Chamber Music Music

I like most of his early work, he a talented young man and says some different things and he stands out. Keep up the good stuff young man!

for his most earliest work, it shows a lot of talent

Rufus is one of the best musicians around. I was lucky enough to catch him in concert (at a small Indiana college) a few years back in support of "Poses" and he was just amazing. His eponymous debut CD is vivacious, out there (in more ways than one), catchy, meaningful, and Broadway-esque (I've often thought that a few of the songs could make a great soundtrack for a Broadway musical). I have every CD that Rufus has put out there, but Foolish Love (the first song on his first CD) has always been my very favorite of all his great tunes. By the way, just to put in a word for another under-appreciated artist, his father, the great Loudon Wainwright III, is certainly worth checking out (he has a gazillion CD's) if you have any appreciation for Rufus.

Ahhh..Rufus awsome crafting of music and lyric & great songs,but no one gets to hear much of you.They're sad loss those of us who have discoverd you will always look for more from you..Stand out tracks ..Danny boy..foolish love..april fools..barcelona..

Being a fan of Loudon Wainwright III's music for many years, I was curious about what kind of songs his son might turn out. The younger crowd was all abuzz , showing lots of love early for the boy, something his dad could have used a bit more of.

I picked up this disc several years ago. I gave it a listen, and then put it away again until I was ripping music to fill my new mp3 player.

I've listened to it over five times today.

Before posting this, I read ALL 177 prior reviews. I cannot believe that the two opposite camps are discussing the same CD. What the `Pro-Rufus' group says is great, the `Con-Rufus' group tears down, and vice versa. Controversy always follows the provocative, especially if it has merit or value. Otherwise, no one would care about it.

Most of the the reviews are either "5 star" or "1 star", there are hardly any twos or threes. Regardless, the one thing out of line are the rating numbers, especially those based on Wainwright's smoldering good looks or his alternative lifestyle. Folks, this is a music CD. Let's keep our comments focused on the musical content.

I agree that his music defies genre. It's not what typically passes as `singer-songwriter' fare. I think this CD might reflect what Rufus' first Broadway-musical might end up sounding like. He has that kind of potential.

Yes, the album is overproduced. Sometimes this is good and adds to the melody and lyric like on `Barcelona' or `Matinee Idol'. Other times it comes off bloated and unnecessary, as in `Baby', `Damned Ladies', or `Millbrook'.

In his 11/30/99 review, the prolific reviewer "music fan" made a perceptive observation: "Wainwright made his debut much in the same way Rickie Lee Jones did"... Yes, I remember the same kind of controversy about Rickie Lee. You either liked her vocal style or not. And a lot of people felt strongly about it either way.

I'm a great fan of Loudon's music, and back in the day it took a few listens to get used to his voice, too. The bright spot with Rufus is that he doesn't need to sing in that whiny nasally way all the time. 'Beauty Mark' and `April Fools' are evidence of that. It all comes down to whether you like his vocal stylings or not.

My other difficulty is that I can't always grasp what it is he's singing about. Another reviewer said "his love songs are so personal that they really portait true emotion". Maybe that's the problem, the love songs ARE too personal. Why do I struggle with it? Is it because I'm a straight, middle-aged dad, is it because I'm just not hip anymore, or are the songs genuinely obtuse? I think I like `Sally Ann' and `Barcelona', but what are they about? Beautiful melodies with cryptic lyrics don't always make friends of their listeners.

There are bright spots in this disc, but you have to listen to it a good many times to hear them, a factor that hampers the music's accessibility. Sister Martha's clear background vocals are a precious contribution. `Beauty Mark', `In My Arms', and `April Fools' are easily my favorite songs.

If you are undecided on whether to purchase `Rufus Wainwright', I suggest you borrow a copy or take one out from the Library before you buy it.

Because in order to give this its due, you truly must give it several listenings. Therefore, I will burn this disc to my mp3 player after all, and give it a few more listens. Some of these songs truly sound better every time I hear them.

Rene Jacobs has been revolutionizing the way we perform Mozart's comic operas since his release of Cosi Fan Tutte almost a decade ago. This recording of Mozart's best known opera seria, Idomeneo: King of Crete, is the fifth and latest of Jacobs's readings of Mozart's mature operas. His Figaro and Cosi were vivacious and elegant, his Titus breathed new life into the oft-neglected piece, his Giovanni was extraordinary, but his Idomeneo combines what Jacobs knows best about opera seria and about Mozart. After all, Jacobs has always been a champion of Baroque opera seria from Monteverdi, to Scarlatti, to Haendel. In this Classical opera seria, we find Jacobs completely in his element. I do not hyperbolize when I say this is perhaps his best Mozart recording to date.

I must say that Idomeneo is a hard opera to get "right." Having owned and listened to several, there has always been something missing from each. It is unlike any other Mozart opera, not only in that it is so serious, but in that it is relatively long, Mozart was working with a librettist with whom he disagreed artistically (he lacked the artistic compatibility he later had with Da Ponte), and with singers whose abilities he disparaged. Idomeneo is very experimental in structure; it's not an opera buffa or singspiel like his other, more popular mature operas- but its style draws heavily on the reforms of Glueck. He planned to rewrite the opera years later for Vienna, but the plans never came to fruition. Mozart made numerous cuts and additions on subsequent performances. Given these circumstances and limitations, one might think of Idomeneo as sub-par, and I've found that sadly each recording prior to this one has reflected this. There have been some who have come close, namely the one by Mackerras with the immortal Lorraine Hunt Liberson.

But Jacobs has found that missing element. Jacobs allows for the ensemble, especially the continuo group, to comment on the action through dynamics, changes in tempi, and most impressively, improvisation, to give us an exciting yet authentic reading of 18th century practice. There is never a dull moment in his Mozart interpretations (his recordings of the Prague and Jupiter Symphonies included). Idomeneo is indeed a serious opera, but he remembers that opera was and is entertainment. Some listeners in the past may have been bothered by Jacob's choices in tempo. Quick tempi are definitely present here, but they are not unbearable- rather one gets the impression that Jacobs knows how to keep the action moving forward, which is beneficial to such a long opera.

Alexandrina Pendatchanska impressed me greatly when I first heard her as Vitellia. I thought she'd make a great Donna Elvira, and she lived up to my expectations. Elettra is a psychologically similar character to the previous two: she is vengeful but capable of tenderness. It must be a difficult role for a soprano to sing, I imagine, but she is in her element here. I have never heard a more genuinely bloodthirsty Elettra, and in my view, she steals the show. Her tasteful yet gutsy interpretations remind me very much of a Cecilia Bartoli. Elettra is a seriously demanding role, like Vitellia, requiring exceptional range and a strong lower register. Pendatchanska is the ideal woman for the job.

The rest of the cast is excellent. Idamante and Idomeneo are presented as both aristocratic and tragic. It is, after all, Greek tragedy. Croft knows that his role requires acrobatic virtuosity, yet he also knows that this is opera- it is drama, acting, theater. Not only do we get a talented vocal acrobrat, but one who is in tune with his role as actor.

Sunhae Im's Ilia sounds young and light, but she is by no means anemic-sounding like many soubrette sopranos who sing the role. I would recommend her recording of Die Schopfung under Spering as well as her Zerlina, also under Jacobs. I find myself becoming a devoted fan of both her and Ms Pendatchanska after more hearings and I do hope Rene Jacobs continues to employ both voices in his future recording endeavors.

The chorus must also function as a memorable character in itself. It must not be overlooked. It is not merely the extra embellishment as in the opera buffa like Cosi and Figaro. Anyone versed in Greek tragedy will know the importance of the chorus. Mozart and his librettist made full use of the chorus, and Jacobs does as well. This is one area where many recordings fall short of expectations. My favorite moment in the entire opera is the finale of Act II, in which there are continuous movements alternating between chorus and soloists, and Jacobs blends the forces perfectly here.

This is, at last, the Idomeneo I can listen to all the way through. Such a long, serious piece should be performed with the vitality that only Jacobs can provide. I am hoping for a Die Zauberflote soon, and await his upcoming release of Haydn's Die Schopfung with Johannes Weisser (the same young man who sang the title role in Jacobs's acclaimed Don Giovanni recording).

This short CD comfortably displays the basics of Mozart in words and music. If your a classical lover interested in these geniuses, and have a literary love also, then you would enjoy these nicely told stories.

I learned here that Mozart picked up his x-girlfriends sister after she cheated on him; Nice! What a stud.

I purchased CD's like this a year ahead of time to use them as time effective sources for English book reports in school because it takes a load off if you're over pressed and over worked. The narrator I found to be enjoyable also. For a couple bucks I really couldn't beat it.

Frankly speaking, album is far from being a great performance. Maybe she is very young, maybe she is very successful, it's ok. But if you look for German spirit, if you look for depth, I do not recommend. This is automatic, standart Bach, school Bach.

I have many of Hilary Hahn's CD's but this one is my absolute favorite. She has a clean, immaculate style of playing the violin. To me, her Bach partitas are simply superb. Her intonation is perfect, she is known for her impeccable technique and her style is perfectly suited for Bach. No question she understands Bach and is able to communicate her affection for this music in very subtle ways. Her style is understated but again, this is just the way Bach should be played, I think, with an appreciation for the meter as well as a "respect" for the music. Hahn honors the music with her interpretation. I can listen to this CD over and over (and I have) and I find something new to like about it every time. I highly recommend it! At under $10 you can't get a better deal for a great classical music CD.

This is one of the great versions of Bach's, Sonatas and Partitas. I look forward to the time when Hilary Hahn records all six of them.

This was of course my first recording of Bach for solo violin as well as my first recording of Hilary Hahn that I purchased now some years ago. The recording is in a word, breathtaking, and keep in mind, she was only 17 at the time. I can think of no other violinist who was this mature at this age, certainly not in the modern reocrding age. Her intonation is as perfect as it has always been, even if some may disagree with her choice of tempi. There is certainly room for more than one viewpoint and it seems unfair to compare this recording to others, certainly not when we are talking about the recording of one instrument by one artist. But her playing never feels lonesome, small or isolated in any way. The recorded sound is flawless. There is no interpreting here, just beautifully played notes, that is, just music. It is Bach that is played not as it is simply written, but as it is felt, or perhaps as much as is humanly possible. Most importantly, there is a sensitivity and a sense of engagement that is present in this music and in this playing that speaks volumes of this violinists love of the music she is playing, that outweighs any comparison to other recordings or violinists. (She still does and often has, warmed up regularly with these pieces in practice.) There is a joy in this recording that is conveyed to the listener. It would seem to be her trademark. Hilary Hahn loves this music and as a result I love this recording as many others have. More than 8 years later it is still as fresh to my ears as it was the first time I heard it. If you like Bach, or just like the sound of the violin, I highly reccommend this recording. You won't be disappointed.

Let me start by saying that this is the first Hilary Hahn recording I've listened to, although I've been deeply immersed in classical music for the past 5 years or so.
I should also mention that I'm extremely biased towards Arthur Grumiaux's renowned recordings of these pieces, so much so that I won't even listen to Milstein's (and have yet to venture into Podger's.)

So I wasn't expecting much when listening to this for the first time yesterday. Boy was I shocked! I mean, how old was she when she recorded this? I won't say that she surpasses Grumiaux...I feel that her playing is slightly less aggressive or dynamic than his, but that's not meant as a knock because I find her playing to be beautiful and probing.

This is a perfect example of artistic interpretation; when you love a piece of music listen to several artists playing it. Each will have their own "take."

This CD is awesome and will become a much listened to part of my collection.

...another Rufus Wainwright release like this one. The songs on Want One by Rufus Wainwright seem to all have a feeling of celebrating heartbreak and longing. Equal parts uplifting and sad. I haven't heard all of Mr. Wainwright's work (I only have his debut to date), but this is by far the best work from him I've listened to. I've come to identify him as a piano-man/singer/songwriter in the vain of Elton John, Ben Folds, and occasionally Elvis Costello. There are also faint hints of cabaret and classical lieder in his sound. The tracks that really grab you immediately are Movies Of Myself, 14th Street and Beautiful Child and all are well crafted pop productions. 14th Street in particular, hooked me from the get-go with it's rousing chorus and big background vocals. Vicious World is a piece of music I find really fascinating, how it somehow morphs from its sound loop like intro into a beautifully layered ballad is beyond me. The string arrangements are great throughout this release. In particular Vibrate, with it's floaty staccato.
There are a few moments where I lost interest (Pretty Things and Want),mostly because I didn't find them as harmonically exciting as the other tracks. In the end, I find myself enjoying this collection of songs that somehow celebrates heartache, and the lieder-like Dinner At Eight fittingly ends this outing on a somber but defiant note.

The official review states that Want One has made an even bigger grab for "mainstream acceptance" than its predecessor (Poses). How is that even a rational thought from anyone who knows music? I mean, seriously, Poses is EASILY Rufus' most "accessible to the masses" album, one made under the most pressure to shine, made to live up to the praise heaped on his debut, made to continue the growth of popularity, made while Rufus was at his most insecure and drugged-out, etc.

As a Rufus fanatic, I don't think even all those things can make the man too radio friendly or thoughtless, as Poses is still fantastic... but that said, WANT ONE is my favorite Wainwright album. It is utter brilliance.

No way is Want One a more calculated grab at the Radio than Poses. Not in a million years. In fact, the Want duo is by far Rufus' most ambitious (and in many ways, least accessible) work to date, featuring the broadest sonic palette and the most daring instrumentation. The arrangement and production of Want One is not the kind one aiming for radio or popularity would utilize, it is the kind that someone allowing themselves to fully express themselves would utilize.

Want One is Rufus clean and sober, doing what he loves best with no pretense or preconception. Having already missed out on the huge mainstream, he returns to make music for himself, from a confident and assured place. For those of us who track with his tastes and flavors, this is an awesome thing.

Want One is the purest, most unfiltered Rufus.

And, as with many other great artists, it's that crucial middle album (think: Revolver, OK Computer, Absolution, Pet Sounds, etc) which stands perfectly in the balance between the primal simplicity of early work and the highly-developed but somewhat less impacting latter work.

Not to be missed.

A cd that has the word LOVE written all over it, I have played this in my car about probably more than 5 times non stop and I love it everytime I hear it, never sick of it. Definatly worth the bucks. He is a genious.

At the age of 67 I thought there were no more musical discoveries or joys to be had. Then, whammo bammo, I heard Rufus singing "Zing Went the String of My Heart" and then "I Don't Know What It Is" and right there I bought all his C.D.s and DVDS. That simple. What a voice, what a composer, what a lyricist, what a personality, what a charmer, what an original. This is music to change your life. I'm going broke buying gift copies for friends. Everyone, without exception, is overwhelmed by what they hear. He is a beautiful child.

This album has made a Rufus Wainwright fan out of me. Now I own all his albums and have purchased tickets for the show at Radio City Music Hall on Valentine's day for me and my boyfriend. We're taking a limo from Baltimore all the way up - talk about a romantic night! A limo ride to Radio City Music Hall, a Rufus Wainwright concert.... I don't think even TOOL would be as perfect - for Valentine's day, that is. Having the most amazing gay artist perform for myself and my boyfriend on Valentine's day, with such talent,...it will be a hard Valentine's day to top.

For those of us that have collected soundtracks for many years and specially John Williams' music, it might seem a little redundant to buy this four disc compliation of his music that has every single track that I am sure every collector owns at least once.
However once you start listening to the pieces you start to notice the little differences in their performance from the original versions.
There are subtle changes in rythm and tempo and even different instruments play certain parts.
These nuances make this redition of Willams' music a most enjoyable one.

He's the best....the music of John Williams all in one awesome set...always amazed at the amount of work from this talent.

If you love john williams like I do, well then you will love this product.

I received this as a gift. I was a little concerned when reading that it wasn't conducted by Maestro Williams, and played by the LSO. But, Bateman and Raine do a terrific job and bring a nice fresh perspective on these popular works. The City of Prague Philharmonic performs wonderfully and the sonic quality is terrific.

You'll find most of Williams's most well-known works for film represented here, but a number of his lesser known, but very excellent works are missing. This really should have been a five or six CD set.

But all in all, this is the best recording of John William's works that I've heard in a long time.

The music on this album is a mixture of re-recordings that possibly are from the original musical scores of their respective movies, but the music most definitely is NOT the soundtrack music of the respective movies as Amazon advertises. There can be one and only one musical soundtrack for a movie and the music from this album is admittedly re-recordings. If you want to buy the original soundtrack music for each of the described movies, this album does not have any of it. Come on Amazon, get your act together!

I've cherished Glenn Gould's Bach Partitas since I first found it from my father's old LP collection many years ago. I've listened to it ridiculosly many times in all formats--cassettes, CDs, and MP3s. (I now always carry it in my iPhone.) Gould's fiendishly exuberant playing is of course classic. He is most successful in Partitas 1 and 4. But his overall playing is uneven, and the recording sound itself is uneven, too. His Sinfonia in Partia 2 is ugly. His Praeambulum in Partita 5 is too fast; Toccata in Partita 6 is too slow and ponderous. For modern interpretations of Bach Partitas on piano, those by Craig Sheppard and Sharon Mann are good. (Sharon Mann's playing sounds somehwat Gouldish, even though she was once a student of Rosalyn Tureck.) For partial Partitas, Arrau(1,2,3,5), Argerich(2), Tomsic(1) are very good. For a slow interpretation, there always is Tureck (Philips and VAI).

Great joy to listen to, as all others by him playing Bach. Ive listened to this a million times and it is as exciting and illuminating as the first time.

I also have other fine pianists' rendItions of the same Bach, Gould's is still unsurpassed. Gould's the one and only approach to Bach, or the other way around, Bach's approach to the mind of Gould is so unique, everything is just fitting the right spot. For the listener, you get the sense, the feeling and the perception of PERFECTION. And that is BACH.

The approach of Mr. Gould around Bach's music has always generated encountered positions. Many people regard him fascinating, irreverent and original, while others critic him his daring positions, his forced canto over the melodic line and literally don't forgive him his refuse to have cancelled his public appearances since 1964.

But what we should notice and always to keep in mind resides in the fact was, whether or not he got to clean the intellectual patina around Bach's music. To be honest, Casals was the first foreigner artist who waited for years and years the accurate moment to play Bach's suites for cello, too according another style and point of view. But what both have in common is to have allowed a very vast portion of human beings to have got to get close them to Bach's music.

That emerging generation of the ashes of the WW2 found in Gould an icon of the art of playing piano; he was for the academic music what Marlon Brando for the new cinema, Orson Welles for Shakespeare or Elvis for a new emerging musical tendency by then, The Rock.

Nobody like him knew to establish a breakthrough respect the formalism that surrounded the classic music, he really was an outlaw, a distant brother of James Dean in what concerns to express himself and furthermore, to convey with rotund success the immense delight and pleasure to listen Bach's Goldberg Variations. This album in 1955 meant a true hitherto, "a before and an after" in the history of the great music.

Maybe if we take a backward glance we should argue that Busoni would have made similar emotive impact in the great masses of listeners.

Glenn Gould (1932) generation was really unsurpassable ; Michelangeli (1920), Kapell (1922) Badura Skoda (1927) preceded him within a short difference of years among all of them among these four distinguished musicians.

So, regardless your previous opinion about Gould's phenomena, we have to admit he incorporated (and still on) a new generation of young people who has been born under his spelling legend.

What more can one say when Glenn Gould plays J. S. Bach? Two masters bringing out each other's finest: Bach is the song and Gould the instrument that vibrates through our souls with messages from the divine. I tell my kids that one of the best ways to get their mental/psychic world in order is to listen to Bach, especially when performed by the Canadian master Gould. (And they're into it.)

These are non-religious, non-verbal sermons on the order of the universe. This is the pinnacle of pure communication that has more to say than all the news media and most of the books written. Okay, maybe that's going a bit over the top . . . but not by much.

As usual, this YoYoMa album is outstanding. If you enjoy instrumental/vocal, outstanding Brazilian music, you won't be disappointed with this one!
mk

Frankly, I was a bit disappointed with this cd. I probably should stay with "just cello". This cd seemed to contain very little YoYoMa in the foreground, which is what I love. Also, it irritates me when a song is repeated on several different cd's. I want all new!

Brazilian music at it's best, with a great artist's interpretation!
I am giving it for Christmas to my Brazilian friends.

it's arrived. international shipping it's very slow, but, it's arrived, very well. I'd like very much. TANKS

I was excited to get this as a gift. Then I played it. I expected some fun and Sambas. Pretty dull, very little cello, not even pleasant as background music. I put my copy in the pile for Good Will.

I have no idea how this compares to Charles MacKerras' cd versions of the opera, nor do I care - I'm keeping both (I own the Decca/Vienna Phil. recording from MacKerras). Watching this on dvd brings the story and action to a whole different level, especially when the acting is as visceral and excellent as it is here. Of course, the real star of the show is Janacek's amazing orchestral score (for me, anyway), and the Gustav Mahler Chamber Orch. do an outstanding job from start to finish. Even if you don't find Janacek's vocal writing to your liking (don't look for many pretty arias here), or the story too unsavory, "FTHOTD" still possesses one of the greatest opera preludes ever composed. This may seem like a petty detail, but I like it that the camera cuts to the percussionist who's lifting and shaking the chains - as in the prisoner's chains! - during the prelude.

Also enjoyable for me is a series of different rehearsal segments, added as a bonus. In one bit of footage, Chereau is giving incredibly minute acting instructions (more like coaching) for the sequence where some of the prisoners put on a play for the others. Another rehearsal segment has Boulez going through bits of the prelude, leading into the start of Act 1. As could be expected, Boulez is very careful and precise with rhythm and balances. Interesting stuff.

Bottom line: if you have the slightest interest in late Janacek; Dostoevsky realized; Boulez, as a conductor; great opera dvd's in general, whatever - GET THIS!

What an emotionally harrowing experience is watching this opera for the first time.

Stephane Metge has made a film using the production by Patrice Chereau and Pierre Boulez (together again 30 some years after their famous Bayreuth Ring) and what a film it is.

Boulez, almost literally seems to conjure this stunning performance from the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. From its haunting, jangly opening I was brought to mind of Strauss and Prokofiev and how all three use the orchestral colors in the boldest possible - and not always most subtle ways. The score is a wonder of violence, tenderness, dreamlike and gritty realism. It is magnificent.

Metge's camera work gets right into the middle of things, roaming through Richard Peduzzi's stark mile high walls with a voyueristic violence that thrusts the viewer into the world of this terrible place. Pulling episodes from Dostoevsky's tale, Janacek's opera is virtually plotless, yet this which is not to say "nothing happens" because there is plenty to focus on, as these hapless gulag prisoners live, suffer, dance, dream and reminisce of their lives outside these walls. Note I didn't say dream "of happier times" for the stories they tell of their pre-prison lives are as terrifying and violent as the world they create for themselves within the walls.

As Alexandr, Olaf Bar's entrance is terrifying stuff, clearly a man of some means, besuited and bespectacled, the guards and inmates encircle and strip him, hurling his glasses into the courtyard. When he later emerges near the end of the act, filthy, shackled, and blindly crawling across ground, it's tough not to weep But, as in life, there are occasional acts of kindness and one such here between Alexandr and the boy prisoner Aljeja (a remarkable and heartbreaking performance by young tenor Eric Stoklossa) is sufficient to remind us these are still human beings, still part of the family of man, still "us."

John Mark Ainsley is a riveting presence throughout giving seering performance as Skuratov. Mad with grief, and imprisoned "for falling in love" - we watch his pathetic tale played out as he changes his garments, his mind seeming to hold the focus of his love story to keep him centered - but clearly not working. Mostly silent during the 3rd act, Ainsley still manages to give a tour de force performance - simultaneously chilling and touching. It is a stand out performance from an ensemble filled with amazing work.

The at the center of the second act - and perhaps the longest sequence of the opera - is a harrowing "pageant" a ballet of depraved sexuality played out by some of the prisoners for the entertainment of the rest of the gulag. The symbolic meanings of what goes on are made clear without feeling obvious. It is stunningly choreographed (as is most of the movement seen throughout) by Chereau's collaborator Theirry Thieu Niang.

Centering on the lives and stories of these men, Chereau tends to keep the spectacles down, but he cannot resist giving us several arresting coups de theatre, particularly at the end of each act. Each of these is, in their own way, visually stunning and complimentary to Janacek's amazing score.

Everything comes together perfectly, every element of the score, drama, characterizations and visual elements serves to bring this difficult work to life and when it's brief 100 minutes are over, every feeling, every emotion was felt both deep in my bones and raw on the surface.

There is a fascinating 48 minute feature on the "making of" this production which, likewise, is not to be missed.

I am thrilled that the Metropolitan Opera will be featuring this production in its 2009/10 season and wild horses won't be able to keep me from being there.

p.

Prior to watching this, I had never seen or heard this opera before, but I like Janacek, love Dostoevsky, so I thought I would give it a try. Good call. From the House of the Dead is a bleak but essential opera, and Stephan Metge's film of Patrice Chereau's dank, foggy, severe staging makes for a powerful viewing experience. Almost from the first note I fell in love with Janacek's score. The composer has created a brilliant melange of lyricism and dissonance where the orchestration is more important than the vocalism. The singing in this opera is non-melodic, at times sparse, austere, almost conversational. What melodies there are are all contained within the instrumental portion of the score, it's Janacek's schizophrenic orchestration that sets the mood, creates tension and individualizes the characters. And the tension rarely comes to a stop, even when very little is happening onstage.

Based on Dostoevsky's experiences in a Siberian prison camp, Janacek's opera has no real story, although it begins with the imprisonment of a nobleman and ends with his freedom. Not much happens over the course of three acts, yet we learn about the lives of some of the prisoners, the crimes they committed that brought them there, almost uniformly crimes of passion(Janacek, wisely, doesn't ask us to sympathize with the crimes, he only wants us to respect the incarcerated as flawed beings). There is a strange lack of regret among the men, almost as if the years of being jailed have beaten much of their feeling out of them, other than their loneliness, plus traces of anger and sadness for what's been lost. By the time we meet them the men are threadbare, submissive, seemingly robbed of their passions, a far cry from the hotheads sent to prison for giving in to their violent desires. Yet these men are far from dead. They tend to an injured eagle and revel in its eventual freedom, show an interest in each other's histories, and enthusiastically perform a couple of pantomimes that, like Hamlet's play within a play, have relevance to the bigger picture. Occasionally, they turn their suppressed rage against each other. They even form bonds, the most of touching of which develops between the nobleman(the newcomer among the bunch) and a young, heartsick prisoner who seems to have captured the sympathies of almost the entire population. Although the details of their friendship are given only a small amount of attention, at least in the larger scheme of the opera as a whole(the older man teaches the younger to read and write and through this becomes a paternal figure), the audience has no trouble feeling empathy, and being moved by their bittersweet separation which comes at the end of the piece. This is partly because of Janacek's music, his mastery at subtly painting an emotional connection, a dramatic minimalism so to speak(this opera has not a trace of melodrama except for that which is contained within the various prisoners' narratives) and partly because the prisoners as a whole converge into a single collective character, forcing the audience to connect with each experience. No prisoner's story has any real precedence, and yet they all manage to be effective. Hence, the title House of the Dead becomes ironic; the prisoners, despite their disenfranchisement, despite having a good deal of their vitality drained out of them by years of isolation, are still very much alive.

This production takes place before an audience, but it looks more like a film than the typical taping of a live performance, and the audience doesn't even realize that it is live until the curtain drops on the final act. Chereau and Metge have created a stark look for the film, effectively creating a sense of imprisonment and deprivation, which contrasts to a certain extent with Janacek's mood-swinging music, running the gamut of emotions, but is appropriate for the overall feel of the piece. There is little hope in the narrative and therefore in the lighting, sets, costumes or camerawork; even the ending, when both the eagle and the nobleman are released into the wide open, is handled in a delicate and non-commital manner rather than being celebratory. Nonetheless the opera and film do manage to be uplifting, in their own way, and the emotional effect is as overpowering as Verdi or Wagner while lacking those composers' sweep(which would have been inappropriate here). Despite the subject matter, this work of art goes beyond simply being disturbing, thanks to the fact that it is empowered by a heart and a soul.

This, one of the greatest operas of the twentieth century which, because of its language and setting, is not performed as often as it should be receives a magnificent performance here: the production, singing, and orchestral performance are all superb. A must for all lovers of Janacek and of twentieth-century opera. More than just a supplement to the definitive Mackerras CD recording of the work. Most enthusiastically recommended!

Janacek's final opera, composed in 1927-28 and given its posthumous premiere two years later, is based on the Dostoyevsky novel written in 1861-62 in which the author renders his own prison experiences. The story as seen in the opera is not presented in a linear fashion, rather it is like a Robert Altman film such as Nashville or Short Cuts where an ensemble cast presents several intertwined stories of a disparate nature and with varied emotional impact. Janacek chose six characters and their compelling stories to focus on, reducing the novel's sprawling, amorphous structure into a more manageable form. The selection by Janacek is masterful: we are drawn into this bleak world with its ever-present despair and random violence because we identify with the plight of the inmates. It is a world later visited by Kafka, cold gray prison walls functioning as real and metaphorical agent of enslavement. It is the perfect paradigm of the twentieth century.

Janacek's music is astringent, slightly dissonant but tonal and often strangely lyrical. The amazing musical renaissance of his final years, one in which he discovered his true musical voice during his sixth decade, is reminiscent of Rameau. This uniquely modern lyricism and his expert choice of material makes Janacek one of the most important opera composers of the early 20th century. If you are unfamiliar with his work, this DVD is a fine place to begin. It is a superb performance in every way. Boulez conducts the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor with his typical steely precision. His emphasis on sonority is perfect for this opera. Voices and instruments are sharply defined, crystalline in sound but without brittleness. The conductor's musical vision is like an edifice built of soft marble: the structure is polished and solid, adamantine but pliable. The effect is both warmly human and coldly monumental. It is a fierce, incendiary performance that will leave you marveling at how much impact a 100 minute opera can provide.

In director Patrice Chereau's brilliant 2007 production, all of the singers are splendid. This is a true ensemble performance. The costumes are nothing more than the filthy rags of the gulag. It is not pretty, nor should it be. The set consists of towering gray prison walls enclosing a drab, depressing prisonyard. The angular walls suggest a massive, impersonal labyrinth. The sole symbol of hope in this sorrowful opera is a tattered wounded eagle: much like Beckett's solitary tree, with its single leaf tenuously fluttering in the breeze, in Waiting for Godot. The images are searing but disturbingly familiar, for this universe is also wounded. The random brutality we witness is life in its most basic and cruel guise. We spend all of our lives trying to keep this version of life at bay. We don't always succeed. This opera is for those times. You won't soon forget this masterful production.

The opera was filmed in July 2007 in high definition and looks splendid. Sound in PCM stereo and DTS 5.1 is crystal clear. The DVD contains a 48 minute bonus making of film as well as the 100 minute opera. There are the usual DGG menus.

One of the finest DVDs of the year, this is an exemplary performance that is most strongly recommended.

Mike Birman

This album contains the first pairing of flautist Jean Pierre Rampal and composer and jazz musician Claude Bolling. Rampal is renowned as the premier classical flautist. Bolling has received acclaim and awards as a composer, conductor, arranger and pianist.
The album contains some truly original and exciting jazz fusion. But where some great jazz requires an advanced degree in music to appreciate, this album is accessible. Yet, it is not the elevator jazz played on new age stations. It is more akin to The Dave Brubeck Five than Swing, the complex strains of Chick Corea or the the soft tones of Kenny G.

The album is aptly named. A Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio is exactly what is here. The album contains seven related, but contrasting songs. Tha album has a jazz underpinning over which Bolling and Rampal intertwine the classical flute with and jazz stylings. Sometimes, the music is of the counterpoint style, where the jazz piano and the classical flute have a discourse, each in its own style, but following the same musical theme. At other times, the two play the same melody in unison, yet continue to maintain their own style. And at other times, the flute and piano switch stylistic roles. Unique and enjoyable, this album is well worth listening to.

I first purchased this album back in 1977, after i heard the music wafting out of a neighbor's window and had to have it! then a friend bought me the cd, however, it was the re-make of the album and the music was not the same. so i finally got this one and it is the best. i play it all the time, and i am still moved to tears of joy each time i hear Sentimentale. These two musicians blend their talents to create some of the most beautiful, soothing and dynamic music in the world. you'll love it.

The Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano on CD is just as fabulous as it was in 1976 on LP. The cristalline flute and piano (supported by bass and percussion) riff and float and are as modern as ever. Since this was composed to be on an LP (two sides) the total length is less than we are used to on CDs, but no matter, it's a pefect half-hour.

This was my wife's senior recital for flute, so this music is special to me. A fine CD that I thoroughly enjoy.

I first met this Record when a Flutist searching for many pianists in other to play this suite, it was more than 10 years ago maybe. We became friends, and, in fact, never presented the play but had really god time enjoying the pieces. Don't think that I'm a consumate pianist... but enough to really admire Bolling and Rampal. Just bought the CD a three years ago searching in a FNAC. Really excited when listen again the Suite after many years.