Classical Music

I do like this film scores on this SACD. They have been well recorded. I don't find myself listening to them all the time, but these make great background songs for any home movie/photo projects. The surround processing sounds good. I was not just totally impressed however, so I give this one only 4 stars.

I actually bought this for my fur children to bring them peace and tranquility when I am gone during the day. They love the cd and everytime I come home they are resting calmly and in their own Zen. I love this cd! I have actually found that I use it as night as well before bed because it relaxes all of us and allows us to drift off to sleep easily. The words are beautiful and really wrap your heart in love and assurance.

I use this CD regularly when I do massage. Everyone loves it and asks for it again and again. A nice compilation of healing songs.

I had ordered 3 CDs of Strauss music. I was informed that there was a problem with my credit card on two of the items and the orders were cancelled. The third item was shipped in duplicate.(I only wanted one) and it was the worst of the three as it is more talk than music. I am not pleased with my last purchase.

Saw this artist last night playing Beethoven's exquisite Violin Concerto here in FL. Ehnes is a brilliant and incredibly gifted violinist. His live performance was stunning and mesmerizing. Thunderous applause and multiple standing ovations. Just checking to see what other CDs I want to order. This CD won a Grammy this year. After hearing him in person as well as on CD, I can fully understand how he won that Grammy and has numerous other awards under his belt. I am sure we will be hearing more about him in the future.

As far as I'm concerned, James Ehnes is the best violinist in the world. Strong statement? Yes. But I stand by it. Every one of these three concerti is the best version currently available. Period. Simply immaculate playing, wonderfully recorded. Check out his other recordings too: Elgar and Bruch concerti, Bach sonatas and partitas, etc., etc. You won't be disappointed.

I have this on order as of today, but since there are no reviews, I thought I'd report my thoughts on James Ehnes's playing of the Korngold at the November 26, 2006, Houston Symphony concert -- it was absolutely fantastic!

Hilary Hahn was originally scheduled to play, but could not due to an illness. Ehnes was asked to fill in on Monday. While I'm a fan of Ms. Hahn, I think she would be hard pressed to play the Korngold any better than James Ehnes. How can you surpass perfection? -smile-

As for the Korngold, I had not heard it in thirty years. In hindsight, I greatly regret this. It is a magnificent work. At the end of the first movement, the word "WOW" kept going through my head. I found the second movement so emotionally moving, I had to bite my lip to keep from falling apart and disturbing the audience. A plus was the sound of James Ehnes's Stradivarius (on loan), which was so beautiful, especially in the upper ranges of the instrument.

This was a truly remarkable performance, by a truly remarkable talent. I think we will be seeing much more from this relatively young Canadian violinist in the future. I heard Perlman, Zukermann, and Yo-Yo Ma early in their careers. It would not surprise me in the least if Ehnes eventually reaches their ranks in terms of popularity. His playing very well may already be there. We will see.

After I receive the CD and have listened to it, I will edit this review. I have also ordered Shaham to compare.

As an aside, I remain delighted by the exceptionally high, world class level of playing by Houston Symphony. At this time, I can't think of a single orchestra that I would prefer to hear over this one. Eschenbach mined the diamonds, and Graf has cut and polished them to perfection.

I bought this for the Walton exclusively.

This is yet another example of a new classical recording suffering from substandard mixing and/or mastering. The soloist is entirely too close, without any reverb, while the recessed orchestra sounds as if its at the bottom of the ocean. Also the soloist's track was apparently pushed up around 1500HZ, giving a very hot and forward sound. In addition, there is a peculiar "pumping" sound on the soloist, either in an attempt to control dynamics or reduce noise, that is entirely unnatural.

James Ehnes is adequate. Heifetz is still the finest, and with that recording available as reference, I am amazed that we do not have a better contemporary performance of this work. It is not the equal of the great Viola Concerto, but contains some absolutely lovely and exciting music. The conducting is poor here, exacerbated by the poor recording. it is way too deliberate and polite for what is admittedly a nervous work most of the time. I will continue to look elsewhere for a contemporary definitive recording.

This disc featuring Manitoba-born violinist James Ehnes (pronounced 'Ennis') confirms for me my suspicion that he is one of the best of the younger generation of violin soloists on the concert circuit. I had heard and greatly admired his earlier recordings of Bach's Unaccompanied Violin Partitas and of Mozart's five Violin Concerti, but this is the first I've heard him play anything from the Romantic violin concerto literature. And although these three concertos -- those by Korngold, Barber, and Walton -- are from the twentieth century they are quintessentially Romantic in thrust.

Korngold's luscious concerto, written in a style I've always thought of as '1940s Hollywood chromatic' (think of Raksin's 'Laura' or Korngold's own film scores) was premiered by Heifetz in 1947 (recorded by him in a best-selling recording of the period) and incorporates themes from several of Korngold's film scores (e.g., Another Dawn, Juarez, Anthony Adverse and The Prince and the Pauper). Ehnes's tone is perhaps less cholesterol-rich than some but he plays this crowd-pleasing work with conviction and brilliance, using robust or delicate tone where called for. He is particularly effective in the songful middle movement and in the set of variations that make up the finale.

The story is well known of how Barber was commissioned to write his violin concerto for the protégé of a rich industrialist only to have the young violinist refuse to play it because the finale was technically too difficult. The first two movements brim with ultra-lyrical themes that are underscored by plush orchestral accompaniment that place the soloist directly in the spotlight. The finale -- presto in moto perpetuo -- is a knuckle-busting showpiece. All three movements are given sensational performances by Ehnes.

William Walton's Violin Concerto has been given marvelous recordings by Kyung-Wha Chung, Lydia Mordkevitch and, best of all, by Nigel Kennedy, the latter with the spectacularly effective orchestral accompaniment by the Royal Philharmonic conducted in nonpareil fashion by André Previn. Tough competition. But Ehnes, accompanied here as in all three concerti by the superb Vancouver Symphony under Bramwell Tovey, is definitely in the same league as the others. The Walton is not, in its first two movements, as technically demanding as the Korngold or Barber, but it may be the most emotionally complex of the three; it does not do well in the hands of young and emotionally inexperienced violinists. One need have no fear of a deficit in that regard by Ehnes. This is a superb rendition that eschews flash for emotional radiance. The Walton's finale -- presto capriccioso alla napolitana -- is fiercely difficult, however, written as it was for Heifetz who had asked for something demanding; it is a tarantella with a slew of off-accents, awkwardly placed (but breathtaking) double-stops and superhumanly complicated bowing. Ehnes manages all this with aplomb.

This disc is quite frankly a must-have for lovers of these three concerti. I for one will be eager to hear anything Mr Ehnes chooses to record and will certainly be on the look-out for Ehnes performances anywhere near my neck of the woods.

Strong recommendation.

Scott Morrison

I initially purchases this CD in Ireland in 2000 and played it a few times. The Tenors are equal to the other group of Tenors we have been exposed to, the music familiar to all, Irish and Semi-Irish.

I lost the CD by leaving it inside a Blu-Ray DVD player I was trying out from Best Buy.
Without the CD, I became aware of how valuable the songs in the CD were. I am grateful that I was able to replace it.

I urge all to buy it over any other subsequent CD by this group, because the music is general classic Irish and you will enjoy listening to it.

I watched the TV special because I like Irish music. I bought the CD because the song selection is excellent, the arrangements are well-suited to each tenor, and the orchestration is outstanding. A stroke of Irish genius put this one together. On behalf of Paddy's every where, Thank you, Gentlemen! It is difficult to imagine anyone not liking this CD/Album.

A great selection of Irish folk songs performed by John McDermott, Anthony Kearns, and Ronan Tynan. Each of these fine vocalists perform solos on this live (not studio) CD, but they also sing as a trio on numerous tunes. This CD is the audio portion of the live Dublin concert that is part of the Irish Tenors Essential Collection DVD (the other concert was in Belfast).

Another reviewer made reference to her CD not having the song "Voyage", but having the song "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?" that her friend's copy of the same CD did not have. Well, my CD has 21 tracks, including BOTH of the songs mentioned! My CD is produced by Point Entertainment and has the item number MDT8552. The Amazon track listing shows only 20 tracks, and part of the confusion may rest in the naming of the song "Wild Mountain Thyme" which is also known as "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?" I don't have a clue what the problem is with these different versions of the CD.

I would be a little upset as well if my CD didn't have "Voyage" on it - it is one of John McDermott's trademark ballads. A different version of "Voyage" also appears on John's studio CD titled "Love is a Voyage".

Amazon also shows this CD to be out of production, so snap it up fast if you want a copy. I am quite pleased with this CD, and would highly recommend it to any fans of Irish/Scottish/Celtic music.

Yes, my heart is in Ireland, and this CD makes me want to return -- and stay. What a joy this music is.

this CD of THE IRISH TENORS is one of their best. I enjoy it every time I play it as if it was the very first time I heard it.

Great recording. I'm not an amazing opera buff, but I know and love this opera and this recording is great as far as I am concerned.

Anna Netrebko is Violetta, her singing, beguiles the listener into living the part with her, while Rolando Villazon is a mesmerizing Rodolfo, his heart and soul embracing the character of Rodolfo. This is a formidable recording, and one I will listen to over and over again!

Rolando Villazon and Ana Netrebko live up to the hype and prove worthy of their status as "opera's golden couple" in this thoroughly satisfying recording of Verdi's always relevant opera, La Traviata. They play their respective roles of the fallen woman and the man who fell for her better than anyone else in (very) recent memory. The recording is a document of a set of performances greeted with excitement at the Salzburg Festival in 2005 and as such captures both the excitement and some of the roughness often absent from studio recordings.

Villazon is in fine voice--think of Placido Domingo, but lighter and more agile. He is at his most exciting during moments of hot blooded passion, and his "O mio rimorso", save for some breathiness at the end, is red hot. Unfortunately,during musical passages which require a bit more vocal levity-- particularly during Act I-- he waxes a bit too dramatic for my taste. Still, on the whole, his performance is admirable.

Netrebko's performance makes this Traviata a true marvel. Though, like Villazon, she seems to be settling into the role during the first act--her "Sempre libera" seems a bit sloppy--she uses the full palette of vocal colors at her disposal throughout the rest of the opera. Her Act II confrontation with Germont is truly heartbreaking, alternating between stoic resolution and true vulnerability.

Thomas Hampson as Germont is an intelligent singing actor. His attempt to portray a father intent on separating his son from a woman of ill repute not so much as a doting patriarch but as a sly manipulator is appreciated even though the actual stuff of his singing leaves something to be desired. Particularly in the upper register his voice tends to become hoarse or thin out altogether.

Carlo Rizzi leads the Wiener Philharmoniker with verve, even though one wishes some of the plush passages in the score were better articulated. One wonders if part of the problem-- particularly during "Sempre libera"-- has to do less with the conductor and his orchestra and more with the recording engineers or the limits inherent in live recordings themselves. At times balances seemed to be slightly off.

Still, if you can live with some balance issues and some on-stage noise this recording will no doubt be among the more interesting in your music library.

There is much in this recording to warrant repeated listening. Netrebko uses her rather dark and smokey voice to great effect. As vocal acting and intelligent singing Netrebko's performance is as good as anything I know since Callas -- but she is not quite up to Callas's effectiveness. Netrebko's voice and technique, however, are not up to the quality of the best recorded Violettas -- eg. Sutherland, Moffo or Caballe. Hampson as Garmont pere also has some very fine passages, though I have heard his voice used more beautifully. Villazon strikes me as a rather ordinary tenor, though he does sing with conviction and character. The orchestra and chorus are first rate, though the conducting is at times quirky and not nearly of the quality of the best recorded Traviatas. Overall, I am very glad to have this recording, though if I had to have just one, this would not be the one chosen. (I would be torn between Sutherland/Pavorotti and Moffo/Tucker.)

While hearing Verdi's La Traviata is almost always pleasant, this recording captures the magic combination of beautiful melodies, strong individual voices and most importantly the dynamism between Netrebko and Villazon. So often opera librettos challenge even the most romantic of listeners. However in this recording, the love and tragedy are both believable and beautiful.

With over eighty responses to the detailed lead review for this huge box set, there's not much influence a late comer can hope to have. However, after listening to all ten operas, I had significantly different reactions. It goes without saying that anyone interested in Bayreuth will want to spring for these reissues. The basic facts, that these are notable performances in excellent sound can't be disputed.

For me, it was the unexpected successes that brought the most pleasure. the 1962 Tannhauser under Sawallisch is a case in point. It has been acclaimed as the best on disc by the Gramophone, and one would have a hard time disagreeing, even with the equally acclaimed Solti studio version in sight. The spirit of dramatic excitement shines through, and Anja Silja as a girlish Elisabeth is very winning. The all-around singing rises to a very high level, with only Grace Bumbry as Venus sounding too effortful and not voluptuous enough.

Sawaliisch never panned out as a great conductor, but here in his early promise he's very impressive. The Lohengrin and Flying Dutchman under him are both impressive, too. I was as impressed with the latter as with Tannhauser. Bohm's Tristan with Nilsson in her prime and Windgassen trailing off his needs no defense. It's been a classic for over four decades and grows stronger with time.

Leaving the Ring aside for the moment, it's the Meistersinger under Silvio Varviso and James Levine's Parsifal that will probably cause the most controversy. I have a neutral impression of the Meistersinger, balancing good and bad. Varviso's pacing is light and quick for the most part, and his ability to keep the action moving makes for a nice stage experience. Cox and Bode aren't stellar as Walther and Eva, but they fit into the ensemble well. I'd rather hear Cox's pleasant tenor than Rene Kollo's grating one, which all but spoils the studio sets from Karajan and Solti both. Ridderbusch isn't the most characterful Sachs, but hes' vocally assured. I'd rather hear him than the irritating Theo Adam for Karajan.

About the Parsifal I can't be very positive. thanks to Levine's agonizing crawl through the score and good-enough but not stellar singing in several major roles (Amfortas, Parsifal himself), this set doesn't prove very enticing.

Now the Ring. The lead reviewer claims that this is a "very, very great" reading, although some "revile" it. both extremes are unreliable. the cast duplicates Solti's cycle in most regards, and none of the singers, including Nilsson, is as fresh or secure as they are in the studio. This is no black mark against them; live Wagner has its ups and downs, and the taxing nature of the major roles makes perfection impossible. I strongly object o Bohm's rushd, impatient conducting, and there's lots of clunking in terms of stage noise. Still, this is a famous Ring cycle with many adherents. I can't understand why anyone would categorize the serviceable Wotan of Theo Adam as "very great," but then, I am allergic to his grainy, gargly voice altogether.

Looking at these ten performances, I would place the Tannhauser far above the lead reviewer's estimate, the Meistersinger a bit higher, and the Parsifal considerably lower. Nobody seems to reach consensus on all the Ring cycles now on the market. I'd rate the Bohm as one of the better live versions, along with Clemens Krauss and Pierre Boulez. So there you are.

This is a real Bargain, and a must. Great sound and an incredible cast for the complete (almost) operas of Wagner . Tristan und Isolde is the top notch version of this opera and you are almost dumb ignoring this offer.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
Daland: Josef Greindl
Senta: Anja Silija
Erik: Fritz Uhl
Mary: Res Fischer
The Steersman: Georg Paskuda
The Dutchman: Franz Crass
Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the Bayreuth Festival, August 1961

TANNHÄUSER
Hermann: Josef Greindl
Tannhäuser: Wolfgang Windgassen
Wolfram von Eschenbach: Eberhard Waechter
Walter von der Vogelweide: Gerhard Stolze
Biterolf: Franz Crass
Heinrich der Schreiber: Georg Paskuda
Reinmar von Zweter: Gerd Nienstedt
Elisabeth: Anja Silija
Venus: Grace Bumbry
Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1962 Bayreuth Festival

LOHENGRIN
Heinrich: Franz Crass
Lohengrin: Jess Thomas
Elsa: Anja Silija
Telramund: Ramon Vinay
Ordrud: Astrid Varnay
The king's herald: Tom Krause
Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the Bayreuth Festival, July 1962

TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
Tristan: Wolfgang Windgassen
King Marke: Martti Talvela
Isolde: Birgit Nilsson
Kurwenal: Eberhard Waechter
Melot: Claude Heater
Brangäne: Christa Ludwig
A shepherd: Erwin Wohlfahrt
A steersman: Gerd Nienstedt
A young sailor: Peter Schreier
Karl Böhm, conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1966 Bayreuth Festival

DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG
Hans Sachs: Karl Ridderbusch
Veit Pogner: Hans Sotin
Kunz Vogelgesang: Heribert Stainbach
Konrad Nachtigall: Jozsef Dene
Sixtus Beckmesser: Klaus Hirte
Fritz Kothner: Gerd Nienstedt
Barthasar Zorn: Robert Licha
Ulrich Eißlinger: Wolf Appel
Augustin Moser: Norbert Orth
Hermann Ortel: Heinz Feldhof
Hans Schwarz: Hartmut Bauer
Hans Foltz: Nikolaus Hillebrand
Walter von Stolzing: Jean Cox
David: Frieder Stricker
Eva: Hannelore Bode
Magdalene: Anne Reynolds
Night - watchman: Bernd Weikl
Silvio Varviso, conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1974 Bayreuth Festival

DAS RHEINGOLD
Wotan: Theo Adam
Donner: Gerd Nienstedt
Froh: Hermin Esser
Loge: Wolfgang Windgassen
Alberich: Gustav Neidlinger
Mime: Erwin Wohlfahrt
Fasolt: Martti Talvela
Fafner: Kurt Böhme
Fricka: Annelies Burmeister
Freia: Anja Silija
Erda: Vera Soukupova
Woglinde: Dorothea Siebert
Wellgunde: Helga Dernesch
Flosshilde: Ruth Hesse
Karl Böhm, conductor
Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1966? Bayreuth Festival

DIE WALKÜRE
Siegmund: James King
Sieglinde: Leonie Rysanek
Hunding: Gerd Nienstedt
Brünnhilde: Birgit Nilsson
Wotan: Theo Adam
Fricka: Annelies Burmeister
Gerhilde: Danica Mastilovic
Ortlinde: Helga Dernesch
Waltraute: Gertraud Hopf
Schwertleite: Sieglinde Wagner
Helmwige: Liane Synek
Siegrune: Annelies Burmeister
Grimgerde: Elisabeth Schärtel
Rossweise: Sona Cervena
Karl Böhm, conductor
Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1967 Bayreuth Festival

SIEGFRIED
Siegfried: Wolfgang Windgassen
Mime: Erwin Wohlfahrt
Der Wanderer: Theo Adam
Alberich: Gustav Neidlinger
Fafner: Kurt Böhme
Brünnhilde: Birgit Nilsson
Erda: Vera Soukupova
Waldvogel: Erika Köth
Karl Böhm, conductor
Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1966? Bayreuth Festival

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Siegfried: Wolfgang Windgassen
Gunter: Thomas Stewart
Alberich: Gustav Neidlinger
Hagen: Josef Greindl
Brünnhilde: Birgit Nilsson
Gutrune: Ludmila Dvorakova
Waltraute: Martha Mödl
Woglinde: Dorothea Siebert
Wellgunde: Helga Dernesch
Flosshilde: Sieglinde Wagner
1. Norn: Marga Höffgen
2. Norn: Annelies Burmeister
3. Norn: Anja Silija
Karl Böhm, conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the 1967 Bayreuth Festival

PARSIFAL
Amfortas: Simon Estes
Titurel: Matti Salminen
Grunemanz: Hans Sotin
Parsifal: Peter Hoffmann
Klingsor: Franz Mazura
Kundry: Waltraud Meier
Knights of the Grail: Michael Pabst, Matthias Hölle
Squires: Ruthild Engert - Ely, Sabine Fues, Helmut Pampuch, Peter Maus
Flower Maidens: Deborah Sasson, Susan Roberts, Monika Schmitt, Alison Browner, Hilde Leidland, Margit Neubauer
Altosolo: Ruthhild Engert - Ely
James Levine, condutor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuth Festival
Recorded at the Bayreuth Festival, July and August 1985

Although there is some uneveness in recording quality, overall this set is definitely worth the money. The Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, and Tristan are all outstanding, and the Ring and Parsifal are solid. Tannhauser is the only real weak spot -- it is very poorly recorded. Great performances from a bygone era at a low price.

Great set, but why Levine's Parsifal. It's so out of place here. If Knappertbusches was included it would get 5 stars. Please Polygram, get levine out and Knapper in.

Nice production, great dancing. But Ferri and Bolle are wasted on this; they dont' have enough to do!

This beautiful Balanchine-choreographed story ballet doesn't get performed as much as it should because the heirs and executors of the Balanchine Trust will only grant permission to those ballet companies that are willing to keep true to Balanchine's steps as he created them. If I'm not mistaken, distribution rights to the original 1967 ballet-film with Suzanne Farrell have never been sold. In the mid-1990s, the Trust gave permission to Pacific Northwest Ballet to perform it since co-director Francia Russell was not only a former NY City Ballet dancer under Balanchine, but was adept enough at dance notation and had always been trusted with other Balanchine pieces when she took over the helm at the Seattle-based company in the '80s with her co-director, husband and fellow NY City Ballet alumnus Kent Stowell. Since Russell & Stowell had put PNB on the national and (by the early 90's) international map as "a Balanchine company", the Trust had been granting permission to them to put on Balanchine works because 1) they would be done well, with dancers trained in that style; and 2) they would be performed faithfully to the original choreography---liberties wouldn't be taken, calling it Balanchine, but morphing it into something of their own.

PNB took this ballet on an international tour and got sterling reviews everywhere they went. One of the performances of this tour was recorded for DVD and received additional raves from Amazon reviewers (take a look when you can). I saw 6 performances myself in Seattle when they first put it on in '97 or '98, and 8 more performances when they did it again in 2002/2003 (my dates may be wrong).

This production by Scala Milan and their star Alessandra Ferri is also very good. Actually, I don't think a ballet company, amateur or professional could ruin this masterpiece, even if they went with modern costumes and set it inside a hockey rink instead of Shakespeare's magical forest. While Giselle and Swan Lake IMO have sections of music that aren't all that inspiring, Midsummer has no "filler"; besides Mendelssohn's 35-40 minute Dream score, Balanchine chose the perfect Mendelssohn compositions that best match Shakespeare's story and the wonderful choreography: Fair Melusina, Son & Stranger, Walpurgsnacht, Athalia and for that heavenly divertissement in Act 2, the 9th string symphony. To my mind, only Sleeping Beauty has the same cornucopia of endless gems, one after another, beginning to end. (And PNB's production of Beauty with Ronald & Ann Hynd's staging was better than anything London, Paris, New York, Toronto or Winnipeg has done).

As good as this production is, the Pacific Northwest Ballet version would be my higher recommendation if you are new to it. The costumes are more colorful, and the sets are much more brilliant and eye-catching. Much of the background that's supposed to be the forest in the Milan production is so dark and lifeless that it betrays the spirit of the play. You'd think this was MacBeth they were staging. I know that its supposed to be a forest at night, but PNB made it look enchanting, with mysterious trees, cobwebs, giant mushrooms & night-flowers. For the dancing, Ferri is beautiful to look at and her dancing matches for the most part, but its no shame to come in second to Patricia Barker. I watched Barker for the last 8 years of her career and I think only Suzanne Farrell could dance more beautifully. The rest of the Milan ensemble are more than proficient, it appears their hearts were in this. But again, PNB's Seth Belliston is more Puckish than Milan's Riccardo Massimi, Arianna Lallone is a more spectacular Hippolyta than Sabrina Brazzo, and Louise Nadeau is the brighter jewel in the Act 2 divertissement, although Marta Romagna is wonderful as well. Kaori Nakamura deserves to be mentioned for her role as the main Butterfly. With Nakamura, Noelani Pantastico, Maria Chapman and Louise Nadeau, PNB has a quartet of young ladies that could each be the #1 gold-cast ballerina for any of the major companies in Europe or North America.

Ballet fans will want both because each is a treasure to have, to see over and over again. If you had to choose one, Pacific Northwest Ballet should be it. They may not have the international reputation that Teatro alla Scala has, and Patricia Barker & Louise Nadeau haven't done videos with Sting or appeared in films with Barishnykov as Ferri has; but the poor step-sister has it over her sibling with all facets: dancing, costumes, staging. I'm giving this 5 stars more for the ballet itself (which I'd like to see programmed more by ballet companies since we've seen Swan Lake & Giselle in every possible style and twist, as good as they are) than for the Milan team. Again, they are wonderful and I'm grateful this is available on DVD. It just takes a slight back-seat to the Francia Russell/Patricia Barker production which cannot be bettered.

PS - This Balanchine Trust work was staged by yet another couple of former NY City Ballet dancers, Patricia Neary and Sara Leland. They deserve a standing ovation for doing the Balanchine estate proud and giving us fans another glimpse of this undervalued ballet.

This is an excellent recording and I am very pleased to have it.

Schubert: Masses Nos. 2 & 6 Absolute choral purity and diction make this another of Robert Shaw's exquisite recordings. Perfect in every way.

This is a superb disc. I highly recommend it to the lovers of classical music.

This is THE recording of Mass # 2 to get!! # 6 is VERY nice as well. Over all a beautiful and unsurpassed recording.

SCHUBERT, A MASTER OF THE ROMANTIC, CONDUCTED BY SHAW, A CONFIRMED PEDANTIC, MAKES A GREAT MARRIAGE IN THIS RECORDING.

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was raised a Roman Catholic in Vienna, and as a clear-voiced choir boy and violinist, he became acquainted with the works of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, who was his favorite composer.
Among Schubert's vocal works are many with religious texts, most intended for service use. The majority of these, including his first 5 Mass settings, were written for specific occasions and received performances soon after being completed, but this was not the case with his Sixth Mass, which lay unperformed until a year after his death.
In his settings of the mass, Schubert took Romantic liberties, omitting words, repeating words,or even entire paragraphs, thus treating the text not as unchangeable doctrine, but as a flexable libretto to be subservient to his artistic needs. His setting made significant omissions in the Gloria and Credo texts. Some sentences are omitted in all six of his masses, leading to speculation that he dissented from such teachings as the Church's divine authority.

The G major Mass was composed in 1815, and is simple and tuneful, direct and innocent in its idiom. He wrote it in 6 days; it is a small-scaled work accompanied by strings and organ.

The Mass in E-flat major is the product of that remarkable surge of new music that Schubert produced in his final year. Musically it has two aspects: it follows traditional practise in overall shape and construction. However, we encounter, in its harmonic language, Schubert, the Romantic ,using daring chromatic digressions and frankly pictorial writing with telling dramatic effect. This is basically a choral mass, and the soloists are used sparingly.

The performance of the soloists is excellent, and who but a Robert Shaw could bring out the best of the Chorus and Orchestra? Shaw was such a genius in the art of choral performance, but fortunately for us, he left much of his work behind on several recordings. While I enjoy both of these Masses, my preference still leans to the g major. probably because of its more traditional sound.

What in the world was MGM thinking eliminating most of these songs for their stupid film? All of the songs are fabulous! I love them all, & I have such fun listening (and singing) to them. I've recently purchased this CD & I'm glad I did.

People who have seen the botched MGM film of "On the Town" are in for a surprise. This 1960 album contains most of the original Bernstein-Comden-Green songs and dances from the 1944 play.

With the the original orchestrations and lyrics, the songs burst out in joy, humor and a tinge of sadness.

Leonard Bernstein's jazzy arrangements, which were cut to shreds in the film, are presented here alive and spirited.

Columbia Records assembled most of the principals who appeared in the play: Nancy Walker (Hildy, the taxi driver), Adolph Green (Ozzie, a sailor), Betty Comden (Claire, the anthropologist) and Chris Alexander (Chip, a sailor who's being pursued by Hildy). Baritone John Reardon substitutes for John Battles in the role of Gabey, one of the three sailors.

Among my favorite songs are "Carried Away," which takes place in a museum setting and establishes a common bond between Claire and Ozzie ; "Lucky to Be Me," a pop standard that Gabey sings as he awaits his date; "Ya Got Me," a propulsive, exuberant song with a Latin beat that the gang sings to a downcast Gabey at a nightclub; and, perhaps the best of the lot, "Some Other Time," a poignant number that Claire (Betty Comden), joined by Hildy and others in a beautiful vocal arrangement, sing as the sailors' leave comes to an end. (There are about two dozen versions of this song currently in print. And MGM should be ashamed for omitting it.)

The album also includes Leonard Bernstein's ballet numbers (there were five in the play). In the film version, themes from the ballets were incorporated in the dance "A Day in New York."

Strongly recommended.

Many of Bernstein's Broadway endeavors were too musically erudite to be appreciated by their audiences--witness "Candide" and "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." "Wonderful Town" and "West Side Story" were clear exceptions. "On the Town" is borderline. Happily, it survived for 463 performances and this belated partially-original-cast-recording. It may well be that its appearance during the days of World War II added to its appeal. Actually, I find the movie version also to be enjoyable; but it is basically a whole different show. There was also an "On the Town in Concert" version on television that was quite good.
All in all, this is an important part of Broadway musical history and needs to be in the collection of all who enjoy this genre. Enough has been said in previous Amazon reviews about the various singers and songs. Just know that this is a very good recording of a very good show.

On The Town proves -- again -- that Leonard Bernstein's real gift to us was his musical theater work. His score for On The Town goes way beyond the songs -- dance numbers, etc. -- and this CD gives you a real taste of all his flavors. The performers, including Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who wrote and starred in the original Broadway production, are lively, irreverant, funny and "up...". Even though it was recorded a decade after the original show closed, it has a real "live" feel to it. I also think the not very often performed "Some Other Time" ranks up there in "Standards Heaven" with the best of the Gershwins.

This is a thrilling recording with respect to the performances, the writing, and the exceptional sound. The bonus track of the overture brings up the name of Lehman Engel, the Broadway pit conductor and vocal arranger who always put his considerable enthusiasm into all of his projects. It was Mr. Engel, working with Goddard Lieberson of Columbia Records, who came up with the idea of recording the score of ON THE TOWN with many of the original members of the Broadway Cast. In his wonderful autobiography THIS BRIGHT DAY Lehman Engel recollects Leonard Bernstein calling him and saying "Oh, don't hate me, but it's my baby, and I would so like to do it myself." Mr. Bernstein ended up conducting ON THE TOWN and the result is wonderful, although it probably would have been great with Lehman Engel conducting as well.
One of the great aspects of this recording is the inclusion of all the ballet musical sequences, so often excluded from the vast majority of Broadway Cast albums.Grab this one!!!