Philistine, but please, Ms. Graham, give us an album of American popular classics, show tunes and the like. When I listened to you on Mr. Keillor's show, if I had been a bell, I'd have been ringing too! You are simply great. Don't let the classical music fans have all the fun. Throw a little our way too. Pretty please.

Worthy indeed - a gem.......2002-08-27

I cannot disagree with "A Music Fan"'s panning of this CD. Having first purchased the Hearing CD which he/she references, I reached the conclusion that Rorem's music was too knotty and "20th century" for repeated listenings and enjoyment. This CD with Susan Graham completely reversed my opinion. The songs are indeed chosen to be accessible, but they are much more than that. They are, simply stated, lovely. This is a disc I will play again and again, and has caused me to investigate many other Rorem CDs. I just came on line to buy it as a gift for a friend. Rorem deserves his due, and this disc gives it to him.

Average customer rating: A beautiful ensemble tone heavenly Unbelievably beautiful

Illumina: Choral Music by Rautavaara, Rachmaninov, Byrd, Hildegard, Tallis, Rutter, Holst, Grechaninov, Tchaikovsky, Palestrina, Ligeti, and others Cambridge Choir of Clare College , Timothy Brown , William Byrd , Alexander Tikhonovich Grechaninov , William H. Harris , Hildegard of Bingen , Gustav Holst , Josquin Desprez , Gyorgy Ligeti , and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Manufacturer: Collegium ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Byrd, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Hildegard of Bingen | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Ligeti, György | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Rautavaara, Einojuhani | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rutter | Rutter, John | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tallis | Tallis, Thomas | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000038I6G Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

1. Lumen
2. Bring Us, O Lord God
3. Ehtoohymni (Evening Hymn)
4. Nyinye otpushchayeshi (Nunc dimittis)
5. O Lux beata Trinitas
6. O coruscans lux stellarum
7. O nata lux
8. Te lucis ante terminum
9. Hymn To The Creator Of Light
10. Hail, Gladdening Light
11. Christe, qui lux es et dies
12. Nunc dimittis
13. Christe, qui lux es et dies
14. Nunc dimittis
15. Svyetye tikhii (Hail, Gladdening Light)
16. Svyetye tikhii (Hail, Gladdening Light)
17. Lucis Creator optime
18. Lux aeterna

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful ensemble tone.......2002-09-07

Most people who are used to the boy-treble sound of Kings College, wince at the thought of women-sopranos as members of the choir for English church music. But this Clare College performance would win over the most die-hard traditionalist. The program is a collection of familar and more interesting works spanning several centuries of the genre. The performances are measured, controlled and have a true ensemble tone. Although it would be unfair to treat this disc as just background music, it can be a wonderful oasis of calm after a busy day.

heavenly.......2002-02-13

I didn't think there was a group out there that could outshine the Cambridge Singers, but this group has done it. (Their shared history with John Rutter could have something to do with it!) "Bring Us, O Lord God" and "Hymn to the Creator of Light" are among the all-time great choral moments. Their sound is a shade warmer than the Cambridge Singers, which is an asset when moving outside Renaissance choral literature. The choir can sing with the pristine purity needed for Palestrina and the warm lushness needed for Rachmaninoff and Rautavaara. Every track on this album is stunning. This is now the first CD I send to people looking to start or augment their choral music collection. I can't recommend it highly enough!

Unbelievably beautiful.......2000-10-29

With this disc, their first recording for John Rutter's Collegium label, the Choir of Clare College in Cambridge prove themselves worthy to stand alongside the best in this country - and then some...

At the outset, I have to admit that I'm not wholly impressed by the programme. The title "Illumina" treads on ground that countless choirs have covered over the last ten years, and the music includes several items that fit in with that title, despite having been 'done to death' on other choral compilations: I have already come across dozens of CDs with "O nata lux" by Thomas Tallis, "Hymn to the Creator of Light" by John Rutter and "Hail, gladdening light" by Charles Wood, for instance, and it is as if having yet another recording of each detracts from the value of the others in my collection. The programme also includes a number of excerpts from Russian masterworks: specifically, canticles from the Vigil settings of Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Gretchaninov all appear (indeed, the last two composers are represented by their different settings of the same canticle!). In a similar vein is the inclusion of the Evening Hymn from Rautavaara's "Vigilia," sung in Finnish. Dense and rich polyphonic works of the Renaissance and late Romantic schools nestle side by side (cantus firmus motets by Thomas Tallis and Robert Whyte are paired off with soupy and familiar anthems by William Harris and Gustav Holst); these are contrasted by monodic plainchants and a hymn by Hildegard of Bingen. A Nunc Dimittis by Josquin also makes an appearance (it is the third setting of that particular text on the disc!) before the programme ends with Gyorgi Ligeti's striking and ethereal "Lux Aeterna."

So, a very predictable programme that might not seem worth purchasing, particularly as choral music lovers are bound to have all these tracks on previous releases. However, when it comes to actually listening to the disc, one finds it definitely worth adding to a choral collection. The Choir of Clare College have made recordings in the past, but not one of them is nearly as stunning as this. Timothy Brown draws the most amazing quality of sound from the singers: every note is precise, every word is clear, every texture is sonorous to the right degree, the balance is superb, the dynamic control is exquisite... The choir was obviously having a good year in terms of basses, who negotiate the infernal notes in the Rachmaninov and Rautavaara tracks with incredible power and admirable precision. Similarly, the sopranos and altos (Clare College Choir is mixed rather than all-male as at King's College) have a beautiful tone in the high registers of their voices. Completing the package are the scintillating acoustics of the recording venue: the Lady Chapel at Ely Cathedral. This lends a wonderful glow to all the music, even the Ligeti (I've never heard it sung as well as this).

In short, whilst the programme is right in the middle of the beaten track, this disc is a revelation: a perfect recommendation to anyone looking to explore the rich choral traditions of this country and others besides, a breath of fresh air into any choral collection, a stunning performance by a truly brilliant choir under a very capable director. Excellent!

Average customer rating: A Masterpiece, Magnificently Performed Impression Sacred music at its mind-blowing best

Evening Star: The Rachmaninov Vespers Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Rachmaninov: Vespers Sergei Rachmaninoff: Vespers (Mass for Unaccompanied Chorus) ASIN: B00000419G Release Date: 1994-09-20

Tracks:

1. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Priidite, poklonimsya
2. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Blagoslovi, dushe moya
3. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Blazhen muzh
4. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Svete tikhyi
5. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Nyne otpuschchayeshi
6. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Bogoroditse Devo
7. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Slava v vyshnikh Bogu
8. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Khvalite imya Gospodne
9. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Blagosloven esi, Gospodi
10. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Voskreseniye Khristovo videvshe
11. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Velichit dusha moya Gospoda
12. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Slava v vyshnikh Bogu
13. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Dnes spasniye
14. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Voskrez iz groba
15. The Rachmaninoff Vespers: Vzbrannoy voevode

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece, Magnificently Performed .......2006-02-07

The solemn heavenly beauty of the Russian Orthodox Saturday evening "All-Night Vigil" liturgy resonates off the walls of the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul in this magnificent rendering of Rachmaninoff's masterpiece. In particular, the 'Bogoroditse Dyevo' (Ave Maria) is achingly beautiful. A great performance of a truly great piece of music.

Impression.......2000-04-13

It's like the walls of a church begin to sing!

Sacred music at its mind-blowing best.......1999-01-14

This is an utterly magnificent recording - one of my all-time favorites. I have heard other renditions, but none come close to this particular interpretation. It is sung with such passion, soul, and intelligence that I'm sure that if he could hear it, Rachmaninov himself would be moved to tears.

Average customer rating:

The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Albany Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ives, Charles | ( I ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Ives, Charles | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 1 The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 3 The Complete Songs, Vol. 4 114 Songs by Charles Ives Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem ASIN: B0000049ML Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

1. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: I Travelled Among Unknow Men
2. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Allegro
3. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Feldeinsamkeit
4. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Harpalus
5. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: The Light That Is Felt
6. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Du Alte Mutter
7. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: God Bless And Keep Thee
8. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Du Alte Mutter
9. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Slugging A Vampire
10. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Tarrant Mass
11. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Karen
12. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Dreams
13. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: The World's Highway
14. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Because Of You
15. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Romanzo Di Central Park
16. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Because Thou Art
17. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: I Knew And Loved A Maid
18. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Her Gown Was Of Vermilion Silk
19. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Flag Song
20. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Spring Song
21. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Ich Grolle Nicht
22. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Widmung
23. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: We Melodien
24. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: There Is A Lane
25. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Elegie
26. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Evidence
27. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Berceuse
28. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Rough Wind
29. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: South Wind
30. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: No More
31. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: On Judge's Walk
32. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: A Night Thought
33. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Song Of The Dead
34. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Where The Eagle
35. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Tolerance
36. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: The Love Song Of Har Dyal
37. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Omens And Oracles
38. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Those Evening Bells
39. The Complete Songs Of Charles Ives: Fruhlingslied

Average customer rating: a voice teacher and early music fan Excellent. Phil Meets Chanticleer

Evening Prayer Henry Purcell , Skip Sempe , Francoise Johannel , Chanticleer , and Olivier Fortin Manufacturer: Teldec ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Purcell, Henry | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Purcell, Henry | Composers | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chanticleer | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Purcell, Henry | ( P ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Chanticleer | ( C ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Music for a Hidden Chapel Sound in Spirit How Sweet the Sound: Spirituals & Traditional Gospel Music Chanticleer: Magnificat (A Capella Works by Josquin, Palestrina, Titov, Victoria, and Others) Palestrina: Missa Pro Defunctis; Motets ASIN: B0000AOVT3 Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

1. Rejoice In The Lord Alway
2. Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
3. I Was Glad
4. O Lord, Rebuke Me Not
5. Praise The Lord, O My Soul, And All That Is Within Me
6. Now That The Sun Hath Veiled His Light
7. Hear My Prayer, O Lord
8. My Heart Is Inditing

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-12-01

"Henry Purcell looked like a Florentine prince, was hail-fellow-well-met in taven and taproom, wrote for the Church and also the stage and salon, was in fact, a most likeable young man as well as a great Master of Musick". Thus saith the historians, to which I heartily agree. For anyone to compose all the music that he did in a life-span of only 36 years is astounding to say the least! Except for his appointment as organist at the Chapel Royal and other churches, his compositions are the chief events of his life. His skill in counterpoint,his unique expressive voice and unparallelled gift for English text-setting appear in happy combination in his church music, and what better group to sing it, than Chanticleer!!!Chanticleer's male sopranos help create a timbre whose intensity and clarity make a fascinating alternative to the classic English cathedral sound with which this music is normally associated, thereby bringing to the forefront the more universal qualities of Purcell's art.
All of the selections on this disc are much recorded and quite famlliar to the early music 'crowd'. "Rejoice in the Lord alway" and "I was glad' were 2 anthems written for the coronation of James II.
A very notable selection is 'Now that the sun has veiled his light' best known as "An Evening Hymn". This is not strictly speaking a church piece, but rather a sacred song for solo voice intended for domestic use; very popular with countertenors.
The selection "O Lord, rebuke me not" is sung on this disc by 2 sopranists ( the term usually used for male sopranos). and it is hauntingly lovely.
Purcell's final anthem (not included in this collection) entitled 'Thou knowst Lord, the Secrets of our Hearts' was written for the funeral of Queen Mary in 1694;six months later it again drew tears when it was sung for the composer's buriel in Westminster Abbey.
Chanticleer is perfection; the individual voices are top quality displaying clear diction, sonorous tone quality and as a group, the perfect blend.

Excellent........2005-10-09

OK, I'm confused. Was that supposed to be a review? Phil Spector?!?

Anyway, on to something that makes sense. This is a wonderfully made recording that illustrates Purcell's unique and striking personality. Excellent performance of the standard you expect from Chanticleer. Two tracks are a cappella and ravishing, particularly "Hear My Prayer", a piece of music so daring, soaring, and ahead of its time that it can only be described as a singular work of art. The instrumental compliment on the rest of the disc is not only very prudent and well performed, but is also balanced to perfection with the voices in a way very rarely heard on CD. A must for any Baroque choral lover.

Phil Meets Chanticleer.......2003-12-30

Phil Spector meets Chanticleer. Why in the world would a group so musically gifted as Chanticleer not let the words and music speak for themselves? I am sure many who are unfamiliar with Tudor and similar music from the C of E will think this is terrific. For them, listen to the pure simplicity of Men & Boys from St. Pauls, Kings College, etc.

Average customer rating: great, great!!! ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!

Sacred Music Complete Purcell , King , and Kings Consort Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs of Henry Purcell / King's Consort Complete Secular Songs (3cd) ASIN: B00006RHQJ Release Date: 2002-12-10

Customer Reviews:

great, great!!!.......2006-12-05

This is the way ,I think, Purcell should sound. No pomp and surcomstance but only great music.

ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!.......2003-05-23

This boxed set is by far one of the best purchases I have ever made. As a Purcell freak, this hits every button I have. The cast of characters include the inequitable Robert King, New College Choir, Bowman, and a host of other venerable persons. Likewise the attention to period performance of these works makes it an essential addition to the library of any serious anglophile/Musicologist etc. Now if only the Britten Realizations of all Purcell's songs could be recorded alongside the originals! You will Love this set!

Average customer rating: Inventive, Catchy and Delightfully Unknown a reason to TAP THOSE FEET

Bright Light Fever Presents the Evening Owl Bright Light Fever Manufacturer: Stolen Transmission ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Garage Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Patent Pending Automatic City Carnavas ASIN: B000IFRQ5O Release Date: 2006-10-24

Tracks:

1. Broken Hands
2. Let's Stay In
3. Mother Mary Blues
4. Good Day, Good Day
5. Papa's Got A Brand New Liver
6. Crowded Street In May
7. How Much Is That Gun?
8. A Deeper Blue
9. The Diamond
10. Cut Down A Size
11. Iceberger

Customer Reviews:

Inventive, Catchy and Delightfully Unknown.......2007-03-06

Ever stumbled across a book or CD and loved it -- before the author or artist hit it big? That's the feeling I get from Bright Light Fever (BLF). When you buy this CD and crank it up, you'll wonder how these fellows aren't yet sipping martinis in a stretch hummer and touring with the Chili Peppers, REM or U2... And you can count yourself among the with-it group that recognized their talent early on. Check 'em out!

a reason to TAP THOSE FEET.......2006-10-25

Not only are the band members sexy as hell, they are talented and have been playing music since Jesus was a child. I suggest buying this CD to anyone in the world that has ever eaten food, slept, or drank water. You'll love it too!

Average customer rating: A Rose By Any Other Name... "Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay! Free at last! I Love This Recording The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) Wagner: The Valkyrie The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) ASIN: B00005B550 Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

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

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

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

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.

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2. Femme Que J'Aime [Import]
3. Fete Trouble [Import]
4. Forro Remexe V.5 [Import]
5. Gritos Que Se Perderam [Import]
6. Hombre Et Lumiere [Import]
7. Inspiracion Y Locura [Import]
8. Irish Fiddle
9. Ketchup Electrique [Import]
10. L'inoubliable [Box set] [Import]

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