A Different Man

Track Listings

1. No Fear

2. Arms of Jesus

3. 'Til the End of the World

4. 98

5. What Would You Do for a King?

6. Be the Word

7. Memphis

8. Sinner's Prayer

9. Walk With Me [Renna's Song]

10. More Like You

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.

A Different Man
Average customer rating:

Brilliant Music, Soulful!

What would "I" do for a KING?

A Different Direction

Not the best, but good

clay cross [a different msn]

A Different Man
Clay Crosse
Manufacturer: Reunion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Christian Rock | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
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I Surrender All: The Clay Crosse Collection, Vol. 1

Stained Glass

My Place Is With You

Time to Believe

Hymns: A Place of Worship - Classic Hymns

ASIN: B00004NHDJ
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Tracks:

No Fear
Arms Of Jesus
'Til The End Of The World
98
What Would You Do For A King?
Be The Word
Memphis
Sinner's Prayer
Walk With Me (Renna's Song)
More Like You

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Music, Soulful!.......2001-10-30

Clay Crosse is a brilliant Christian artist. Don't miss this CD! Arms of Jesus ranks among some of the best Christian songs of all times in my book!

What would "I" do for a KING?.......2001-07-09

WOW... And I do now mean WOW worship.

I was listening to K-LOVE one morning as I was going to work and they played Clay Crosse's "What would you do for a King", and almost had a wreck because I couldn't see through my tears. But as usual, God had the wheel. This song moved me in so many directions..spirituatially, emotionally, even physically.

In the back of my mind, this song brought the "house down". I would like to explain in words, how moving the song was to me, but like faith, words are inadiquate.

Buy the album, all cuts are good, but if you do not understand who is your King after listening to it, then your faith is shaky!

A Different Direction.......2001-04-17

Clay Crosse's smoothe, soulful voice had been his saugnature in abums past and this one continues in that vein. Here, unlike his past efforts, Clay shares songwriting credits on nearly all the tracks. His last album was a departure of sorts for him, moving away from the soulful R&B and inspirational fare he's known for and delving further into pop and a little rock, too. This album does share that quality (album-opener "No Fear" is a great example,) but overall he's returned to his less rambunctous roots. "Arms of Jesus" is a tender song affirming that if we fall, we will "fall into the arms of Jesus," and has a beautiful melody. "End of the World" is a stirring tune with a near-anthmic chorus: "if you follow me...I will be with you 'till the end of the world..." Songs like "Memphis" and "98," though biographical and personal, fade into the background and are less than memrable. "Renna's Song (Walk With Me)" is a tender tribute to his wife of 11 years, but seems to have stolen the cheesy R&B pseudo-sauve of so many contemporary love songs. It definitely lacks something. Overall, it's a good effort, and his willingness to try his hand a little writing is to Clay's credit, but this is definitely not his best work. I'd recommend the album to a dedicated fan or anyone who wants a good disc that is pleasant but not dazzling, but if you can only buy one Clay Cd, pass this one up.

Not the best, but good.......2000-10-31

I like a few songs, like No Fear, Arms of Jesus, and More like You, but I like the compilation CD "I surrender All" Best. I love "The Rock", "He walked a mile", and "I surrender all". I am glad, though, that Clay has drawn closer to God. That is great!

clay cross [a different msn].......2000-07-10

Although the album titled "A Different Man" is Great I just could not make myself give it *5-STARS* In my opinion this album is not his best work. Actually the album titled "I Surrender All" is in my opinion the best because of the song {He Walked A Mile}!.....so "If I were you would I buy this Album"? The Answer is:! YES!

Average customer rating:

A worthwhile investment
Excelent compilation!
Amazingly Now Retrospective
How Could You Not Listen?
Good for help to know up-to-date contemporaly music

25 Years: Retrospective
Suzanne Elder , Paul Hillier , David Krakauer , John Adams , Franguiz Ali-Zadeh , Ken Benshoof , George Crumb , Morton Feldman , Philip Glass , Osvaldo Golijov , Henryk Gorecki , Sofiya Gubaydulina , Arvo Part , P. Q. Phan , Astor Piazzolla , Steve Reich , Terry Riley , Alfred Schnittke , Peter Sculthorpe , Kevin Volans , Aki Takahashi , Ellen L. Hargis , Neal Rogers , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective
Three Tales (CD & DVD)
Schnittke: Complete String Quartets
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Henryk Gorecki: String Quartet No. 3...songs are sung

ASIN: B00000DD9B
Release Date: 1998-10-27

Tracks:

John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Judah to Ocean
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Toot Nipple
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Dogjam
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Pavane: She's So Fine
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Rag the Bone
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Habanera
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Stubble Crochet
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Hammer & Chisel
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Alligator Escalator
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Standchen: The Little Serenade
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Judah to Ocean (Reprise)
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Fratres
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Psalom
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Summa
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Missa Syllabica: Kyrie
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Gloria
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Credo
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Sanctus
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Agnus Dei
John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994): Ite, missa est

Tracks:

Traveling Music: 1. Gentle, easy
Traveling Music: 2. Moderate
Traveling Music: 3. Driving
Song of Twenty Shadows
Five Tango Sensations: Asleep
Five Tango Sensations: Loving
Five Tango Sensations: Anxiety
Five Tango Sensations: Despertar
Five Tango Sensations: Fear
Five Tango Sensations: Four, for Tango

Tracks:

Piano And String Quartet (1985) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Quartet # 4 (Buczak, 1989): I
Quartet # 4 (Buczak, 1989): II
Quartet # 4 (Buczak, 1989): III
Mishima Quartet, Quartet #3 (1985): 1957 - Award Montage
Mishima Quartet, Quartet #3 (1985): November 25 - Ichigaya
Mishima Quartet, Quartet #3 (1985): 1934 - Grandmother and Kimitake
Mishima Quartet, Quartet #3 (1985): 192 - Body Building
Mishima Quartet, Quartet #3 (1985): Blood Oath
Mishima Quartet, Quartet #3 (1985): Mishima/Closing
Company, Quartet #2 (1983): I
Company, Quartet #2 (1983): II
Company, Quartet #2 (1983): III
Company, Quartet #2 (1983): IV
Quartet #5 (1991): I
Quartet #5 (1991): II
Quartet #5 (1991): III
Quartet #5 (1991): IV
Quartet #5 (1991): V

Tracks:

The Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind: Prelude: Calmo, sospeso
The Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind: I. Agitato - Con fucco - Maestoso - Senza misura, oscilante
The Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind: II. Teneramente - Ruvido - Presto
The Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind: III. Calmo, sospeso - Allego pesante
The Dreams & Prayers of Isaac the Blind: Postlude: Lento, liberamente
Quartet #4 (1993)
Mugam Sayagi (1993)

Tracks:

Quasi una fantasia (Quartet #2), Op.64 (1990-91): I. Largo (Sostenuto - Mesto)
Quasi una fantasia (Quartet #2), Op.64 (1990-91): II. DecisoEnergico (Marcatissimo sempre)
Quasi una fantasia (Quartet #2), Op.64 (1990-91): III. Arioso: Adagio cantabile
Quasi una fantasia (Quartet #2), Op.64 (1990-91): IV. Allegro (Sempre con grande passione e molto marcato)
Already It is Dusk (Quartet #1), Op.62 (1988)

Tracks:

Different Trains: America Before The War
Different Trains: Europe During The War
Different Trains: America After The War
Black Angels: I. Departure - 1. Thenody I: Night Of The Electric Insects - 2. Sounds Of Bones And Flutes - 3. Lost Bells - 4. Devil-Music - 5. Danse Macabre
Black Angels: II. Absence - 6. Pavana Lachrymae - 7. Threnody II: Black Angels! - 8. Sarabanda de la Muerte Oscura - 9. Losts Bells (Echo)
Black Angels: III. Return - 10. God Music - 11. Ancient Voices - 12. Ancient Voices (Echo) - 13. Thenody III: Night Of The Electric Insects

Tracks:

Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Introduction
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Cadenza: Violin I
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Where Was Wisdom When We Went West?
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Cadenza: Viola
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): March of the Old Timers Reefer Division
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Cadenza: Violin II
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Tuning to Rolling Thunder
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): The Night Cry of Black Buffalo Woman
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Cadenza: Cello
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Gathering of the Spiral Clan
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): Captain Jack Has the Last Word
Cadenza on the Night Plain (1984): G Song
Salome Dances for Peace (1985-86) - III. The Gift: Echoes of Primordial Tim
Salome Dances for Peace (1985-86) - III. The Gift: Mongolian Winds
V. Good Medicine: Good Medicine Dance

Tracks:

Quartet No. 2 (1981): I. Moderato
Quartet No. 2 (1981): II. Agitato
Quartet No. 2 (1981): III. Mesto
Quartet No. 2 (1981): IV. Moderato
Quartet No. 4 (1989): I. Lento
Quartet No. 4 (1989): II. Allegro
Quartet No. 4 (1989): III. Lento
Quartet No. 4 (1989): IV. Vivace
Quartet No. 4 (1989): V. Lento
Collected Songs Where Every Verse Is Filled With Grief (1984-85)

Tracks:

Jabiru Dreaming, Quartet #11 (1990): I. Deciso
Jabiru Dreaming, Quartet #11 (1990): II. Amoroso
Quartet #8 (1969): I. Con dolore
Quartet #8 (1969): II. Risoluto; calmo
Quartet #8 (1969): III. Con dolore
Quartet #8 (1969): IV. Con precisione
Quartet #8 (1969): V. Con dolore
From Ubirr (1994)
Tragedy at the Opera (1995)
White Man Sleeps Quartet #1: First Dance
White Man Sleeps Quartet #1: Second Dance
White Man Sleeps Quartet #1: Third Dance
White Man Sleeps Quartet #1: Fourth Dance
White Man Sleeps Quartet #1: Fifth Dance

Amazon.com

Seems like only yesterday the Kronos Quartet stepped up their career as musical mavericks with a coveted, wide-open contract with Nonesuch Records. Now it's Nonesuch's turn to give Kronos the big-package nod, gathering key works recorded by the group--from younger composers and time-tested veterans alike--into this 10-CD box set. As one might expect, the set is stuffed with contrasts, from the first CD, with its 11-part, upstepping John Adams suite and then the far more solemn Missa Syllabica from Arvo Pärt. Nearly 20 of these pieces here were composed expressly for Kronos, pitched and sculpted for their easily-racked mixture of straightforward string quartet roles and intelligently restructured approaches to the even the simplest gestures. Perhaps most key here is George Crumb's Black Angels, in large part due to Crumb's role in inspiring David Harrington to form Kronos 25 years ago. Crumb's music spirals and chases through the air, engaging high pitches and fast pacings as if they were ends in themselves. Gone from this set are most of the short snippets that have filled some of Kronos's other fine single CD recordings. In abundance instead are some of the legendary works: Morton Feldman's long, endlessly patient Piano and String Quartet (with Aki Takahashi), Steve Reich's unnerving Different Trains, and Henryk Górecki's String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2. There are also some of the astounding Eastern European works from Night Prayers as well, including the stunning Quartet No. 4 from Sofia Gubaidulina. And of course there are the Kronos biggie pieces: Philip Glass's works fill one CD, and so do Terry Riley's. What's more, Riley's Cadenza on the Night Plain and "G Song" are presented here in entirely fresh, new recordings. What the listener gets is a huge block of music, full of shifting colors and textures but perfectly apt in giving a wide-angle vantage on what Kronos has done for contemporary music. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

A worthwhile investment.......2003-10-06

It would be an understatement to say that this is a fabulous box set. All 10 CDs are packed with some fabulous music that beautifull highlights the first 25 years of the Kronos Quartet, and the booklet included provides a great history of the group as well as nice blurbs on the composers and their pieces.

Equally nice about the box set is the inclusion of multiple new recordings, thus making this a worthwhile investment for fans. The Peter Sculthorpe Quartets are a particularly nice addition, as are the added Piazzolla, Part, and Riley compositions.

Along with this, the "classic" Kronos recordings are all here: "Black Angels" "Different Trains" "Salome Dances for Peace" (well, exceprts), and Feldman's Piano and String Quartet. Of particular note, I think is the inclusion of Gubaidulina's Quartet No 4, a fabulous recording that is otherwise hidden in Kronos' recording "Night Prayers."

Yes, this is quite an investment, but I firmly believe that it's worth it - longtime fans and newcomers alike have a lot to gain from this collection.

Excelent compilation!.......2001-09-09

I like more classic period, like Hayden, but Cronos does it very well, technicaly excelent. The ten sets are wonderful recordings and the selection is unique. It deserves the investment, If you buy it, youre going to have more than ten hours of joy.

Amazingly Now Retrospective.......2001-06-26

Since their youthful start in the NW back in the 70's, Kronos has collaborated with, commissioned, or just played such a breadth of musicians it almost seems that breadth - and especially non western world culture - is their mission. But, while this conservatively and esthetically designed 25-yr-retrospective box (with its increasingly sophisticated photo-portraits) belies the pulsation of social angst and conscience that underlies the bulk of the inclusions, the latter concern, its vitality and relevance - and not some stylish chasing after cultural breadth - is what overtakes the listener/reader, rather soon. I say reader, since the booklet is very helpful, especially to the relative novice, and well balanced in its coverage of composers, historical contexts, performers, individual texts, etc.

There are probably more non contemporaries performed by the Quartet over the years than this selection would indicate. That undercuts their ties with the sense of revolution in music throughout the ages, but it leaves more time for the present: and that is where one expects the group wishes to be, is most contributory and challenged, and is best and most fairly judged. Highly recommended, both for those who know Kronos's work well and wish a handsome tribute on their shelf, and for those who do not but are open and ready to be affected, whether impacted esthetically, reminded socio-morally, or whatever combination of both befits.

How Could You Not Listen?.......1998-12-19

My opinion pales when compared to this CD. Indeed the group's ingeniousness, its knowing and its balls are in full display here, hopefully to put to rest any lingering contention that there is little more to Kronos than form. To any person who accepts the merits of 20th-century music, this CD presents the genius of our culture and teaches that daring and ingenuity do not have to be sacrificed on the road to technical brilliance. My only regret is that the CD does not include Kronos's interpretation of Bartok. But, so what? Górecki's here, as are Part and Benshoof. Listen to this CD -- soar and struggle with it.

Good for help to know up-to-date contemporaly music.......1998-11-28

The Kronos Quartet has released many albums. There let us see what the quartet has tried new titles and arrenges in each period. But this is the best set for understand the quartet as summary of thier works. The CDs are distributed by each composers and we can see thier identities easily.Unfortunately this dose not include all but be enough to see what the quartet has been.I hope that every classical music fans(not only contemporaly music fans) listen this CDs.

Average customer rating:

Smooth r&b with oustanding lyrics
Music that will help strengthen your relationship with Jesus
Good Stuff

A Different Man
Phil Driscoll
Manufacturer: Word -- Word --
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

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Plugged In
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ASIN: B0000031D1
Release Date: 1996-05-21

Tracks:

Road to Jerusalem
Walk with Me, Jesus
Different Man
Christ Remains
Everytime I Say Yes
Place in My Heart
Long and Winding Road
Can God? God Can!
Love Won't Let Me
Time of Your Life
Lights of the City (I See the Lights of the City)

Customer Reviews:

Smooth r&b with oustanding lyrics.......2003-01-03

Phill has always been a great trumpet player, but this album only has one cut where he plays the trumpet. Nevertheless, it is lyrically and musically very satisfying. His style is reminiscent of Joe Cocker (whom he played with in another life), and he doen't pander to any style, including "Christian Pop." His lyrics are honest and challenging. A great albom.

Music that will help strengthen your relationship with Jesus.......1999-03-16

I found the Praise and Worship songs on this CD brought me closer to God as I listen to the words and really focused on worshiping our Lord and Savior. "Everytime I say Yes" seems particularly inspired by God. Mr. Driscoll definitely is a man of God.

Good Stuff.......1998-07-17

These are terrific songs. Inspirational and very well done. Miss the trumpet, though. Add it to your collection.

Average customer rating:

A Different Man
Peter Kingsbery
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
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I Dont Want to Save the World
The Best of Cock Robin
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Asides Besides

ASIN: B000008HCA
Release Date: 1992-08-04

Tracks:

Do a Dance
Different Man
What You Are
Helene
Five Fingers
Love in Motion
Real Blood Anger
How Can I Be Sure
That Hand That Feeds Me
Makes No Sense at All
Sublime
Ceasar

Average customer rating:

the best discopunk you never heard
Darkest Thoughts:

Infinity Plus

Manufacturer: A Different Drum
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Hybrid
Aftermath
Machine Box
Shades of Blue

ASIN: B00005A3HQ
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Tracks:

Darkest Thoughts
Opal
Foreign
Temple
Vale
Lapse
The Difference
Affliction
Sequel
Far From My Heart
Beginning to Unwind
Foreign (alternate)
Lapse (alternate)

Album Description

B! Machine plays a unique style of synthpop which combines melancholy lyrics and vocals with somewhat minimal synthetic soundscapes. The band has often been compared with Depeche Mode, but with production that is not quite so heavy, bringing the music onto a more personal level. Warning: B! Machine can be addictive!

Customer Reviews:

the best discopunk you never heard.......2003-02-22

My god, what can I say about this album except that it really needs to be heard. Out of all the EC bands out there, this is the one who took the old school vibe, took it seriously, and then polished it into the next level. This is the album that Depeche Mode never did, and at this point I will take this album over Depeche Mode's new one (even though I liked that one). For real, someone needs to put this guy on a major label and get this out for the masses, forgive the reference. The first three songs on this album absolutely throb, and the vocals are croony yet restrained... think more Annie Lennox than Peter Murphy. This album probably came out too early to be caught in the EC onslaught, but I feel attention needs to be paid to it as much as and perhaps more so than alot of artists out there. By the way, how something this arctic came out of Arizona is beyond my comprehension. Addressing synthpop, EC, with even a little freestyle in there to boot, this disc has never failed to enthrall me and has been hummable and in the stereo even a year and a half and 100+ albums later. It is one of those albums where you cannot play just one track, it's all over until it's all over... and the last album that I discovered that did that was my vinyl copy of Pretty Hate Machine in, what, 1991? B!Machine deserves to be THAT FAMOUS. (no, I am not a personal friend of the band, haha). But seriously, it's one of those albums that has gone widely unnoticed, and for the life of me I honestly can't understand why... Just get out there and buy it!!!

Darkest Thoughts:.......2001-03-15

B! Machine is a one man tower of power. He is leading the synth underground with his layered electronic textures, ambient beats, and meloncholy vocals. His mixing and production are phat with all sounds being crisp and up front. The style is somewhat dark, yet not melo-dramatic or boring. The lyrics are deep, honest, and revealing. Not all the tracks are floor packers, but I dig the overall mood. I recommend more than one listen for sure...

Tracks:

Opal (Club Edit)
Purity
Opal (Reactive Mix)
Far From My Heart (Self Destruct)
Opal (Insomniac Mix)
Sequel (Twilight)
Opal (Original Version)
Blue (Alternate)
Purity (Intro)
Purity (Refined)
Opal (Fill My Glass)

Album Description

This single is absolutely loaded with tracks, featuring several remixes of "Opal" plus new versions of old album tracks and three versions of the exclusive b-side. B! Machine makes perfect melancholy synthpop music while keeping it danceable.

Customer Reviews:

And it fills my glass, to overflow at last........2005-02-13

Strange. It seems this mellow, unassuming song grows on you worse than a five O'clock shadow. I bought this upon the recommendation of one of the synthpop afficianados here on amazon, confident that this person would never steer me wrong. This is my first experience with B! Machine, a band that's been on my wishlist for a while now that I had never gotten around to checking out.

I must admit my initial surprise when I first listened to "Opal". Taking into consideration the brightly colored 1980's style cover art and the sheer idea of a band having an exclamation point in it's name led me to believe that I was going to be getting some club inspired, giddy, high-octane synthpop. I know now that it was extremely presumptuous of me and extremely off base. Imagine my shock upon hearing a quiet, dreamy love song that is an understatement in every way. A mysterious and melancholy soundscape that ebbs and flows to a stripped down, minimalist beat. Most of the predominant synths that set the tone of the song are not drum loops or bass beats, but none other than the tinny sound of what reminds me of a music box, but more accurately, the early 80's synth beats of any Vince Clarke influenced project( very early DM, Yaz, and some Erasure ). The vocals are as soft as whispers and do nothing to contradict the mysterious mechanical drone in the backdrop.

Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed, not having found another And One, Duran Duran, or De/Vision type band to rock out to, so after one disheartened listen, I took Opal out of my CD player, stashed it away, and moved onto more traditional fare for my taste.
And then something unusual happened. Although I hadn't listened to the song long enough to remember it very well, I kept hearing fragments of it in my head, forcing me to think about it again; remembering it's place in my CD collection. I kept telling myself that I had not liked it, that it wasn't worth the time to listen again, that I had so much other great stuff to listen to instead. But the memoir of the song kept haunting me, that whisper of a voice, nearly lost in a chasm of quiet melody.
I had to hear it again.

This time I sat down and really listened to it, now ready to accept it for what it was, not what it wasn't. I focused on the lyrics, which indeed have to be some of the most beautiful and poetic lyrics that I have heard in a long while. Full of the aching rememberance of a love from long agao, and the catharsis of emotions that ensues in the presence of that individual. And then I was hooked. I understand now that to expect anything more from this song would be to expect a lesser product. It is that brooding pace and understated sound that makes this song work so well. A perfect canvas that sets the stage for a hauntingly beautiful song that will most certainly catch you off guard and take you by surprise.

The rest of the material aside from the Opal mixes works well here. "Purity" is an equally soft and understated song that is nice enough, but not nearly s compelling and thought provoking as "Opal". "Sequel"( an aptly named title? ) has to make me wonder if it was not-so-subtlely named to serve as an actual second part to "Opal". The opening lyrics to the song certainly seem to indicate so and the rest of the song seems to fit fair enough, even though it still doesn't hold a candle to to "Opal" or any of it's mixes. My favourite cut of the EP is the Reactive Mix of Opal, which showcases the song the most dramaticly of them all. The piano version at the end( Fill My Glass ) is beautifully done and a very unique twist, but seems to overwhelm the vocals and adds a little too much warmth to what it is overall a very deeply sad song.

It took a while for me to realise it, but this EP is a lovely addition to my and anyone's synthpop collection if you're looking for a haunting ballad that will relentlessly grow on you until it sends chills down your spine.

Perfection at it's best.......2004-07-19

"Opal" may be B!Machine's most recognized song, and for a reason. While all of B!Machine's music is beautiful, refined and polished, "Opal" is an example of the band at its peak. With 11 tracks, this CD single is almost a full album in itself. The mixes of Opal range from mellow versions to club-friendly versions. Opal is from the album "Infinity Plus", which (in my opinion) actually has the best version of "Opal" on it. This "Opal" CD single, however, also has mixes of other songs from "Infinity Plus" and a new song "Purity" that isn't on any other CD. All of the songs here are excellent!

If you're new to B!Machine, this is a great CD to pick up, since it's less expensive than a full album. But if you're up to spending enough for an album, any of the albums will do, but I'd recommend starting with either "Aftermath" or "Infinity Plus".

Hybrid
Average customer rating:

Great synth rock

Soft ...Synth That Causes Mental Rapture......

Once again, I am impressed

On of the more progressive synth bands

B! Machine returns...

Hybrid
B! Machine
Manufacturer: A Different Drum
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Umbrella

ASIN: B00005LM0I
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

Un-deceived
Victim
Black Opium
Atmosphere
Umbrella
Spring and Autumn
Ghosts
Sub-atomic
Conversation
Two Paths
Inthrall
Sleep Dream Sleep
(moal) parts one and two

Album Description

B! Machine further perfects the band's trademark sound on this album, creating a huge amount of emotion using minimal synthesized instrumentation and profoundly touching lyricism. You'll find yourself seduced by B! Machine after listening closely to "Hybrid".

Customer Reviews:

Great synth rock.......2007-02-03

This was the first exposure to B! Machine (aka Nate Nicoll) that I had, and now that I own all four albums, this one is still my favorite. Hybrid is consistent throughout, never really straying from that pulsing low-key Depeche Mode-esque sound. This music is not for everyone, make no mistake. Nicoll concentrates more on really playing the synthesizer and making unique sounds than writing catchy pop music. Un-Deceived and Victim are the first two tracks on the disc, and are two of the more up-tempo tunes, which remind me quite a bit of Depeche Mode, although Nicoll is no Dave Gahan. My favorite songs are Black Opium, Sleepdreamsleep, and MOAI, which are very dark, melancholy gems. With all of the bad synth rock out today, this is quite a nice, refreshing breath of fresh air from the more radio friendly stuff. I realize that synth rock may have died long ago, but for the few that it has touched, there is no better music. If you are a fan of darker synth rock, give this a listen, it's very good.

Soft ...Synth That Causes Mental Rapture.............2003-03-05

Perhaps I am biased because B!Machine is one of my all time favorite artist. Smooth and sensual, his voice is likened to a crooning David Bowie and the music of the softer side of Depeche Mode. You may not leap out of your seats but it is enough to make you sway as you hang onto every lyric.

The music is polished and absolutely stunning. The words are true poetry in every sense and it will make you form mental images that are unforgettable. Melodic but minimalistic
B!Machine (N. Nicoll) knows how to pull emotion from the cold instruments and it will leave you feeling warm and definitely moved.

This is one album that will not leave your player for quite some time.

Once again, I am impressed.......2003-03-01

B! Machine is one of my favorite synthpop acts out there right now, and this album is no exception. If you've never heard B! Machine, he creates highly emotional tracks, using incredibly minimal arrangements, that still maintain great melody. While I enjoyed the album "Infinity Plus" much more than "Hybrid," it's still a great album. The three tracks that stood out in particular to me on this album were "Umbrella," "Black Opium," and "Sleep Dream Sleep." If you're a fan of moody synthpop, or if you're just interested in finding out about it, this album is definitely one to get.

On of the more progressive synth bands.......2003-03-01

In this day in age, the synthpop world is nicely chopped up into neat little categories: Electroclash, Futurepop, Retro, blablabla... And yet, B!Machine seems to skirt them all. The music is very calm and resonant, much like what makes the Cure's "Disintegration" such a great album. The difference here being that B!Machine does it all with saturated, dreamy synths and a lush, deep voice. This album goes well with rainy days.

B! Machine returns..........2003-02-26

Another great disc by B! Machine. I always have fond memories of Nowhere Girl, and this album brings me back to that. Buy this if you love synthpop.

Average customer rating:

Tosca:Corelli,Gordoni, D'Orazi, Morelli

Manufacturer: Bel Canto Society
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur
Verdi - Don Carlo / Corelli · Janowitz · Ghiaurov · Verrett · Wächter · H. Stein
Franco Corelli: The Unknown Recordings
Franco Corelli: Corelli in Concert
Franco Corelli: Voices of the Opera Series

ASIN: B00004YWTK
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Tracks:

Ah! Finalmente! - Silvio Maionica
Che Fai? - Franco Corelli
Dammi I Colori! - Franco Corelli
Recondita Armonia - Franco Corelli
Eccellenza, Vado - VIRGILIO CARBONARI
Mario! Mario! Son Qui! - Franco Corelli
Or Lasciami Al Lavoro - Franco Corelli
Qual Occhio Al Mondo - Franco Corelli
Mia Gelosa - Franco Corelli
E Buona La Mia Tosca - Franco Corelli
Scarpia...La Vita Mi Costasse - Franco Corelli
Sommo Giubilo, Eccellenza - VIRGILIO CARBONARI
Un Tal Baccano In Chiesa - Attilio d'Orazi
Mario! Mario! - Virginia Gordoni
Dio Mi Perdona - Virginia Gordoni
Tre Sbirri, Una Carrozza - Attilio d'Orazi
Tosca E Un Buon Falco - Attilio d'Orazi
Tal Violenza! - Franco Corelli
Dunque Per Compiacervi - Virginia Gordoni
Orsu, Tosca, Parlate - Attilio d'Orazi
Vi Sfido! - Franco Corelli
Floria - Franco Corelli
Vittoria! Vittoria! - Franco Corelli
Gia Mi Dicon Venal - Attilio d'Orazi
Come Tu M'odi - Attilio d'Orazi

Tracks:

Vissi D'arte - Virginia Gordoni
Vedi, Le Man Giunte - Virginia Gordoni
Tosca, Finalmente Mia! - Attilio d'Orazi
E Avanti A Lui Tremava - Virginia Gordoni
Io De'sospiri - Walter Giorgi
Mario Cavaradossi? A Voi - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma/Edgardo Eggaddi
No. Ma Un'ultima Grazia - Franco Corelli
E Lucevan Le Stelle - Franco Corelli
O Dolci Baci - Franco Corelli
Le Belle Forme Disciogliea - Franco Corelli
Bis [Encore]! Franco!! (Audience) - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma
Scarpia Che Cede? - Franco Corelli
Dolci Mani - Franco Corelli
Senti, L'ora E Vicina - Virginia Gordoni
Amaro Sol Per Te - Franco Corelli
E Non Giungono - Virginia Gordoni
Parlami Ancor - Franco Corelli
Trionfal - Franco Corelli
L'ora - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma
Come E Lunga L'attesa - Virginia Gordoni
Applause - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma
Bis (Encore)! Franco!! - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma
Core 'Ngrato - Franco Corelli
E Lucevan Le Stelle - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma
Core 'Ngrato - Chor Of The Teatro Regio Di Parma

Album Description

(Parma, Jan. 21, 1967, live). Corelli, Gordoni, D'Orazi, Carbonari, Maionica; Morelli; Chor. and Orch. of the Teatro Regio di Parma.

This "E lucevan le stelle" is the most sensual of all live tenor recordings of the 20th century.--Stefan Zucker

Beggar's Opera / Polly
Average customer rating:

One stop on the road to immortality

Must Stop Ordering When Drinking - Or Maybe I Got Foxed

Beggar's Opera / Polly
Gay , and Austin
Manufacturer: Symposium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

John Gay - The Beggar's Opera / Jonathan Miller · John Eliot Gardiner · Roger Daltrey · English Baroque Soloists

ASIN: B0000799KV
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Customer Reviews:

One stop on the road to immortality.......2006-11-19

This is a more than competent CD transfer of acoustic recordings of Sir Nigel Playfair's legendary 1920s revivals of The Beggar's Opera and its sequel Polly. Quite sufficiemt to show why the Beggar;s Opera production, meant to fill a few weeks' gap at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, ran for three years. And while Gay's sequel was like most sequels, not up to the original, this recording is the only source for the second-best ballad opera.

Must Stop Ordering When Drinking - Or Maybe I Got Foxed.......2006-09-02

Right. Can't remember what state of sobriety I was in when I ordered this cd and I may have missed some key clues about its nature. But I was so excited to find anything claiming to relate to Gay's "Polly" (which otherwise seems to have completely disappeared after it was censored in the 18th century - even internet wise) that I bought this cd. Turns out it is a cd version of some music originally recorded in the early 1920's. It is moderately interesting even for someone who is not primarily interested in antigue recordings (aka "scratchy records") because the style may be closer to that of the original performance. (There is no reason to think that common tastes were better in the 18th century than in 1920.) It is certainly different than contemporaneous performances of BO.

Don't mean to be sexist - which I am - but the duets, choreses and male performances seem to be less antigue than the soprano pieces. The broads are simply squeaky. Something to do with frequency loss in early recordings, I expect. On the other hand, the bass songs are equally abrasive and archaic.

Even the notes about "Polly" in this cd are disappointing. No mention of the history of "Polly", no mention of the source for the music. Try googling for a link for Gay and Polly. If you find one, be sure to post - I would love to know.

Unless you are an academic involved with some of the most obscure corners of the history of recorded music, I would forget this one. Instead, root for someone to find and record Gay's Polly. And buy a more modern interpretation of the Beggar's Opera. I have certainly heard antique recordings restored more vibrantly than this cd - but I would think that depends to a large extent on the quality of what you have to start with.

The only reason I gave it 2 stars (for some reason, Amazon refuses to record my change from 1 to 2 stars; but that is computers for you) instead of 1 was because of I love the melodies of the songs so much. But I will also admit that it is possible that Gay have been lucky that Polly was suppressed - the melodies and lyrics are not nearly as good as BO. On the other hand, this cd is so antique that is an unfair basis for judgment, But what the H!

Music Review:

Music Review

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