Latin Lullaby

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Including contributions from Tex-Mex power folkie Tish Hinojosa, Cuban opera diva Clara Alonso, and Nelie Lebrón Robles, lead singer of Paracumbé, an Afro-Puerto Rican outfit, Latin Lullaby is a richly moving encounter with dream-inducing tunes sung in Spanish. Drawing on the relatively new folk customs of Latin America, this collection features elegant guitar noodling, classical orchestration, a cappella intimacy, and straight-ahead guitar and voice lullaby, as on "Duermete Mi Nino" ("Sleep My Child"), Venezuela's national anthem. Also present are progressively traditional ballads of parental love and protection, adult concerns, and gently rootsy narratives detailing the everyday responsibilities of child rearing. The latter is exemplified by Mili Bermejo's "La Cuna de Tu Hijo" ("The Cradle of Your Child"), in which a proud papa labors over crafting a customary baby bed, as well as by Cuban pop star Xiamantha Laugart's cheeky medley about a mother's negligence and a dancing baby. --Paige La Grone

From Parents' Choice®
This collection of exquisite lullabies, exquisitely performed, is simply breathtaking. These 17 contemporary and traditional songs - some humorous, some soulful - from Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Cuba and other Spanish-speaking countries, are as varied as their sources. They are universal, however, in their deeply affecting tenderness. A sampling: you can hear the smile in the vocal version of "Drume Negrita," the Afro-Cuban classic from singer/composer Bola Denieve; it is followed by Leo Brouwer's... read more

Album Description
Latin Lullaby

These new and classic lullabies from Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba and Argentina will ease your little ones to sleep. Their romantic, mystical, and playful nature reflect an essential part of the Latin soul.

From simple whimsical songs passed down from mother to mother in the oral tradition, to virtuostic performances of the classics by Bola Denieve and Atahualpa Yupanqui, these cradle songs contain the styles and influences that have made Latin music the vibrant, ever-evolving phenomenon that it is today.

Latin Lullaby

Tracks:

A Dormir Ricura - Nelie Lebron
A La Nanita Nana - Tish Hinojosa
Bambalalao - Marcus Viana & Ligia Jacques
Senora Santana - Clara Alonso
Drume Negrito - Bola Denieve
Berceuse (Drume Negrito) - Ricardo Cobo
Arroz Con Leche - Michelle
Caracolito - Nelie Lebron
Duermete Mi Nino - Carolina Landeta
A Dormir - Pepe Castillo
Oguere - Clara Alonso
Oguere - Jorge Alfano
El Negrito Com & Al Nino Le Gusta El Son - Xiomara Laugart
Duermete Chanquito - Atahualpa Yupanqui
Ay Turulete - Nelie Lebrun
La Cuna De Tu Hijo - Mili Bermejo
Veronica's Dream - Juan-Carlos Formel

Amazon.com

Including contributions from Tex-Mex power folkie Tish Hinojosa, Cuban opera diva Clara Alonso, and Nelie Lebrón Robles, lead singer of Paracumbé, an Afro-Puerto Rican outfit, Latin Lullaby is a richly moving encounter with dream-inducing tunes sung in Spanish. Drawing on the relatively new folk customs of Latin America, this collection features elegant guitar noodling, classical orchestration, a cappella intimacy, and straight-ahead guitar and voice lullaby, as on "Duermete Mi Nino" ("Sleep My Child"), Venezuela's national anthem. Also present are progressively traditional ballads of parental love and protection, adult concerns, and gently rootsy narratives detailing the everyday responsibilities of child rearing. The latter is exemplified by Mili Bermejo's "La Cuna de Tu Hijo" ("The Cradle of Your Child"), in which a proud papa labors over crafting a customary baby bed, as well as by Cuban pop star Xiamantha Laugart's cheeky medley about a mother's negligence and a dancing baby. --Paige La Grone

Album Description

Latin Lullaby

Customer Reviews:

Pleasing & soothing to adult & baby ears.......2007-05-10

I generally find most children's music intolerably grating because of the synthesized tinny instruments and condescending vibe. This CD has the opposite traits. Rich sounding music made with love and respect. As a co-sleeping mom, I end up listening to my daughter's CDs at bedtime. This is my favorite lullaby CD. It's very soothing and lulling. For daytime music, check out CDs by Ralph's World, Sara Hickman and Jose-Luis Orozco.

Really Lovely!.......2007-05-08

I received this cd when I was pregnant with my daughter at my baby shower eight years ago. My daughter has gone to sleep every night of her life listening to this cd- she calls it "The Lady Music." We finally wore it out, and I have just ordered a replacement. It has often put me to sleep as well. My daughter is half Salvadoran and I am a high school Spanish teacher, and I just love the Spanish and indigenous languages in this collection. If I could give it ten stars, lo haría (I would)!

Latin Lullaby.......2007-01-13

I haven't got a chance to listen to it yet, but I was very pleased to find out that the CD included the words to the songs.

Excellent lullaby CD.......2006-11-06

This CD is really fantastic. We have enjoyed listening to it over and over for the last 2 months. We have learned several of the songs on the CD and sing them to our baby. This CD is great because it is not a translation of lullaby music in English and is a wonderful way to introduce Spanish into your child's life.

Awsome CD.......2006-08-04

I am a native spanish speaker and this is an excellent CD. It puts my baby to sleep every time. A great mix of different Latin cultural songs.

More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe

Average customer rating:

Better than most
Wonderful Music

More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe
Ludwig van Beethoven , Eugene-Auguste Ysaye , Johann Sebastian Bach , Jean Sibelius , Sergey Prokofiev , Jules Massenet , Anonymous , Fryderyk Chopin , Giacomo Puccini , Robert Schumann , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Kazuo Yamada , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Carl Maria von Weber , Enrique Granados , Gustav Holst , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
Most Relaxing Classical Piano Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B0000AINLR
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto #2, Adagio
VERDI Preludio
PAGANINI "Introduzione e tema con variazioni"
BRAHMS Sonata for two pianos, Andante
MOZART Adagio in E Major
BEETHOVEN "Pathetique" Sonata, Adagio
YSAYE Sonate #2, "Malinconia"
BACH Prelude #22, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
VERDI "Quando le sere al placido" (When the Evening Becomes Peaceful)
BACH Orchestral Suite #2
SIBELIUS The Swan of Tuonela
PROKOFIEV Romeo and Juliet
MASSENET Meditation from "Tha
RACHMANINOFF Prelude

Tracks:

TRADITIONAL Catalonian Folk Song
CHOPIN Piano Concerto #1, Larghetto
PUCCINI "Crisantemi" (Chrysanthemums)
SCHUMANN "Traumerei" (Dreaming)
TCHAIKOVSKY Swan Lake (excerpt)
K. YAMADA ''Chugoku-Chiho No Komoriuta" Lullaby
DEBUSSY "En Bateau" (By Boat)
BEETHOVEN Symphony #6 "Pastoral", Andante
MENDELSSOHN Songs Without Words
WEBER Introduction, theme and variations
GRANADOS "Goyescas" (Sketches on the works of Goya)
TCHAIKOVSKY Nocturne in F
HOLST The Planets, "Neptune"

Customer Reviews:

Better than most.......2007-02-08

This is a good mixture of elevator music, and some soft relaxing melodies.

Wonderful Music.......2007-01-18

Wonderful music for your listening pleasure. Very relaxing and soothing. Nothing beats classical music.

Average customer rating:

Isabel's voice is enchanting!
A real diamond!
Amazing amazing stuff
Fascinating Program Beautifully Performed

Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Azulão
Manuel de Falla , Enrique Granados , Carlos Guastavino , Xavier Montsalvatge , Fernando J. Obradors , Jaime Ovalle , Joaquin Rodrigo , Catalan Traditional , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Isabel Bayrakdarian , and Jamie Parker
Manufacturer: Musica Viva
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Joyous Light
Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Pauline Viardot-Garcia (Lieder, Chancon, Canzoni, Mazurkas)
Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Cleopatra
Songs Of Spain / De Los Angeles, et al
Mozart: Arie e Duetti

ASIN: B0000DFZY4
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Tracks:

El Majo Discreto
El Majo Timido
El Tra La La Y El Punteado
La Maja De Goya
La Maja Y El Ruisenor
Song Of The Birds
La Rosa Y El Sauce
Con Que La Lavare?
Vos me Matasteis
De Donde Venis, Amore?
De Los Alamos Vengo, Madre
El Vito
Al Amor
Corazon, Porque Pasais?
La Mi Sola, Laureola
Del Cabello Mas Sutil
Chiquitita La Novia
El Pano Moruno
Asturiana
Cancion
Nana
Jota
Polo
Cancion De Cuna Para Dormir A Un Negrito
Aria (Cantilena)
Dance/Danse (Martel)
Azulao

Album Description

Following on the enormous success of her first recording for CBC RECORDS - Joyous Light (CBC SMCD 5215) - the stunning young Canadian lyric soprano ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN turns her attention to the seductive colours and rhythms of Spain and Latin America. The centre piece of this recording is the vocal evergreen, Bachianas Brasileiras # 5 for soprano and eight cellos by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. After winning the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions in 1997, Isabel (who is of Armenian descent) has gone on to make debuts with such international companies as the Metropolitan Opera (New York), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Paris Opera and La Scala (Milan), Semperoper (Dresden) and the Canadian Opera Company (Toronto).

Customer Reviews:

Isabel's voice is enchanting!.......2006-10-12

I had never heard of Isabel Bayrakdarian before. I was looking for a copy of Obradors' "Chiquitita la Novia" and happened to come upon this cd. Am I glad I bought it, in fact, I'm wearing it out. Her voice is like a bright
sunlight. Her interpretations are exquisite. My favorite on the recording is Granados' "La Maja y el Ruisenor".
Brava Isabel!

A real diamond!.......2006-04-13

I heard this voice first time on CBC Radio - from a concert in Toronto. It was magical! Soon after, I had a chance to listen to her in recital and this was an EVENT! Over two thousand people in the concert hall were holding their breath for two hours and it seemed that the hall itself became small and cozy. It was indeed a contact soul to soul.
Isabel has a rare talent that combines beautiful tone, clarity and unbelievable fluidity of her voice, intelligent thinking, good sensitive heart and generous nature. You believe every intonation, every nuance. She is always authentic, always noble and her expressivity is never forced, emotions are never overacted.
This CD captures well her magic voice. And God, she is amazing in pianissimos! That's why to me, the Lullaby by Xavier Montsalvatge with its softness and warmth is the highlight of this recording.

Amazing amazing stuff.......2004-10-07

The only reason I didn't give this disc five stars is because I'm not too crazy about Grandos' "Tonadillas." They aren't bad, but they're an incredibly weak opening group and the piano is a bit bouncy and boppy when compared to the more somber numbers on this disc with the cello ensemble.

I first fell in love with Bayrakdarian's voice on the CD "Joyous Light," a collection of Armenian liturgical music arranged for soprano and orchestra (some of it just solo voice.) This disc intrigued me because of her incredible voice and the somewhat off the beaten path repertoire & instrumentation (soprano, piano & cello ensemble!?!) I was happy to see a young, amazing talent NOT do a disc of Italian or German arias. Her CDs definately seem to explore the lesser known repertoire and that's to be commended, because we get to hear a stellar voice bring some real gems to light. Interesting that soprano's solo disc includes an instrumental piece, but it fits in nicely and is certainly appreciated by this listener.

The first two of the Rodrigo madrigales are arrestingly beautiful. The disc as a whole is sublime. She's definately one to watch. I can't think of another soprano I'd rather hear these days than Bayrakdarian. I'm flying back to my hometown next year to her in concert. It's months & months away and I can't think of another performance anytime soon that I'm looking this forward to.

Fascinating Program Beautifully Performed.......2003-11-21

There's been a lot of buzz lately about a young soprano just emerging up in Canada, a striking-looking young woman still in her twenties, winner of the Met Auditions, who has a burgeoning career in opera and recital. Her name is Isabel Bayrakdarian, member of an Armenian family who immigrated to Canada in 1989. She apparently had a nice untrained voice but didn't begin training professionally until 1993; meanwhile she had gotten a degree in biomedical engineering. But only four years later she won the Met Auditions and a couple of years later recorded a CD of seemingly esoteric Armenian songs that became a runaway best-seller in Canada. She made her Metropolitan début in 2002 in the role of Catherine in William Bolcom's 'A View from the Bridge.' This CD is a recording of a program that had been presented on CBC Radio and featuring pianist James Parker, himself a virtuoso with a solo career, and ten Toronto cellists led by cello soloist and Canadian Symphony principal, Bryan Epperson. And all of it in music by Hispanic composers.

First, the program is well-constructed, alternating vocal/piano music with vocal/cello ensemble music, with cello ensemble music. Timbres are changed often enough that one's ear does not tire. Second, every bit of the program is superbly performed. Pride of place must be given to Miss Bayrakdarian, whose voice is crystalline and yet imbued with a womanly sensuality that well serves the alternately sultry and kittenish Spanish music present here. She sings Granados's delicious 'Four Tonadillas' with the kind of charm that I thought only a native Spaniard could bring to it. She negotiates the agréments and their subtle alterations of intonation so typical of Spanish singing with complete mastery. Late in the program she performs, with the cello ensemble, the ever-popular Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 as well as I've ever heard it. She also inhabits the sung version of Granados's 'La Maja y el Ruiseñor' ('The Maiden and the Nightingale') arranged for the opera he made from his piano suite 'Goyescas.'

The cello group plays Pablo Casals's arrangement of the Catalan Christmas carol, 'El Cant dels Ocells' ('The Song of the Birds'). And they lend a hand in Joaquin Rodrigo's 'Cuatro madrigales amatorios' ('Four Love Madrigals'), with cello ensemble accompaniment arranged (as in others here recorded) by Peter Tiefenbach. I particularly liked the interplay of teasing soprano and sporty cellos in 'Vos me matásteis' ('I die for love of you'), the second of this set, which is then followed by a bang-up performance of the familiar, catchy 'De los álamos vengo, madre' ('I've been down by the poplars, mother').

Fernando Obradors wrote wonderful songs that occasionally get sung by non-Spanish singers--I remember once being entranced by Elly Ameling singing the set recorded here by Bayrakdarian with superb assistance from pianist Parker, 'Canciones clásicas españolas' ('Classic Spanish Songs'). And I must say that at times I hear a hint of Ameling in Bayrakdarian's voice, something I call 'a smile in the voice.' This set is followed by an expert arrangmement, this time by Claude Kenneson, of Manuel de Falla's 'Suite populaire espagnole' that employs the cello ensemble (with some melting solo work by Epperson, their leader) playing three all-instrumental pieces and then accompanying Bayrakdarian in three of the six songs.

The CD is rounded out by Xavier Montsalatge's Lullaby from 'Cinco canciones negras,' the aforementioned Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, and then the song that gives this album its title, Jayme Ovalle's 'Azulão' ('Bluebird'). The latter uses all the forces available here--soprano, pianist, cellists--in a haunting lament: 'Go bluebird, bluebird, companion of mine, go! Go see my faithless love.'

I cannot praise this issue highly enough. Ms Bayradkarian's voice is world-class and she sings with great musicality and feeling. Her accompanists are flawless. The recorded sound is quite good. The unattributed notes are very helpful. There are full translations of all the sung texts.

TT=76:14

Tracks:

Drume Negrita - Bola De Nieve
Lacho - Merceditas Valdes
Berceuse A Jessie - Chucho Valdes
Senora Santana - Coro Corolillo
Arrurru - Pablo Menendez
Drume Negrita - Rey Guerra
Drume Negrita - Omara Portuondo
Drume Mobila - Bola De Nieve
El Amor De Caracol Y Lombriz - Mayuley Alvarez/Hilda Del Castillo/Nelson Martinez
Suenos De Colores - Coralia Arregoitia
Juegeton - Merceditas Vales
Nana Animalera - Marisela Verena
Berceuse Campesina - Andres Alen
Lacho - Bola De Nieve
Oguere - Clave Y Guaguanco
La Calabacita - Coralia Arregoitia

Amazon.com

No fat cigar, not even Cuba's gorgeous sunsets, can register close on the sublimity scale to the country's lush, commercially unsullied music, something lots of folks discovered a few years back when a subtle loosening of regulatory strings let the brilliant, boundary-busting Buena Vista Social Club cross the shore. On Cuban Lullaby, another of Ellipsis Arts' impressively packaged, carefully annotated, and sweet-smelling Lullaby series (the scent of lavender, said to promote heavy-liddedness, comes wafting out once the protective plastic is removed), the tradition-steeped African and Spanish elements that fused the Cuban sound fall in for a 16-track close-up--intimacy, after all, is what lullabies are all about. The music moves from lilting piano ("Drume Negrita," "Berceuse a Jessie," "Drume Mobila") to elegant guitar (a different rendition of "Drume Negrita," "Suenos de Colores") to tribal-sounding bata drums ("Oguere"). The set is by turns sweepingly beautiful, twinkly sweet, and rhythmically soothing--no surprise, considering this record's artist roster. Grammy-winning pianist Chucho Valdes, immortal entertainer Bola de Nieve, and Buena Vista Social Club singer Omara Portuondo raise the talent bar to a dizzying level, the right altitude, it turns out, for drifting off to dreamland. If your little one is the lucky intended dozer, leave the light on and read the liner notes. The English translations of these songs, like "El Amor de Caracol y Lombriz," about a snail-worm romance, and "Nana Animalera," describing a late-night all-animal hootenanny, crack a window on Cuban culture, causing, without intending to, sharp regrets that it's been sealed away for so long. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

Cuban Lullaby

The irresistible music from the small island of Cuba has won the hearts of people around the world. This unique collection brings together world class Cuban artists to share a piece of their musical heritage rarely heard outside of Cuba. These lullabies have been passed among the grandmothers, aunts, great-aunts, mothers and daughters who all share in the raising of the their children.

These sweet songs will cradle your little ones and carry them into dreamland with beauty and love.

Features Omara Portuondo of the Buena Vista Social Club, Grammy winning artist Chucho Valdés, Bola de Nieve, Merceditas Valdés, Clave Y Guaguancó and other Cuban greats.

The notes include original lyrics and english translation.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable to listen to, but not for putting kids to sleep........2006-01-31

Our whole family loves listening to this CD. However, as you might be able to tell from the product description, the music starts off softly lulling children to sleep and then picks up the beat and volume in the later part. So, just when my kids were starting to relax-they suddenly felt like dancing. We solved the problem by using the feature on our CD player which allows us to pre-program only the songs we want for bedtime. Really a nice collection of songs.

For sleeping yes, for spanish no.......2005-08-31

This album is beautiful and should certainly put your little one to sleep. Many of the songs have a kind of aching lonliness, and the musicianship is spectacular. Two cautions:
1) How many versions of Duerme Negrita can they put on one album? Aren't there other songs Cuban mamas y papas sing to their little ones?
2) If you're hoping to introduce your little one to the Spanish language, quite a few of these songs are in afro-cuban dialect.

Enjoy!

Poor musical quality.......2005-06-29