Through His Eyes

Track Listings

1. Through His Eyes of Love

2. Safe

3. I'll Do My Best

4. Holy, Holy

5. Believe It

6. Renew Me Lord

7. Teach Me to Be Like You

8. New Heart

9. Must Be You

10. Unless God Builds Your House

11. Eye of the Storm

12. Blood of Jesus

Tracks:

All Through The Night
Estrellita
`Moonlight' Sonata: First Movement
Serenade
Windjammer
Windjammer: Night Watch
The King Steps Out: Stars In My Eyes
No.6, The Seasons, Op.37b: Barcarolle (June)
African Suite: Onipe
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Nocturne

Customer Reviews:

Sweet Dreams.......2005-11-23

This type of album would not be released today. All of the arrangements are impeccably done...I have read many a book at night with this playing in the background. It's a shame that Morton Gould gets lumped into the "elevator music" category by today's so called music critics that can't reference anything before 1980 that wasn't spoon fed to them by Rolling Stone or MTV. It's worth it for the Living Stereo recording alone!

Beautiful nocturne.......2005-06-28

Wow, I'm glad I bought this when I did! Evidently it's gone out of print again... Kudos to RCA for releasing it on CD in the first place. I bought the vinyl years ago, and spent many a pleasant evening fading into dreamland listening to Mr. Gould's orchestra working through "All Through the Night" etc... Even if it weren't for the beautiful music within, this one would be worth it for the artwork on the front and back covers alone. A beautiful effort from one of America's great 20th century composers and conductors, Richmond Hill's own Morton Gould

Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Essential Purcell compositions
The entire set is outstanding

Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 2
Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 3
Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol 6 /King's Consort * King
Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 7
Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 11

ASIN: B000002ZR3
Release Date: 1993-11-19

Tracks:

O Sing Unto The Lord: Symphony
O Sing Unto The Lord: O Sing Unto The Lord A New Song...
O Sing Unto The Lord: Sing Unto The Lord And Praise His Name...
O Sing Unto The Lord: The Lord Is Great And Cannot Worthily Be Praised...
O Sing Unto The Lord: O Worship The Lord In The Beauty Of Holiness
O Sing Unto The Lord: Tell It Out Among The Heathen That The Lord Is King
O Praise God In His Holiness: Symphony
O Praise God In His Holiness: Praise Him In His Noble Acts...
O Praise God In His Holiness: Praise Him Upon The Well-Tuned Cymbals
Praise The Lord, O Jerusalem: Symphony
Praise The Lord, O Jerusalem
Praise The Lord, O Jerusalem: Be Thou Exalted, Lord, In Thine Own Strength
It Is A Good Thing To Give Thanks: Symphony
It Is A Good Thing To Give Thanks: To Tell Of Thy Loving-Kindness...
It Is A Good Thing To Give Thanks: O Lord How Glorious Are Thy Works...
It Is A Good Thing To Give Thanks: For Thou, Lord, Hast Made Me Glad...
O Give Thanks Unto The Lord: O Give Thanks Unto The Lord...
O Give Thanks Unto The Lord: Who Can Express The Noble Acts Of The Lord...
O Give Thanks Unto The Lord: Remember Me, O Lord...
O Give Thanks Unto The Lord: That I May See The Felicity Of Thy Chosen...
O Give Thanks Unto The Lord: Blessed Be The Lord God Of Israel...
Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears...
Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears: We Acknowledge, Lord, Our Wickedness
Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears: Do Not Abhor Us, For Thy Name's Sake...
My Beloved Spake: Symphony
My Beloved Spake: For Lo! The Winter Is Past...
My Beloved Spake: And The Time Of The Singing Of Birds Is Come...
My Beloved Spake: Symphony
My Beloved Spake: My Beloved Is Mine And I Am His.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Purcell compositions.......2004-10-07

According to the liner notes, this first volume contains works that span throughout the whole (short) career of Purcell. Even his earliest anthems written when he was a teenager demonstrate that he was a genious from the beginning. The King Purcell demonstrates a composer at the same level as Bach in talent and depth.
The performances could not be bettered. The singers, choir and orchestra bring their all to these pieces.
The 11 volumes are expensive but really belong in every classical music lover's collection. Buy as many as you can afford.

The entire set is outstanding.......2003-01-16

While some of the works are superior to others the entire set is great in the realm of production. Mostly all of these pieces are just superb and if you are someone who enjoys English Baroque then you absolutely MUST purchase these cds. If you enjoy complex, melancholic or heroic music then I urge you to purchase this cd and the rest of the volumes in the set...you won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

What ??
Nice Voice, but not a nice person...(read on, pls.)
A let down
The definitive Paul Robeson compilation

The Essential Paul Robeson

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

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English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Ballad for Americans
Paul Robeson Live at Carnegie Hall
Paul Robeson Sings "Ol' Man River" & Other Favorites
Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital
Ol' Man River: His 25 Greatest

ASIN: B00005B15R
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

Ol' Man River
Steal Away
Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho
Water Boy
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Deep River
Lonesome Road
Mighty Lak' A Rose
Rockin' Chair
When It's Sleepy-time Down South
Mah Lindy Lou
My Curly Headed Baby
Carry Me Back To Green Pastures
Lazy Bones
St. Louis Blues
Congo Lullaby
Canoe Song
Shenandoah
I Still Suits Me
Summertime
It Ain't Necessarily So
Just A-Wearyin' For you
Song Of The Volga Boatmen
Little Man, You've Had A Busy Day

Tracks:

Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child/Minstrel Man
Git On Board, Li'l Children/Dere's No Hidin' Place
Go Down, Moses
Bear De Burden/All God's Chillun Got Wings
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen
Got The South In My Soul
Blue Prelude
Fat Li'l Feller Wid His Mammy's Eyes/Shortnin' Bread
Wagon Wheels
The Banjo Song
Love Song
Climbing Up (Mountain Song)
All Through The Night
Mood Indigo
At Dawning
An Eriskay Love Lilt
Trees
Jerusalem
The Cobbler's Song
A Perfect Day
Sylvia
Sea Fever
King Joe (The Joe Louis Blues)
The Old Folks At Home (Swanee River)
My Old Kentucky Home

Customer Reviews:

What ??.......2006-12-10

The idiot from Virginia thought it a bit strange that an American black man would give the communists a chance. Looking back from modern perspective is easier than what he had to go on in the thirtes. Gee, I wonder why a black man would do that after all that southern hospitality, segregation, and steady work you gave the "black folk". Not to mention all those nighttime campfires you had going in their honor.
While I might be from New York I certainly would not be called a bleeding heart liberal but I can certainly understand why the poor soul was looking elsewhere. You are either ignorant of history and its influences on people or you are a totally unsympathetic jackass!!

Nice Voice, but not a nice person...(read on, pls.).......2006-01-07

Paul Robeson, who was brainwashed into
beleiving Communist rhetoric (which is
strange as hell for an Amer-I-can black
man). A good singing voice but all cover
songs! Come on, Paul!

A let down.......2004-09-24

I own several Robeson recordings and purchased this one with high hopes as it has a great selection of tracks. Unfortunately given the excellent recording quality of "Songs for Free Men" and "The Paul Robeson Oddyssey", the remasters from what I assume are 78's and possibly radio are a let down and mar what could have been an excellent album.

The definitive Paul Robeson compilation.......2003-09-19

This 2 CD set of Paul Robeson is the definitive collection providing a decent overview of his work in 50 tracks all wonderfully restored from 78s as usual for ASV, with spirituals, show tunes, Shakespeare-like readings, and more done with a trademark bass voice and orchestration that backs up Paul perfectly and he would later be one of the first civil rights activists. The first disc is a reissue of the single disc "Ol' Man River-His 25 Greatest" on ASV containing "Ol' Man River," "Mighty Like a Rose," "Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho," "Carry Me Back To Green Pastures," "Lazy Bones," and many more classics which is also available here at Amazon for those who only want a single disc of Paul's work and the 2nd disc contains 25 more classics including "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen," "The Old Folks At Home," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Wagon Wheels," "Git On Board, Little Children," and many more. In other words, all 50 of these tracks are essential to any early pop, folk, gospel, blues, etc. music fan and this is the set to introduce yourself to his work in a convenient 2 CD package with the usual great liner notes and details on the original 78s ASV provides with each CD released in their Living Era series.

Average customer rating:

Encourage your brooders to set
Consummate Artistry!

Down By the Salley Gardens

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Folk | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005MOC9
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Tracks:

The Jolly Miller
Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes
The Foggy, Foggy Dew
The Isle Of Cloy
The Trees They Grow So High
Died For Love
Lovely Mollie
I Love My Love
the Shooting Of His Dear
Down By The Salley Gardens
The Old Turn Fire
Ye Banks And Braes
Barb'ra Ellen
Barbara Allen
She Moved Thro' The Fair
The star Of The County Down
Sweet Nightengale
Blow The Wind Southerly
The British Waterside
The Pressgang
Little Sir William
Six Dukes Went A-Fishin'
Sweet Polly Oliver
Bold William Taylor
Charlie Is My Darling
O Waly, Waly

Customer Reviews:

Encourage your brooders to set.......2003-03-08

This album falls gracelessly between two stools: art song and folk song. Listening to it was like being stuck in an endless after-dinner recital when all I really wanted to do was drape the concert notes over my eyes and snooze.

I wanted to be polite. After all, I really loved the albums Benjamin Luxon cut with Bill Crofut, where many of this album's songs also appear, only sung in a very tuneful and endearing manner. I highly recommend their "Dance to Your Daddy," "Two Gentlemen Folk," and "Simple Gifts."

For that matter, I'd recommend this baritone's classical CDs to anyone. He sings a mean Bach.

This album? Well, I'm glad Amazon's two-star rating means 'not for me' instead of 'this recording is so incredibly one-dimensional and boring that I'm going to pipe it into my hen house to encourage the brooders to set.'

I know some people will love listening to Benjamin Luxon sing twenty-six English folk songs in what my untrained ear seemed to think was exactly the same manner, tempo, and volume, accompanied by what sounded like the same tune on the piano for all twenty-six tracks (maybe the pianist got sick after the first track and the album's producers thought no one would notice if they recycled his accompaniment twenty-five times). After all, the previous reviewer gave this album five stars and a very respectful evaluation.

I'm saying if you want to hear Benjamin Luxon sing 'Down by the Salley Gardens,' you will be better off with "Dance to Your Daddy" rather than this CD.

Consummate Artistry!.......2002-02-22

In the mid 1990's, Benjamin Luxon was forced to give up
a major international presence singing opera/oratorio/songs because
of his growing deafness. This wonderful reissue gives us a taste
of what we lost yet is a reminder of his consummate artistry.
Luxon and his accompanist, David Willison, give loving
and sometimes spirited interpretations of a wide crossection
of British Isle traditional and folk songs. Thank you, Chandos,
for this reminder of the excellent gifts that Benjamin Luxon shared with us.

A.E. Housman: A Shropshire Lad, Complete in verse and song

Average customer rating:

A.E. Housman: A Shropshire Lad, Complete in verse and song
Alan Bates , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , and Graham Johnson
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005S85Q
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Average customer rating:

"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me."
Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative
Absolutely Breathtaking!
A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring.
The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible

Wagner: The Valkyrie

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Similar Items:

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Rhinegold

ASIN: B00004YU6Z
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Tracks:

Act I: Prld - English Nat Opr Orch/Reginald Goodall
Act I, Scene 1: The Storm Drove Me Here - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 1: This House And This Wife - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 1: Evil Fortune's Never Far From Me - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: There He Lay, Feeble And Faint - Margaret Curphey/Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: Through Field And Forest - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: Friedmund No One Could Call Me - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: The Neidings Raided Again - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: So The Norn Who Dealt You This Fate - Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: I Know A Troublesome Race - Clifford Grant
Act I, Scene 3: A Sword Was Pledged By My Father - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Are You Awake? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: My Husband's Kinsmen - Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Yes, Loveliest Bride - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Winter Storms Have Vanished (Siegmund's Spring Song) - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: You Are The Spring - Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Oh Sweetest Enchantment - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: The Stream Has Shown My Reflected Face - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund Call Me, And Siegmund Am I! - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund, The Walsung, Here You See! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 1: Go Bridle Your Horse, Warrior Maid! - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Brunnhilde's Battle Cry) - Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 1: The Usual Storm, The Usual Strife - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: Pretend That You Don't Understand! - Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: Now It's Come To Pass! - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: So This Is The End Of The Gods And Their Glory - Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: You Never Learn What I Would Teach You - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: What Must I Do? - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: Hiaha! Hiaha! Hoyotoho! - Rita Hunter/Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Fricka Has Won The Fight - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: When Youth's Delightful Pleasures Had Waned - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: She Refused To Reveal More About It - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 2: There's More To Tell - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Yet One Can Accomplish What I May Not - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: But The Walsung, Siegmund - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Then Siegmund Must Fall In His Fight? - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: I Give You My Blessing, Nibelung Son! - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 2: No, Have Mercy - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 2: So I Obey His Command - Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 3: Rest Here For A While; Stay By My Side! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act II, Scene 3: Away! Away! - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 3: Where Are You, Siegmund? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 4: Siegmund! Look At Me! (Announcement Of Death) - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 4: And If I Come - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Then Greet For Me Walhall - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Woe! Woe! Sister And Bride - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Two Lives Now Lie In Your Power - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 5: Charms Of Sleep Are Sent To Still - Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 5: I Hear Your Call - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act II, Scene 5: Wehwalt! Wehwalt! - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act III, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Ride Of The Valkyries) - Katie Clark/Anne Evans/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Shelagh Squires/Anne Conoley
Act III, Scene 1: Shield Me And Help - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
Act III, Scene 1: Hear While I Tell You - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
Act III, Scene 1: Pray Suffer No Sorrow For Me - Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne...
Act III, Scene 1: Fly Him Swiftly, Away To The East! - Rita Hunter
Act III, Scene 1: O Radiant Wonder! (Parting Salute) - Margaret Curphey
Act III, Scene 1: Stay, Brunnhild! - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Where Is Brunnhild? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Weak-Spirited, Womanish Brood! - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 2: Here I Am, Father - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 2: No More Will You Ride From Walhall - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Did You Not Hear What I Decreed? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 3: Was It So Shameful - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: I Know So Little - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You, Who This Love Into My Heart Revealed - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You Indulged Your Love - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Unworthy Of You This Foolish Maid - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You Fathered A Glorious Race - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: In Long, Deep Sleep - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act III, Scene 3: Farewell, My Valiant, Glorious Child! (Wotan's Farewell) - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: These Eyes So Warm And So Bright - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Loge, Hear! Come At My Call! - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Magic Fire Music - Norman Bailey

Customer Reviews:

"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me.".......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Levine, Janowski, Goodall, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: everything is slower than adagio moderato. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act One Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Bohm's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are found in this Ring. I can hear harps in Flight of the Valkyries! The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Levine: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm. Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Two exceptions, though: Robert Schunk doesn't sound heroic enough, and Jessye Norman for Levine's Ring doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. I don't know Levine should've chose Kollo when he recorded his Ring.

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent mime. He is equal to Schreier when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on in the Ring.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Still, it's satisfactory, and his "Ihrem ende eilen sie zu" gives great foreshadowing.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt depends only on imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, and Windgassen only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Schreier. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings (maybe not in Swarowsky's version). Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm and Goodall. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the calculated Janowski, the relaxed Levine, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

Sir Georg Solti: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Herbert von Karajan: Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

Wolfgang Sawllisch: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sawallisch, Bayerischer Staatsoper

Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative.......2005-05-03

This is one of three Walkure's in my collection: the very underrated Leinsdorf, the thrilling Boehm and this one with Goodall. I believe Goodall is right up there with the best of them. Remedios, Hunter and Bailey sing beautifully and with sufficient drama. I'll go out on a musical limb and say I believe Bailey is one of the finest Wotan's on disc. Many will disagree but I think he has the measure of the role, the power to pull it off and a burnished timber that never becomes coarse under powerful climaxes... Remedios may well be the star of the trilogy along with Hunter and Bailey. His Siegmund is beautifully sung and his Siegfried by the way, is no mean stint either. Would that we had tenors that could sing Siegfried without sounding stretched beyond their limits. I am continually puzzled by the bad reviews that the orchestra playing receives from ARG, Classics Today and a few others. The ENO is not a Concertgebouw or Vienna Philharmonic but I think they play beautifully, a few clinkers notwithstanding. For a live show, they do a pretty d..... good job. THe sound from both orchestra and singers is exceptionally fine. This set belong in your collection if you like Wagner and, Die Walkure, in particular. If I had been at the performance in the 1970's I would have come home very happy, satisfied and richer for the experience.

Absolutely Breathtaking!.......2002-09-13

I had long cringed at the thought of this magnificant masterpiece recorded in English. Even after reading several rave reviews on this cylce that I've read by authoritive Wagnerites and critics, I was still skeptical. Finally, I decided to add Goodall's 'Ring' as my third complete cycle (after Solti & Bohm) for one reason: because it was in English and I felt it would enhance my understand of 'The Ring.' In fact, after achieving that "higher understanding" I was planning on selling this set on Ebay. That was, of course, before I heard this magnificant recording.

During the course of my research on 'The Goodall Ring' most of the praised seemed to heighten around 'Siegfried,' which is my absolute favorite of the cycle. That also helped to seal the deal. As the critics said, 'Siegfried' under Goodall is excellent, but not as monumental as Solti's reading, which IMHO is the greatest recording of 'Siegfried.'

The set that stands out, to me, in 'The Goodall Ring' is this recording; The Valkyrie. It is absolutely breathtaking. Not only is it my favorite of this set, it is my favorite Valkyrie recording period (I am very familiar with Boehm's, Solti's, Karajan's, Furthwanglers, Levines, and others). Alberto Remedios (Siegmund here and Siegfried in the last two operas) is truly magnificant. It is the best Siegmund I have heard on disc (and his Siegfried rivals Windgassen). Coupled with Margaret Curphey (Sieglinde), you get the most beautiful and moving duo I have heard on record. The duet in Act I is simply glorious. You also get the bonus of Norman Bailey's triumphant Wotan (and Wanderer too). He has such command and prescene. He sounds like a God. Throw in Rita Hunter, who holds her own as Brunnhilde, Goodall's miraculous conducting, and excellent playing by the orchestra and it all adds up to a stunning recording.

I can only say that in a way it's a shame this set is in English. Were it not, I believe Goodall's 'Ring' would be one of the most talked about, popular, and sought after complete recordings of the cycle. I can only say that I am so happy that I finally opened up to opera recorded in a different language than written.

I have fallen completely in love with Goodall's entire cycle. And, I have fallen in love with 'The Ring' all over again.

A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring........2001-08-30

This performance of *Die Valkure,* the second and most popular opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle, is musically splendid. Its special significance, however, is that it is sung in English. An English performance of the Ring is perhaps more important than that of any other opera(s), because Wagner's libretti are suffused with his ideas about society, fate, justice, and love. Even if (at times) you need to read along to understand what the singers are saying, *hearing* the lyrics in English is truly stirring in a way that performances in your non-native language cannot match.
A particular stand-out on this recording is the Wotan. His timbre, diction, and delivery perfectly embody the troubled god who tries desperately, and in vain, to keep the world under his control. His angst and wrath are utterly convincing.

The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible.......2001-01-30

I have never been a fan of opera in translation, but I must say that Andrew Porter's rendering of The Ring in English is amazing. He uses modern, not archaic, English, and the word choice is so very earthy and Germanic that the noble yet somewhat severe atmosphere of the Teutonic myths is conveyed perfectly. The sound, in other words, is an elegantly Germanic, and totally appropriate for the music and the Story it tells. It is not true that you can't understand the English anyway, because you can understand if you care to pay any attention at all. The translation is lucid, and so it the marvelous singing that conveys it.

Goodall's sense of music drama is lush, and takes some getting used to after the crash-and-burn Solti set, but after a time or two it seems just right. Goodall is not always slower than the rest, either; for example, the famous Ride of the Valkyries that begins Act III is quicker than Solti's surprisingly slow and heavy account. It is the most exciting that I have heard--and I have heard quite a few--but it is not so fast that the power is lost in favor of urgency.

This is not an urgent Die Walkure, and it is all the better for it. Goodall takes the time to actually tell the story, and is sensitive to the drama's needs over what could be called convention. For example, Wotan's Farewell doesn't thunder out after Brunnhilde's final declamation, like in so many recordings; rather, Goodall's interpretation is more dreamy, mysterious, and appropriately trance-like, in keeping with the action on stage.

Tracks:

Acis And Galatea: Love Sounds Th' Alarm
Acis And Galatea: Love In Her Eyes Sits Playing
Messiah: Comfort Ye, My People
Messiah: Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
Messiah: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
Messiah: Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow
Messiah: He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land
Jephtha: Deeper And Deeper Still
Jephtha: Waft Her, Angels, Through The Skies
Samson: Total Eclipse
Serse: Ombra Mai Fu
Il Seraglio: Constanze, Constanze
The Magic Flute: O Loveliness Beyond Compare
Don Giovanni: Speak For Me To My Lady
Aida: Heavenly Aida
I Pagliacci: On With The Motley
The Mastersingers: The Prize Song
La Boheme: In A Coupe
Hiawatha's Wedding Feast: Onaway! Awake Beloved

Customer Reviews:

The finest British oratorio tenor.......2005-01-14

Webster Booth is remembered today for his musical association with his wife, Anne Ziegler, but he was also one of the finest oratorio tenors of the twentieth century.

On this CD he is in command of every emotional nuance of the recitative. 'Deeper and deeper still' from Jephtha is a good example of the emotional range. His diction is perfect and the Handelian runs are effortless.

He had an amazingly wide range, extending from a baritonal quality in the lower registers to the effortless high notes in the arias from 'Acis and Galatea'.

He also sings some standard operatic arias on the CD. All these are sung in English and he observes every expression mark to the letter.

I can thoroughly recommend this CD to potential buyers.

Average customer rating:

Through His Eyes
Steve Archer
Manufacturer: The Orchard
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

General | Christian & Gospel | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004U918
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Through His Eyes Of Love
Safe
I'll Do My Best
Holy, Holy
Believe It
Renew Me Lord
Teach Me To Be Like You
New Heart
Must Be You
Unless God Builds Your House
Eye Of The Storm
Blood Of Jesus

Average customer rating:

Finding Sanctuary In Originality

Sanctuary
The Will
Manufacturer: Artist One-Stop
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000062WVK
Release Date: 2002-02-25

Tracks:

Sanctuary
What's going On
What Can I Do
Lost In Your Soul
Girl Named Kate
Keep The Faith
Dont Bring Me Down
Drowning In Your Eyes
What I Need
Close To You
Girl Named Kate (Acoustic Version)
Garde La Foi (French Version)

Customer Reviews:

Finding Sanctuary In Originality.......2002-03-08

With infectious beats and catchy melodies, Will's debut CD Sanctuary is a wonderful find. His voice has an authentic R&B quality that, combined with a dance background, makes for an effective and radio friendly result. No where is this more obvious than in the second track, "What's going on". Though there are tracks where the fusion of R&B and house starts to sound like a repetitive formula, there are also stand-out tracks where Will shows his versatility as a musician. "Garde La Foi" is such a hard-core dance tune that the listener might think they've already heard it at the club. In "Drowning in Your Eyes" his smooth vocals and melodic tones seem to suggest he could have a future as Seal's heir-apparent. The acoustic version of an earlier dance track "A Girl Named Kate" highlights the strength of Will's voice and a sweet soulful quality that is not as identifiable in earlier tracks where the beat draws the most focus. Cultivating a sound that is outside of the conventional American music genres, Sanctuary has a distinctive European dance music quality. It is a little bit R&B, a little bit pop and a little bit dance - with a resonance of what they call, "garage" music in the U.K.. Will's Sanctuary is a testiment to how not conforming to typical standards can produce exceptional music.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Through His Eyes of Love
2. Safe
3. I'll Do My Best
4. Holy, Holy
5. Believe It
6. Renew Me Lord
7. Teach Me to Be Like You
8. New Heart
9. Must Be You
10. Unless God Builds Your House
11. Eye of the Storm
12. Blood of Jesus