The Jesus Record [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
This double album contains two discs, ostensibly two versions of the same record. The first disc contains Mullins's crude demos of 9 of the 10 songs on the album, recorded on a battery-powered box only a few days before his untimely death. Even with the abundance of tape noise, pops, clicks, and bum notes, Mullins's skill as a performer and passion for this material shines clearly through. The second disc contains the same songs, fully produced by Rich's band, the Ragamuffins, with special guests Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Ashley Cleveland, and Phil Keaggy. These performances feel haunted as well, trying to be faithful to Mullins's vision as a performer and folk/ethnic musicologist without resorting to grave robbing. Pennywhistles, accordians, and upright bass strike a jagged edge against the polished sheen of orchestras and children's choirs. The guest vocalists make Mullins's songs their own, while the Ragamuffin-sung tunes naturally carry more of the spirit of his own recordings. --Brad S. Caviness --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera)
Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Eccomi Al Fine In Babilonia
Cruda Sorte!
Hence, Iris, Hence Away
Dove Sei, Amato Bene?
Che Disse! Che Ascoltai!
Addio, Addio O Miei Sospiri
O Pretres De Baal... O Toi, Qui M'abandonne
Elle Est La! Pres De Lui!
Mura Felici
Tanti Affetti

Tracks:

Superbo Di Me Stesso
Il Segreto Per Esser Felici - London Symphony Chorus
Mi Chiami, O Norma!
Deh! Con Te, Con Te Li Prendi
Mira, O Norma
Si, Fino All'ore Estreme
Soli Or Siamo... Condotta ell'era In Ceppi - Luciano Pavarotti
Non Son Tuo Figlio? - Luciano Pavarotti
Mal Reggendo - Luciano Pavarotti
E Un Anatema! - Renata Tebaldi
Nacht Und Traume, D 827
Abendlied
Traume
Jesus De Nazareth
Shenandoah
I Bought Me A Cat
The Lord's Prayer
Somewhere
At The River (Lowry)
Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair

Customer Reviews:

Marilyn Horne scintillates.......2007-05-20

This 2-CD set includes 32 separate "cuts." Thus, it provides a perspective on the broad range of works that Marilyn Horne mastered. While some pockets of work may be given somewhat short shrift (e.g., Rossini), overall this shows off her skills nicely. Born in Bradford, Pennsylvania (one of the coldest places in the nation during winter), she made her operatic debut in 1954. In liner notes copyrighted in 2003, she notes that: "Can't believe it's time for a 70th birthday celebration. . . ." And neither can I, since I recall hearing her perform at the Met (via the old Texaco opera show), and it does not seem all that long ago!

Some cuts well depict her artistry across a range of genres and composers.

The "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen" is, to be sure, an old chestnut by now, but she sings it with a rich and lustrous voice. She sings a seductive aria seductively.

"Eccomi al fine in Babilonia" is from Rossini's "Semiramide" and shows off her skills nicely. This piece shows off the range of her voice well. Her voice is very agile, as it would need to be to do Rossini justice. There are some nice runs; the cabaletta showcases her agility and allows her to display well sung ornamentation.

From Handel's "Semele," we hear "Hence, Iris, Hence Away." This is a sprightly piece that is characteristically well sung by Horne.

Handel's "Rosalinda" features a nice work for mezzos, "Dove sei amato bene?" If I hear correctly, Horne begins this with a trill in piano; there are a number of nicely executed trills in this work. This cut is smoothly and richly sung throughout.

"Addio, addio o miei sospiri" comes from "Orfeo ed Oridice" by Gluck. A sprightly paced work. Horne shows off excellent ornamentation; her coloratura technique is terrific.

From "Norma" (by Bellini) there are 4 cuts (from a longer scene), featuring collaboration with Joan Sutherland. The two singers worked well together in a number of operas, and this set of works illustrates that synergy beautifully. "Mi chiami, o Norma!" starts things off. The two voices meld extremely well together. "Deh! Con te, con te li prendi" features fine work all around. Both singers display good vocal dexterity. Horne hits one high note with a bit of harshness, but not an issue of any moment. "Mira, o Norma" is ravishing; Sutherland's and Horne's duet is absolutely wonderful. Finally, "Si, fino all'ore estreme." This is a fast paced duet, with both singers manifesting considerable vocal agility and sound coloratura technique. When they sing together, their voices almost sound "twinned."

Finally, "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair." Horne sings this straight, without the ghastly "opera-tizing" that some singers cannot resist. Sung simply and powerfully. Her rich voice produces a very good vocal effect.

And so on.

Although this CD does not fully represent her repertoire, it does provide a good sense of the art of Marilyn Horne and it suggests the range of her singing. For those wanting to get a sense of Horne's oeuvre, this is one recording that provides entrée to her body of work.

One Of The Greatest Voices of All!.......2006-01-29

I am not the only one who regards Marilyn Horne's voice as exceptional. During the seventies and eighties she was regarded by The New York Times Music Critic as possessing the greatest voice of our time. One only has to sample this "golden" collection to prove how right he was. Her "mezzo" handles Handel and Rossini like no other. Brava all the way (To say nothing about Dalila's famous aria!) And I must even mention her "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair". This is a two CD that is a MUST for those who appreciate the glories of the human voice (To say nothing about the warmth and spirit than accompany it.)

Not 100% satisfied with the selections, but what artistry!.......2004-11-03

Decca's release of this career-spanning Marilyn Horne recital contains many "golden" nuggets, but isn't the absolute best representation of her artistry, in my opinion.

There was certainly plenty of material to choose from, as Horne was one of the most recorded mezzos in the twentieth century. As advertised, Madame Horne personally approved the final recital list, and the diva undoubtedly has sentimental attachment to certain selections. Furthermore, a conscious attempt was made to represent the different genres explored during her decades-spanning career. This approach, however, leaves out some truly stunning material that would have made an even stronger case on why she was such an operatic institution.

In summary:

The first disc begins with the Habanera from Carmen. Horne was very proud of her Carmen, noting that it surpassed sales of Callas's Tosca at one point. It deserved to be included, but I don't think she was "THE" Carmen, and besides, the whole opera is so warmed-over by now, it's hard to get anyone excited about it!

From then on, we are treated to a bonanza of wonderful arie and scena. The aria from Samson et Delilah is a real gem. Horne was certainly not the most glamorous singer, but My God, the interpretation is heavenly. This is what the aria sounds like in the hands of a world-class contralto. Eccomi in Babilonia follows, and by anyone's measurement, she is the finest Arsace on record. Blessed with an extraordinary range, she is as fulminating in both the top and bottom registers. What's more, her spirited delivery magnifies the pure genius of Rossini's music. As for Cruda Sorte, "ditto," as Marilyn herself might say.

Next, we are treated to two excellent Handel arias. Iris, Hence Away gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. This was recorded in the early sixties, for inclusion in the Age of Bel Canto recital she shared with Joan Sutherland and Richard Conrad. Now, if she had recorded this a few years later, she might have drove the coloratura harder. However, at this point, the voice had a somewhat lighter quality, thus the aria isn't sung with that all-purpose "Marilyn Horne" voice we are so used to. Speaking of lightness, Dove Sei, Amato Bene will send shivers down your spine. Again, Marilyn wasn't known for her subtlety, but she proves here that she was more than capable. Just listen to the fluttering trills and fil di voce, and dare to disagree with me! One of my major complaints is it there isn't more Handel on the recital. Sure, a whole recital of Handel arias by Horne is still available, but in this best-of disc, there was room at least for Or La Tromba, the trumpet aria from Rinaldo, and a personal favorite. Also, nothing is included from Vivaldi's Orlando Il Furioso, another travesty.

The pinnacle of the first disc is Addio, I Miei Sospiri, from Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. This is Horne magified to the nth power. Where to start? A scrumptiously sung recitativo, then the aria itself, with Marilyn pulling out all the stops. The bronzed tone, perfect breath control, spectacular coloratura fireworks, superlative diction, evenness and security from top to bottom, and Marilyn's own way of generating excitement will floor you. This is bravura singing at the highest level.

After a few other selections from the French reperetoire, the disc closes with two Rossini warhorses. Again, the "ultimate" Horne best-of would have saved room for more Rossini, on the second disc. But the evidence here is ample enough to proclaim her honorific as the leading interpreter of Rossini in the last century.

The second disc is less satisfactory. The first selection, Superbo Di Me Stesso sounds like it came from an inferior source, and wasn't remastered properly. Il Segreto Per Esser Felici, from Lucrezia Borgia is fine enough, but Marilyn could have ornamented more, and that snare drum is too loud! Then, we have an extended scene from Il Trovatore. Now, Marilyn herself stated that she wasn't perfect in Verdi. As she put it, she sang Verdi by not taking "both feet" out of the bel canto waters, so that she could go on singing the roles that brought her the most fame. This is understandable, but if that's the case, then we didn't need this long scene. Perhaps she wanted to highlight her collaboration with Luciano Pavarotti, and I'm sure Decca saw this as a way to lure the casual listener. For my money, though, they should have just included Stride La Vampa, and called it a day. This would have freed up lots of room for the stuff for which she's better recognized!

Now, another extended scene, from Norma, is completely justified. Equally important to Marilyn's legacy as an individual artist is her legacy as one-half of the Sutherland/Horne duo. I don't need to write more- the music speaks for itself.

The rest of the second disc throws in a bit of verismo (Horne is unrecognizeable in Ponchielli; Simionato she's not), a bit of German lieder, and some patriotic tunes. Along with Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne was the most conciously patriotic singer out there, and to have left out her American recordings would have been a disgrace. But, again, we are given an ample serving of it, when it could have been scaled back some to make room for her operatic triumphs.

All in all, there is enough glorious material here for any fan of the legendary Marilyn Horne, and also those who want a taste of how a superlative mezzo/contralto sounds like.

Vive Madame Horne !.......2004-01-09

Je suis soufflée, et tout bonnement reconnaissante à Decca pour avoir sorti cette compil qui rend si bien honneur à une des mes interprètes préférées. Voix de velours, aisance dans le grave et médium unique au Monde, Marilyn a été, dans toutes ses incarnations, un pur produit américain, certes, mais quel produit ! Bien évidemment son timbre si particulier, que d'aucuns ont défini androgyne, peut plaire ou non... Ce qui compte c'est l'apport émotionnel qu'elle donne à tout ce qu'elle chante, et sans que cela n'enlève rien à la pure beauté de sa voix à la technique sans faille. Merci Mme Horne, pour nous avoir livré une des plus mémorables leçons de chant de l'histoire, et joyeux 70ème anniversaire (car il n'est pas déplacé que de dire votre âge, étant donné la vitalité qui vous caractérise depuis toujours).

Average customer rating:

The Jesus Record
Great Worship CD!
Heart-wrenching and spiritually powerful
missing Rich
This is a great cd, that tells the story of Jesus's life :)

The Jesus Record
Rich Mullins & the Ragamuffin Band
Manufacturer: Word Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Songs
A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band
Songs 2
The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume 1
The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000028CGM
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Tracks:

Hard To Get
All The Way To Kingdom Come
My Deliverer
Surely God Is With Us
Jesus...
You Did Not Have A Home
Heaven In His Eyes
Nothing Is Beyond You
That Where I Am, There You...

Tracks:

My Deliverer
Surely God Is With Us
Nothing Is Beyond You
You Did Not Have A Home
Jesus...
All The Way To Kingdom Come
Man Of No Reputation
Heaven In His Eyes
Hard To Get
That Where I Am, There You...

Amazon.com essential recording

This double album contains two discs, ostensibly two versions of the same record. The first disc contains Mullins's crude demos of 9 of the 10 songs on the album, recorded on a battery-powered box only a few days before his untimely death. Even with the abundance of tape noise, pops, clicks, and bum notes, Mullins's skill as a performer and passion for this material shines clearly through. The second disc contains the same songs, fully produced by Rich's band, the Ragamuffins, with special guests Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Ashley Cleveland, and Phil Keaggy. These performances feel haunted as well, trying to be faithful to Mullins's vision as a performer and folk/ethnic musicologist without resorting to grave robbing. Pennywhistles, accordians, and upright bass strike a jagged edge against the polished sheen of orchestras and children's choirs. The guest vocalists make Mullins's songs their own, while the Ragamuffin-sung tunes naturally carry more of the spirit of his own recordings. --Brad S. Caviness

Customer Reviews:

The Jesus Record.......2006-11-03

Arrived in good condition in a timely manner. I really enjoy a couple of the songs. There some songs I'm not really fond of. I wish I had been able to buy just one CD. It came with two that are exactly the same, except that one is a demo CD.

Great Worship CD!.......2006-03-11

Few come close to the lyrics of Rich Mullins! I enjoyed his side of the cd..even with the throwback cassette stopping noise. I was not at all impressed with the remakes by the newer generation. Rich Mullins truely was blessed with a gift for lyrics and music writing. We've been blessed to enjoy him.

Heart-wrenching and spiritually powerful.......2005-09-23

Being a big fan of Rich Mullins, and reading almost every article I can find on him, I went into this expecting big things. The last songs Rich every recorded, weeks before he died. After listening to the demo CD, this is the most powerful CD I have ever owned. Many songs sound like he knew his time was short on this earth. The stark compositions, either a single guitar or a piano, really bring to home the fact that Rich was pouring his heart into these songs. "Hard to Get" continues his unique way of relating to God. My heart cries everytime I listen to it. All of these songs seem to be praise songs, with "Jesus" being a particulary good one. I have not listened to the "cleaned up" version of this, but there's no need to. No other artist or way of recording could give this album more spiritual power.

missing Rich.......2004-05-04

Yes I realize people are going to jump all over me for giving this project less than five stars. What little disappointment I had was not due to the songs themselves. They demonstrate some of the finest work of Rich Mullins; thoughtful, profound, witty, and poetic all at once. I only wish (like everyone else) that Rich had been around to do a quality recording of them. Although the songwriting is undeniably Rich Mullins, the recording (on the disc with various artists) lacks the spark of musical genius we came to expect from Mullins. That shouldn't be a surprise of course, because there is no replacement for Rich and his talents. However, my impression was that the project didn't flow very well from start to finish; because there isn't really a dominant musical style, and because there is a different lead singer in almost every song. The common theme of Jesus Christ and Rich's lyrics hold it together somewhat, but the aura of Rich Mullins is noticeably absent. (It doesn't help that the hammer dulcimer is also absent, except for a few seconds at the end). I could speculate on how I think this record could have been produced better, but that wouldn't help anything. This is an incredibly moving project; I am only concentrating on the negative side because the other reviewers have covered the positive. Just don't be expecting to hear the final masterpiece of Rich Mullins. That's what I was expecting, and that's why I wasn't completely satisfied. But perhaps Rich would have liked it better this way anyhow, because the project wasn't supposed to be about Rich Mullins in the first place; it was supposed to be about Christ, and these are some of the best songs ever written about Him.

This is a great cd, that tells the story of Jesus's life :).......2004-03-10

The words that Rich Mullins wrote for this song were very touching and heart felt. I believe these songs tell the life of Jesus in every way. For anyone who wants to feel close to him listen to this CD. My Deliverer is a beautiful song and it makes you want to listen to it over and over again. My Deliverer mainly tells the story of how Joesph and Mary traveled through the desert to Africa. The other songs are excellent, too. The first CD consists of his recordings of these songs before he died. The second CD consists of the same songs with the ragamuffin band (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, and others) singing them after he had died. All around this is an excellent CD. I hope you all find my review very helpful:)

Average customer rating:

The Jesus Record
Great Worship CD!
Heart-wrenching and spiritually powerful
missing Rich
This is a great cd, that tells the story of Jesus's life :)

The Jesus Record
Rich Mullins & the Ragamuffin Band
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Songs
A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band
Songs 2
The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume 1
The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000008UTE
Release Date: 1998-07-21

Tracks:

Hard To Get
All The Way To Kingdom Come
My Deliverer
Surely God Is With Us
Jesus...
You Did Not Have A Home
Heaven In His Eyes
Nothing Is Beyond You
That Where I Am, There You...

Tracks:

My Deliverer
Surely God Is With Us
Nothing Is Beyond You
You Did Not Have A Home
Jesus...
All The Way To Kingdom Come
Man Of No Reputation
Heaven In His Eyes
Hard To Get
That Where I Am, There You...

Amazon.com essential recording

Customer Reviews:

The Jesus Record.......2006-11-03

Great Worship CD!.......2006-03-11

Heart-wrenching and spiritually powerful.......2005-09-23

missing Rich.......2004-05-04

This is a great cd, that tells the story of Jesus's life :).......2004-03-10

Average customer rating:

Kooler Than Jesus
My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
Manufacturer: Wax Trax Record
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Crime for All Seasons
I See Good Spirits & I See Bad Spirits
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ASIN: B00008G0MT
Release Date: 1993-02-19

Tracks:

Kooler Than Jesus
Devil Bunnies
Nervous Xians
Devil Does Drugs
First Cut
Shock of Point 6
Resisting the Spirit

Average customer rating:

Music for Advent

Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
ASIN: B000050HYM
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Tracks:

Matin Responsory
Hymn: Come, Thou Redeemer Of The Earth (Puer Nobis)
A Spotless Rose
Hymn: Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding (Merton)
Aspiciens A Longe
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The Angel Gabriel
Prelude On Veni Emmanuel - Christopher Putnam
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Come Quickly, Lord Jesus
Rorate Caeli De Super
Rorate Caeli De Super
This Is The Record Of John
St. John Baptist
Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen
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Magnificat

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Jesus You've Been Good to Me
The Abrams
Manufacturer: Bradley House Record
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000HOJR1M
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

Make Me Over
Run This Race for Jesus
Have Faith
You Got to Go Through
Victory Shall Be Mine
Tell It to Jesus
Jesus Is Knocking at Your Door
Jesus You've Been Good to Me
Jesus Will Deliver
One More Time [Remix]

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Jesus Is the Only Way
Bunch Brothers
Manufacturer: Bunch Brothers Record
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000CAAHUQ
Release Date: 2003-12-23

Tracks:

Jesus Is the Only Way
Dark Clouds May Rise
Old Man in Me Is Dead
When I Get to Heaven
Lord I'm Watching and Praying
Stop Worrying and Start Living
Stop What You Are Doing and Praise the Lord
Turn from Your Wicked Ways
Good Lord's Children
Doing My Father's Will
Jesus Is on His Way Back
I'll See You in Heaven (In Memory of My Mother-In Law)
Big Christmas Wish, Families Love One Another
Families Love One Another

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A Treasury of 100 Best Loved Hymns

Manufacturer: Good Music Record Co.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00066UL34

Product Description

2 CD set containing 100 ageless hymns.

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Jesus Will Fix It

Manufacturer: Trinity Record Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CA2IIU
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

Patience
Holy Spirit
Digging Ditches
Tell God
One More Day
I Feel The Spirit
Jesus Will
Gloryland
I Got Jesus
Jesus Will Fix It
Give Him Your Life

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