Classical music reviews

The music on this CD is clearly first-rate. I particularly enjoy the tabla play of the late Pandit Mahapurush Misra. He's a top rate virtuoso with an impeccable sense of rythmn and melody. In fact, his play adds wonders to the overall melody of the music. My one complaint with Signature Series in general is that each rag has a running time of about 30 min. Perphaps this allows more CDs to be sold by not "overwhelming" the listener with too much at one time, but i think this doesnt allow for a full treatment of the ragas. For this reason, I can't say this is among the very best of classical indian music, but certainly it is worth getting nevertheless. It probably would also serve as an excellent intro to classical indian music, as a more extended presentation could very well "overwhelm" many new listeners.

The reviews read are "spot on" and in humility and recognition of his mastery the only comment I could make is ... MAGIC ! iti

Let me begin by saying that I am a new-comer to the genre, and that most of the music I usually listen to is classic rock and blues. Nevertheless, this CD has completely captivated me. It is soaring, sublime, beautiful music. Even in my ignorance it is clear that the performance is genius. It has opened-up a whole new world of music for me. The CD is a precious jewel.

I noticed her voice a couple of years ago on TBS TV station live concert in Korean. The applause for her was like thouder storm, and since then I remembered her forever.

There is no doubt about her voice and technique, which is one of the best among her peers today. But even in her best reviewed CDs and live performances, I always felt there is a little regret, which is the lack of passion. Behind her crystallike and gentle voice, I found the music is second to the technical showoff, or maybe I should say she is so perfect techincally that the music content was overshadowed. While, from another perspective, all her CDs can be perfect text books for students.

This collection of famous Italian arias is in my opinion one of the greatest recordings of the decade. Jo finds a new style and colour for each song, be it hauntingly romantic or elegant, poised baroque. One of the most beautiful voices today. Do not miss this at all costs!

This has quickly become my favorite album. Sumi Jo's voice is wonderful. Here she sings accompanied by the piano alone, this highlights her excellent talent.

If you have not purchased a Sum Jo album this is the one to buy. If you collect her recordings this is a must for your collection.

Donna Wissinger and Jon Klibonoff have done a superb job. Their musicianship is genuinely artistry of the first caliber. All the music is vibrantly and sensitively played. One feels joy, wonderful intelligence and great caring every step of the way in their music making. I was especially struck by their playing of the Copland Duo. What purity of heart in the opening phrases! Clear, beautifully balanced tones that sing out from the soul. I come back to it again and again to taste its utter peacefulness. Each breath a graceful, easy flowing. Thank you, Donna! I am inspired! And the third movement of the piece is so full of fun and fabulously virtuosic for both players -- Bravi! Among my other favorites were the two Stephen Foster pieces: "The Old Folks at Home" and "Oh, Boys, Carry Me 'long". They magically re-create the charming spirit of another time and place. The pep and bounce of "Carry Me 'long" is absolutely contagious. "Bayou Home" is another miniature masterpeice. William Grant Stills is a treasure I would love to hear more of. Jon and Donna do a splendid job here too. What is so great about their playing together is that they know how to cast a spell with the music and take the time and care to do it magnificently, generously and for the sake of the music. Jon Klibonoff's work is a miracle in its own right, always fully present, rhythmically alive -- simply brilliant. The Howard Tappan arrangements of "Simple Gifts" and "Amazing Grace" are sonorously rich and full of heart and, in the hands of Donna and Jon, absolutely uplifting, indeed, eloquent. I have been privileged to hear these two fine artists in concert on numerous occasions. AMAZING GRACE: AN AMERICAN TAPESTRY captures their extraordinary gifts with prize-winning authenticity. Congratulations as well to sound engineer, Jonathan Schultz. I could not recommend this album more highly.

John Cimino President & CEO Associated Solo Artists Creative Leaps International

The new CD, Amazing Grace: An American Tapestry, is a welcome collection of American music beautifully and expertly played by flutist, Donna Wissinger, and pianist Jon Klibonoff. Ms. Wissinger's lovely, full, pure tone sends us through a treasury of American music. The disk begins with "Simple Gifts" arranged by Aaron Copeland. The Copeland "Duo" is played very expressively with a variety of dynamics and tone color in both the flute and piano parts. There is energy, drive, and brilliant technique without losing tone quality or clarity. Peter Schickele's "Pleasant Songs" are given a mellow, simple and indeed pleasant rendition. Samuel Barber's "Canzone" is shaped by the artists with beautiful flowing lines and deeply concentrated feeling. The composition, "Three Dances", by Stella Sung, is a marvelous addition the the literature. The Andante's intricate and fascinating rhythms and melodies are tossed off with panache by the artists. Playing alone in the Adagio, Ms. Wissinger perfectly captures the improvisational style with a range of emotion and gorgeous color. The Ostinato never lets our attention lag for a moment, the duo brings it to a dazzling finish. Ms. Wissinger and Mr. Klibonoff continue their excellent ensemble throughout all the selections. In the Ernest Bloch "Suite Modale", they take a very thoughtful approach. There are subtle nuances, much delicacy, elegant long lines, and carefree yet refined style with perfectly spun filigree. The remaining somewhat lighter compositions are charming. They provide the finishing touch to an outstanding recording.

"...a star. Miss Wissinger has the sound and the rhythmic vitality of the very best. " - Lavrov, Director Capella Leningrad, USSR

Anything by Shakti is a treasure i think. However, if you are wanting to get into Shakti's music and want all of the albums, I would buy them seperately. They are all on this site. If you want a taste of the group but don't want to invest a whole lot of time and money into buying their individual cd's, then I would buy this. It is a very good compilation. There are of course many great tunes missing, because it would be impossible to put them all on here. However, my favorite song by Shakti is on here. It is called "India". This whole song is so enchanting. I would def. say what really tops it all off though is Shankar's violin solo on this one. He couldn't have captured a better performance I don't think. Every note, gamaka,slide, is where it should be. After hearing this solo, I went out and bought anything by Shankar I could find. Anyways, Shakti is one of the greatest groups of all time in my opinion. I think it would be hard to dispute that. Another great fusion group is Ghazal. I would say buy this album and Ghazal's 'The Rain' if you want to hear some of the best world fusion there is.

The 1970s saw some of the most interesting experimental music of the 20th century. All at once, there was pop rock, progressive rock, pure jazz, blues, and the great experiment, that of fusion music. John Mclaughlin was one of the major movers and shakers of fusion, starting with his band called "The Mahavishnu Orchestra". This band was a hard-edged electric and electronic version of fusion music, and they put out some studependous stuff in their time. Near the end of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, John Mclaughlin went to India, and formed another group, called "Shakti". This group was to be a totally new experiment. In the past, groups such as the Beatles had played with eastern music, Indian music in particular. Mclaughlin himself had some definite influences from India, as evidenced by the name of his fusion group "Mahavishnu Orchestra". Shakti is the consort of Shiva in Indian Hindu Mythology. Whereas Shiva is the destructive force in the universe, he is balanced out by Shakti, who is female and whose attributes include strength and creativeness. It is an apt name for this creative and strenuous group. This time, he met up with, and joined forces with, three Indian musicians, all of whom were well known and well recognized in India. These musicians are Zakir Hussein, who plays tablas, L. Shankar, who plays violin, and T. H. Vinayakram, who plays the other persussive instruments, the ghatam and the mridangham. The meeting resulted in some of the most interesting, and powerful music, that I have heard. One would never think that jazz/fusion would meld with Indian music, but it definitely works! Shakti is totally intrumental and acoustic music. Shakti put out three albums in the 1970s, and have suddenly made a comeback in the late 1990s and early 2000s with a new group called "Remember Shakti". This particular compilation, a "Best of Shakti" , attempts to give the listener a nice representation of what Shakti sounded like.
It succeeds pretty well in that attempt, although I would remove a few of the longer tunes for several of shorter ones that are better.
Review of the Highlights of "Best of Shakti".

1. "Joy".

This is a 20 minute free-for-all! "Joy" is a live recording, from Southhampton College, Southampton, New York on July 5, 1975. What Shakti is all about is evident from this song: total creative power, energy, fusion, dazzling solo ability, excellent and wonderful timing, and just the sheer unspeakable power of music! Zakir Hussein thanks the audience for being here, then they take off on a venture of musicality that you won't believe! Mclaughlin plays the same theme as L. Shankar on the violin, as Zakir Hussein and Vikku jam on percussion. It is incredible how much stamina all of these musicians have, it seems they don't get, nor can't get, tired or fatigued, while playing these incredible 64th notes whizzing up and down the scales with unbelievable speed. During this long live song, there is no room for mistakes, to be sure, and man, they don't make any musical errors, and, quite the contrary, perform so tightly that you would think they had performed together for 20 years, rather than their first performance. I have seen the acoustic guitar that Mclaughlin uses in Shakti, and it is a typical six-string, but it has these other strings that cross over the main strings, and Mclaughlin plays them at the same time, or uses them for emphasis at the ends of his many dazzling solos. Did I say solos? There is so much room in these 20 minute songs, that there are many solos. Mclaughlin does a 7-9 minute one in the middle of this that will leave you breathless! Needless to say, this song, called "Joy", really aptly displays how these musicians feel about their music, and about life in general. From the photos I have seen of this live performance, and from what my brother has told me(he saw them during this 1975 concert tour), Mclaughlin plays the entire concert in a yoga position. Interesting. Infective, inventive, and fast paced, I believe you will agree.

2. "Bridge of Sighs".

This is a studio recorded song. It is a much different song than the previous one. This one is slower paced, full of counterpoint, and is highly reflective of the group's abilities in playing all kinds of interesting music. Mclaughlin really shows he can bend the strings on the acoustic guitar he plays here, and at times, has the ability to play and sound like a sitar. There are some times during this song that there are some flurries of speed, but it is mostly a soft, slower tempo song than most Shakti songs. You also get a nice sound of the ghatam, which is a clay pot that is heated to help it achieve the deep "boom" that permeates the song. It is a shorter song, only about 3 minutes, and I like it a lot.

3. "Mind Ecology".

Another studio song, this tune comes from the recording "Natural Elements" originally. A jews harp starts the song, and sets the time during the whole thing, as do the tablas and ghatam. Violin and acoustic guitar play back and forth in unison and in syncopation, counterpointing the main theme of this positive and fast-paced track. Mclaughlin really jams in this one, as does L. Shankar, on his oh-so twangy violin. You will want to preserve your "Mind Ecology" when you play this one! It is simply brilliant!

4. "India".

Another long one, this is again a studio recording from "Natural Elements". We start out with John Mclaughlin soloing on his unique acoustic guitar, but in a slow tempo.
He does a nice job of bending strings in a very cool "Indian" style, whilst simultaneously "tuning" his guitar up and down. This goes on for about 2-3 minutes, and is kind of nice. When he finishes, and "tunes up" again, the whole band joins in, and treats us to yet another long and powerful, yet melodic, acoustic song of brilliant fusion fury. This tune has lots of reflective and soft melodies in it, and is a nostalgic look at India the country and culture. The middle of the tune is classic Shakti--fast, furious, full of energy, speed, and is sheer blissful fusion. Fantastic!

5. "La Danse du Bonheur".

This tune comes from the CD "Handful of Beauty", which is one of my favorite Shakti recordings. This track starts out with Zakir and Vikku doing a back and forth on vocals in what I think is Hindi, but I am not sure. It is cool, though, and is the only time you will hear any vocals on this compilation(they do a little more of this on some of their other recordings, but not much). This one is my favorite of this CD, as it is so much fun! The guitar and violin, helped by the tablas and ghatam, build up in a crescendo of synchronized fusion as to almost get you so happy that you will explode in musical delight! The main theme on which we build is like that. The soloing is brilliant! L. Shankar solos first on violin, as Mclaughlin keeps time. In my most humble dreams, I wish I could play lead acoustic guitar as well as Mclaughlin "keeps time"! L. Shankar does some lengthy and brilliant soloing here, that is both musically and technically complex, and sounds great. Mclaughlin also plays some damn fine guitar in this tune as well. It is 6 1/2 minute track that is the best of this "Best of" CD.

The Best of Shakti" is a great introduction to the music of Shakti. It has some great representative songs on it that are fantastic. It does achieve, to a certain extent, a "best of" compilation and feel, even though two of the very best Shakti tunes are missing. I recommend it to anyone seeking new, interesting, unusual music, and to lovers of true music in general. You won't be disappointed!

..if you're a serious music freak. The tracks on this CD are like different heroines from different tales. Good to buy if you have all their other releases...and it makes so much sense then to listen to the tracks..different muses..different worlds.
But with eastern mysticism one has to realise it is the entire journey that matters and not just the goal..so if you're not the "shakti for Dummies" type of person stay put till you buy all their other cds because each of Shakti" albums are strories with deep meaning both as pure music and the mental state of the musicians at that time...you'll realise that when you hear their later live releases in the Remember Shakti series. Else it'll be like taking " Mother " out of Pink Floyd"s Wall .....or "thick as a Brick" from Jethro Tull"s album of the same name...it doesn't make sense does it.
But then for a casual music buff..who goes by the very economics of " the best of..." CDs..its definitely a 5 star buy.

This recording is so beautiful. Hearing these pieces performed on flute instead of voice gives them a whole new life. Anyone who loves the flute will love this CD. Emotional, moving, mellow, and interesting--you will listen to this one over and over...

A new wave in Jewish-Classical music, totally different from the Klezmer or traditional Jewish music. Blends classical with contemporary styles--all woven together in a magical way that really transposes the listener. If you gave this CD to a flute lover on your holiday list, it would keep on giving to them long after the holiday ended...

I love this CD. I listen to it every day in my car and even my baby seems to be soothed by it. It is a beautiful selection of tunes by Jewish composers, some hauntingly reminiscent of sadder times in Jewish history and some upbeat and happy. The flutist is amazing. Jews and non-Jews alike will love this music, but if you're Jewish you MUST get it.

What wonderful end of the day music...probably the finest Celtic album that I own, and I own quite a few!!

The voices are clear and exact and gentle and haunting. The music is familiar and comforting and kind.

If you have only one Celtic album, this should be it.

This CD is one of the CDs that makes me glad that we are now in a digital age as opposed to vinyl, for if this had been a vinyl album, it would have been worn flat by now. I play it constantly, in my office, in the car, at home. It has a great, spiritually-uplifting tone that is both inspiring and meditative. It has a great combination of voices, in solos and ensembles, that bring real life and dimension to the music. As the commentator for the introductory essay to these pieces says, the Celts seem to have a real feeling for the presence of the divine, and that can often be heard in these melodies, harmonies, and voices. There is beauty and there is grace in these pieces.

--Music--
Many of the pieces, such as the Ubi Caritas, the Kyrie Eleison, and the Puer Natus are very traditional liturgical lyrics, but here they are given a unique Celtic flavour that is both modern and original as well as traditional and ancient. Other songs such as Be Thou My Vision are more traditional hymn texts, here given arrangement and performance that would seem both refreshing and reassuring. Many of the songs, when they are not utilising Latin for the ancient liturgical pieces, use traditional Gaelic texts, that give an air of mystery and contemplative distance to the songs, such as Seacht Sau�ilcena Maighdine Muire (Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary), Noelenn Brehed, Mo Ghr� Th� (I Love Thee), and B�, a �osa, Im Chro�-Se (Jesus Be in My Heart).

--Performers--
All of the performers here are stunning. Connie Dover and Aiofe Ni Fhearraigh, both women of astonishing voice. Aine Minogue combines talent on the harp with high-calibre singing, and her double talents shine with distinctive Celtic flair. Sheena Wellington and Theresa Schroeder-Sheker lend their incredible talents to finish the disc with strength and beauty that reach emotional climaxes befitting a spiritual ecstasy.

William Jackson displays both vocal and instrumental talents, which include performances the bamboo flute and the gut-strung clarsach (Scottish harp) for a stunning performance on Salve Splendour, and William Coulter brings his acoutic guitar talents to an old Irish hymn.

Also performing on this disc are three groups: the Anjali Quartet, the Groupe Vocal Jef Le Penven, and the Baltimore Consort, each renowned and experienced in the musical styles that incorporate ancient and Celtic influences.

--Liner Notes--
The CD comes with a small booklet that includes biographical information on each of the major performers and groups, as well as listings of back-up and harmony contributors. There is an introductory essay on the Celtic Spirit by Fr. John O'Donohue. Like many Narada collections, these pieces have appeared on previous Narada recordings, and details for finding the prior releases can be found here. This is an excellent guide, for many of these pieces inspired me to want more, both of the artists and of the types of music.

--Overall Impressions--
I cannot speak too highly of this collection. While not the most intricate or sophisticated of music, it is nonetheless a favourite of mine for both background and forefront listening. It makes a good companion for prayer and contemplative times, for waking or falling asleep, for reading or for working.

If angels sing, this is how they surely must sound. Of all the music I have ever heard I find this to be the purest most transporting experience of pure feminine energy. Never syrupy or pedantic, the female vocals here seem to literally plumb the listener's deepest regions and stir those subtle quiet spaces gently to life. The gaelic lyrics, rather than being an obstacle to enjoyment, serve rather to enhance the entire musical experience by side-stepping the issue of literal meaning, at least to we who speak only English, and thereby freeing us to appreciate the words as sounds whose meaning transcends spoken language. I own other celtic albums, all of which I love for their own particular strengths, but this is the one I save to listen to at those special quiet times when I'm alone and just want to put on the headphones and be carried in the arms of the angels.

This set brilliantly portrays the genius of these 15 Quartets better than any other. Technically and artistically powerful, moving performances.

The Fitzwilliam Quartet cycle is a close second.

As of this writing, the original EMI releases of these recordings are all available on Amazon, most of them at very reasonable prices. But they're hard to find, because whoever set up the product pages listed the performers as "Brq" instead of the "Borodin Quartet." (How smart was that?) Anyway, just do a search on "Brq" and they'll all come up except for the disc with the 7th & 8th Quartets & Piano Quintet. For that one, search Shostakovich & Richter. Sure, EMI's sound is a bit dry - but it suits the music. And it goes without saying that these are among the greatest recordings that anybody ever made of anything.

There now exist several recordings of the complete Shostakovich string quartets. Some of them are very fine ones: the Emersons, the Fitzwilliams, the Beethovens, and the Borodins to name a few. While each of these collections of interpretations has their strengths, the Borodin Quartet delivers probably the most satisfying and definitive renditions. In what are otherwise fine cycles, the Fitzwilliam Quartet tends to sound jagged and shrieking at times, and the Emerson Quartet offers much perfection and less character. With the Borodins the irony and dark humor comes into play the best, and in the more tranquil moments (like the final movement of the third) the timbres created are breathtaking. In fact, the Borodins seem to succeed better than anyone in illutrsating the gamut of emotions the quartets offer. No doubt older members of the quartet's personal contact with Shostakovich as well as training in Shostakovich's Russia helped develop this ability. The quartets of Shostakovich radiate mystery and depth. To date it seems to me that the Borodins achieve this the best.

Lively, nuanced, and varied interpretations of an excellent repertoire. Refined; vigorous, sprightly, tangy.

Run, don't walk, and buy this cd. This is some of the most beautiful, emotive playing I've ever heard. Not to mention unbelievable technique and tone. Imagine having it all on one cd. Kevin is a true artist.

Mr. Gallagher is no doubt a phenomenon. It is a shame that major labels, including Naxos, do not consider much working with such great artists as him as seemingly this is his only recording. He knows how to make the guitar sound like different instruments in an orchestra which should be the aim of every guitarist who performs and would like to leave the world a gift of recording. Bream did this as well as Segovia of course but not many such names come to mind. His sense of rhythm and colours remind me of Horowitz making his piano sing. Hope that we can see his name on more such beautiful recordings.
The selection of pieces and their order is put flawlessly. Brace yourselves for a luxurious journey.

This CD provides an air of calm and relaxation for those seeking a break from the rush and calamity of the quotidian. I recommend it highly because of it's cheap price, too!

I cannot agree more with all the positive reviews of this disc. I am a baroque nut and a huge admirer of classical guitar music, and this disc combines the two in splendid fashion. Julian Bream's playing is astounding, especially on the Sor minuet and also the lesser known pieces (to me) by Weiss. Overall, the selection of music on this compilation is great.

There is a fair amount of background hiss, as can be expected in an analog recording from the 60's, but the musical quality and interpretation Mr Bream lends to the music here would make any amount of background noise worthwhile.

To me the guitar is one of the most beautiful instruments ever created. This CD compliments the guitar by providing the most beautiful baroque guitar music I ever heard. Everytime I listen to this CD it reminds me of The Prado Museum in Spain or an opulent Italian villa. I also love the fact that there are many songs on the CD. There's 22. So sit back realx and enjoy the music. It's money well spent.

There is a growing consensus among professional musicians, musicologists, and aficionados that the use of "period" instruments in performances of the Classical repertoire yields an authenticity that is not realized when modern instruments are used. This sparkling cycle is more grist for the mill. Clarity, balance, and rationality - the hallmarks of the Classical style - shine through here.

Perhaps listeners raised on Karajan and Klemperer will be a bit jolted by the sound here. There are no theatrics, no fussy bombast, no histrionics. But for admirers of texture, the luxury of being able to hear the subtleties of orchestration will have a narcotic effect. To take but one example from this cycle, the fugal development of the final movement of Eroica is the most clear and balanced version I've yet heard.

Even so, the war between the "purists" and the "revisionists" will rage on, but thanks to this outstanding recording the former have gained yet another battle victory over the latter.

This set is amongst my favorite Beethoven symphonies, only falling in after the classic sounds of Bruno Walter and George Szell. For first timers I would recommend either of those performances (Szell's is at bargain price at the time of this writing and Walter's is at midprice, though quickly going out of print) to start off. I feel that the whole set is totally worthwhile, and I particularly enjoyed the 6th, 9th, and the Egmont overture. I agree with prior reviewers that we can only guess what Beethoven actually heard performed in his time, but I feel that many of the things that were said about these symphonies in "period" performance are true of any "period" performance. We can only guess, and Hogwood is world renowned as one of the most savvy guessers out there.

Beyond that, these performances are just great listening at a great price.

This Hogwood boxed set is very good to great as far as performance and interpretation is concerned. Sometimes sound quality can be my chief reason for buying a cd, and this has the best sound that I've found for the Beethoven symphonies. It has a very vivid fat sound quality. The sound quality in a lot of sets sounds very diffuse, kind of like listening to your stereo system without the equalizer on.

Not that the interpretation and performance are subpar, because they are far from that. This is period performance at it's absolute best. Hogwood shows that he knows what he's doing in conducting his superb Academy of Ancient Music.

This boxed set only sells for about $24.74, so I definitely wouldn't want to pass this superb bargain up!!!