Sings the Heart & Soul of Hoagy Carmichael

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Crystal Gayle always left the twangy stuff to big sister Loretta Lynn in order to concentrate on more mainstream pop balladry, a form she still handles with grace and style. Although born in Kentucky, Gayle was actually raised in Indiana, and here she interprets 15 gems from fellow Hoosier Hoagy Carmichael. Credit Gayle for putting Carmichael's timeless melodies front and center on this delightful, charming record. Though the arrangements range from small ensemble to full orchestra, they are always in service to the song, as are Gayle's elegant readings, which are tastefully colored with tinges of blues and jazz. Willie Nelson, no stranger to the American standard, duets on one track, and like Gayle, he's wise enough to let great songs do most of the work for him. --Marc Greilsamer

Tracks:

Siboney
Noche azul
Andalucia
Por eso te quiero
Siempre en mi corazon
Maria la o
Canto karabali
Juventud
Malaguena
Damisela encantadora
La comparsa

Customer Reviews:

Gran album y gran señor........2007-03-29

Un super album de Domingo, para los amantes de la musica de Ernesto Lecuaona con sus mejores temas un gran disco para el romance.

Domingo con Lecuona: Combinacion maravillosa!.......2003-02-04

Glorious combination: Ernesto Lecuona and Placido Domingo!
Ernesto Lecuona was a virtuoso pianist and a composer of both classical and popular music. He wrote compositions for piano, opera, zarzuela (Spanish light opera), movie scores, and popular songs. He incorporated the rhythms of Cuban popular song (including afro-cuban) into his music. Placido Domingo and the Royal Philharmonic Orquestra provide a wonderful introduction to Lecuona's music. Songs like "Siboney," and "Malaguena" are standards in the repertoire of opera singers and require great voices to do them justice. "Maria la O" is from Lecuona's zarzuela of the same name. The songs on this CD are gorgeous, Placido Domingo sings them beautifully, and the accompaniment is wonderful. The two songs with more pronounced afro-cuban rhythms--"Canto Karabali" and "La comparsa"--are less suited to this kind of production, but the other 9 songs are so wonderful, I can overlook this. A real bonus--this CD includes liner notes and complete lyrics in Spanish, with translations into English, French and German.

Average customer rating:

Companion to Moonbeams
How My heart Sings
One Of The Best
GREAT RELAXING ALBUM FROM PIANO MASTER BILL EVANS
Bill Evans at his best

How My Heart Sings!
Bill Evans Trio
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Moon Beams
At Shelly's Manne-Hole
Since We Met
Explorations
I Will Say Goodbye

ASIN: B000000YKL
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

How My Heart Sings
I Should Care
In Your Own Sweet Way (Take 1)
In Your Own Sweet Way (Take 2)
Walking Up
Summertime
34 Skidoo
Ev'rything I Love
Show-Type Tune

Customer Reviews:

Companion to Moonbeams.......2004-06-10

This enjoyable album is from the first recording session by Bill Evans's "second trio" of 1962, with Chuck Israels taking over as bassist after the death of Scott La Faro. The session produced two albums, the all-ballad `Moonbeams' and this one, which mainly features medium to up-tempo numbers. Nevertheless, as Evans said in his original liner notes, the trio aimed to produce a "singing" approach to all the material it played. So along with the lively, skipping rhythms on such tracks as "Summertime" and "In Your Own Sweet Way" and the more driving swing on the Evans originals, "Walking Up" and "34 Skidoo", there's a lot of tuneful improvising throughout.

The combination of this "singing" approach with the trio's rhythmic vitality is especially obvious on the title track, an attractively lyrical jazz waltz, on the affectionate parody, "Show Type Tune" (another Evans original), on "I Should Care" and on one of the less well known Cole Porter tunes, "Everything I Love". The latter is one of my favourites for the way Evans in his playing of the tune manages to convey the lyrical feeling of a slow ballad at a moderately swinging tempo.

Even at this early stage in his residence with the trio, Chuck Israels was proving a highly compatible partner, creating well-constructed lines both in "duet" with the pianist and in his solos. Paul Motian's drumming is mainly relaxed and at times almost self-effacing but always blending closely with Evans and Israels. Evans also pointed out in his liner notes how easy it would be to underrate Motian's contribution until one tried to imagine what the music would be like without it.

Despite the obvious differences of mood and tempo between this and the companion album, `Moonbeams', it has similar virtues of subtlety and thoughtful interplay within the trio.

How My heart Sings.......2003-11-18

I'v been listening to Bill Evans for about eight years now and I must say I'm a fanatic. I started my Bill collection with The Village Vanguard albums. I originally bought those albums to hear Scott LaFaro, but I was blown away by Bill's piano playing. Since then I have increased my collection to 23 albums. How My Heart Sings is in my opinon a transitinal record for his then new trio with Chuck Isreals on bass. Never the less the music is very good. I wouldn't say it is my favorite bill album but it has some great moments,especially the reworking of Gerswin's Summertime built around Isreal's bass ostinato. This version in my opinon is the must original and fresh version of this classic. Another good thing is the presence of Bill's originals. I also enjoy the title track by Earl Zindars. The bottom line is that this album is worth it.

One Of The Best.......2002-09-08

This album is under-rated. There is so much to be analysed and enjoyed on this album, but unfortunately it has been overshadowed by the end of the "first trio," and the monumental Peace Piece (Everybody Digs). How My Heart Sings is a beautiful tune by Evans' good friend Earl Zindars, his treatment of the tune is amazing. His counter lines and smooth-swinging solo bursts and crunch chords are wonderful. An Evans original, 34 Skidoo is one of my favorite songs ever. The modulation of 3/4 to 4/4 is perfectly applicated and the hauntingly beautiful yet surprisingly difficult changes of this tune are everything you would want from and Evans song. Another Evans original, Walkin' Up is a slightly "out-there" tune for Bill at this time, with the chromatic +4 chords and counter beat melody. Finally we get to Summmertime, the truly great bassline to this song, adds an up-tempo life to this quite overplayed standard. His lines over this song are to be transcribed hundreds of times by all of those who love Evans, they are clever, shining, and excruciatingly smooth. In short: if you like Bill Evans this is a must-have cd no matter what. Even if you're new, this is a wonderful cd and an under-rated find. Just wonderful.

GREAT RELAXING ALBUM FROM PIANO MASTER BILL EVANS.......2002-06-01

I PERSONALY LOVE THIS ALBUM BY THE GREAT BILL EVANS. ITS VERY SOOTHING AND JUST PLAIN FUN TO LISTEN TO. HIS IMPROVISIONS ON FAMOUS SONGS LIKE "SUMMERTIME, AND "HOW MY HEAT SINGS" ARE BREATHTAKING. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BY BILL

Bill Evans at his best.......2001-12-01

This is the first album Evans made after the death of Scott La Faro. With Paul Motian on drums and Chuck Israels on bass, the trio has a completely different feel. In his Pre-LaFaro days, Evans played in more muscular, bop-like style. When LaFaro joined the trio, Evans took a more reticent and reflective approach (LaFaro was a very dominant bassist). In this recording, Evans again plays forcefully, yet beautifully, in sort of synthesis of the two styles. The music is first rate. There are no ballads: the tempos range from medium to upbeat. I have been listening to this record for 40 years, and am still not tired of it. Dig "Summertime": nothing like it.

Crystal Gayle Sings the Heart & Soul of Hoagy Carmichael

Average customer rating:

Heart&Soul,Crystal Gayle
Can this woman sing or what?
Talented singer pays homage to great American composer
Crystal Gayle Never Disappoints
This One's From The Heart & Soul

Crystal Gayle Sings the Heart & Soul of Hoagy Carmichael
Crystal Gayle
Manufacturer: Intersound Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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All My Tomorrows
Best of Crystal Gayle: Talking in Your Sleep
20 Great Love Songs
Best of Crystal Gayle
The Collection: 20 Songs from the Heart

ASIN: B0001CNQPI
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Heart And Soul
Stardust
In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
One Morning In May
Lazybones
Old Buttermilk Sky
Georgia On My Mind
Two Sleepy People
I Get Along Without You Very Well
Lazy River
Rockin Chair
The Nearness Of You
Small Fry
Skylark
Cant Get Indiana Off My Mind

Amazon.com

Crystal Gayle always left the twangy stuff to big sister Loretta Lynn in order to concentrate on more mainstream pop balladry, a form she still handles with grace and style. Although born in Kentucky, Gayle was actually raised in Indiana, and here she interprets 15 gems from fellow Hoosier Hoagy Carmichael. Credit Gayle for putting Carmichael's timeless melodies front and center on this delightful, charming record. Though the arrangements range from small ensemble to full orchestra, they are always in service to the song, as are Gayle's elegant readings, which are tastefully colored with tinges of blues and jazz. Willie Nelson, no stranger to the American standard, duets on one track, and like Gayle, he's wise enough to let great songs do most of the work for him. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Heart&Soul,Crystal Gayle.......2007-05-11

This masterpiece is professionaly done ,produced,arrainged by some
of the best.Crystal's emote and timing is top notch,the romance is
intense.We need to start a new catagory for music like this,"ADULT ROMANCE
This set is an all time classic and a must for connoisseurs of sophiticated music.Hoagy Carmichael ,of course, was a big band superstar
in the 40's and is famous for the song"stardust".I love "buttermik sky"
here and the song could be perfect for weddings.You won't regret buying
this.I guarrentee it.

Can this woman sing or what?.......2005-09-19

In an age where sounding just like the singer next to you seems the safest bet, Ms. Gayle stands out with a voice that is hers alone - melodic, vibrant and emotional. You can hear the smile or the tears in every one of the songs on this CD. Heart and Soul, In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening, Lazy River, Nearness of You and Two Sleepy People (her Willie Nelson duet) are my favorites. Listen and you will find you have several favorites, too.

Talented singer pays homage to great American composer.......2005-02-01

If you are a fan of any of the following, buy this CD!
- The songs of Hoagy Carmichael
- Traditionally jazzy music
- Crystal Gayle
Don't be deterred by the fact that this CD is apparently out of print; order one of the new or used copies from Amazon (I did).
This is classic American music, beautifully performed by Ms. Gayle.
- You might think that "Heart and Soul" is just that simplistic little duet that kids play on the piano. In fact, it's a sweet, pretty love song, as you'll find when you listen to the lovely arrangement on this CD.
- How about "Georgia on my Mind"; you've heard the Ray Charles version, but try Crystal's -- it'll make you homesick for Georgia even if you've never been there.
- And "Stardust", Hoagy's most famous song, has been performed in countless different versions. Crystal's is one of the prettiest I've heard.
- Next is "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening". When it starts up, you may conclude that it's just an old-fashioned, corny song; but when Crystal swings into the refrain, you might not be able to keep from tapping your toes.
- "Two Sleepy People" is a Hoagy song I was not familiar with; Crystal teams up with Willie Nelson (another Carmichael fan) to deliver a charming duet.
And it goes on and on, one wonderful song after another.
This CD is a winner all the way. Highly recommended!

Crystal Gayle Never Disappoints.......2004-11-22

Crystal Gayle has a great voice and while this album is quite different than her country and pop albums, she does a very good job on most of the songs. "Stardust" is a difficult song to sing well and while Crystal does a passable job on it, maybe it could have been better. Everything else sounds wonderful, even though a couple of songs may sound a bit different than the way you might have heard them originally. That's probably a good thing; Crystal does her own interpretation and it's not the same old tired renditions that you may have heard many times before.
For those who like these old songs, you should enjoy this album a lot. This was unavailable for a while, so if it's back in print, I suggest you snag a copy before it is withdrawn again.

This One's From The Heart & Soul.......2003-04-01

WOW! What a spectacular return to the recording studio! I know this woman had to go raise her children and put her recording-singing career aside, but, they should be grown by now and it's time for "reinvention". I have the soundtrack to "One From The Heart"(1982) and she explores a Jazz atmosphere throughout with Tom Waits[as a duet partner and on a few solos]too perfectly to just set it aside. Crystal, if you're reading the reviews on your incredibly impassioned Hoagy tribute, PLEASE, if it works for Natalie Cole, then you should resume your career in JAZZ. You definitely have an awesome voice that is extremely well suited to sing whatever you desire to conquer. This Hoagy cd is flawless, from the song selection, SINGER, & musicians all the way up to the passionately performed vocals...this one's from the heart and soul!

Average customer rating:

Excellent Voice, Cheap Music
You are all idiots
Bryn Terfel, the Magnificent, sings 'Something for Everyone'
Bryn Terfel's voice is magnificent, this album superb.
Popular favorites sung by a fine concert baritone-bass

Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Silent Noon
Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome

ASIN: B0000AP6HI
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Couplets: 'Votre Toast Je Peu Vous Le Rendre' (Toreador Song)
Shenandoah
Bugeillio'r Gwenith Gwyn
'C'etait Le Soir' - 'Aufondu Du Temple Saint'
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Danny Boy
Bella Notte
Goin' Home
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Home Sweet Home
Ave Maria D 839
Il Mio Cure Va
At The River
None But The Lonley Heart
If I Can Help Somebody
Wiegenlied
Abide With Me
Lazybones

Amazon.com

The title of this CD tells it all. Here is one popular classic after another, some folk or traditional, some operatic, some religious or inspirational, some pop. The result in the throat/mind/sensibility of any other singer might be soupy, sappy, or simply uninteresting, but Bryn Terfel--he of the rolling bass-baritone voice who can smoothly deliver notes and phrases at any dynamic level--turns this generous, somewhat sentimental recital into something beautiful and special. After a rousing "Toreador Song" from Carmen, sung with just the right weight (most baritones find it too low, most basses too high) comes a ravishing version of "Shenandoah"; a fine Welsh song is followed by the stunning duet from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, with Andrea Bocelli singing the tenor part gleamingly and Terfel considerately underplaying his hand. And so it continues through Brahms' Lullaby and Schubert's Ave Maria; the "Love Theme from Titanic" sung with great restraint; renditions of "Danny Boy" and "Home Sweet Home" which are just beautiful; the spirituals "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "At the River," slightly anachronistic but still effective; the gluey "If I Can Help Somebody"; and a few more. It's amazing that Terfel can bring such variety to material which is temperamentally so similar. Some of the arrangements are a bit sticky and overdone, but overall, this disc is a beauty for all seasons. It will make a lovely gift to music lovers of all types. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Voice, Cheap Music.......2006-04-27

Bryn Terfel sings everything beautifully. The difficulty with this CD is that some of the music is extremely tawdry.
"The Lord is My Shepherd" and "Abide With Me" are very nicely sung, although the arrangements (like almost all hymn arrangements) leave a good bit to be desired.
The big surprise was to hear him sing "Lazybones" to perfection.
But on the whole it is far better to hear him sing music whose quality matches that of his voice.

You are all idiots.......2006-04-04

Bryn is aweful. This CD is horrific. Listen to real opera you morons. Listening to Bryn is like pouring sugar down your throat until you vomit. Does anyone know what an "operatic baritone" really sounds like. Bryn is the emproer with no clothes and you all are fools.

Bryn Terfel, the Magnificent, sings 'Something for Everyone'.......2005-06-28

Surely one of the most beautiful baritone voices on the opera stage and in the recital hall today is that of Welshman Bryn Terfel. He is one of those rare artists who has a magnificent voice, intense musicality, and magical stage presence. Terfel could sing the telephone book and make it beautiful.

And sadly that is what this album resembles: the choice of songs and the arrangements and friends with whom he elects to perform raises some concern about his artistic integrity. Having purchased this CD based on hearing 'Toreador Song' from 'Carmen' - clearly the finest, most highly nuanced performance of this famous aria ever sung! - this listener expected a concert of similar arias. Wrong! This is like a summer night at Hollywood Bowl with bits and pieces of all manner of songs, some tasteful, others less so, but whatever Terfel sings it is good to hear his voice.

Some of the more successful tracks include 'Shenandoah', 'Danny Boy', Brahms' 'Lullaby', and a Welsh tune 'Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn' sung in Welsh. But then Terfel opts to sing Tchaikovsky's 'None but the lonely heart' in English rather than Russian, a Disney song (from Lady and the Tramp) in Italian, and for some reason includes duets with a soprano by the sole name of Sissel ('Ave Maria'), an awful pairing with Andrea Bocelli for The Pearl Fishers duet (terrible to compare these two polarized voices!), and some choral and jazz ditties. Whew!

If you can get past the pick and save repertoire here and just relax with Terfel's artistry you are in for a treat. Not for the purists, but definitely a find for the 'crossover crowd'. Grady Harp, June 05

Bryn Terfel's voice is magnificent, this album superb........2005-05-05

I am hoping every possible purchaser of this album will read this review. Bryn Terfel is a singer whose voice has been touched by God. Rich, powerful, masculine, elegant, emotionally moving. His taste in music is varied and wonderful. I listen to him more often than any other vocalist in my vast vocal music collection. Therefore, I get more value out of his CD's than any other I own. If you love great vocal music sung by one of the greatest baritones of all time, buy this CD immediately. It will quickly become one of your treasured favorites. And Mr. Terfel, please know that your voice touches people all around the world. Thank you for the great music and inspiration, Sir.

Popular favorites sung by a fine concert baritone-bass.......2005-04-20

First of all, we have to recognize that Bryn Terfel is one helluva fine concert/operatic baritone with a huge, powerful, and beautiful voice. (I think any other assessment must be based on nit-picking and misses the forest for the trees.)

In the present program we may wonder whether Terfel's particular (and enormous) talent is well matched to the popular selections chosen. Overall, I say yes: Terfel gives fine and generally convincing performances of this widely varied program--and there are precious few (if any) who could do better.

Let's take a look at what's here:

On the famous toreador song from Bizet's "Carmen" Terfel gives a very fine, operatic rendition of the bull-fighter's swaggering, macho aria. His diction in French is faultless and his singing style unreproachable. What more do you want?

In "Shenandoah" Terfel takes on an American folksong, and here is hardly in his home territory. He sings it well, as a concert artist, and perhaps a bit more dramatically than necessary. His pronunciation of American English is very good--except that he's deceived by the "ss" in Missouri and does not give us the "z" sound which every American would. The use of the pipes by Neil Martin adds a lovely, wistful touch to this sentimental bit of lovesick nostagia.

The tender Welsh lovesong is sung in a fine concertish style, but manages to be quite intimate and convincing anyway. Terfel's pronunciation of the (South Wales?) language is perfect, as far as I can detect, and should probably not be taken for granted in this day when English dominates. The harp--mainstay of Welsh folk music--is welcome here as played by the expert fingers of Catrin Finch.

Bizet's well-known Pearl Fishers' duet is operatic territory, and Terfel shines here. Bocelli offers a warm and appealing, though smaller, tenor voice to the combination and the two do a good job overall. Terfel's French is again impeccable.

The lovely setting of the 23rd psalm by Goodall is a welcome bit of church music and the soloist-with-chorus arrangement puts Terfel into a familiar idiom, which he--and the London Voices--make the most of. It's a fine performance and will remind listeners of "The Vicar of Dibley" program on PBS, for which the hymn serves as themesong.

Danny Boy was, I believe, originally in English, though it is one of the best-loved Irish folksongs, so we can't fault Terfel for not singing it in Irish. He sings it well, in spite of its demanding range, and communicates the sad and longing tenderness a father feels for his son about to go off to battle. Terfel's sweet, pianissimo ending is gorgeous, impressive, and most apt.

I don't particularly like the song "Bella Notte," so I won't say much, except that it seems well presented. "Going Home" is performed as a concert piece which owes much more to Dvorak than to the Afro-American spiritual from which it is reportedly derived. Even so, Terfel manages a quite convincing southern American dialect. In the same mood, more or less, we get the spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," which Terfel and the London Voices bring off well, though not at all in the way a Black church choir would do it.

I won't take space to describe each of the following tracks, as I think the foregoing gives a pretty good idea of what to expect. The folksongs are not what a purist might want in the way of homespun simplicity--they are prettied up in artistic renditions. The concert pieces are very well done and leave little to be desired.

I will comment on only two more: I was not overly happy with the Brahms lullaby ("Wiegenlied"), because it is a bit too dramatic and artsy in style where it should be utterly simple. Still, we have to give T. credit for his excellent German pronunciation and his fine, if not cribside, style of singing.

In "Lazybones" Terfel gives us a thoroughly charming and delightfully bluesy performance of a Hoagy Carmichael song. Against all odds, it shows a warm understanding and affection for this idiom so alien to the hills and valleys of T's Welsh home. I defy anyone not to be charmed and delighted by this piece.

A strong commendation is in order for Chris Hazell's remarkably fine arrangements of most of these works, and the excellence of the performances by the accompanying groups. This is a musically first-class production!

The liner notes are generous, with song texts and photos of the participants in this recording. It is definitely up to Deutsche Grammophon's high standards!

If you like the pieces presented here and would like to hear them performed beautifully by first-class artists in fine arrangements, you should get this recording. With over 74 minutes of music, you'll be getting your money's worth several times over!

The Essential Jessye Norman [Includes DVD: Jessye Norman Sings Carmen]

Average customer rating:

wonderful
Favorite Soprano: Gorgeous Dramatic Voice
Amazing.... if you get it somewhere else
A MUST HAVE...
Amazing Voice

The Essential Jessye Norman [Includes DVD: Jessye Norman Sings Carmen]

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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I Was Born in Love With You
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Jessye Norman - Sacred Songs ~ Ave Maria, Amazing Grace, etc..
Brava, Jessye!: The Very Best Of Jessye Norman

ASIN: B00067GKEM
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

Quand Je Vous Aimerai? L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera)
Pres Des Ramparts De Seville (Seguidilla)
Porgi, Amor, Qualche Ristoro
E Susanna Non Vien! ... Dove Sono I Bei Momenti
Regina Coeli Laetare ... Inneggiamo, Il Signor Non E Morto (Easter Hymn)
Thy Hand Belinda ... When I Am Laid In Earth
Cacilie, Op. 27 No. 2
Wiegenlied
Villanelle (No. 1)
Standchen
Ave Maria
Amazing Grace
Somewhere
With A Song In My Heart
O Holy Night
Panis Angelicus
Mild Und Leise (Isoldes Liebestod)

Customer Reviews:

wonderful.......2007-04-04

This record is wonderful; simply Jessye Norman. What else can I say: loved it!

Favorite Soprano: Gorgeous Dramatic Voice.......2006-11-05

The first time I ever heard Jessye Norman sing was a recording of Dich Teure Halle from Wagner's Tannhauser, and I was immediately enchanted. She has a gorgeous ringing tone and powerful voice. However, she can also bring her voice to a delicate sweetness that other dramatic sopranos find difficult. This album is put together particularly well. I love her Carmen and Isolde here, but I cannot stop listening to the other songs either, the non-operatic ones included. This my favorite CD, and I would definitely reccomend it to anyone considering the purchase.

Amazing.... if you get it somewhere else.......2006-05-28

I got it for HKD $69 in HKV in Hong Kong (which is around 8.70USD)

A MUST HAVE..........2006-02-09

The American soprano Jessye Norman was born in Augusta, Georgia (the segregated South) on September 15, 1945 in a family of amateur musicians; her mother a pianist, her father a singer in a local choir.

Norman received a scholarship to Howard University (a historically black university in Washington, D.C.) -NOT INDIANA-, graduating in 1967 with a degree in music. The following year, she won the ARD International Music Competition in Munich. She made her operatic debut in 1969 as Elisabeth in Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser at the Berlin State Opera, and in subsequent years performed with various German and Italian opera companies. She returned to the US to make her professional concert debut at Lincoln Center in 1973.

Amazing Voice.......2005-07-06

Jessye Norman has possibly the greatest voice I have ever heard. Being a bass/baritone, I usually shy away from higher voices (especially tenors), but I find this soprano to be flooring. For being a classicaly trained vocalist (she attended Indiana University) Ms. Norman has an incredibly versatile voice. In this album alone, she sings broad French arias, light Mozart, spirituals, and Broadway. Each is done superbly. Out of every track, her rendition of "Ave Maria" is my favorite. She sings it so tenderly and intimately, it is like she is singing it directly in front of you. You will be moved, certainly.

I suggest this CD to everyone, a fan of classical music or not. It is important for everyone to have these songs to relax, calm down, or to just listen to. You would not regret it.

Giuseppe Di Stefano Sings Neopolitan & Other Songs

Average customer rating:

GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO--VOL. 1 & 2 NEAPOLITAN SONGS
The finest available!
Pippo's Biggest Fan

Giuseppe Di Stefano Sings Neopolitan & Other Songs

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Carlo Bergonzi - Italian Songs ~ Bellini · Verdi · Danza · Tosti · Donizetti · Rossini · Mascagni · Puccini
The Very Best of Giuseppe di Stefano
The Very Best of Franco Corelli

ASIN: B000003XK1
Release Date: 1997-04-10

Tracks:

Funicula, Funiculi
Luna nova
Mamma mia, che vo' sage?
Torna!
Carmela
Guapparia
Mandulinata a Napule
I' m'arricordo 'e Napule
Pecche?
Anema 'e core
Me so' 'mbiracato 'e sole
Vurria
Lolita
Ideale
L'Ultima canzone
Aprile
Luna d'estate
La Serenata
Mattinata
Non t'amo pui
Malia
Chanson de l'adieu
'A Vucchella
Musica Proibita

Customer Reviews:

GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO--VOL. 1 & 2 NEAPOLITAN SONGS.......2005-07-29

WONDERFUL MUSIC--MAKES ME THINK OF WALKING THE STREETS OF NAPLES AND LISTENING TO MY FATHER SING TO ME. ONE CAN CLOSE THEIR YES AND THINK OF SITTING IN A RESTAURANT OR SIDEWALK CAFE AND BEING SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL ITALIAN PEOPLE.
LOVELY SONGS SUNG BEAUTIFULLY

The finest available!.......2002-08-29

For connoisseurs of Neapolian songs, these discs from Testament are golden, and no one sings these songs better than di Stefano. He has the charm and style in his delivery as few others have.
After hearing him in these songs, others may sound like mere pretenders. I can't recommend this disc highly enough if you like great singing and canzoni Napoli.

Pippo's Biggest Fan.......2000-08-26

Now this is what I would call one beautiful CD.It shows that Pippo was the greatest tenor in the world during his reign.His voice is extremely beautiful and the warmth and emotionalism are incredible.I listen to his " Non T'amo Piu " endlessly.You just can't find singing like Pippo at his best even going back to Gigli.This CD is a must have for anyone even remotely interested in classical tenor voices.They don't meke them like Pippo anymore and fortunately his voice and style of singing will live forever with his many recordings.Do yourselves a big favor and buy this one.

Tracks:

Heart And Soul
Stardust
In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
One Morning In May
Lazybones
Ole Buttermilk Sky
Georgia On My Mind
Two Sleepy People
I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)
Lazy River
Rockin' Chair
The Nearness Of You
Small Fry
Skylark
Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Heart&Soul,Crystal Gayle.......2007-05-11

Can this woman sing or what?.......2005-09-19

Talented singer pays homage to great American composer.......2005-02-01

Crystal Gayle Never Disappoints.......2004-11-22

This One's From The Heart & Soul.......2003-04-01

Average customer rating:

Her voice is every color of dream
Stratas is sublime
It is dangerous to use words like "definative," but....
Amazing
The One

Stratas Sings Weill

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Teresa Stratas - The Unknown Kurt Weill
September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill
Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low ~ Songs by Kurt Weill / Gardiner
Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill / Levine, Lenya, Armstrong, Gilford, et al
Sings Kurt Weill, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000005IXU
Release Date: 1991-06-25

Tracks:

One Touch of Venus: I'm A Stranger Here Myself
Ausfstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny: Havanna - Lied
Happy End: Surabaya-Johnny
One Touch of Venus: Foolish Heart
Der Silbersee: Ich bin eine arme Verwandre (Fennimore's Song)
Lady In The Dark: One Life To Live
Marie Galante: J'attends un navire
Happy End: Das Lied von der harten Nuss
Street Scene: Lonely House
Marie Galante: Le Roi d'Aquitaine
Ausfstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny: Denn wie man sich bettet
Marie Galante: Le Train du ciel
Die Dreigroschenoper: Das Lied von der Untulanglichkeit menschlichen Strebens
Knickerbocker Holiday: It Never Was You
Happy End: Der kleine Leutnant des lieben Gotten

Amazon.com

Revealing an affinity for Weill, Teresa Stratas fulfills her promise to Lotte Lenya on her deathbed to "carry on the torch for Kurt Weill's music." Stratas's glorious soprano has never sounded better as she applies her operatic expertise to deliciously caress this music without losing any of the underlying subtext. Lacking the grittiness of other interpreters, she captures the emotional angles by letting her beautiful voice express the tortured heart beneath it; where others shout at you, Stratas sings at you. She casually bounces off the cheerier selections from One Touch of Venus and Happy End, letting Gerard Schwarz's brilliantly conducted orchestra display their wit. Program notes include a fascinating interview with Stratas. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Her voice is every color of dream.......2005-12-03

I don't care who knows it--I've been in love with Teresa Stratas since I was a senior in high school and saw her as Mimi in La Boheme one Friday night in 1961. That obsession preceded and outlasted my marriage:-). I lost a lot of years away from opera, then discovered that Stratas' recorded output is shamefully small. A difficult performer, probably, renowned for some unendearing quirks. But. What's there is gold. I have heard recordings I should not of her as Suor Angelica, Butterfly, and Melisande. I have seen her famous Zefirelli Boheme and Traviata. And Amahl. But the Weill material...it's unbelievable. When Lenya "ordained" her as her successor after seeing a performance of Mahagonny, the old lady knew what she was doing. Stratas has the perfect temperament for Weill's music. The voice coos, snarls, belts, and weeps. My favorite of all Weill songs, "Surabaya Johnny," is a mini-drama of love, hate, rage and despair. The only person who comes close to her in that song is the late Cathy Berberian.

Yes, get this. Get "The Unknown Kurt Weill." Lobby the Met to release her broadcasts, esp. The Bartered Bride. She was absolutely magnetic and the field isn't quite gone yet.

Stratas is sublime.......2005-03-27

Teresa Stratas is one of those singers whose reputation as a temperamental diva precedes her. Well, in my book, if it takes being temperamental to accomplish a collection like this, the end justifies the means. She is a singer of tremendous vocal and emotional range, and Weill's music provides what seems to be a perfect vehicle for both.

I've had this CD for at least 12 or 13 years and, no matter how many times I listen, I still notice new details in her interpretations.

It is dangerous to use words like "definative," but...........2004-04-04

Stratas's interpretations make one rush headlong into that danger.

Many singers have done beautiful Surabaya Johnnys but have any been as shattering as Stratas? Though years later she stumbled with her ill-concieved and eccentric Seven Deadly Sins, this CD is Stratas at in her prime, making bold choices about the material that blows the cobwebs off song we thought we knew. Even 15 years later, this album is fresh, uncliched, deeply affecting, and enthralling.

Stratas proves herself not only a great singer, but a great actress as well.

Amazing.......2000-06-29

Until I heard this and the Unknown Weill, I was a "stranger myself here,' as Stratas sings in the first selection. I simply did not appreciate nor understand the immediacy and importance of Weill to our musical heritage. Stratas simply transcends and reveals this music so intuitively that it is amazing.

The One.......2000-06-01

Stratas is the Weill singer, and everyone else is an also-ran. Ute Lemper is just a poser, and while Lenya was an important figure for Weill and she has her charms, but Weill wanted trained, operatic voices to sing his music, but not in the style of Verdi or Mozart. Here, Stratas delivers the composer's wish. Her voice is beautiful and cultivated in the best way, but it is her manner that is so important; straightforward, sincere, artless. From the opening "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" her affinity for this music is fully apparent. The selections span Weill's career and are delivered in many English, French and German, and regardless of the language, Stratas communicates completely. The orchestra plays the original orchestrations, and the sound is simply wonderful, nostalgic and modern all at once. This is where all Weill listeners and lovers should start.