Carmen Jones (1943 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording] [Original recording remastered] [Soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Carmen Jones is one of the weirdest projects to ever hit the American musical theater. In 1943, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II adapted Georges Bizet's Carmen for Broadway. The music was pretty much left intact, but Hammerstein transferred the action to WWII America. Carmen's tobacco factory became Carmen Jones' parachute factory, bullfighter Escamillo became boxer Husky Miller, and so on. As if this weren't enough, there also was the "small" detail of casting the show only with African-Americans. All in all, this ambitious endeavor makes Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme seem timid. Hammerstein's attempt at writing "black" hasn't aged all that well, but many of the show's songs retain a surprising impact. The feverish intensity of "Beat Out dat Rhythm on a Drum," for instance, hasn't dimmed over the years, and the song's been covered by a wide variety of performers, from Pearl Bailey and Marc Almond to Mandy Patinkin. The track is reprised as a bonus track at the end of the CD in a version sung by Kitty Carlisle (who's rather stiff compared to the show's June Hawkins). --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Tracks:

Circle Of Life - Carmen Twillie
I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Rowan Atkinson
Be Prepared - Cheech Marin
Hakuna Matata - Ernie Sabella
Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Ernie Sabella
The Morning Report - Jef Bennett
This Land - Hans Zimmer
To Die For - Hans Zimmer
Under The Stars (Instrumental) - Hans Zimmer
King Of Pride Rock - Hans Zimmer
Circle Of Life - Elton John
I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Elton John
Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Remix) - Elton John

Amazon.com

Elton John doesn't seem like a natural choice to write for a Disney musical, but he rose to the task on The Lion King, transcending his usual penchant for the softest of soft rock. Sir Elton's collaboration with Tim Rice (former writing partner of Andrew Lloyd Webber) helps connect the soundtrack to the theatrical lineage of all Disney musicals--so much so that, like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King was eventually adapted for Broadway. Undistinguished songs like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" are far outnumbered by stirring, stately tunes that lent the film so much of its sense of pageant and play. --John Sanchez

Customer Reviews:

fun but flawed.......2007-05-07

in 1994, the lion king came out and broke records. the film itself took in an astounding 312 million dollars in the us. that makes it the highest grossing hand-drawn animated feature EVER (an accomplishment that will never be toppled since niether disney nor dreamworks is producing hand drawn features any more). that year at the oscars it also won two awards for the musical score and best original song (three of its songs were nominated0. so how does the music really stand up compared to other disney features.

first off there's hans zimmer's score. his score is both powerful and moving. it brilliantly incorperates elements of local african music (provided and arranged by lebo m) these elements give it a great feeling of belonging not only to the film but to it's setting. without these tribal elements the score would have been far less compeling. one small problem is when the score abandons these elementsl; they're not carried through in all of the music. but its not enough to be a real distraction. the power of the score allows the listener to feel the wildabeast charging or smell the rain falling during the monsoon or experience the brilliance of the circle of life.

SCORE 5 out of 5

the songs had music by elton john and lyrics by tim rice. the following is a song-by-song breakdown.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE - this is a great opening number with powerful vocals provided by carmen twillie and impressive african-inspired vocals in the beggining by lebo m. with the actual film, this is not only a moving but inspiring piece of cinema. even without, this is a great song that still gives me goose-bumps. this definately warranted its oscar nomination
5 out of 5

I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING - this is a really fun song by simba and nala along with zazu. its infectious beat and lyrics definately leave u humming. this may not be the most memorable song, but it definately captures the youth and innocence of simba at this point
5 out of 5

BE PREPARED - this is scar's big number so to speak. it features the hyenas in a very dark yet memorable song. the rhaspy vocals and wonderful musical arrangements make this a great piece that is both eery and impressive.
5 out of 5

HAKUNA MATATA - this is the second oscar nominated song, and although its fun buddy type number, it does get old and doesnt really age as well as the rest. this is honostly one of the weakest songs, believe it or not, its good but just cant really hold up to the other stronger pieces.
4 out of 5

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT - here it is, 1994's oscar winner for best original song. honostly i feel that the circle of life deserved that award, but here's the song that got it. the film's version is very romantic, especially for featuring a couple of lions, timon and pumba's parts are funny, but it is simba and nala's portion that takes it home. btw elton john's version at the end is a definate winner.
5 out of 5

SONGS OVERALL - 5 out of 5

so if the score gets 5 and the songs get 5, why does the album only get 4? the answer's pretty simple. for the first time since 1989 with the little mermaid, two composers helped on this film. one provided the film's score and one provided the music for the songs. because two composers worked on this, it feels a little incohesive at times. this isn't really noticible within the film but on the soundtrack it definately stands out. elton john and hans zimmer both did a great job and the only really saving factor are the african rhythms that they both used. although this is a great soundtrack, that lack of unity does bring it down.

despite that minor flaw, this is a must-own for any disney fan or music fan in general. this is a great soundtrack that ranks right up there with beauty and the beast and must never be forgotten.

Simply Perfect.......2007-04-09

This is hands down one of the best Disney soundtracks ever! Elton John came up with some killer tunes here! The opening song always give me goosebumps!

Great Album!.......2007-03-31

This album is great, but I can't seem to find the part where simba and scar fight at the end. i was thinking it would be on "King of Pride Rock" but its not... so i'm a little disapointed in that. (thats one of my favorite scenes for some reason) other than that, i love the songs.

Wonderful, if only for the instrumentals.......2007-02-14

The songs with lyrics are cute and memorable, but the strength of this album is in the last four songs. Listen to "This Land" and it instantly transports you back to the scene with Simba and Mufasa laying under the stars, and then to the scene where Simba sees Mufasa in the clouds. Listen to "...To Die For" and you feel an intense claustrophobia as you relive Mufasa's last moments and Simba's discovery of his father. Listen to Under The Stars and you can practically hear Simba screaming, "You said you'd always be there for me!" And when King Of Pride Rock comes along, you can feel your heart swell as you see Simba take his place on Pride Rock. The instrumentals are incredible works of art that never fail to draw intense emotion.

Wonderful Soundtrack.......2006-11-16

I'm writing this review not of the release of this Special Edition, but of the music contained within. Disney's release and re-release of products is nothing new. It's one of the reasons that Disney is so strong in the market today. With that said, I have to admit that this is one of the best Disney soundtracks that has ever been cut to a disc. I never owned the original release of this music, so I'm glad that Disney did decide to re-release the original work with a few extras as part of the "The Lion King: Special Edition" release. Everything on here is wonderful, and the score itself was key to the development of the story. Selections such as "King Of Pride Rock" and "To Die For" encompass the emotional ups and downs of this film. Elton John's music is also wonderful on this disc. His most notable offerings are "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life." His only downfall is "I Just Can't Wait To Be King," which should have been left to the youngster who performed Simba's singing voice. It comes acrossed as forced by Elton John as he performs it.

The "extras" for this Special Edition include a mild and unnecessary remix of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "The Morning Report," which is included on the Special Edition DVD release. Neither add to the collection, but it is nice to have "The Morning Report" on the disc.

Overall, this is one of Disney's strongest soundtracks. In my personal list, I rank it in second place behind Phil Collins' wonderfully tribal "Tarzan" soundtrack. If you don't already have the "Lion King" soundtrack, I highly suggest that you purchase this special edition copy if you are a true fan of the film or of Disney soundtracks in general.

Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

"has fans from both sides of the Atlantic ~ Lesley Garrett"

Diva!: A Soprano at the Movies

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Best of lesley Garrett
Lesley Garrett - Diva! ~ A Soprano at the Movies
Traveling Light

ASIN: B0009JPVLA
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Tracks:

Diva: Ebben? Ne Andro Lontano
The Hunger/Someone To Watch Over Me: Dome Epais
The Moderns: Voi Che Sapete
Phantom Of The Opera: Ah! Je Ris De Me Voir
Moonstruck: Quando M'En Vo
Driving Miss Daisy: Song To The Moon
A Room With A View: O Mio Babbino Caro
Henry V: Bailero
Dark Eyes: Una Voce Poco Fa
Carmen Jones: Dat's Love
The Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarolle
Kismet: And This My Beloved

Customer Reviews:

"has fans from both sides of the Atlantic ~ Lesley Garrett".......2005-06-25

Silva America presents a lady with the gusto in life and music "DIVA: SOPRANO AT THE MOVIES", featuring one of the favorite sopranos in the Classical World today Lesley Garrett...Britain's favorite star comes up with this 1991 reissue, and at a special price will be a sure fire winner.

On this album we have twelve outstanding selections with The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Andrew Greenwood and recorded at The Hit Factory (London), December 1990/January 1991...with the following performances coming your way.
LA WALLY (rarely performed complete)
LAKME (duet became famous for a British Airways commercial)
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (full of life, love and games)
FAUST (jewels for her left by the Devil)
LA BOHEME (performed in the film "Moonstruck", one of my favorite films and favorite Puccini Operas)
RUSALKA (featured in the film "Driving Miss Daisy")
GIANNI SCHICCHI (featured in the 1986 film "A Room With A View")
SONGS OF THE AUVERGNE (melody introduced in Laurence Olivier's "Henry V")
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (award winning Italian/Russian "Dark Eyes" with Marcello Mastroianni)
CARMEN (1952 film "Carmen Jones" with Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandrige)
TALES OF HOFFMAN (featured in 1948 "The Red Shoes")
KISMET (1955 film featuring Howard Keel, Dolores Gray and Vic Damone)

Take a bow Phillip Thomas (producer), Reynold da Silva and James Fitzpatrick (executive producers), David Stone (album release supervisor) and Silva Screen for this reissue...as Miss Garrett states - making opera accessible and presenting the best music to the widest audience possible is the goal in her musical career...thank you Lesley for sharing your God given talent!

Total Time: 49:00 on 12 Tracks ~ SIL 3012 ~ (6/07/2005)

Carmen Jones (1943 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

A Contemporary Adaptation of Carmen
Now THIS is how CARMEN JONES should sound like!

Carmen Jones (1943 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Carmen Jones
Carmen Jones (1962 Studio Recording)
Allegro (1947 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Pipe Dream (1955 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00008BNUK
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

Prelude
Opening Scene: Lift 'Em Up And Put 'Em Down
Dat's Love
You Talk Just Like My Maw
Dere's A Cafe On De Corner
Beat Out Dat Rhythm On A Drum
Stan' Up And Fight
Whizzin' Away Along De Track
Dis Flower
De Cards Don't Lie
My Joe
Dat's Our Man
Finale
Beat Out Dat Rhythm On A Drum

Amazon.com

Carmen Jones is one of the weirdest projects to ever hit the American musical theater. In 1943, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II adapted Georges Bizet's Carmen for Broadway. The music was pretty much left intact, but Hammerstein transferred the action to WWII America. Carmen's tobacco factory became Carmen Jones' parachute factory, bullfighter Escamillo became boxer Husky Miller, and so on. As if this weren't enough, there also was the "small" detail of casting the show only with African-Americans. All in all, this ambitious endeavor makes Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme seem timid. Hammerstein's attempt at writing "black" hasn't aged all that well, but many of the show's songs retain a surprising impact. The feverish intensity of "Beat Out dat Rhythm on a Drum," for instance, hasn't dimmed over the years, and the song's been covered by a wide variety of performers, from Pearl Bailey and Marc Almond to Mandy Patinkin. The track is reprised as a bonus track at the end of the CD in a version sung by Kitty Carlisle (who's rather stiff compared to the show's June Hawkins). --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

A Contemporary Adaptation of Carmen.......2003-12-02

You may know that the smash grunge musical RENT is based on Puccini's opera LA BOHEME. And MISS SAIGON is MADAME BUTTERFLY, and trickiest of all AIDA is AIDA, but before all of those there was CARMEN JONES.

What makes CARMEN JONES different, however, is that it uses Bizet's original music, though it changes the setting and the lyrics (they're in English, too, rather than the original French). And who would have done such a thing? Oscar Hammerstein II (as in Rodgers & Hammerstein, I know you've heard of them. If not, shame on you, go straight to OKLAHOMA, do not pass go, do not collect CD of CARMEN JONES). This is one of Hammerstein's earlier works, and it's a great show. (There's a very successful movie version available on video, if you want to see it.)

CARMEN JONES updates the story of CARMEN. The original plot took place in Spain in 1820, Carmen was a gypsy. The first performance of CARMEN was in Paris in 1875. (Wow! Over 125 years, and it still plays regularly all over the world, talk about a great run!) What Hammerstein did was akin to what our current composers are doing with shows like RENT. He updated the show for his audience. Instead of Spaniards and gypsies, he used African-American factory workers, and set the story in 1943 during the war in a Southern town.

The story makes this a darker musical than Hammerstein's later shows like OKLAHOMA, CAROUSEL, THE KING AND I and SOUTH PACIFIC, some of which had their heavier elements, but were focused more on the romance. The tone of CARMEN JONES is more akin to his first show (the first musical) SHOWBOAT. It is also unusual not just for it's time but in general that it had an entirely African-American cast. While recent shows like Disney's THE LION KING and ONCE ON THIS ISLAND have also had predominantly African/African-American casts, these shows are few and far between. Another comparable show in terms of music and style would perhaps be Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS, though it's considered an opera rather than a musical.

Now THIS is how CARMEN JONES should sound like!.......2003-02-26

Words cannot begin to sum up my joy that Decca Broadway finally deemed CARMEN JONES fit for a proper remaster. Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics set to Georges Bizet's classic score can now be heard clearly without distortion and this CD includes a complete plot synopsis and pictures. Now we no longer have to settle for that monstroscity from Pearl CD, which was an unauthorized recording, and I hope didn't take away too many sales from Decca Broadway. For musical buffs this CD is a must-have!

Bizet: Carmen / Price, Corelli, Merrill, Freni; Karajan

Average customer rating:

A relative success
AN ALMOST GREAT CARMEN
Leontyne Price a Great Carmen
A Gloriously Sung Carmen
Maybe I'm a little partial...

Bizet: Carmen / Price, Corelli, Merrill, Freni; Karajan
Georges Bizet , Wiener Philharmoniker , Herbert von Karajan , Leontyne Price , Franco Corelli , Vienna State Opera Choir , Mirella Freni , and Robert Merrill
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Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera

ASIN: B000009W7K
Release Date: 1997-02-03

Tracks:

Carmen: Overture - G. Bizet
Carmen: Sur la place, chacun passe - G. Bizet
Carmen: Regardez donc cette petite (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Avec la garde montante (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: C'est bien la (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: La cloche a sonne - G. Bizet
Carmen: La voila, la voila (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Carmen! sur tes pas - G. Bizet
Carmen: Quels regards! Quelle effronterie (Don Jose) (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Parle-moi de ma mere (Don Jose) (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Reste la maintenant, pendant que je lirai (Don Jose) (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Que se passe-t-il donc la-bas? - G. Bizet
Carmen: Mon officier, c'etait une querelle (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Tralalalala, coupe-moi, brule-moi (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Pres des ramparts de Seville (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Voici l'ordre; partez (Carmen) - G. Bizet

Tracks:

Carmen: Entr'acte - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Les tringles des sistres tintaint (Gypsy Song) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Messieurs, Pastia me dit (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Vivat! vivat le Tor - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Toreador Song) (Escamillo) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - La belle, un mot (Escamillo) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Eh bien, vite, quelles nouvelles? (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Nous avons en t une affaire (Quintet) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Mais qui donc attends-tu? (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Halte lQui va l(Don Jose) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Enfin c'est toi! (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Lalalala - Attends un peu, Carmen (Don Jose) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - La fleur que tu m'avais jet(Flower Song) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Non! tu ne m'aimes pas (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - HolCarmen! HolHol(Don Jose) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Bel officier, bel officier (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet

Tracks:

Carmen: Entr'acte - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Ecoute, ecoute, compagnon, ecoute (Carmen) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Reposons-nous une heure ici (Carmen) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Melons! Coupons! (Card Scene) (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Eh bien? - Eh bien (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - C'est des contrebandiers (Micaela) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante (Micaela's Air) (Micaela) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Je ne me trompe pas (Micaela) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Je suis Escamillo, Torero de Grenade! (Escamillo) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Hola, hola Jose! (Carmen) (Escamillo) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Moi, je viens te chercher! (Micaela) (Don Jose) (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Helas, Jose! (Micaela) (Don Jose) (Escamillo) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Entr'acte - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 4 - A deux cuartos ! - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 4 - Les voici! Voici la quadrille! - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 4 - Si tu m'aimes, Carmen (Escamillo) (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 4 - C'est toi! - C'est moi! (Carmen) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 4 - Ou-vas-tu? - Laisse-moi! (Don Jose) (Carmen) - Georges Bizet

Customer Reviews:

A relative success.......2007-07-11

From his multiple readings of the nine Beethoven symphonies, to his controversial, unconventional production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, to his individual achievements in the realms of Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, Sibelius, Mahler, Strauss, and Schoenberg, the Austrian conductor-legend Herbert von Karajan left his irreplaceable fingerprint on the world of music. However, in spite of all his brilliance in the aforementioned and unmentioned spheres, Georges Bizet's relentlessly celebrated opera Carmen was as musical tapestry Karajan never fully understood.

While Karajan aficionados plot their revenge for this seemingly gratuitous attack, it should be noted that he was not alone among conductors in this fault; in fact, when one considers than Carmen is the "C" in any beginner's guide to opera ("A" being Verdi's Aïda and "B" being Puccini's La Bohème), it is almost laughable to discover how many disregarded the proper form in which Carmen should be played. Carmen was not a grand opera, despite what Sir Thomas Beecham, Georges Prêtre, Thomas Schippers, and the like wished so ardently to believe. Bizet composed Carmen in the tradition of the opéra-comique, a parallel of the modern musical, with musical sections coupled with spoken melodramas or dialogues. The most superb recorded example of the properly performed Carmen is the Sir Georg Solti recording with Tatiana Troyanos, Plácido Domingo, José van Dam, and Dame Kiri te Kanawa. (Karajan did make a similar recording later in his career, with Agnes Baltsa, José Carreras, van Dam, and Katia Ricciarelli, but his interpretation was regrettably slow and vapid, and the melodramas were spoken (one must wonder why) by actors, rather than the singers.)

In spite of all this, the stars of this recording are superb. Leontyne Price injects a little bit of Bess into her Carmen, which results in a soulful, lyrically beautiful, and dramatically venomous gypsy vamp. Her Habanera ("L'amour est un oiseau rebelle") and Seguidilla ("Près de remparts de Séville") are bewitching. Franco Corelli, who, in 1963, embodied the entire institution of opera with his sultry, sheik-like physique and his hot-blooded, titanic tenor register, is a full-fledged madman as the obsessed Don José. Robert Merrill is a bit too American as the swaggering toreador Escamillo, but his rendition of "Votre toast je peux vous le rendre" is nonetheless suave and debonair. Mirella Freni had not yet reached her silkiest prime in 1963, but she glides through Micaëla's Act III aria ("Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante") like a songbird. (It should be noted that the diction of the four stars is poor, particularly Corelli and Freni; the two of them coupled in Alain Lombard's 1968 recording of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette with similar overall success, hampered only by their abysmal pronunciation.)

The high water mark of this recording is the final track, featuring the opera's cataclysmic finale ("Où vas-tu?"..."Laisse-moi!"). Corelli is so venomously fanatical ("Ainsi, le salut de mon âme"), Price is so inanely noxious and cruel ("Eh bien! Frappe-moi donc, ou laisse-moi passer!"), and the Wiener Philharmoniker is in such tempestuous voice, the following three lines deserve special recognition:

- Don José: "Pour la dernière fois, démon, veux-tu me suivre?"

- Carmen: "Non! Non! Cette bague, autrefois, tu me l'avais donnée. Tiens!"

- Don José: "Eh bien! damnée!"

The above excerpt is literally worth the entire recording; Corelli and Price are unmatched in bravado.

AN ALMOST GREAT CARMEN.......2007-04-13

This Carmen could have been a great one without the role of Don Jose held by Corelli who butchered the french text , which makes me think by the way that unfortunately there is no french opera singers able to deliver an acceptable Opera Comique version ( with the dialogue). (Corelli had also made a mess of the Faust role -with a splendid Ghiaurov-with his
dreadful french accent)..Sorry to say that of deceased great singer but the Carmen libretto is not a text to be only sung but deeply felt which french language does not allow to a singer who does not rehearse enough.
Robert Merrill marvelous dark tone and Mirella Freni, almost a debutante at that time saved the day.

Leontyne Price a Great Carmen.......2007-03-26

Having several Carmen cds, I bought this one on the advice of a great opera expert, Ron Shaheen of San Diego fame. Glad I did. Miss Price is a dramatic on-fire Carmen. Sings with passion and panache. My favorite of all the ones I've heard. Unless you can find one with Milena Kitic singing Carmen, I recommend this version. Corelli, Merrill and Freni, of course, are automatic harbingers of a great cd purchase. All this from an avid opera buffoon. Viva L'Opera!

A Gloriously Sung Carmen.......2006-08-09

One of the sad ironies of opera history is that Bizet never lived to see Carmen become the smash hit of the opera world. Described as the world's first musical, with one hit song after another, the opera is packed with great music and memorable melodies such as the Seguidilla, the Habanera and the Toreador Song. It is one of the first operas set in real time in a real place with ordinary people. Today it is arguably the most popular opera in production.
While there are many wonderful recordings, here it's the voices that make this recording so memorable. Leontyne Price is simply in sumptuous form, with the richness of a mezzo in the lower register plus her ringing top notes. Franco Corelli is a clarion and passionate Don Jose, Mirela Freni a sweet voiced Micaela, and Robert Merrill a rich and robust Escamillo. In some respects this is the "Italian" Carmen, (Corelli and Freni don't have the best French accents and Price was never known for her diction), but the quality of the voices make up for any linguistic deficiency.
As is his wont, Herbert von Karajan emphasizes his orchestra, which becomes almost another member of the cast in his hands--this can sometimes be at the expense of his singers, but Price, Corelli, Freni and Merrill But a von Karajan performance is always thrilling, whether it is this album or his Salzburg Festival DVD with Grace Bumbry, Jon Vickers, Mirela Freni and a very young Justino Diaz.
For a fan of Leontyne Price this is a MUST HAVE, and a worthy addition to any opera collection.

Maybe I'm a little partial..........2006-04-23

I first heard this version of Carmen many years ago, and for two main reasons, I can not give up listening to it. Reason #1: Leontyne Price's voice is so rich and spot-on, and reason #2: the Vienna Boys Choir add the necessary youthful element to the opera. I feel that this is a good, solid recording, well worth the five stars I gave it and far, far better than the versions of Carmen that make me cringe (and which shall remain nameless). The voices were cast well, and as usual, Herbert von Karajan conducts superbly.

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A comprehensive look at a legendary "Ring" cycle
Boulez sans Chereau; c'est bon...

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner: Parsifal
Wagner - Gotterdammerung
Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
Wagner: Das Rheingold
Wagner: Götterdämmerung

ASIN: B000I8OFIM
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Album Description

Includes: Das Rheingold * Die Walkure * Siegfried * Gotterdamerung CAST LIST Fritz Hubner, Franz Mazura, Donald McIntyre, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Manfred Jung, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Hermann Becht, Hanna Schwarz, Peter Hofmann, Jeanine Altmeyer, Matti Salminen, Gabriele Schnaut, Gwendolyn Killebrew, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Pierre Boulez, conductor. "Patrice Chereau's Bayreuth Centenary Ring may be more than twenty-five years old but it remains an iconic and defining production. Both he and conductor Pierre Boulez rethought approaches to Wagner, so much so that the orchestra threatened to go on strike if Boulez did not allow them to play the way they'd always played. Chereau set the action in the Industrial Age at the time the Ring was written, relating it to the political thinking of the time and humanising the characters. The cast was the cast of the day led by Donald McIntyre's frock-coated industrialist Wotan, and a redoubtable but touching Brunnhilde from Gwyneth Jones. Boulez pared back the music to, at times, chamber orchestra proportions. The result was a triumph which redefined Wagner production for the modern era and is still as powerful today as when first seen."--BBC Radio

Customer Reviews:

A comprehensive look at a legendary "Ring" cycle.......2006-11-29

Given its somewhat dicey reputation, I think many listeners will be astonished at how good this famous Seventies Ring from Boulez sounds when stripped of its visuals. Long available on tape and DVD, it has now been fantasically well remastered for CD. Here is a comprehensive review of each installment.

'Das Rheingold.'
Donald McIntyre Wotan ; Hermann Becht Alberich ; Martin Egel Donner ; Matti Salminen Fasolt ; Carmen Reppel sop Freia ; Norma Sharp sop Woglinde ; Ilse Gramatzki sop Wellgunde ; Hanna Schwarz mez Fricka ; Marga Schiml mez Flosshilde ; Ortrun Wenkel cont Erda ; Heinz Zednik ten Loge ; Helmut Pampuch ten Mime ; Siegfried Jerusalem ten Froh ; Fritz Hübner bass Fafner

As expected, Boulez takes a swift view of Rheingold, which helps immensely to bring the drama to the fore. In this instance the absence of visuals isn't harmful. The mostly non-stellar singers are exemplary, starting with a trio of Rheinmaidens who sing absoutely beautifully and an Alberich who malevolence is totally convincing. The Bayretuh acoustic is almost as good as a studio recording, albeit some details (such as the trumpetfanfaress in Scene 1 that celebrate the gold when the sunlight hits it) can feel a bit underplayed. With the microphones in the pit, the orchestral part is neither muffled nor distant. The voices are crystal clear, and Philips has done well in softening the sharp treble that listeners complained about on the LPs. Stage noises are considerable; the audience is silent.

For once the legendary Bayreuth orchestra actually plays like a world-class ensemble, kept together meticulously by Boulez. At the time his avoidance of Wangerian convention (i.e., ponderousness and weighty 'importance') was controversial. Now it feels both natural and refreshing. Some of the major roles aren't completely satisfying on CD, starting with Donald McIntyre's Wotan. He has a strong voice and stage presence, but the pscyhological depth of a Hans Hotter is missing; fortunately, McIntyre does his best to dramatize his lines. Happily, the Loge, aided by the fast pace, sounds like a real fire spirit and ot just a retired German tenor--this one is a bit srill and sharp-voiced, which suits the role. The Mime is even stronger (to tell the truth, he should have been the Loge since he has a mellower voice).

The scene changes and prelude are excitingly played--the entrance into the Niebelugen world after Scene 1 is quqite thrilling, and the anvils come through with force, if not exactly the ring of terror the have in Karajan's recording for DG. Donner's clanging hammer in Scene 4 is feelbe, but the resulting thunder is admirably loud. As for the climax, I've heard grander and more exalted entires of the gods into Valhalla--Boulez prefers a light, lyrical rainbow bridge.

In sum, a great Rheingold that bows to none, especially in its conducting and dramatic impact.

'Die Walkür.
Donald McIntyre Wotan ; Jeannine Altmeyer sop Sieglinde ; Gwyneth Jones sop Brünnhilde ; Carmen Reppel sop Gerhilde ; Katie Clarke sop Helmwige ; Karen Middleton sop Ortlinde ; Hanna Schwarz mez Fricka ; Gabriele Schnaut mez Waltraute ; Elisabeth Glauser mez Rossweisse ; Marga Schiml mez Siegrune ; Ilse Gramatzki mez Grimgerde ; Gwendoline Killebrew cont Schwertleite ; Peter Hofmann ten Siegmund ; Matti Salminen bass Hunding

The PBS audience thirty yeaars ago was captivated by this Walkure, especially the handsome, touching Siegmund of Peter Hoffmann, then an unknown in the U.S. However, on CD there have always been complaints about the leads. Without Nilsson as Brunnhilde, we begin to run into vocal limitations in the second installment of the "Ring," a fact as true today as in 1976. So how does the Boulez version hold up without the charismatic visuals?

As with Rheingold, I have no reservations about the reecorded sound, the orchestra, or Boulez'a conducting. Everything is first-rate, despite numberous stage noises, and there is not the slightest muffle due to the covered orchestra pit--the engineers have taken care of that. Boulez's swift modernist approach sounds as gripping as ever, totally convincing except to die-hard traditionalists who might go into shock when these tempos are set against Knappertsbusch's.

These positives set the stage for the singers, and even moderately good ones will do (by no means are any as bad as the worst in Furtwangler's two Ring cycles from Italy). Happily, the young-sounding Siegmund and Sieglinde, while hardly the equal of Melcoir and Lehmann (or anywhere close) remain dramatically convincing without the aid of visuals. Altmeyer and Hoffmann really make you believe in their characters, conveying a touching vulnerability. We get really first-rate singing form Salminen's black-voiced Hunding, Schwarz's Fricka (she also stood out in Rheingold), and, with reservations, McIntyre's Wotan. He is more than respectable, but the character fails to reach the musical heights of Hotter and the superb Thomas Stewart for Karajan. His weakest moment, unfortunately, is at the end, where his farewell to Brunnhilde encoutners vocal fatigue and fails to be emotionally moving, despite Boulez's lovely underpinnings.

This Walkure has to be appreciated as a conductor-and-stage-director's performance. If you wait for a stunning Der Maner Sippe or Wintersturme, you will be disappointed. I have saved Gwyneth Jones's Brunnhilde for last, given her controversial status. First of all, she made a stunning impact on film, equalled only by Hildegarde Behrens in her generation. The good news is that this early in her career, Jones is in best voice; the bad is that she wobbles and can't be trusted to be on pitch. I would rank her far below Nilsson and well below Crepin (Karajan's compelling Brunnhilde) in the modern era, but in no way i Jones embarrassing. Her Ho-jo-to-ho's, in fact, are believable and thrilling. Where it counts most dramatically--in the confrontation with Siegmund in Act 2 and the finale scenes with Wotan--Jones comes through.

In sum, this is a completely satisfying 'Walkure' on all counts but the singing, which is never less than veyr good but doesn't reach the heights. Since I love music drama more than opera per se, I would rank Boulez's recording above Solti on DEcca or the live Bohm account, also form Bayreuth, on Philips.

'Siegfried'.
Donald McIntyre Wanderer ; Hermann Becht Alberich ; Gwyneth Jones sop Brünnhilde ; Norma Sharp sop Woodbird ; Ortrun Wenkel cont Erda ; Manfred Jung ten Siegfried ; Heinz Zednik ten Mime ; Fritz Hübner bass Fafner

With two totally convincing installments uner his belt, Boulez raised my hopes for Siegfried. As in those performances, the Bayreuth orchestra sounds first-rate and is vividly cuahgt by the Philips engineers without the usual muffled sonics on other Wanger recordings from this site. The pacing is swift and draatically pointed--in that regard boulez surpasses the overly driven Solti and the too laid back Karajan. The recent appearnace of Keilberth's 1955 live siegfried gave us one of the best sung on records, but Boulez is far ahead of Keilberth dramatically and musically.

It's a given that 'Siegfried' brings compromises, then as now. Without singers of almost superhuman ability, every prduction must settle. Fortunately, this cast has the huge benefit of sounding dramatically committed. The Mime of a young Heinz Zednik is as good as one could hope for. Manfred Jung has a light, rather shrill voice for Siegfried, but he's youthful and totally committed to the role, which counts for a lot. The forging Scene requires deft tricks for him to get through it, but that's true for every Siegfried since Melchior. In any event, nobody since 1974 has surpassed Jung, which is something. My only reget is that he runs out of steam by the last act.

Gwyneth Jones made for a thrilling Brunnhilde in all respects--she was young strikingly good-looking, and dramatically convincing. But the Waking Scene is cruelly difficult; it requires a lustrous dramatic soprano to plant her feet and let fly. Like everyone else, I wish Jones's voice didnd't wobble and that she was on pitch more often, but there's no doubt that she lets fly. She is caught at her youthful best, and in the absence of Nilsson or Jane Eaglen, I can't think of a better Brunnhilde in the modern era.

This leaves the excellent but not great Wotan of Donald McIntyre, who tends to roar and bluster--he lacks real stature aas a character. Still, there's no doubt that he has a powerful, commanding voice. The minor roles are all well taken.

In sum, what makes this Siegfried a notable success is Boulez, who dominates every aspect of this Ring cycle. We get a good cast as far as drama goes, somewhat less appealing vocally. and the finale scene between Brunnhilde and Siegfried, which needs to be the opera's crowning glory, is a major letdown. For that reason, I think three and a half stars is about right.

'Götterdämmerung.
Hermann Becht Alberich ; Franz Mazura Gunther ; Gwyneth Jones sop Brünnhilde ; Jeannine Altmeyer sop Gutrune ; Norma Sharp sop Woglinde ; Ilse Gramatzki sop Wellgunde ; Katie Clarke sop Third Norn ; Gwendoline Killebrew mez Waltraute ; Marga Schiml mez Flosshilde ; Gabriele Schnaut mez Second Norn ; Ortrun Wenkel cont First Norn ; Manfred Jung ten Siegfried ; Fritz Hübner bass Hagen

I'm going to offer the same rationale for this 'Gotterdammerung' that is regularly offered for Furtwangler's Ring cycles from Italy. Ignore the erratic singers and concentrate on the orchestral part. This is the opera to do that in, because Wagner was at the height of his mastery in every bar of 'Gotterdamemrung.' Boulez rises to such a high level of inspiration that I think only Furtwangler--his exact opposite aesthetically--offers a comparison.

After thirty years, the cotnroversy surrounding Boulez's approach (too fast, not traditional enough, spirituality shallow) is moot. What we hear now is a great musician at work. The orchestral execution is stunning and caught all but perfectly by Philips' engineers, who put their microphones directly in the covered pit at Bayreuth. If there's a modern performance that can get by entirely on the orchestral part, it's this one--for pure virtuosity the Vienna Phil. under Solti and the Berlin Phil. under Karajan are finer, but neither conductor, I feel, can match Boulez's thrilling drama.

All of which sounds like a prelude to damning the singers with faint praise. Sadly, I have to. The roles of Brunnhilde an Siegfried are too taxing for Gwyneth Jones and (especially) Manfred Jung. Her birght, youthful dramatic soprano is closer to right, even with its pronounced wobble, than his light, rather shrill tenor, but vocal glory escapes both. I must say, however, that Jones has rarely been surpassed for emotional flexibility, and her vocally flawed Immolation Scene is totally convincing at the dramatic level.

Happily, everyone else sounds very good, but it's hard to overlook the sometimes gaping hole in the middle of this reading. This may sound like half a loaf, but in its totality this recording has more going for it vocally than either Furtwangler cycle, even given Flagstad's unique contribution. It also surpasses the cycles from Haitink on EMI and Levine on DG.

In sum, this is a conductor's 'Gotterdammerung,' and by that standard it deserves five stars. It's shocking that British critics have dissed Boulez so consistently over the years as they overpraised Bohm and Solti. The singers reach a level that would be hard to equal today, much less surpass. Even so, one can't pretend that they rise to the excellence of Solti's famed cast for Decca.

Boulez sans Chereau; c'est bon..........2006-11-21

Ahhh, I've been waiting for this... Hitherto the Boulez/Chereau Bayreuth Ring of 1976 was only available on DVD; to enjoy Boulez' remarkable approach to Wagner conducting, one had to sit through Chereau's hopelessly misconceived staging of the Ring in Second Empire garb. Contrary to Chereau's assertions, Wagner was NOT writing about his time -- he started out allegorizing the events of 1848, but his own loss of faith in revolutionary politics is reflected in the sorry fate of the mortals whose rupture with the Gods he initially wanted to ennoble; Brunnhilde aside, Mankind falls, everyone is corrupted. Such a story begs for mythic archetypes, and sensibly, that's what Wagner used. Wotan in a morning coat made me think I was watching a bad East German production of "Ah, Wilderness." (Though admittedly it's better than the Kupfer/Barenboim "Blade Runner/Laserium/Chernobl" nightmare of a decade later)Anyway, enough abou the DVD -- suffice to say that when this was aired on PBS, I draped a towel over my TV screen somewhere into Valkyrie. So what about the music? Assuming this has been well-remastered (The LP's were dodgy), Boulez favors fleet tempos, crystaline attention to detail, deep structural correspondences (Boulez is fond of comparing Wagner to his acolyte Proust -- the auditor's/reader's memory of the motifs is crucial to both artist's method)and a highlighting of the forward-looking aspects of Wagner, the elements that point to Pelleas et Melisande and the 2nd Viennese School. Contrary to received opinion, I think the singing is just fine, particularly Gwyneth Jones' emotive Brunnhilde and Jeanine Altemeyer's lovely Sieglinde. The golden age of Wagner singing was now past, and subsequent sets by Janowski and Barenboim are no better vocally than this one. And both modern recording technology and the Bayreuth acoustic are kind to these light voices. In short, this is worth getting for a completely fresh take on the conducting: some may find it a race to the finish line, others, like me, yet another Ring to put on when you want to hear clarity,deftness, modernity. (I own and love equally the '56 Knappertsbusch, the Solti, Karajan, Bohm, Janowski and Barenboim sets -- I wouldn't part with any of 'em, and the Boulez will look nice up on that swollen shelf!)
Boulez sans Chereau Pt II
A brief second review is in order, since my first was based on the DVD and my old LP's -- I have since acquired and listened to the CD edition of the Boulez 1980 Bayreuth Ring, and I just want to add that the remastered sound is SPECTACULAR; the Bayreuth acoustic, Boulez's extraordinary attention to color and detail, the orchestra's virtuosity (no fluffed notes, weird entrances, etc)all make for one of the most formidable displays of RING conducting ever. All the fleetness and drama of Bohm, without the crass lack of nuance, all the attention to detail of Karajan without the somnolent stasis...if only Boulez had tackled this in the late '60's, back when he was conducting Parsifal at the festival, and would have had the benefit of a better cast...sigh. Anyway, this may not be a first choice Ring, but for addicts, I think this beats the way-over-rated, over-priced and under-conducted Keilberth stereo edition on Testament...

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Carmen Jones
Original London Cast
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000008E0Y
Release Date: 1991-09-12

Tracks:

Overture
Cain't Let You Go
Honey Gal O' Mine/Good Luck Mr. Flyin' Man
Dat's Love
You Talk Jus' Like My Maw
Dere's A Cafe On De Corner
Beat Out Dat Rhythm On A Drum
Stan' Up And Fight
Whizzin' Away Along De Track
Dis Flower
If You Would Only Come Away
De Cards Don' Lie/Dat Ol' Boy
Poncho De Panther From Brazil
My Joe
Git Yer Program For De Big Fight
Dat's Our Man!
Finale

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Classical Evolution: Sampler

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000065APN
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathustra
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, 1st Movement
Symphony No.9
Spring
Piano Concerto No.21
Concerto De Aranjuez
Piano Sonata No.21
Minute Waltz
Trout
The Messiah
Die Post
Carmina Burana
L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle
Humming Chorus
Trepak
Neopolitan Dance
Sabre Dance

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"56 Show-Stoppers from the Last Century ~ Paul Bateman"

Musicals - The Gold Collection
Helen Hobson , Dave Willetts , and Lesley Garrett
Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0001JXPB6
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

West Side Story 'America' - Helen Hobson & Crouch End Festival Chorus
Annie 'Tomorrow' - Helen Hobson
Annie Get Your Gun 'Anything You Can Do' - Jason Howard
Annie Get Your Gun 'The Girl That I Marry/My Defences Are Down' - Jason Howard
Aspects Of Love 'Love Changes Everything' - Chris Corcoran
Anything Goes 'Anything Goes' - Helen Hobson
Cabaret 'Cabaret' - Helen Hobson
La Cage Aux Folles 'I Am What I Am' - Dave Willetts
Carmen Jones 'Dat's Love' - Lesley Garrett
Cats 'Memory' - Lesley Garrett
Cats 'Macavity: The Mystery Cat' - Deborah Steel
Carousel 'Soliloquoy' - Jason Howard
Carousel 'If I Loved You' - Paul Bateman
Carousel 'You'll Never Walk Alone' - Jason Howard

Tracks:

Chess 'I Know Him So Well' - Meredith Braun
Evita 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' - Sharon Campbell & Crouch End Festival Chorus
Evita 'Another Suitcase In Another Hall' - Sharon Campbell & Crouch End Festival Chorus
Evita 'High Flying Adored' - Meredith Braun
The Fantastiks 'Try To Remember' - John Langley & Crouch End Festival Chorus
Fiddler On The Roof 'If I Were A Rich Man' - John Langley
Gigi 'Gigi' - Keith Ferreira
Guys And Dolls 'Luck Be A Lady' - Dave Willetts
Jesus Christ Superstar 'Superstar' - Christopher Howard
Jesus Christ Superstar 'I Don't Know How To Love Him' - Sharon Campbell
Jesus Christ Superstar 'Everything's Alright' - Sharon Campbell
Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dream-Coat 'Close Every Door' - Crouch End Festival Chorus
Kismet 'And This Is My Beloved' - Lesley Garrett
Kismet 'Stranger In Paradise' - Jason Howard

Tracks:

Kiss Me Kate 'Where Is The Life That Late I Led?' - Jason Howard
A Little Night Music 'Send In The Clowns' - Helen Hobson
Les Miserables 'Bring Him Home' - Dave Willetts
Man Of La Mancha 'The Impossible Dream' - John Langley
Oklahoma 'Oh What A Beautiful Morning' - Jason Howard
Oklahoma 'The Surrey With The Fringe On Top' - Jason Howard
Oklahoma 'Oklahoma' - Jason Howard
Phantom Of The Opera 'Phantom Of The Opera' - Lesley Garrett
Phantom Of The Opera 'Music Of The Night' - Dave Willetts
Phantom Of The Opera 'All I Ask Of You' - Lesley Garrett
Porgy & Bess 'Summertime' - Lesley Garrett
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers 'Bless Your Beautiful Hide' - Jason Howard
Showboat 'Ol' Man River' - Jason Howard
Showboat 'Make Believe' - Jason Howard

Tracks:

The Sound Of Music 'The Sound Of Music' - Helen Hobson
The Sound Of Music 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain' - Tania Williams & Crouch End Festival Chorus
The Sound Of Music 'Edelweiss' - John Langley
South Pacific 'Some Enchanted Evening' - John Langley
South Pacific 'Younger Than Springtime' - David Shannon
Starlight Express 'Starlight Express' - Keith Burns
Sunset Boulevard 'Sunset Boulevard' - Gerard Casey
Sunset Boulevard 'With One Look' - Mary Carewe
Sunset Boulevard 'As If We Never Said Goodbye' - Mary Carewe
Tell Me On Sunday 'Tell Me On Sunday' - Sharon Campbell
West Side Story 'Maria' - David Shannon
West Side Story 'Tonight' (The Balcony Scene) - Meredith Braun
West Side Story 'Somewhere' - Meredith Braun
There's No Business Like Show Business & Annie Get Your Gun 'Theres No Business Like Showbusiness' - Helen Hobson & Crouch End Festival Chorus

Customer Reviews:

"56 Show-Stoppers from the Last Century ~ Paul Bateman".......2004-04-16

Some of the best musicals from the last century appear on this 4-CD compilation "Musicals:The Gold Collection", featuring many stars of the London Stage with Paul Bateman (conductor), The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philharmonia, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the world renown Crouch End Festival Chorus ~ sharing the spotlight, blending voice and music within the boundaries of great compositions from sold out musical shows from the past ~ all songs presented on this collection have been performed by a diverse set of artists ~ share the beauty of simplicity that exists in the music of each performance.

Here's just a sampling with "Annie", Annie Get Your Gun", "Anything Goes", "Aspects of Love", "Cabaret", "Carmen Jones", "Carousel", "Cats", "Chess", "Evita", "The Fantastics", "Fiddler on the Roof", "Gigi", "Guys and Dolls", "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "Kismet", "Kiss Me Kate", "La Cage Aux Folles", "Les Miserables", "A Little Night Music", "Man of La Mancha", "Oklahoma", "Phantom of the Opera", "Porgy & Bess", "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers", "Showboat", "The Sound of Music", "South Pacific", "Starlight Express", "Sunset Boulevard", "Tell Me On Sunday", "There's No Business Like Show Business", "West Side Story" ~ each cue is just the icing on the cake presented in this one of a kind event.

Let's take a look at the stars of the London Stage ~ Meredith Braun, Keith Burns, Sharon Campbell, Mary Carewe, Gerard Casey, Chris Corcoran, Keith Ferreira, Lesley Garrett (always a favorite in everyones collection), Helen Hobson, Michele Hooper, Christopher Howard, Jason Howard, Ria Jones, John Langley, David Shannon, Deorah Steel, Jill Washington, Dave Willetts, Tania Williams ~ so much talent under one banner, perfection is the only description that comes to mind. Paul Bateman has come up with a instrumental masterpiece, with emotional peaks and valleys that we've experienced over decades in the tumultuous world of musicals in the theatre.

Silva America, James Fitzpatrick, Reynold da Silva and David Stoner have paid homage to this genre ~ brought to the forefront in one universal voice the magnitude and influence for all it's listeners ~ powerful and personal touch of each track makes you feel the melody is still ringing in your ears, that's what the composer hoped for and it works ~ this musical collection is a keeper ~ gotta love it!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 3605 ~ (4/06/2004)

Jazz My Soul: Jazz Explorers Play The Music Of Tim Duffy
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Jazz My Soul: Jazz Explorers Play The Music Of Tim Duffy
Jazz Explorers
Manufacturer: Rhythm Dynamics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000R7LFC8

Product Description

12-track CD on Rhythm Dynamics, 2007.

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The Best Mozart Piano Concerto 21 Andante Is Here!

Movie Classics

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Tracks:

Concerto For piano And Orchestra No. 21, C Major KV 467 (Elvira Madigan: Adante
Symphony No. 9 (Chorale) In D Minor, 2nd Movement (Clockwork Orange: Molto Vivace
(Apocalypse Now): Ride Of The Valkyries (From The Valkyrie)
William Tell (Clockwork Orange): Overture
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor (Death In Venice): Adagietto
(Clockwork Orange): Pomp And Circumstances, March No. 1, Op 39
Carmen Suite No. 2 (Carmen Jones): Habanera
(2001 - A Space Odyssey): Also Sprach Zarathustra (Opening Fanfare)

Tracks:

(Gallipoli): Adagio For Strings And Organ, G Minor
(Ordinary People): Canon And Gigue For Strings, D Major
(Kramer Vs. Kramer): Concerto For Mandelin, C Major - Allegro - Largo - Allegro
(Punchline): Sabre Dance (From Gayaneh)
Concerto For 2 Violins And Orchestra, G Minor, BWV 1043 (Children Of A Lesser God): Largo Ma Non Tanto
(Who Framed Roger Rabbit?): Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, C-Sharp Minor
(Out Of Africa): Concerto For Clarinet, A Major KV 622, Adagio
Madame Butterfly (Fatal Attraction): Un Bel Di Vedremo

Customer Reviews:

The Best Mozart Piano Concerto 21 Andante Is Here!.......2001-08-03

For those of you familiar with the Mozart concerto, and the movie "Elvira Madigan", which has been used to name the concerto, would know how beautiful, elegant and romantic the music is. The other tracks of the cd are from great films and the music is well-performed by master artists. Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto 2 First Movement is here, and the Fanfare from 2001, Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie's, Ravels Bolero and Strauss' Blue Danube. But if you are in search of the finest interpretation of the Andante movement in the Mozart 21st piano concerto, look no further. Svetlana Stanceva delivers the greatest rendition- poised, stately, elegant, escalating the work into romanticism. Other versions and if you have heard this concerto often enough, are either too slow (Walter Klein on the piano for example) or too fast, but Stanceva's is definately measured and perfect. Take this cd home with you and enjoy a night of beautiful music.

Music:

Music

Music