The Light of Home

Track Listings

1. Road of Grace

2. Miracle

3. Never Dance Alone

4. Light of Home

5. Heaven to Me

6. Open Door

7. Belong to Me

8. Looking at You

9. Wholly Yours

10. I Will Remember

Tracks:

Opening Solo Violin
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Hard Times Come Again No More
The Voice Of Bygone Days
Foster Favorites Medley (Ring, Ring The Banjo (1851) Oh! Susanna (1848) Camptown Races (1850)
Open Thy Lattice, Love (1844)
Beautiful Dreamer (1864)
That's What's The Matter
Old Home Medley (Old Folks at Home (1851) My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1853)
Molly! Do You Love Me? (1850)
Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair (1851)
Comrades, Fill No Glass For Me (1855)
Dancing On The River (Nelly Bly (1850) The Glendy Burk (1860) Angelina Baker (1850)
My Wife Is A Most Knowing Woman (1863)
Gentle Annie (1856)
Linger In Blissful Repose (1858)
Ah! May The Red Rose Live Alway (1850)

Customer Reviews:

It's Dreamy.......2007-01-10

This is a very wonderful recording of Stephen Foster by a master singer.
Foster's songs are of a more innocent and naive time in the American psyche, a time that it would not hurt us to remember, given the wretched brutality of American culture today (something you'll appreciate after listening to this recording).

The songs are beautifully sung by Mr. Hamspon, and the musical accompaniment with piano, mandolin, tuba, banjo, etc. seems a perfect setting for this period music. I enjoyed the musical interludes of Foster songs (not sung by Mr. Hampson), such as "Oh, Suzanna", "My Old Kentucky Home", and "Camptown Races." They are foot-stompin' and finger-snappin' good in a non-syncopated way.

Mr. Hampson's voice is so beautiful, and he has done such a wonderful job with these song's you'll just have to hear it, and when you do, tell me that you're not dreaming.

I remember reading a quote by John Phillip Sousa that decried the use of syncopation in American popular music. I never understood it until listening to this recording. The richness and intensity of American popular music (as experienced in the work of Stephen Foster) has been lost.
Everything has to be so cool today, thanks to syncopation, and "cool" really means no emotion.

If emotion is what you want, emotion is what you'll get with Stephen Foster's songs. It was a time when the death of loved ones (especially those who died in their youth) was experienced more often (see "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" and "Gentle Annie"). And we were not protected from the vicissitudes of fate by myriad government programs, modern medicine and universal prosperity (see "Hard Times").
Husbands and wives had their differences then, as today, (see the amusing song "My Wife is a Most Knowin' Woman") The passion of the Civil War (Foster was a Unionist),is reflected in a wonderful, fun song, "That's What's the Matter."

If you love good music, and you have heart which can be stirred, and you love your country, this is for you.

I love this recording. It has opened up the door to my "beautiful dreams," dreams of bygone days, lost love, and whatever else we pine for.

I wanted to buy several copies for my friends, but somehow I felt that the impact of this recording was so personal, that it could not be shared with others. Not that they couldn't enjoy it, but that I could not begin to share the intense emotion and reverie stirred in my heart by these beautiful songs.

My Favorite Composer of all time.......2006-08-20

Growing up playing his stuff on piano, I love the instrumentality of this CD..the violins give off that wail that he speaks of..I am not sure what it is about Stephen Foster but these verses..grab me like no other..there is so much sensitivity to it..

I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair
Born like a vapor on the summer air
I see her tripping where the bright streams play
Happy as the daisies that dance on her way
Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour

but the violins in this CD make this CD the best out there..
FYI should you be into astrology Stephen Foster is definition of Cancer...Sun and Moon conjunct in Cancer with mars in Scorpio..i love his lyrics..almost to the point of obsession..

An American classic from Hampson that brings smiles and tears.......2006-07-17

Stephen Foster was the greatest American composer of sentimental parlor ballads--he so perfectly imitated folk songs that his music wound up turning into them. In an age of home music-making and later of families sitting around the radio, Foster's songs were a staple, often performed by crossover artists from opera like Lawrence Tibbett. Those were plump, ripe styles of singing, highly flavored by church hymns.

In this 1992 collection of 17 Foster favorites, plus a few rareties, Hampson drops the platform manner and goes straight for heartfelt sincerity. His tone is plain yet sweet, his expression intimate. He is accompanied by instruments redolent of the Victorian drawing room (guitar, fiddle, upright piano), and the mood they create brings tears and smiles of remembrance. This music is embedded in America's genes, and it's wonderful to realize that every note is still alive and throbbing with feeling.

OMG!!! More than 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 stars, one of the best album in the world!!!.......2005-11-25

Simply one word, WOW!!!
Thomas Hampson's voice is simply fantasic. His voice is very different from regular operatic baritone voice, very sweet, and rich. I really cant believe an operatic baritone can sing folk song like THIS good, in my opinion he sounds even better than his opera works in this album. His voice and the background music matches perfectly, the outcome would move u to tears, and u can feel the origin of MUSIC. This album really shows what the word MUSIC means, and the songs simply just ALL beautiful. I like his "beautiful dreamer", "my life is well knowing woman", and "jeanie with the light brown hair" the most. When I listen the songs I would just imagine that I am in the world of past USA, and I can feel the life of the ppl in the past USA~ just like watching an old classic movie, it would touch ur heart and fall in love with this album.

It's simply lovely.......2004-12-14

I didn't know Stephen Foster (I thought): wrong: Oh Susanna, etc, I knew, but had no idea who the composer was.

This CD is a revelation. The melodies are so beautiful, as are the poems, and Thomas Hampson just brings them to life as wonderfully as ever. I especially love "Beautiful Dreamer" - it gives me butterflies - and "My wife is a most knowing woman" - the way he makes the voices and the indignation is just brilliant. If one needed reminding what a brilliant singer Mr Hampson is - this disk does it.

Average customer rating:

A great solo album

Light That Guides You Home
Jim Cuddy
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000HOJU5A
Release Date: 2006-09-25

Tracks:

Light That Guides You Home
Maybe Sometime
All I Need
Married Again
Pull Me Through
She Gets Down
Countrywide Soul
Will I Be Waiting
One Fine Day
Falling
What She Said
Stagger In

Customer Reviews:

A great solo album.......2006-12-23

This is the second solo album that Jim Cuddy has put forth since his initial All in Time album. I loved the first album as a moderately moody and slower offering built with the same type of deft lyrics and great music that makes Blue Rodeo such a success in Canada. This second album picks up from where Jim has left off but with pieces that are more up tempo. The writing is terrific from this very seasoned song writer and guitar player. It's a little difficult to categorize the pieces contained within the album as you'll find things that range from rock to folk to blues/country. The songs Pull Me Through and Will I Be Waiting alone, in my opinion, make this album worth the price of admission. All I can say is that it's a great listen and a very welcome addition to my collection. Thanks Jim!!

Average customer rating:

Excellent intro to Foster and Sousa
march review

Stories Of Foster And Sousa

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001KDF
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Old Folks At Home
Oh ! Susanna
Old Black Joe
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
My Old Kentucky Home
Old Folks At Home
Camptown Races
Massa's In De Cold, Cold Ground
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Beautiful Dreamer
The Stars And Stripes Forever
The Crusader
Offenbach: La Vie Parisienne
The Belle Of Chicago
The Gladiator
Semper Fidelis
Washington Post
High School Cadets
The Thunderer
Semper Fidelis
Washington Post
Hands Across The Sea
El Capitan
Stars And Stripes Forever
Semper Fidelis
Washington Post March
The Thunderer
High School Cadets
El Capitan

Customer Reviews:

Excellent intro to Foster and Sousa.......2007-02-25

This is a tremendous value considering the price and the number of tracks that you get. The renditions are not bad, but I have heard better Foster. There is a lot of narration, which makes this a great teaching tool to introduce Foster and Sousa. The narration is a bit more for Foster than Sousa. Some of the Foster songs seem to be cut a little short, giving you what is really more of a sampler than a rich collection of complete Foster songs. The Sousa marches seem to be a little longer and don't have quite as much narration. Even though both men were well known American composers, their type of music was quite different, so it's kind of an odd paring on this album. It's a pleasant listen, but not a "must have" item unless you don't have much Foster or Sousa in your music collection; it's a good starter album. Great for kids who might be interested in learning about these two famous composers.

march review.......2001-05-10

this cd gas a great selection of music on it. the sound of the music is perfectly clear and i definately reccomend it. it is an ideal disc for all march fans. two of the greatest american composers on one disc. this is also a great deal considering the amount of songs on this disc. definately but this cd.

Average customer rating:

Apocalypse Here and Now
Love the movie but hate this sound track
Apocolypse: Noun
Like Napalm in the Morning
eerie and forboding...

Apocalypse Now Redux

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Apocalypse Now Sessions
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ASIN: B00005M98K
Release Date: 2001-07-31

Tracks:

The End - The Doors
The Delta
Dossier
Orange Light
Ride Of The Valkyries - The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
Suzie Q - Flash Cadillac
Nung River
Do Lung
Letters From Home
Clean's Death
Clean's Funeral
Love Theme
Chief's Death
Voyage
Chef's Head
Kurtz Chorale
Finale

Amazon.com

In the mid to late '70s, director Francis Ford Coppola put his career on the line to complete Apocalypse Now, his quixotic attempt to variously document, deconstruct, and mythologize America's military involvement in Vietnam. The end result was a troubling masterpiece and technical tour de force whose use of sound and music influenced films for decades. As originally released, the soundtrack album was equally groundbreaking: an intriguing, dreamlike collage of dialogue, sound effects, and music that both evoked the film's artistic sensibility and underscored the innovative, Academy Award®-winning efforts of sound designer Walter Murch.

Two decades later, Coppola revisited the project, adding nearly an hour of previously unseen footage and revamping its soundtrack release as well. But while the film may have taken on fresh new dimensions, the new soundtrack album seems stripped of virtually all of Murch's key contributions. What remains is primarily music--and a telling argument for the notion that the whole is considerably more than the sum of its parts. Inspired by synthesist Isao Tomita's '70s classical adaptations, Coppola hired father Carmine to write an orchestra score, and then set about synthesizing it. The Doors' "The End" remains an iconic touchstone, but removed from the context of the film (and its original album release), much of the Coppola music all too clearly reveals its inspirations (Tomita, Holst, Wagner, Stravinsky) and the technical limitations of the relatively primitive synth technology involved (mirrored in a pair of newly recorded tracks as well). --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Apocalypse Here and Now.......2005-08-07

I, too, like the other reviewers, had the original soundtrack recording (on 2 cassettes!) I enjoyed listening to it in the dark of my New York City apartment to re-experience the film and to also learn the dialogue.

However, when the Redux version came out on DVD, I also was looking forward to a newer re-issue of the soundtrack that highlighted the music and left the dialogue out.

I find the synthesized passages and some acoustic instrumentation in their impressive for their time surround sound-like quality quite amazing. The inclusion of the finale where Martin Sheen's character steps out in his "transformed assassin shadow glory" haunting and very moving. It is one of the great moments in modern cinema and in music soundtracks.

The only confusing aspect, which I eventually was able to figure out, was why this soundtrack did not include the really cool and disturbing end credits music. Then I learned that that piece and the others like it used throughout the film were recorded separately on a CD entitled, "The Apocalypse Now Sessions" by the Rhythm Devils. The end credits music appears on the end of that disc on the final track entitled "Napalm for Breakfast." Both these discs make an all around great soundtrack for what I judge as one of the great cinematic works of art.

Love the movie but hate this sound track.......2005-05-05

The sound quality sucked.... when i listen to it it seems like it can't be the REAL music from the movie.
The tracks were unnecessarily short, I understand that some of the music in the movie repeated at times, but it was still unnecessarily short. The transition from Valkyries to Suzie Q is almost as horrible as the version of Suzie Q they use in this.
The opening is okay. The ride of the Valkyries is good while it lasts. Don't waste your money on this. Just buy the songs on other CDs.

Apocolypse: Noun.......2004-06-02

Instead of paying $3.99 for a CD featuring "Ride of the Valkyries" I bought this whole CD. It was actually a gift for my Father. I think perhaps it might be improved with the addition of more songs from the era that evoke the sense of futility and dread conjured by the film itself...thus expanding the CD play time to equal the length of the Redux...which was in turn only marginally shorter than the actual war. Not necessarily songs INCLUDED in the film, but rather music you know the guys were listening too. All in all, however, it is almost worth the price...it puts you in the same place as the movie, and that's worth something.

Like Napalm in the Morning.......2003-07-31

This is an excellent CD and one that I've wanted for many years. I, like others who've reviewed the "Redux" CD, once had the soundtrack from the _original_ version of the movie, which was basically the entire movie, complete with all dialogue. I liked that "soundtrack," but what I really wanted was _only_ the music, without dialogue, because if I really wanted the dialogue I'd just as soon watch the movie. Fortunately, the "Redux" CD does indeed have _only_ the music, which is eerily beautiful and haunting. I should point out to potential buyers, as I didn't learn this until I actually listened to the CD, that the version of The Doors' "The End" is actually the interesting remix heard in the movie, complete with synthesizer enhancements, chirping jungle crickets, and Jim Morrison's Oedipal vulgarities brought to the surface, instead of buried under the instrumentation as on The Doors original recording (in which the vulgarities can barely be heard). "Suzie Q" sounds to me an awful lot like the version in the movie, though I'm unsure it's exactly the same; it doesn't matter, it's so darn close. What's really nifty is the intro and conclusion of "Suzie Q," which contains the synthesizer effects heard in the movie as a sort of musical segway. In short, if you love "Apocalypse Now," and what you want is _the music_ from the movie, this CD is perfect. To my ears, the music doesn't sound dated at all; it could've been done yesterday for a new movie.

eerie and forboding..........2001-12-17

I've noticed some griping that this new version of the soundtrack does not contain dialogue, unlike the original 2 disc version that came out originally. well, you can't please everybody. one of my other favourite soundtracks, "Blade Runner" often gets slagged in reviews because it contains some dialogue, which some people find intrusive. if you want to hear the dialogue, watch the movie. this disc is about the music, which is as dark and forbidding as any synth music i've heard, perfectly evoking the chaos and hellish atmosphere shown on screen. track seven, "nung river" has a particularly sinister feel, making that trip up river feel inexorable. "do lung" has a nightmarish carnival sound to it, appropriate to the scene's images of a place spiralling out of control. overall, if you like dark, atmospheric soundtrack music, (it is also very rhythmic) you will enjoy this, even if you haven't seen the movie.

Average customer rating:

Amazing, ecclectic album
Warning: This CD Is Addictive
Well worth buying
Good variety of American Choral Music
Absolutely wonderful!!

Our American Journey
Chanticleer
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006K11A
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Credidi
Versa Est In Luctum
Jefferson - Chanticleer
David's Lamentation
Soar Away
Whispers
Voices Of Autumn
The Un-Covered Wagon
Fuggi, Fuggi, Dolor
Labbra Vermigile E Belle
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Camptown Races
Love Walked In
Willow Weep For Me
Calling My Children Home
Wayfarin' Stranger
I'm A Pilgrim

Amazon.com

This is Chanticleer's 25th recording and also marks its 25th anniversary season. The title refers to the group's wide-ranging repertoire; this disc includes Mexican baroque, traditional American songs in various styles and music commissioned by Chanticleer itself. A program that tries to please everybody is bound to disappoint somebody; however, no one could be disappointed by the singing. The sound of these 12 unaccompanied male voices has an unearthly, celestial beauty and purity; their blend is perfect. Though the singers rarely use vibrato, their intonation is impeccable both together and in solos. Their expressive range and stylistic versatility are incredible: they can project tenderness, pleading, and bitter protest and are equally at home in plainchant, Latin hymns, blues, spirituals, shouts and crooning. Among the highlights are the three opening hymns, settings of two poems of Torquato Tasso by William Hawley, commissioned by Chanticleer, which combine 16th- and 20th-century styles, and the two final folksongs, the last with a stride-style piano accompaniment, making a rousing, exuberant ending. The booklet, in three languages, is well laid-out and informative. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Amazing, ecclectic album.......2007-07-11

This CD is a great example of Chanticleer's phenomenal versatility, and it has something for everyone to appreciate. The Appalacian twang on the two Billings pieces is a bit much, but otherwise Chanticleer is in top form here and really shows what they are made of. As for the recording itself, something about the micing or acoustics in the recording process causes the countertenors to be just a tad too strong on a few tracks, but it's not a major problem.

To me, the most extraordinary tracks are: The Un-Covered Wagon with it's surreal effects and incredible array of vocal techniques, Willow Weep For Me, Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair (Michael Lichtenauer's solo floats so effortlessly in a mixed vocal register, I have never heard anything like it!), and Whispers.

Warning: This CD Is Addictive.......2006-12-10

I purchased this CD after hearing this magnificent choral group sing "Calling My Children Home" in a recent concert. Written by Doyle Lawson (from the group "Quicksilver"), Charlie Waller and Robert Yates, the song is a standard bluegrass number I had known for years (Emmy Lou Harris for one has recorded it); but I had no idea it had found its way to San Francisco. Chanticleer has made this song their own. I cannot imagine anyone else's version coming close to theirs.

The group sings 17 other songs on this CD, most of them arranged by Joseph Jennings, Chanticleer's music director. Their version of William Billings' "David's Lamentation," a Sacred Harp work, will blow you away. Another favorite of mine is "Wayfaring' Stranger." There are also two Stephen Foster songs included, "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" and "Camptown Races" as well as Gershwin and other American composers.

There seems to be no kind of music that this group cannot sing better than most other groups. They remind us that there is no musical instrument more beautiful than the human voice.

This CD should be one for the time capsule.

Well worth buying.......2005-08-16

Chanticleer fans know what to expect in terms of vocal quality, and won't be disappointed. I agree with another reviewer that the Appalachian accent is a little over the top, but I thought the shape-note style was perfect: brilliant sound, but not that nasal.

I enjoyed the many styles of music in this CD, but since I tend to listen to CDs straight through as albums, I found it a little disconcerting to go so suddenly from one style to the next (e.g., Mexican Baroque to shape note).

That being said, everything is splendidly, sensitively performed. The renditions of "Whispers" and "The Un-Covered Wagon" are breathtaking. By all means, buy and enjoy this!

Good variety of American Choral Music.......2005-01-03

This album features a wonderful selection of "American" choral music. I'm not a big fan of the "stylized" singing of the shape-note pieces (with the nasal voices), but that is my only complaint. My favorite piece is Steven Stucky's "Whispers" which is an artfully crafted homage to Orlando Gibbons' "Drop, Drop, Slow Tears" and William Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus." Joseph Jennings and Chanticleer effectively demonstrate that there is no "defining" American choral music and it is this rich panoply of variety which is so enchanting!

Absolutely wonderful!!.......2003-10-25

This album shows Chanticleer's great talent and it displays they're wonderful voices. I've seen them perform pieces from this album and they do it with such passion. It's wonderful. If you don't get this or any of their albums you truly are missing out!!

Average customer rating:

One of the best scores
An Underwater Masterpiece...
Classic (al ) Badelt
Music the masters would be proud to claim!
Another great Klaus Badelt score

K-19 the Widowmaker (Score)
Klaus Badelt
Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006AATU
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Tracks:

Suite For Orchestra And Chorus In G Minor: I. Fear - Largo
Suite For Orchestra And Chorus In G Minor: II. Fate - Adagio
Suite For Orchestra And Chorus In G Minor: III. War - Allegro
Suite For Orchestra And Chorus In G Minor: IV. Soul - Misterioso
Home
Heroes
Journey
Capt. Alexi Vostrikov
Missle Launch - The Rescue
Reactor - Selections From 'Voices Of Light': 'Victory At Orleans', 'Interrogation', 'Abjuration', 'Relapse', 'Karitas', 'The Final Walk'
Reunion

Amazon.com

Given the film's fevered, rooted-in-cold-war-history nuclear tensions and claustrophobic, intensely Russian settings, promising newcomer/Hans Zimmer protégé Klaus Badelt (The Time Machine and contributions to Gladiator and Pearl Harbor) was saddled with more than a few expectations in scoring director Kathryn Bigelow's Soviet sub thriller. But Badelt has admirably risen to the occasion, conjuring up an orchestral score (masterfully performed by the Kirov Orchestra and Chorus under Valery Giergiev) rooted in moody Russian classicism--and a dash of Zimmer's favorite Holstian drama as well. The centerpiece here is the neo-classical Suite for Orchestra and Chorus in G Minor, its four movements ("Fear," "Fate," "War," "Soul") powerfully underscoring the film's unrelenting pressure cooker of drama and emotion. Badelt's use of excerpts from Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light suite ("Reactor") is equally inspired, its haunting choral touches and spare, evocative arrangements imparting some compelling gravitas to the story's dark sense of impending doom. A score as noble, if emotionally ominous, as the 20th-century Russian masters who inspired it. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

One of the best scores .......2006-06-09

Klaus Badelt is another wonderful artist who can make the music be the movie. Rich with themes that fit the russian genre. The last track 'reunion' brings tears to my eyes picturing scenes from the movie. This music grabs you emotionally! Wonderful score.

An Underwater Masterpiece..........2004-02-01

My favorite one in my movie soundtrack collection! The music of K-19 made the movie even more moving. If you are looking for great music pieces for a "every goes wrong" russian submarine, and I mean the feel of the waves, tensions on board and the heroic efforts, this is "the" soundtrack. I have to admit, even thought I loved the movie, it`s wouldn`t been as great without the real struggling russian submarine music effect that Klaus Badelt created. The music moves me everytime I hear it...I close my eyes and I can see myself on board of this boat peeking out of the waves with the cold winds on my cheeks.

Classic (al ) Badelt.......2003-07-16

For decades there has been a fine line between classical based orchestral film score music and the true classical masters. Well for K-19 Klaus Badelt has become Tchaikovsky reincarnated. This is the most classical based score I have heard for many years (Horner does a fine Ralph Vaughn -Williams) and this is one the Russian master would be proud of. The first four tracks are even called "Suites for Orchestra and Chorus". Badelt has again shown that his first hit "Time Machine" was no one hit wonder story. Klaus Badelt has proven to be the new "wunderkind" of film scores and his music for the forthcoming "Ned Kelly" again proves that.But for now enjoy this one if you love both submarine scores "Hunt for Red October" and "Crimson Tide". K-19 makes it a fine trio.

Music the masters would be proud to claim!.......2003-03-21

This album is filled with music that the early master composers would be proud to claim as their own. The first six tracks are pure, sweet, pasionate Russian classical orchestra music, befitting any of the symphonic works of Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and even more so, Rachmaniov. Klaus Badelt has written music which would please the Gods. My heartfelt thanks as a simple listener, for this musical treat.

Another great Klaus Badelt score.......2002-12-01

After his tremendous success with The Time Machine, Klaus Badelt returns once again with another great score to K-19: The Widowmaker. With an outstanding performance by The Kirov Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of conductor Valery Gergiev, Badelt proves that once again, he is one of the hottest new composers out there. Badelt starts with "Suite for Orchestra and Chorus in G Minor" which is a classical piece that he wrote which the score's main themes were developed. "Fear - Largo" contains a militaristic theme that reoccurs throughout the score several times. "Fate - Adagio" contains a dark string crescendo that resorts to a lovely piece of music. "War - Allegro" is an action cue that contains some excellent and difficult horn parts. "Soul - Mysterioso" is the best of the 4 with the themes occurring again in full force with the orchestra and chorus. The rest of the score is derived from these first 4 tracks and contains different versions of those themes each time you hear them, so they never get boring. "Home" is a waltz version of the theme heard in "Fear - Largo" and "Heroes" gives us the theme again in full force. "Journey" contains a male chorus chanting the main theme in Russian, much like Basil Poledouris used a chorus in The Hunt For Red October. "Missile Launch - The Rescue" is a long action cue that sounds a lot like "War - Allegro" with the difficult horn parts. "Reunion" ends the score in an excellent fashion with the main themes occurring one more time sending the listener off with great melodies. "Reactor - Selections from Voices of Light" is a low key piece composed by Richard Einhorn that fits in nicely with the score, but is nowhere near as good. I was hoping to give this score 5 stars, but for me, it just lacked that one little thing that makes it an outstanding score that you want to hear over and over again. It is a great score with a wonderful sound and great themes, however, and Klaus Badelt impresses me once again.

Average customer rating:

Eh...
The vocal phenomenon that is Kathleen Battle
Bravissima Diva!!!!
Battle shows her true colors yet again
Praiseworthy, but a limited perspective

Classic Battle: A Portrait

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best of Kathleen Battle
Grace
Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart
Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall
So Many Stars

ASIN: B0000639A4
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Tracks:

Puccini: O Mio babbino caro (new recording)
Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim
Traditional Chilean: Dormi, Jesu
Traditional: Cancion de Cuna
Vangelis: Mythodea-Movement IX
Mozart: Laudate Dominum
Handel: Rejoice Greatly
Traditional Fix Me Jesus (new recording)
Faure: Pie Jesu
Traditional Catalan: El Noi de la Mare
Traditional Catalan: El Desembre Congelat
Ellington:L Prelude to a Kiss (new recording)
Handel: Eternal Source of Light Divine
Mozart: Alleluja
Traditional: Angels Watching Over Me (new recording)
Mahler: Sehr Behaglich (from Symphony No. 4
J.S. Bach: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen
Dvorak: Going Home ("Largo" from New World Symphony)

Amazon.com

This compilation of previous releases is clearly intended to include something for everybody and to offer an overview of Kathleen Battle's wide, varied repertoire. The result is a motley assortment of music sacred and profane, Baroque, classical and romantic, Spanish and American folksongs, and jazz. It is Battle's radiant, impeccably produced voice, which sheds a glow over every note she sings, and her effortless coloratura and serene expressiveness that provide the unifying, and most rewarding, element.

Four new recordings sound just as glorious as those she made years ago. One is the famous aria from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi performed with piano--a strange misfit among all the arias with orchestra. Wynton Marsalis plays Bach and Handel brilliantly, but sounds too loud and prominent. And despite some baroque ornamentation, he plays in a style so different from hers that the two hardly seem to be performing the same piece. The Orchestra of St. Luke's plays beautifully; an anonymous orchestra under Robert Sadin is competent but too matter-of-fact. A mournful, repetitive duet with Jessye Norman against a background of unearthly noises from Vangelis's Mythodea sounds like an angelic plea for mercy.

In the finale of Mahler's Fourth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel, Battle captures just the right blend of childlike wonder and heavenly bliss. Of the jazz numbers, one by Duke Ellington is lovely, but Dvorák would have been quite surprised by the arrangement of the Largo from his "New World" Symphony. However, the tonality is right, and Battle sings the melody so beautifully that she almost redeems it. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Eh..........2006-12-10

Kathleen Battle is admirable, with her many recordings and her many performances across the country. But, I cannot say that I adore her voice. Yes, she may be a soprano, but her voice is not top of my list. Her technique is flawed, and her voice lacks any depth or richness. When I listen to her voice, it sounds so empty. Singers like Sumi Jo (my favorite of all) or Renee Fleming are a much better choice when it comes to rich tone and beautiful technique.

The vocal phenomenon that is Kathleen Battle.......2003-11-18

An excellent compilation of some of Miss Battle's greatest work. Of course, it would have been great if more of her operatic literature was included, but to have the opportunity to hear anything from Miss Battle is heaven.

Bravissima Diva!!!!.......2002-07-03

I must comment on the preceeding review which has nothing to do with the calibur of this CD nor of the artist. And just a touch on that whole Brevard "incident", there were two performances one of which came off without a fault...but I too digress. This CD is a plethera of what endures Kathleen Battle to us all...her diversity. It is true that none of her signature operatic roles appear in this mini compilation but what is given more than accomodates. In 18 selections she covers Spirituals, Oratorio, Jazz, Afro-Cuban/Brazilian influenced melodies, cantata's and a symphony all with miraculous ease. It is also true that this is in many ways a best of...and chances are you'll already have most of these pieces, but Classic Kathleen Battle is Worth Buying simply for the four new selections and accompanying art of the set. The pictorial art included in this CD is worthy of gallery display! A standing testament of her vocal beauty and artist superlatives...this is a CD that you don't want to pass up!

Battle shows her true colors yet again.......2002-06-27

I have followed Ms. Battle's career for a number of years and have always loved the clarity and purity of her voice--no doubt she is a tremendous talent. Several years ago I saw her give a stunning concert at UNC-Chapel Hill and was blown away at the thrill of finally experiencing her voice live. I always thought it unfortunate that so many negative stories about her flourished and subsequently found myself coming to her defense in conversation with others. Last summer I had tickets to see her sing at Brevard Music Center in the mountains of North Carolina. Several nights prior to this performance, my 20-year-old nephew was killed in a car accident. I decided to go ahead with my plans and attend the concert, thinking it would be a sort of balm for my soul after living through this terrible experience of losing someone I loved. Immediately after my nephew's funeral I left my family behind and drove the five hours to the concert venue. Needless to say I had incredibly high hopes for this concert and its potential to help heal my wounds. Long story short, Ms. Battle behaved in the most unprofessional manner I have ever witnessed and refused to perform the program as planned. What little she did offer to the audience was mediocre at best. A packed house of patrons was left stunned and dismayed at what they'd just witnessed. So, Ms. Battle, you proved to me in a very personal way that all the stories are true and you have serious issues. I will not be buying your recordings in the future and I currently have about 20 that are now worthless to me.

Praiseworthy, but a limited perspective.......2002-06-04

CLASSIC KATHLEEN BATTLE: A PORTRAIT is limited in its perspective in the sense that this is a compilation of only SONY Classical recordings from their catalog. There are no Deutsche Grammophon or Angel/EMI performances represented here. A "portrait" of Miss Battle would have rightly included some of these wonderful and musical interpretations of Mozart, Schubert, Villa-Lobos, Gounod, and Bach among others. Of course paying the license fees from the other 2 labels wouldn't be cost-efficient from a record company's standpoint. How wonderful this would've been if they'd all cooperated on a box set of her recordings, which would show Miss Battle's superlative musicality in not only Italian and French, but also her great wit and charm in the English language (her Purcell and Dowland are not to be missed!)

In any case there are several magical performances to be found here:

Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro" w/piano; Dormi, Jesu; Cancion de Cuna, Fix Me Jesus, Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss"; Angels Watching Over Me; and the enchanting song (the German title is too long for me to remember--it's from the Das Knaben Wunderhorn cycle) from Mahler's 4th Symphony.

For any Kathleen Battle fan, this is a nice selection of her works, but only a 2-dimensional portrait at best. Certainly not Miss Battle's fault, as she graces the listener with no less than FOUR new recordings on this album.

Once again her silvery tones and superb musicality are a wonderful gift to us!

Tracks:

When The Cruel War Is Over - Hoist Up The Flag Quick Step
Americus Quick Step
Fireman's Polka
Tenting On The Old Camp Ground
Dixie's Land Medley Quick Step
Battle Cry Of Freedom - Kingdom Coming Quick Step
Excerpt From William Tell
Sumter Light Guard March
Bonnie Eloise Quick Step
Amazing Grace
Glory Hallelujah Grand March
Scenes That Are Brightest - In Happy Moments Quick Step
Kazoodie Ko Whirl Overture
Woodman, Spare That Tree
Fireman's Quick Step
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Civil War Folk Song Medley: Oh, Suzanna, Garry Owen, Jordan Am A Hard Road, Bonnie Blue Flag, The Girl I Left Behind Me
Coronation March

Customer Reviews:

Authenric Music with traditional instruments........2000-09-17

For those of you who enjoy the music, as it was sung and played during the Civil War, this recording is a "must!" J.A. McA.

Living history.......1999-07-31

So shoot me. I like bagpipe music and I like fife and drum recordings and I like brass bands. Recently cruisin' the Internet brought me to the website of a company called Summit Records out in Arizona; and my eye was caught by the title (DCD 126) with a group calling itself The Americus Brass Band. I obtained a copy post haste and I want to all to know about it with equal rapidity. There is just short of 55 minutes of Civil War tunes played in a style that is "historically accurate, right down to the high military pitch and the clicking of the rotary valves on the original antique instruments employed" (as the notes tell us). The history of the band is available in those notes, so let me just dwell on the "music that still produces feelings of humor, joy, sadness, and patriotic pride." Well, what music does not produce at least one of those?--and I am not entirely sure there was anything about the Civil War of which we on either side should be particularly proud. But Sing a Song of Suffering seems to be an eternal way of making the best of a rotten situation during war time; and this CD is replete with such memories as "Tenting Tonight," "Amazing Grace," "Woodman, Spare That Tree," and even a little bit of the "William Tell Overture" and a Meyerbeer opera! In short, this is not the expected line up of soldier songs but selections that are "typical of that which might have been played by a group such as the Americus Brass band." I love it. Give it a try, please.

Average customer rating:

Nathan Granner Fan
Chubby tenors
Worth listening to, but look for it in the library or used
Good Overall
money better spent

The American Tenors

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Three Mo' Tenors
The American Tenors
In The Presence
Heritage
The Spirit of America

ASIN: B000089J0H
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Tracks:

With a Song in My Heart
Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair
The House I Live In
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Climb Ev'ry Mountain
Shenandoah
You'll Never Walk Alone
Amazing Grace
Torna a Surrineto
O sole mio/It's Now or Never Medley
Be M Love (Daniel Montenegro solo)
Granada (Mauricio O'Reilly solo)
West Side Story Medley
America the Beautiful
If I Loved You (Nathan Granner solo) (Bonus Track)
Funiculi, Fuinicula (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

Driven by equal amounts marketing savvy and American pride, the rousing efforts of these three young winners of a national talent search were introduced to the world via a well-received PBS television special. Its companion CD release variously showcases the young voices of Nathan Granner, Daniel Montenegro, and Mauricio O'Reilly (and has there ever been a more quintessentially American name than Mauricio O'Reilly?) in solo turns and bracing harmony, meets the challenge of its more renowned Neopolitan elder statesman with aplomb and offers up a concise argument for the nation's own neo-operatic vocal traditions. While many of the Broadway standards and hoary traditionals break little ground, the trio's energized "West Side Story" medley argues that Broadway can offer up music as bracing as La Scala. Their takes on "Torna a Surriento," "Granada," the medley "O Sole Mio"/"It's Now or Never," and "Funiculi, Funicula" range from savory to playful, offering both a tip of the hat to that other trio and a welcome reminder of how these Italian and Latin rooted songs have become an essential ingredient of America's musical melting pot. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Nathan Granner Fan.......2006-08-04

No offense to the other two great singers on this album, but I'd like to talk about my best friend Nathan who is one of "The American Tenors" and continues to tour and promote this show.

I remember the buzz in the air when they filmed this at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles and the place was standing room only. Critics who were there loved it. Just a few weeks after recording the dvd SONY CLASSICAL (their label) was getting huge marketing projects under way to make "The American Tenors" popular in the States. Unfortunately, all the gigs that were lined up-Jay Leno, The Today Show, and many others got scrapped because the US went to war with Iraq - literally THAT week. Ouch.

That was really too bad because there were some great songs here. The show was buried before it even got a chance because of the war. You might argue that it was buried because the singers were "no names", but let me tell you something, that's crap. There are some songs here that are REALLY GREAT, and the musical arrangments are extraordinary. Nathan's version of "If I Loved YOU" is the best recording of that song you will ever find. I challenge you to find one better.

Whether it be singing on stage at Carnegie Hall, performing on an aircraft carrier in New York Harbor, opening NASDAQ, or a Kareoke Bar in Kansas City, Nathan is a star. He may not be the guy in the headlines today in America, but he has fans in the thousands, and has enormous talent and he can sing any song...ANY SONG and make it sound amazing.

Do yourself a favor and spend the [..] to get this DVD. Or better yet, the [..] for a new copy. Then go visit Nathan Granner's website and find out what he's up to next. If you are lucky someday you may get to hear him sing in person, and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Chubby tenors.......2006-02-23

Chubby American Tenors. Nothing exceptional in the album, but a certain standart does exist -as is the case with most American products.
The album is little above mediocre when compared to its counterparts (IL DIVO, Mario Frangoulis, Celtic Tenors, etc.)

Worth listening to, but look for it in the library or used.......2005-07-07

OK, I know, these are young, up and coming singers. It's probably not fair to compare them to the likes of Domingo, Pavarotti, etc. yet. But, If you are a fan of "The Three Tenors", and you get this CD expecting a similar listening experience, you will probably be disappointed. The American Tenors are all talented, Nathan Granner particularly so, but they are not yet on the same level as *The* Three Tenors. Of course, they are also probably a few of decades younger; it will be interesting to hear them after they have gained some experience.

Still, even allowing for the singers' relative inexperience, the main reason I didn't rate the CD higher is that it suffers seriously from over-orchestration. Often the instruments were way too loud - sometimes overpowering all but the most powerful of the three voices and forcing me lower the overall volume. At first I thought I was just being picky until I listened to some tracks from "The Three Tenors" again. The difference is obvious; understated, balanced orchestration supports the performers and lets the voices shine through.

Good Overall.......2005-06-21

I enjoyed the presentation, and I enjoyed Natan Granner the most. He has a strong clear voice that deals with this material well. Daniel Montenegro is also strong, but Mauricio O'Reilly's voice comes across as thin and not very powerful. He would do better with softer, more intimate songs, with fewer instruments as accompanyment.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this DVD and would recommend it.

money better spent.......2004-05-12

I really applaud Frank McNamara for attempting this, since I think he is one of our best composers/conductors. However, if you want to spend your hard earned cash, I would use it on the Frank's former colleagues, the Irish Tenors. In particular, I think Anthony Kearns has emerged as possibly the finest tenor voice in the world today. As a big fan of American Musical theater as well as a regular at the opera, I think he could emerge as a superstar.
Time (and his interests) will tell.

Average customer rating:

Superb collection
Boskovsky and the Strauss Family of Vienna.
Strauss's Lover Must Own!!!!!

Strauss: Waltzes, Polkas & Marches

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra
Schubert: The String Quartets
Lehár: Waltzes
Liszt: Piano Works
Wagner: Lohengrin

ASIN: B0000042GN
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 314: An der schonen, blauen Donau
Polka schnell, Op. 373: Auf der Jagd
Walzer, Op. 410: Fuhlingsstimmen
Pizzicato-polka
Op. 335: Egyptischer Marsch
Op. 214: Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka
Op. 173: Dynamiden-Waltzer
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 144: Die Schwatzerin
Walzer, Op. 270: Carnavals Botschafter
Op. 117: Annen-Polka
Walzer, Op. 75: Fesche Geister
Polka schnell, Op. 278: Jokey Polka
Walzer, Op. 235: Spharenklange
Polka francaise, Op. 269: Feuerfest
Op. 29a: Wettrennen-Galop

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 325: Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald
Polka schnell, Op. 240: Eingesendet
Op. 228: Radetzky-Marsch
Op. 269: Demolirer-Polka
Walzer, Op. 367: Du und Du
Polka-Mazurka, Op.129: Brennende Liebe
Op. 433: Spanischer Marsch
Polka schnell, op.45: Bahn frei!
Walzer, Op.258: Aquarellen
Polka schnell, Op.393: St|rmisch in Lieb' und Tanz
Polka-Mazurka, Op.166: Frauenherz
Op. 411: Lagunen-Walzer
Polka francaise, Op. 235: Piefke un Pufke
Freuet euch des Lebens Walzer, op.340
Musikalischer Scherz, Op.257: Perpetuum mobile

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 333: Wien, Weiss und Gesang
Polka francaise, Op. 336: Im Krapfenwaldl
Walzer, Op. 346: Tausend und ein Nacht
Op. 156: Napoleon Marsch
Walzer, Op. 364: Wo die Citronen blueh'n!
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 204: Die Libelle
Polka francaise, Op. 57: Moulinet
Walzer, Op. 443: Seid umschlungen, Millionen
Polka schnell, Op. 413: So angstlich sind wir nicht
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 315: Lob der frauen
Op. 43: Explosions Polka
Walzer, Op. 184: Transactionen
Polka francaise, Op. 281: Heiterer Mut
Op. 42: Sperl Galopp

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 354: Wiener Blut
Op. 211: Champagner-Polka
Walzer, Op. 307: Wiener Bonbons
Op. 449: Neue Pizzicato-Polka
Walzer, Op. 114: Liebeslieder
Ungarische Polka schnell, Op. 332: Eljen a Magyar
Walzer, Op. 316: Krleben
Op. 378: Banditen-Galopp
Op. 426: Russischer Marsch
Polka schnell, Op. 324: Unter Donner und Blitz
Walzer, Op. 279: Morgenbler
Polka schnell, Op. 133: Auf Ferienreisen
Walzer, Op. 164: Dorfschwalben aus terreich
Op. 126: Kaiser Franz Joseph I. Rettungs-Jubel-Marsch

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 388: Rosen aus dem S
Polka schnell, Op. 281: Vergnzug
Op. 437: Kaiserwalzer
Polka schnell, Op. 319: Leichtes Blut
Walzer, Op. 154: Loreley-Rhein-Kle
Polka, Op. 291: 'S gibt nur a Kaiserstadt, 's gibt nur a Wien !
Walzer, Op. 143: Schneeglhen
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 282: Die Emancipirte
Polka schnell, Op. 259: Mit Extrapost
Walzer, Op. 234: Accelerationen
Polka Francaise, Op. 372: Bitte Sch
Op. 289: Persischer Marsch
Walzer, Op. 212: Delirien
Op. 365: Tik-Tak-Polka

Tracks:

Op. 363: Fledermaus-Quadrille - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 271: Ohne Sorgen - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 263: Mein Lebenslauf ist Lieb und Lust - Various Artists
Op. 236: Orpheus-Quadrille - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 230: Im Fluge - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 361: Bei uns z'Haus - Various Artists
Schutzen-Quadrille - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 241: Extempore - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 390: Nordseebilder - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 241: Freikugeln - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 101: Mephistos Hollenrufe - Various Artists
Marsch, Op. 478: Aufs Korn - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 329: Erinnerung an Covent-Garden - Various Artists
Op. 152: Rudolfsheimer-Polka - Various Artists

Amazon.com

Boskovsky's encyclopedic collection with the Vienna Philharmonic, recorded between 1957 and 1976, is as close to definitive as one is likely to get. There was a special camaraderie between Boskovsky and the Philharmonic--he was a member of the orchestra's violin section for 37 years and conducted their New Year's Day concerts from 1955 until 1979. There was also a special empathy that these performers, as custodians of a tradition going back to its origins, felt for the music of the Strauss family. It comes across quite wonderfully on these mid-price CDs, which have been painstakingly remastered for an edition every collector should have. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Superb collection.......2006-03-07

If you love or are just curious about the music of Vienna's Strauss family, this is the box set for you. You need look no further. Willi Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic set the standards for the performance of these sublime waltzes, polkas and marches. The sound is fine, too, even though the recordings are not new. This is, quite simply, a magnificent set. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Boskovsky and the Strauss Family of Vienna........2003-06-12

A long series of Strauss music recordings conducted by Willi Boskovsky provides the contents of this slender, super-compact box of 6 CDs. Those who collected the original issues should check the contents before jettisoning them, because not everything has been reissued here. I especially regret that the vocal version of "An der schönen blauen Donau" has been omitted.

No combination has ever excelled Willi Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in performing this repertoire. Although the waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, marches and overtures were performed over and over again by these musicians, there is never a hint of workaday routine or staleness to be heard here. Everything seems to unfold naturally. Each item's inherent character is displayed. Tiny nuances and felicities of phrasing and a balance that favors the melody and reduces the accompaniment make these performances inimitable. The performance of "Morgenblätter" seems to provide a tad more excitement and impact than the other 85 items.

The recordings were made between 1960 and 1976. They are studio recordings, not deriving from the famous New Year concerts, and all but the few items from the very earliest year provide excellent sound.

Strauss's Lover Must Own!!!!!.......2001-10-09

Budget Price..... Recording and sound are good to excellence .... Let's enjoy and touch the spirits of Vienna now.....

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Road of Grace
2. Miracle
3. Never Dance Alone
4. Light of Home
5. Heaven to Me
6. Open Door
7. Belong to Me
8. Looking at You
9. Wholly Yours
10. I Will Remember