The Divine One

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Sarah Vaughan was the "Divine One," renowned as a legendary vocalist of the very highest order and imitated by every jazz singer who followed after her. Even Ella Fitzgerald conceded that she was the "world's greatest singing talent." Her music will never be forgotten.

Tracks:

Alleluia, Behold The Bridegroom
Sourp Sourp (Holy Holy)
Lord Have Mercy
The Mercy Of Peace (Excerpts)
Komm Susser Tod (Bach)
Serenade
Grant Us This O Lord
Our Father
Gloria (Excerpt)
Peaceful Light (Kiev Chant)
Praise The Lord O My Soul (Greek Chant)
Blessed Art Thou O Lord (Kiev Chant)
Chorale
Amen Alleluia

Amazon.com

What could be more sublime than a wall of dark, rotund Russian voices shimmering against the rising, ornate walls of a great cathedral? Not much, and this compilation of absolutely magnificent music proves it. The label Hearts of Space returns on this third choral collection to the ominous Slavic chant of their first choral album, Sacred Treasures I, which gathered together recordings of stunning Bulgarian and Russian choirs portraying the sacred works of Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and other composers. Whereas Treasures I pulled from varied sections of sacred liturgies, including solo passages, Treasures III most often stays in harmonic chant with select voices occasionally rising and rolling in polyphonic heavenly calls. The collective voice draws the emotive tension taut here, as on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Our Father," which uses the absence of darkness to later juxtapose bold, rising drama. The Kiev chant "Blessed Art Thou O Lord" sends chills down the spine as the whispering consonants of the Russian language skip across the ancient repetition like sand skitters over a stormy beach. This is a collection as breathtakingly beautiful as the Cathedral of the Dormition itself. Not to be missed. --Karen K. Hugg

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely FANTASTIC CD !!.......2007-06-28

I'll keep this short: I'm not new to chant or choral music but there are SO MANY options out here that it's hard to know which ones are worth buying. I've got a few titles in my budding collection but I have to say that this particular recording is FANTASTIC. It is at once awe inspiring, meditative, and peaceful. Simply wonderful...

Sacred and a treasure!.......2007-06-11

Wow! This is as good as the first Sacred Treasures if not better. These holy and divine works are truly "the speech of angels".

Absolutely wonderful.......2006-12-28

I've really become taken with Russian choral music as of late. I've tried to get my hands on every recording I can, and amongst them all this is one of the very best. The phrasing, tonality and selection is terrific.

More Divine Beauty and Peace!.......2006-12-03

I am the producer of this CD and also of the first CD in the Sacred Treasures series called "SACRED TREASURES: Choral Masterworks From Russia" as well as of "SACRED TREASURES IV: Quiet Prayers" and "CELTIC TWILIGHT 7: Sacred Spirit". In each case, my intention was to bring together the very best performances of exceptionally beautiful, slow and peaceful sacred music. Most of the pieces on this compilation (as on the other compilations mentioned above) are filled with lush harmonies sung by large mixed choirs. All the selections are deeply nourishing to the soul.

In many cases, I chose to use excerpts from longer pieces, omitting the exultant huge crescendos and very fast sections that are typical of Russian sacred music, presenting only the slow and quiet verses. Different types of music serve different needs, and in today's stressful and fast-paced world, one of the most important and often neglected needs is for time out from that world--to "lay aside all earthly cares" (as the text to a Russian "Cherubic Hymn" prescribes) and to rest in a magical, quiet space of slow, peaceful, beauty. That peaceful beauty is available to you on all of these compilations, including this one, "SACRED TREASURES III"...

It Doesn't Get any Better!!!.......2006-10-09

Having collected a decent library of sacred music over the years I can readily attest that this is the best sacred music CD that I own, my second favorite being a requiem chant by the monks of Solesmes. Further, upon listening to this CD everyone I know seems to respond to it with the same enthusiasm. Track 10 is my personal favorite, but there are no weak pieces here. The entire production hangs together well. Can't recommend it enough to novice or seasoned liturgical music listener.

Average customer rating:

Inspirational!
hymns we sang in church

Abide With Me

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Hymns Through the Centuries
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Hymns Triumphant 1 & 2
Be Still My Soul: The Ultimate Hymns Collection
Best Loved Hymns

ASIN: B000024236
Release Date: 1996-06-10

Tracks:

Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
All Glory, Laud and Honour - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Day of Resurrection - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
O God, Our Help in Ages Past - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Praise to the Holiest in the Height - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Praise to the Lord - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Church's One Foundation - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Crown Him With Many Crowns - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Now Thank We All Our God - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Abide with Me - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
O Praise Ye the Lord - Choir of King's College, Stephen Cleobury
Drop, Drop, Slow Tears - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
Glory Be to Jesus - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
There Is a Green Hill Far Away - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
According to Thy Gracious Word - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
Holy Father, Cheer Our Way - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
Glory to Thee, My God, This Night - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks
On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry - Choir of King's College, Sir David Willcocks

Tracks:

Onward, Christian Soldiers - Huddersfield Choral Society, Wyn Morris
Lord's My Shepherd - Huddersfield Choral Society, Wyn Morris
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah - Huddersfield Choral Society, Wyn Morris
All People That on Earth Do Dwell - U.S.A.F. Protestant Chapel Choir, West Ruislap, England,
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - U.S.A.F. Protestant Chapel Choir, West Ruislap, England,
Forty Days and Forty Nights - U.S.A.F. Protestant Chapel Choir, West Ruislap, England,
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded - U.S.A.F. Protestant Chapel Choir, West Ruislap, England,
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today - U.S.A.F. Protestant Chapel Choir, West Ruislap, England,
Head That Once Was Crown'd With Thorns - U.S.A.F. Protestant Chapel Choir, West Ruislap, England,
Rock of Ages - Choir of King's College, Maurice Vinden
Eternal Father, Strong to Save - Choir of King's College, Maurice Vinden
All Things Bright and Beautiful - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
Be Thou My Vision - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
Be Still, My Soul - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
King of Love My Shepherd Is - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
Let Us With a Gladsome Mind - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
For All the Saints - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
O Worship the King - Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus - Choir of King's College, George Guest
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - Choir of King's College, George Guest
Spirit of Mercy, Truth, And Love - Choir of King's College, George Guest
Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us - Choir of King's College, George Guest
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise - Choir of King's College, George Guest
Jesu, Lover of My Soul - Choir of King's College, George Guest
Jerusalem - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Choir of King's College, ,

Album Details

Compiled Here Are Fifty of the Most Beloved Hymns Performed by Three of England's Most Distinguished Choirs. Every Selection Here is Sung in an Appropriately Dignified Manner and If You're Up for Over Two Hours of Consistently Well-rendered Quintessentially English Treatments of These Vernacular Favorites it Simply Doesn't Get Any Better Than This.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational!.......2004-10-08

Majestic hymns sung with British accents. A great combination! I haven't noticed any objectionable sounds on my copy.

hymns we sang in church.......2003-02-16

i grew up in a traditional presbyterian church that had a pipe organ. i wanted a cd of many of the hymns that we sang in church sung by a choir and accompanied by a pipe organ. this cd fulfilled my wishes perfectly. the hymns are performed in a very straight-forward fashion with no show-boating or excess flourishes which is exactly what i wanted. this is not gospel music but what i refer to as liturgical music to indicate that it is religious music but not gospel music. i would give it 5 stars but there is a slight hiss. other than that the recording quality is very good.

Life of the Worlds: Journeys in Jewish Sacred Music

Average customer rating:

Life of the Worlds: Journeys in Jewish Sacred Music

Manufacturer: Five Souls Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Jewish & Yiddish Music | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000172L72
Release Date: 2003-12-03

Tracks:

Ha'aderet Veha'emunah/LeKhay Olamim - Yemen
Le'El Adir Neranenah - Afghanistan
Bati Legani - Eastern Europe
Kinah Lekhurban Gan Eden - Eastern Europe
Sephardi Yerushalmi Khatsi Kaddish - Jerusalem/Spain
Navah Tehilah - Afghanistan
Hayoshevet Baganim - Yemen
Eyn Keloheynu - Morocco
Modeh Ani/Elohay Neshamah - Salonica
Eli Shema Koli - Morocco
Reb Nachman's Niggun - Ukraine
Hishtapkhut Hanefesh - Belarus
Niggun of the Alter Rebbe - Belarus
Ve'erastikh Li - Salonica
El Mistater - Poland
Ashrey - Eastern Europe/Spain
Yemeni Shema - Yemen
Grandfather Sang a Song - Eastern Europe

Amazon.com

The modern-day traditional Jewish music revival is filled with artists exploring klezmer's Eastern-European roots, but you'll hear no clarinet and little violin on cantor/educator Richard Kaplan's Life Of The Worlds. Although these are traditional songs, there is a broad range of the Diaspora represented on his second album, including Afghani, Spanish, Moroccan, and Algerian traditions. Kaplan dives into the sacred and the secular, the prophetic and the exultant, finding commonalities amongst different tribes and fusing them together. Musical accompaniment comes in the form of an occasional flute, piano, and violin as well as Moroccan clay drums, oud, dumbek, and other pre-modern-era instruments, but the instrument at the center of each song is Kaplan's voice--his high baritone majestically soars, quavers with sensitivity, and rings out with joy. To hear him sing solo versions of traditional Niggiun is to hear a world-class master savor the multifaceted nuance of each note and transcend the concept of song, turning it into religion and high art. --Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

A remarkable collection of vocal performances of Jewish sacred music from the Middle East, Andalusia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia - songs of exultation, longing, love, and Divine immanence - accompanied by an ensemble of masterful musicians.

Instruments include: oud, ney, kanun, Egyptian accordian, violin, mandolin, dumbek, doira, riqq, Yemenite can, tar, saz, clarinet, mey (Turkish duduk), tilinca (Rumanian shepherd's flute), piano, string bass, balaban (Klezmer drum set), cimbalom, and a chorus of voices.

Among many special songs, the CD features an 'eco-lament' (ecological lament) based on lament melodies for the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. It is called "Lament on the Destruction of the Garden of Eden" (Kinah Lekhurban Gan Eden), and updates the use of these tunes to mourn the wounding of our larger temple, Gaia - Mother Earth.

LIFE OF THE WORLDS contains 18 songs, 77 minutes of music, and contains a 32-page booklet which includes informative song descriptions; all texts are provided in transliteration, English translation, and in Hebrew or Yiddish.