| 1. Avec Le Vent |
| 2. Bistro |
| 3. Mon MÉTro |
| 4. Cergy |
| 5. IntÉGration |
| 6. J'aurais Voulu Etre Un Mc |
| 7. Peut-Etre Bien |
| 8. PensÉEs AmÈRes - Intro |
| 9. PensÉEs AmÈRes |
| 10. Louise Et Thelma |
| 11. Oisif |
| 12. La Preuve Par 1000 |
| 13. Le Sommeil |
| 14. Nobody Knows You |
| 15. Reggablues |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Debut Album from French Singer of Young Generation.
This really is a must have recording for any true musical comedy lover who wants the unusual and historical. Davis's "Turn Me Loose on Broadway" is wonderful from her "Mistah conductah, iff You Pleeees" to her slightly off tempo "hey" in the dance break. Davis did try to sing several times through her career. Frank Loesser's "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" has been on a few collections, and there was that failed musical version of THE CORN IS GREEN entitled MISS MOFFAT that closed in Philadelphia. Betty Davis wasn't a good singer, but she tried!
The supporting cast is excellent, and I think it's just a joy to hear an old-school musical by one of the forgotten greats, Vernon Duke. That's why I'm really pleased to have the Duke bonus tracks on the CD as well. It's a great value with Davis, Duke, and Lawrence Welk and his orchestra as well. The album was coveted for years, and it's just wonderful to have it in better sound than it ever was.
TWO'S COMPANY ran on the box office power of Davis, and the moment she became ill and started missing performances, the closing notices were posted (the show limped along for 90 performances). Nevertheless, this curious jewel of a show was recorded, and now gets it's CD premiere thanks to British boutique label Sepia.
Apparently, Davis was so embarrased by her performance, that she attempted to buy every single copy of the original LP in order to destroy them. One can just imagine Davis (in full Margo Channing mode) swaggering into a record store and slamming a pile of TWO'S COMPANY albums onto the sales counter ("don't bother to wrap `em!").
While Davis was never a singer, she croaks out her songs quite well, and what she lacks in musicality she compensates with comedy and sheer brio.
Performing the more demanding material is Ellen Hanley, known to musical fans for her Tony-winning role as Thea in "Fiorello!"; as well as Adrianna in the 1963 Off-Broadway revival of "The Boys from Syracuse", and replacing Polly Bergen in "First Impressions" (the Jane Austen/'Pride & Prejudice' musical of 1959).
Sepia's remaster of the TWO'S COMPANY album (taken from original 78's) is quite crisp and clean, with some slight hiss and sonic wobble in certain areas (like towards the end of "Haunted Hot Spot"), although we are lucky to have this title on disc in the first place.
Known for their copious bonus tracks, Sepia do not disappoint, and the TWO'S COMPANY disc is filled out with extensive supplementaries (Nancy Walker singing "I Can't Get Started" and Jack Smith with "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight"); and a whole "Vernon Duke plays Vernon Duke" section.
Now that TWO'S COMPANY has been released on compact disc, we can finally hear what all the fuss was about.
come to me Grief Forever". CD 2 includes music by: John Bull,William Byrd,John Dowland,Alfonso Holborne, William Lawes. The tunes that Chance sings are very attractive and he sings them with his usual expertise. Moreover, Fretwork is a talented experienced performing group, so when you combine them with the "golden" voice of Michael Chance, you know you have good listening in store.
In order to turn this story into a five-act opera, the librettist Alessandro Matthei introduces a total of over thirty mythical figures including not only gods and heavenly messengers, shepherds and satyrs, but also winds and a river - these last have quite extensive sung parts! This is very different from Monteverdi's version. As far as the composition itself goes, it consists, like Monteverdi's later operas, almost exclusively of recitative, interrupted occasionally by duets, terzets or choral interludes. The musical background is provided mainly by a continuo force of organ, lirone, harp and lute, occasionally complemented by violins or cornets.
Director Stephen Stubbs, who also plays the chitarrone (a type of guitar), has tried to create a "historical" performance, although in fact it is doubtful whether La Morte d'Orfeo was ever performed during the composer's lifetime. This means that he not only uses historical instruments but also that his singers are, with two exceptions, all male, a total of ten roles being played by the two star countertenors David Cordier and Michael Chance. If you don't like very high male voices (Cordier could be taken for a soprano!), avoid this CD-box like the plague! But if you enjoy historically "authentic" singing, then there is much to enjoy here: Cordier and Chance were, at the time of the recording, coryphaei of countertenor.
Of course, the fact that practically all the singers except John Elwes as Orpheus have to sing up to five parts makes pretty confusing listening, and I found it necessary to refer constantly to the booklet. Elwes himself sings well, but his performance seems to me to be overshadowed by that of the two countertenors and by bass Harry Van der Kamp, whose performance as the River Hebros, as Furore and, in particular, as Charon in the underworld left a lasting impression. The other singers all do well without being particularly outstanding; Johanna Koslowsky has some poignant moments, especially in the last act where she plays the shade of Euridice, who has lost all memory of Orpheus. Of course, this is historical performance practice, so there is practically no vibrato to be heard anywhere. The instruments sound wonderful, and there is some excellent cornet playing by Bruce Dickey and Doron David Sherwin in the first act.
Accent makes no attempt to facilitate access to this more or less unknown work. The booklet contains a helpful, but extremely brief introduction by Professor Silke Leopold, a synopsis of the action that reduces whole acts to two sentences, and the libretto in 17th century Italian only without any attempts at translation. It should perhaps also be added that the times stated for the various tracks are often unreliable, making it impossible for me to give the production anything but an average evaluation. The sound, too, is not anything to write home about - adequate, yes, but the voices are often muffled, and there is too much echoing in the empty church recording venue.
But there is, as far as I know, no rival recording, so if you are interested in early 17th century opera or in the history of the musical development of the Orpheus legend, you should go for this CD-box despite its limitations.
I do love older compilations of rare material like this, so it's nice that it was released, but at the same time, it has me worried that, coupled with overlap from some of the Hawaii bootlegs, a lot of early Vixen/Aloha stuff won't see the light of day. This CD only focuses on Kim La Chance's material with the band, and even then, doesn't include quite all of the early Vixen demo tracks. The "Made in Hawaii" EP has already been pressed on CD format, albeit as a bootleg. Truthfully, a big multiple-CD compendium of all Vixen/Aloha/Hawaii stuff (maybe with some of the early Deuce tracks with Marty) would have been a lot nicer, but less realistic.
I'll be honest--I don't like much of Kim La Chance's vocal work for Vixen at all. Her best performances were certainly for Malisha's material. She's certainly charismatic and over-the-top in her delivery, but it would really befit more of a hard rock act. "Living In Sin," the best Vixen song, is proof positive of this; La Chance does a lot of bizarre vocal and tonal influctuations that don't mesh well with the song. But coupled with revised lyrics, the Gary St. Pierre-fronted version on the first Hawaii LP is an absolute U.S. metal anthem that crushes everything else that any Friedman-related project has ever done. And as I said, having some of the Aloha material would have provided a nice counterpoint (sadly, I think the only Aloha stuff on digital format is a single track on Metal Massacre II). Liza Ruiz gives a much more generic and traditional delivery than La Chance, maybe a bit like Betsy of Bitch, but it fits the music a lot better.
Musically, this is a bit of a mixed bag as well. Some of the songs seem more rooted in a hard rock type of presentation--"Rocking Me Hard," for example, sounds like a metalized Joan Jett type of anthem, and on songs like this La Chance's vocals actually fit well. The Animals' cover "House of the Rising Sun" is probably the best song on the CD, just out of sheer novelty value. But other material, especially "Living In Sin," is firmly in line with a lot of the US Judas Priest-inspired metal of the early '80s and shares a lot with early Metal Blade and Shrapnel bands. The unusual thing is that there doesn't seem to be much of a detectable NWOBHM influence, which is odd especially for such an early US metal band.
Friedman's guitar work here is excellent, and the instrumental "Beg for Mercy" is a definite precursor to Cacophony. I think Marty was always tasteful enough not to descend into shredding wankery, but even when his speedy solos represent drastic time changes in some of the more mid-tempo Vixen songs, it's well done. Overall the demo tracks have more of a rawer feel to them and I find them a bit more interesting, even though the EP tracks exhibit much better songwriting (but again, I already have the EP, so I'm a bit biased since I'm used to those songs).
Those familiar with Vixen (or Hawaii) will probably want to pick this up. Demo discs can of course be positive or negative, and represent material untarnished by album production and overpoplishing, or represent versions of songs whose full potential hasn't been tapped yet. Unfortunately, this CD firmly represents the latter, so most of this disc's desirability stems from novelty and nostalgia factors. While the demos and EP tracks here aren't bad at all, to pretend that Friedman didn't better them with Hawaii (when speaking of redone Vixen songs or about Hawaii's original material versus Vixen's original material) would be an outright lie.
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.
Debut Album from French Singer of Young Generation.
La Chance,Anis,EMI,World Music
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Two's Company
Manufacturer: Sepia Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  Duke, Vernon
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ASIN: B0007X9URY Release Date: 2005-04-11 |
Tracks:
- Overture - Orchestra
- Theatre Is A Lady - Bill Callahan
- Turn Me Loose On Broadway - Bette Davis
- It Just Occurred To Me - Peter Kelley
- A Man's Home - Hiram Sherman
- Roundabout - Ellen Hanley
- Roll Along, Sadie - Betty Davis
- Out Of The Clear Blue Sky - Peter Kelley
- Esther - David Burns
- Haunted Hot Spot - Ellen Hanley
- Purple Rose - Bette Davis
- Just Like A Man - Bette Davis
- Finale - Bette Davis And The Company
- Bonus Track: A Like The Likes Of You/What Is There To Say/I Can't Get Started With You/Who's To Blame - Vernon Duke
- Cabin In The Sky/Honey In The Honeycomb/Taking A Chance On Love/The Love I Longed For - Vernon Duke
- Out Of The Clear Blue Sky/Roundabout/Autumn In New York/Island In The West Indies - Vernon Duke
- Introduction/April In Paris/Rendevous Sans Addresse/Summer Is A-Comin' In/La Musique Avant Toutes Choses/April In Paris - Vernon Duke
- I Can't Get Started - Vernon Duke
- I'm Gonna Ring The Bell Tonight - Vernon Duke
Album Description
The 1952 original Broadway cast recording, on CD for the first time! Features Oscar winner Bette Davis in her only musical stage appearance. Bonus tracks include a song by Nancy Walker and material composed & performed by composer Vernon Duke.Customer Reviews:
A Long Awaited "Gem".......2007-07-09
This really is a must have recording for any true musical comedy lover who wants the unusual and historical. Davis's "Turn Me Loose on Broadway" is wonderful from her "Mistah conductah, iff You Pleeees" to her slightly off tempo "hey" in the dance break. Davis did try to sing several times through her career. Frank Loesser's "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" has been on a few collections, and there was that failed musical version of THE CORN IS GREEN entitled MISS MOFFAT that closed in Philadelphia. Betty Davis wasn't a good singer, but she tried!
The supporting cast is excellent, and I think it's just a joy to hear an old-school musical by one of the forgotten greats, Vernon Duke. That's why I'm really pleased to have the Duke bonus tracks on the CD as well. It's a great value with Davis, Duke, and Lawrence Welk and his orchestra as well. The album was coveted for years, and it's just wonderful to have it in better sound than it ever was.
Bette Davis in a musical...yes, you heard right.......2006-10-05
TWO'S COMPANY ran on the box office power of Davis, and the moment she became ill and started missing performances, the closing notices were posted (the show limped along for 90 performances). Nevertheless, this curious jewel of a show was recorded, and now gets it's CD premiere thanks to British boutique label Sepia.
Apparently, Davis was so embarrased by her performance, that she attempted to buy every single copy of the original LP in order to destroy them. One can just imagine Davis (in full Margo Channing mode) swaggering into a record store and slamming a pile of TWO'S COMPANY albums onto the sales counter ("don't bother to wrap `em!").
While Davis was never a singer, she croaks out her songs quite well, and what she lacks in musicality she compensates with comedy and sheer brio.
Performing the more demanding material is Ellen Hanley, known to musical fans for her Tony-winning role as Thea in "Fiorello!"; as well as Adrianna in the 1963 Off-Broadway revival of "The Boys from Syracuse", and replacing Polly Bergen in "First Impressions" (the Jane Austen/'Pride & Prejudice' musical of 1959).
Sepia's remaster of the TWO'S COMPANY album (taken from original 78's) is quite crisp and clean, with some slight hiss and sonic wobble in certain areas (like towards the end of "Haunted Hot Spot"), although we are lucky to have this title on disc in the first place.
Known for their copious bonus tracks, Sepia do not disappoint, and the TWO'S COMPANY disc is filled out with extensive supplementaries (Nancy Walker singing "I Can't Get Started" and Jack Smith with "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight"); and a whole "Vernon Duke plays Vernon Duke" section.
Now that TWO'S COMPANY has been released on compact disc, we can finally hear what all the fuss was about.
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Monteverdi - L'Orfeo / Rolfe Johnson, Dawson, von Otter, Argenta, M. Nichols, Tomlinson, Chance, Baird; Gardiner
Claudio Monteverdi , John Eliot Gardiner , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , Lynne Dawson , His Majesty's Sackbutts and Cornetts , English Baroque Soloists , Monteverdi Choir , Nancy Argenta , Anne Sofie von Otter , Julianne Baird , Mary Nichols , Simon Birchall , John Tomlinson , Michael Chance , Mark Turner , and Howard Milner Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Monteverdi
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ASIN: B0000057CV Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- L'Orfeo: Toccata
- L'Orfeo: 'Dal mio Permesso' (La Musica)
- L'orfeo: Act I: 'In questo lieto e fortunato giorno'
- L'orfeo: Act I: 'Lasciate i monti'
- L'orfeo: Act I: 'Rosa del ciel'
- L'orfeo: Act I: 'Ma se il nostro gioir'
- L'orfeo: Act II: 'Ecco pur ch'a voi ritorno'
- L'orfeo: Act II: 'Mira ch s'alletta'
- L'orfeo: Act II: 'Vi ricorda, o bosch'ombrosi'
- L'orfeo: Act II: 'Ahi, caso acerbo'
- L'Orfeo: 'Ahi, caso acerbo'
- L'orfeo: Act II: 'Chi ne consola, ahi lassi?'
Tracks:
- L'orfeo: Act III: 'Scorto da te, mio Nume'
- L'orfeo: Act III: 'O tu, ch'inanzi morte'
- L'orfeo: Act III: 'Possente spirto'
- L'orfeo: Act III: 'Ben mi lusinga'
- L'orfeo: Act III: 'Nulla impresa per uom'
- L'orfeo: Act IV: 'Signor, quel infelice'
- L'orfeo: Act IV: 'Pietade, oggi, e amore'
- L'orfeo: Act IV: 'Qual onor di te'
- L'orfeo: Act IV: 'Ahi, vista troppo dolce'
- L'orfeo: Act IV: 'E la virtute un raggio'
- L'orfeo: Act V: 'Questi i campi di Tracia'
- L'orfeo: Act V: 'Perch lo sdengo'
- L'orfeo: Act V: 'Vanne Orfeo'
- L'orfeo: Act V: Moresca
Amazon.com essential recording
History's first great opera--the story of Orpheus descending to Hades to retrieve his bride Eurydice from the dead, only to lose her again--gets a fine performance (the best overall version currently available) from John Eliot Gardiner and his musicians. Anthony Rolfe Johnson performs the title role with all the beautiful sound you'd expect from an Orfeo; he negotiates virtuoso passages flawlessly and sings passionately without overwhelming Monteverdi's music with too much voice. Julianne Baird as Eurydice and Anne Sofie Von Otter in a gripping appearance as the Messenger are the standouts in a cast without a weak link. Everyone involved, including the chorus and orchestra, performs with such energy, beauty, and precision that even long stretches of recitative never pall. --Matthew WestphalCustomer Reviews:
Great recording of a beautiful opera.......2007-03-29
a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-05-13
Gardiner and crew are amazing!.......2005-09-17
One of the most beautiful operas of all time.......2005-09-10
My favourite recording of any Opera.......2003-08-21
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Armada: Music from the Courts of England and Spain
Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Baroque Dance Suites
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ASIN: B00004TQR4 Release Date: 2000-10-10 |
Tracks:
- Rejoice Unto The Lord
- Diferencias Sobre El Canto
- Fantasia
- Morenica Dame
- Browning A 3
- The Carman's Whistle
- Gome To Me, Grief, For Ever
- Recercada Segunda 'Sobre Canto Llano'
- Susana Un Jur
- Fantasia De Redobles
- In Angel's Weed
- Dulce Memoria
- Diferencias Sobre La Gallarda Milanesa
- Recercada Tercera
- Pour Down, You Pow'rs Divine No Grief Is Like To Mine
- Fantasia A 4
- Quiente Hizo
- In Nomine A 5
Tracks:
- Almain: The Honeysuckle
- Pavan: Paradizo
- Coranto: The Fairie-Round
- Fantasy A 5 'Two In One'
- M. Bucton His Galiard
- Captaine Digorie Piper His Galiard
- Fantasy A 4
- Pavan: Lachrimae Antiquae
- M. Nicholas Gryffith His Galiard
- In Nomine A 5
- In Nomine A 5
- Fantasy A 4 For The 'Great Dooble Base'
- Aire: Pavan Of Alfonso
- Aire: Almaine Of Alfonso
- A Fancie in C
- Fantazy
- Paven
- Almaine
Customer Reviews:
a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-03-08
come to me Grief Forever". CD 2 includes music by: John Bull,William Byrd,John Dowland,Alfonso Holborne, William Lawes. The tunes that Chance sings are very attractive and he sings them with his usual expertise. Moreover, Fretwork is a talented experienced performing group, so when you combine them with the "golden" voice of Michael Chance, you know you have good listening in store.
Excellent and Pleasurable.......2001-01-31
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Pierrot le fou/Week-End
Antoine Duhamel , and Jean-luc Godard Manufacturer: Wea International ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Film Scores
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ASIN: B00005CDLD Release Date: 2002-07-16 |
Tracks:
- Ferdinand [From Pierrot le Fou] - Antoine Duhamel
- Pierrot [From Pierrot le Fou] - Antoine Duhamel
- SoirPerdue [From Pierrot le Fou] - Antoine Duhamel
- Jamais Je Ne T'Ai Dit Que Je T'Aimerai Toujours [From Pierrot le Fou] - Anna Karina
- Sans Lendermain [From Pierrot le Fou] - Antoine Duhamel
- Ma Ligne de Chance [From Pierrot le Fou] - Anna Karina
- Twist Pour Jean-Luc [From Pierrot le Fou] - Antoine Duhamel
- Mort Bleue [From Pierrot le Fou] - Antoine Duhamel
- Mic et Mac [From Pierrot le Fou] - Anna Karina
- Miracle des Moutons [From Week-End]
- Alice au Pays des Syllogismes [From Week-End]
- Lamento [From Week-End]
- Footit et Chocolat [From Week-End]
- Complainte du Tiers-Monde [From Week-End]
- Internationale [From Week-End]
- Elle et Lui [From Week-End]
Album Description
French compilation combines the soundtracks for two of Jean-Luc Godard's classic films, Pierrot Le Fou (1965) & a re-recording of the 'lost' soundtrack for Weekend...aka Crazy Pete (1967). Composed by Antoine Duhamel, this edition features the songs of Anna Karina. Attractive digipak includes 15 page booklet featuring photo stills, photos of Godard and the composer and detailed liner notes. 2001 release.
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La Chance...
Anis Manufacturer: EMI ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000A7KLE8 Release Date: 2005-10-17 |
Tracks:
- Avec le Vent
- Bistro
- Mon Mo
- Cergy
- Intation
- J'Aurais Voulu re un MC
- Peut-re Bien
- Pens Ams - Intro
- Pens Ams
- Louise et Thelma
- Oisif
- Preuve Par 1000 (Mahlich Boy)
- Sommeil
- Nobody Knows You
- Reggablues
Album Details
Debut Album from French Singer of Young Generation.Customer Reviews:
I saw him live.......2006-12-27
Average customer rating:
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Stefano Landi: La Morte d'Orfeo
Manufacturer: Accent Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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Vocal & Song
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ASIN: B0001Z37CC Release Date: 2004-04-27 |
Customer Reviews:
a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-01-28
Valuable document on the history of 17th century opera.......2004-08-23
In order to turn this story into a five-act opera, the librettist Alessandro Matthei introduces a total of over thirty mythical figures including not only gods and heavenly messengers, shepherds and satyrs, but also winds and a river - these last have quite extensive sung parts! This is very different from Monteverdi's version. As far as the composition itself goes, it consists, like Monteverdi's later operas, almost exclusively of recitative, interrupted occasionally by duets, terzets or choral interludes. The musical background is provided mainly by a continuo force of organ, lirone, harp and lute, occasionally complemented by violins or cornets.
Director Stephen Stubbs, who also plays the chitarrone (a type of guitar), has tried to create a "historical" performance, although in fact it is doubtful whether La Morte d'Orfeo was ever performed during the composer's lifetime. This means that he not only uses historical instruments but also that his singers are, with two exceptions, all male, a total of ten roles being played by the two star countertenors David Cordier and Michael Chance. If you don't like very high male voices (Cordier could be taken for a soprano!), avoid this CD-box like the plague! But if you enjoy historically "authentic" singing, then there is much to enjoy here: Cordier and Chance were, at the time of the recording, coryphaei of countertenor.
Of course, the fact that practically all the singers except John Elwes as Orpheus have to sing up to five parts makes pretty confusing listening, and I found it necessary to refer constantly to the booklet. Elwes himself sings well, but his performance seems to me to be overshadowed by that of the two countertenors and by bass Harry Van der Kamp, whose performance as the River Hebros, as Furore and, in particular, as Charon in the underworld left a lasting impression. The other singers all do well without being particularly outstanding; Johanna Koslowsky has some poignant moments, especially in the last act where she plays the shade of Euridice, who has lost all memory of Orpheus. Of course, this is historical performance practice, so there is practically no vibrato to be heard anywhere. The instruments sound wonderful, and there is some excellent cornet playing by Bruce Dickey and Doron David Sherwin in the first act.
Accent makes no attempt to facilitate access to this more or less unknown work. The booklet contains a helpful, but extremely brief introduction by Professor Silke Leopold, a synopsis of the action that reduces whole acts to two sentences, and the libretto in 17th century Italian only without any attempts at translation. It should perhaps also be added that the times stated for the various tracks are often unreliable, making it impossible for me to give the production anything but an average evaluation. The sound, too, is not anything to write home about - adequate, yes, but the voices are often muffled, and there is too much echoing in the empty church recording venue.
But there is, as far as I know, no rival recording, so if you are interested in early 17th century opera or in the history of the musical development of the Orpheus legend, you should go for this CD-box despite its limitations.
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Palestrina, Plainchant, Josquin Desprez and others
Manufacturer: Gimell ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Sacred & Religious
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ASIN: B0000041M3 Release Date: 1997-11-11 |
Tracks:
- Plainchant: Bendedicta es - G. PALESTRINA
- Motet: Missa bendicta es - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Benedicta es: Kyrie - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Benedicta es: Gloria - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Benedicta es: Creod - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Benedicta es: Sanctus & Benedictus - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Benedicta es: Agnus Dei I & II - G. PALESTRINA
Tracks:
- Plainchant: Nigra sum - G. PALESTRINA
- Motet: Nigra sum - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Nigra Sum: Kyrie - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Nigra Sum: Gloria - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Nigra Sum: Credo - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Nigra Sum: Sanctus & Benedictus - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Nigra Sum: Agnus Dei I & II - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Papae Marcelli: Kyrie - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Papae Marcelli: Gloria - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Papae Marcelli: Credo - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Papae Marcelli: Sanctus & Benedictus - G. PALESTRINA
- Missa Papae Marcelli: Agnus Dei I & II - G. PALESTRINA
Tracks:
- Missa Brevis: Kyrie - Palestrina
- Missa Brevis: Gloria - Palestrina
- Missa Brevis: Credo - Palestrina
- Missa Brevis: Sanctus & Benedictus - Palestrina
- Missa Brevis: Agnus Dei I & II - Palestrina
- Madrigal: Nasce la gioja mia - Palestrina
- Missa Nasce la gioja mia: Kyrie - Palestrina
- Missa Nasce la gioja mia: Gloria - Palestrina
- Missa Nasce la gioja mia: Credo - Palestrina
- Missa Nasce la gioja mia: Sanctus & Benedictus - Palestrina
- Missa Nasce la gioja mia: Agnus Dei I & II - Palestrina
Tracks:
- Plainchant: Assumpta est Maria in caelum - Palestrina
- Motet: Assumpta est Maria in caelum - Palestrina
- Missa Assumpta est Maria: Kyrie - Palestrina
- Missa Assumpta est Maria: Gloria - Palestrina
- Missa Assumpta est Maria: Credo - Palestrina
- Missa Assumpta est Maria: Sanctus & Benedictus - Palestrina
- Missa Assumpta est Maria: Agnus Dei I & II - Palestrina
- Motet: Sicut lilium inter spinus I - Palestrina
- Missa Sicut lilium inter spinas: Kyrie - Palestrina
- Missa Sicut lilium inter spinas: Gloria - Palestrina
- Missa Sicut lilium inter spinas: Credo - Palestrina
- Missa Sicut lilium inter spinas: Sanctus & Benedictus - Palestrina
- Missa Sicut lilium inter spinas: Agnus Dei - Palestrina
Amazon.com
In 1995, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Palestrina's death, Gimell issued this mid-price collection of four excellent Tallis Scholars recordings of music by their "patron saint" composer (the choir's name notwithstanding). The contents of the set include the Masses Benedicta es, Nigra sum, Nasce la gioja mia, Assumpta est Maria, Sicut lilium, the Missa Brevis, and the legendary "Pope Marcellus" Mass. All of these works are reviewed more fully on pages for the individual discs (enter "Palestrina" and the name of a Mass in the "Keyword Search" line); it suffices to say that Palestrina himself couldn't have asked for a finer tribute. --Matthew WestphalCustomer Reviews:
A sublime expression of faith through music.......1999-01-25
Excellent, moving and inspiring CD.......1999-01-18
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The Works: featuring Marty Friedman
Vixen Manufacturer: Pyram-Axis / Front Row Seat ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B0000C8YNO Release Date: 2003-10-21 |
Tracks:
- Angels From the Dust
- New Age Rock-n-Roller ☼
- Living In Sin
- Escape the Night
- Beg for Mercy
- House of the Rising Sun ☼
- Secret of the Stars ☼
- Give it All You Got ☼
- Rocking Me Hard
- The Young and the Reckless
- Lady Savage ☼
- Angels From the Dust (orig. version) ☼
- Living In Sin (original version) ☼
Album Description
Vixen, the early 80s American metal band who's line-up featured former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman and singer Kin La Chance, dishes out The Works.This newly re-mastered CD features the complete Made in Hawaii sessions as well as 7 previously unreleased tracks all featuring the popular six-string master.
These 13 tracks have never been released on compact disc and have never sounded this good. This collection is a must have for the metal enthusiast and most certainly for fans of Marty Friedman and Megadeth.
Album Description
This remastered CD features the complete Made In Hawaii sessions as well as 7 previously unreleased tracks all featuring the six-string master Marty Friedman. Pyram-Axis Records. 2003.Customer Reviews:
awesome... marty friedman sucks!.......2007-02-05
Cool material, but not flattering to any parties involved..........2005-06-19
I do love older compilations of rare material like this, so it's nice that it was released, but at the same time, it has me worried that, coupled with overlap from some of the Hawaii bootlegs, a lot of early Vixen/Aloha stuff won't see the light of day. This CD only focuses on Kim La Chance's material with the band, and even then, doesn't include quite all of the early Vixen demo tracks. The "Made in Hawaii" EP has already been pressed on CD format, albeit as a bootleg. Truthfully, a big multiple-CD compendium of all Vixen/Aloha/Hawaii stuff (maybe with some of the early Deuce tracks with Marty) would have been a lot nicer, but less realistic.
I'll be honest--I don't like much of Kim La Chance's vocal work for Vixen at all. Her best performances were certainly for Malisha's material. She's certainly charismatic and over-the-top in her delivery, but it would really befit more of a hard rock act. "Living In Sin," the best Vixen song, is proof positive of this; La Chance does a lot of bizarre vocal and tonal influctuations that don't mesh well with the song. But coupled with revised lyrics, the Gary St. Pierre-fronted version on the first Hawaii LP is an absolute U.S. metal anthem that crushes everything else that any Friedman-related project has ever done. And as I said, having some of the Aloha material would have provided a nice counterpoint (sadly, I think the only Aloha stuff on digital format is a single track on Metal Massacre II). Liza Ruiz gives a much more generic and traditional delivery than La Chance, maybe a bit like Betsy of Bitch, but it fits the music a lot better.
Musically, this is a bit of a mixed bag as well. Some of the songs seem more rooted in a hard rock type of presentation--"Rocking Me Hard," for example, sounds like a metalized Joan Jett type of anthem, and on songs like this La Chance's vocals actually fit well. The Animals' cover "House of the Rising Sun" is probably the best song on the CD, just out of sheer novelty value. But other material, especially "Living In Sin," is firmly in line with a lot of the US Judas Priest-inspired metal of the early '80s and shares a lot with early Metal Blade and Shrapnel bands. The unusual thing is that there doesn't seem to be much of a detectable NWOBHM influence, which is odd especially for such an early US metal band.
Friedman's guitar work here is excellent, and the instrumental "Beg for Mercy" is a definite precursor to Cacophony. I think Marty was always tasteful enough not to descend into shredding wankery, but even when his speedy solos represent drastic time changes in some of the more mid-tempo Vixen songs, it's well done. Overall the demo tracks have more of a rawer feel to them and I find them a bit more interesting, even though the EP tracks exhibit much better songwriting (but again, I already have the EP, so I'm a bit biased since I'm used to those songs).
Those familiar with Vixen (or Hawaii) will probably want to pick this up. Demo discs can of course be positive or negative, and represent material untarnished by album production and overpoplishing, or represent versions of songs whose full potential hasn't been tapped yet. Unfortunately, this CD firmly represents the latter, so most of this disc's desirability stems from novelty and nostalgia factors. While the demos and EP tracks here aren't bad at all, to pretend that Friedman didn't better them with Hawaii (when speaking of redone Vixen songs or about Hawaii's original material versus Vixen's original material) would be an outright lie.
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Le Kabaret De La Derniere Chance
ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD France
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ASIN: B00004UT2I Release Date: 2007-04-24 |
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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
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ASIN: B0000041JV Release Date: 1997-04-15 |
Tracks:
- Agrippina: Sinfonia
- Agrippina: Act One : Recitativo - Nerone, amato, figlio! (Agrippina, Nerone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Col saggio tuo consiglio (Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Per cosrande impresa (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Aria - La mia sorte fortunata
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Or che Pallante into (Agrippina,)
- Agrippina: Aria - Volo pronto, e lieto il core
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Quanto fa,quanto puote (Agrippina); Aria - L'alma mia fra le tempeste (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Arioso - Qual piacere a un cor pietoso (Nerone); Recitativo - Prendi tu ancora, prendi (Nerone); Arioso - Ma rassembra tormentoso (Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Amici, al sen vi stringo (Nerone, Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Voi, Che dell'alta Roma (Agrippina); Quartetto - Il tuo figlio (Pallante, Narciso, Agrippina, Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Ma qual di liete trombe (Agrippina); Arietta - Allegrezza, allegrezza!; Recitativo - Che sento! (Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Alle tue piante, o Augusta (Ottone, Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Aria - Tu ben degno (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - L'ultima del gior meta gradita (Ottone); Aria - Lusinghiera mia speranza (Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Vagne perle, eletti fiori (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Otton, Claudio, Nerone (Poppea, Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Aria - E un foco quel d'amore (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Ma qui Agrippina viene (Poppea, Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Aria - Ho un non so nel cor (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Cieli,quai strani casi; Aria - Fa quanto vuoi
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Non veggo alcun
- Agrippina: Aria - Pur ritorno a rimirarvi (Claudio)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Ma, oh ciel, mestra e confusa (Claudio)
- Agrippina: Arietta - Vieni, o cara (Claudio)
Tracks:
- 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)
- Agrippina: Aria - Non ho cor che per amarti (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Se Ottone m'inganno (Poppea); Aria - Se giunge un dispetto (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Act Two : Recitativo - Dunque noi siam traditi?
- Agrippina: Aria - Coronato il crin d'alloro (Ottone); Recitativo - Roma, piu ch'il trionfo (Ottone, Agrippina, Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Ecco il superbo (Agrippina, Poppea, Nerone, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Coro - Di timpani e trombe (Poppea, Nerone, Agrippina, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Nelle Britannia vinta (Claudio); Aria - Cade il mondo soggiogato(Claudio)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Signor, quanto il mio core (Agrippina, Claudio, Poppea, Nerone, Ottone)
- 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)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Otton,qual portentoso fulmine (Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Voi che udite il mio lamento (Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Bella pur del mio diletto (Poppea); Recitativo - Il tormento d'Ottone (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Arioso - Vaghe fonti (Ottone); Recitativo - Ma qui che veggo, oh cieli! (Ottone); Recitativo - Ottone traditore! (Poppea, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Ti vo'giusta e non pietosa (Ottone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Di quali ordite trame (Poppea, Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Pur al fine ti retrovo! (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Aria - Col peso del tuo amor (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Qual bramato piacere (Nerone); Aria -Quando invita la donna l'amante (Nerone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Pensieri, voi mi tormentate! (Agrippina); Recitativo - Quel ch'oprai e soggetto a gran periglio (Agrippina); Aria - Pensieri, voi mi tormentate! (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Se ben nemica sorte (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Aria -Col raggio placido
Tracks:
- Agrippina: Act Two : Recitativo - Di giunger non dispero al mio desire (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Aria - Spereroi che mel dice
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Per dar la page al core (Agrippina, Claudio)
- Agrippina: Aria - Basta sol che tu chieda (Claudio)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Favorevol la sorte oggi m'arride (Agrippina); Aria - Ogni vento ch'al porto lo spinga (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Act Three : Recitativo - Il caro Ottone al precipizio io spinsi (Poppea, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Taceracerttone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Attendo qui Nerone e Claudio ancora (Poppea, Nerone, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Coll'ardor del tuo bel core (Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Amico ciel, seconda il mio disegno (Poppea, Claudio, Nerone, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Io di Roma il Giove sono (Claudio)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Pur al fin se ne andoppea, Ottone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Pur ch'io ti stringa al sen (Ottone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Piega pur del mio cor (Poppea); Aria - Bel piacer (Poppea)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Cotanto osppea? (Agrippina, Nerone)
- Agrippina: Aria - Come nube che fugge dal vento (Nerone)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Evvi donna piia? (Claudio, Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Adorato mio sposo (Agrippina, Claudio)
- Agrippina: Aria - Se vuoi pace, o volto amato (Agrippina)
- Agrippina: Recitativo - Ecco la mia rivale (Agrippina, Poppea, Nerone, Ottone, Claudio)
- Agrippina: Coro - Lieto il Tebro inscrespi l'onda
- Agrippina: Recitativo - D'Otton e di Poppea sul grande innesto; Aria - V'accendano le tede
- Agrippina: Ballo
Customer Reviews:
a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-05-20
An wonderful recording of this important opera that set Handel on his path to fame and history.......2005-10-31
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
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
Absolute Genius from young Handel........2000-11-03
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