Classical music reviews

Wondering through the internet music, i have found this song and it is like i have found kindred soul and like i fell in love again.I don't think of landing soon...

I won't go into a drawn out description of what each song does for me, as music is a personal thing and does different things to different people.

It's very obvious there's alot of feeling in this. The tempo rolls around alot, but with purpose. None of it seems out of place. Very dynamic. Songs build and lull.

I've always loved solo piano, but I tend to be real picky about it. I've noticed alot of such CDs have pitiful recording quality. This is very nicely done. Very clear. This is one of the CDs I use to test speakers, because imo, piano is a great test for clarity. This makes almost feel like I'm playing the piano which is nice.

Now, I'm not really a piano player (I picked up a few songs on a boring trip I was on), but this doesn't strike me as virtuoso stuff... which is good. It's just great melodies and chords played with thoughtfulness and skill. I'm not suggesting that Jeff is not a great piano player (I'd have no basis for making such a judgement anyhow) simply that these songs aren't centered on demonstrating his piano playing prowess but rather on simply being beautiful.

In closing, I like Desert Cloudburst enough that I'm trying desperately to transcribe a guitar version of it despite my difficulties with playing by ear.

Jeff Bjorck plays with a haunting beauty that is at once melancholy and yet joyful. With a richness that reveals a marvelous depth of soul, PURE PIANO PANORAMAS creates the perfect ambiance for reflection, sharing, or creating. Bjorck's remarkable gift for touching the heart makes him one of the most memorable artists today.

Oh the depth. It's hard to express in words what Story captures in sound on this incredible album. If you are a Hearts of Space listener Story is probably familiar, but if you haven't ventured into the realm of "slow music for fast times" take a listen. This music is a comfort in this tense modern era, a reminder that, if we look hard enough, there is genius all around us, and a deep eternal reality beyond that which we perceive lingering beneath every surface. We need only stop, look, and listen.

Excellent-I'm currently using it in my treatment room for therapeutic massage and my clients love it. I like working to it- it is soothing and melodic- I would highly recommend this for relaxation and/or background music. I also love the use of mostly real and not synthesized music.

Tim Story is my favorite composer and Shadoplay's ambient melodies are the perfect background music for researching, writing or driving. If your work involves complex analytic thought and you need refreshing music to sustain you, listen to any of Tim Story's CDs and revitalize your mind!

Perhaps, but arguable. Certainly not up to the hyperbole of prior reviewers. Compared to the great Mozartean sopranos of the last 40 years or so, Sumi Jo can often sound clumsy and choked, and often must compromise the beauty of the music in order to meet the demands of her elaborations. Not in the same league with many other Mozart sopranos in the catalogue.

Sumi Jo's voice is so purely beautiful; she is my favorite soprano when it comes to singing Mozart, especially Queen of the Night. Hands down, she owns that aria. Her technical ability is perfect as she breathes song, and the beauty of what you hear is touching in such wonderful clarity. My review can only fall short in my humble attempt to convey to you why you need to hear her voice. The music she produces transcends the earthly. It is dazzling beyond words.

I have to say that from the moment I bought this CD, I was won over by her incredible voice...
I have always been her true fan and always will be.
I love this CD,and I recommend that you buy this and experience the breathtaking voice of Sumi Jo.

My first Winter Solstice cd (I started with number 2) & I'm quite impressed! It is completely Instrumental except for a very short beautiful addition of the sound of female voices more like an instrument near the end of one of the selections that adds to it's sweetness. (Normally I do not care for mixing vocals with primarily instrumentals, but this doesn't detract from it at all). I guess you could play this cd in the winter only, but that sure seems like a waste of the opportunity to be soothed year round. The music is reminiscent of the renaissance period & there are no recognizable Christmas tunes (for me anyway). This whole album is perfect for relaxing anytime & will be great at bedtime for me as I usually have trouble winding down to sleep. Overall, I highly Recommend it. There are some very reasonably priced "like new" ones offered by an assortment of sellers here on Amazon (I now have the first cd in this series on the way to me). Peace.

After all the years and all the Winter Solstice/Carols of Christmas?Windham Hill Christmas compilations, this is the one I always come back to. It has the most original material, and because of that, it is one of the few Winter Solstice albums you can honestly listen to in July or January or December. Brilliant improvisations by Philip Aaberg begin, and end this disc. One of Ackerman's awesome harp-guitar pieces, a piece by Barbara Higbee which is one of the only I've heard of her flute performances. And the most poignant moments of all - Fred Simon's Simple Psalm. Very moving piano work, complete with chime effects. Simply awesome. There is literally not a single boring or predictable track on this CD; it is a true masterpiece of astonishingly consistent talent all throughout. Yes the first "Winter Solstice" was very good, but this was actually far beyond perfect. THIS is the CD to start with!

This is the second in the "A Winter's Solstice" series. As usual, the good folks at Windham Hill have assembled a masterpiece of music!

If I had to describe musically my feelings of the winter season, this would be it. This compilation is so perfect that, if I close my eyes, I can actually feel myself being transported to the vistas these selections describe.

Here's a sampling of what can be found on this CD:

"The Gift" describes a gentle snowfall. Each note and chord of the piano is a snowflake falling gently to earth amongst a forest of evergreens. "17th Century Canon" brings to mind a scene of an early Main Street, with bells ringing, garland and tinsel gently swaying and children playing in piles of snow. "Prelude to Cello Suite #1," written by Johann Sebastian Bach, becomes a fireplace with the flames dancing over the embers.

"Sung to Sleep" is a mother softly and lovingly singing her child to sleep and telling her child, and herself, that all is well. "Bring Me Back a Song" is actually a medley of traditional Celtic carols. It exudes a warmth of good tidings while causing the listener to reflect on Christmases past.

"Salve Regina" is a tune from the Middle Ages. While not specifically a Christmas piece, it nevertheless fits the mood of the album. "Simple Psalm" is perhaps a rendition of one of the Psalms put to music. The listener's mind may wander to a snow-covered countryside as the sun tries to peek through the clouds.

"Come Life Shaker Life" is a traditional Shaker hymn which celebrates life and the joy of living. "Medieval Memory II" is another mood piece that fits well in the canon. This piece brings to mind a winter's evening with a light snowfall, and is a reflection of "peace on earth" at winter time. "Abide the Winter" brings to mind a scene of winter's last days when both flora and fauna return. Birds are happily singing and the first flowers are poking their heads through old snow as spring prepares to make a return. "By the Fireside" is a scene of a fire in the hearth while family and friends sit around and recall visions of winters past and of dreams for the future.

The music presented here makes "A Winter's Solstice II" a great album for retrospect and meditation. Certainly a good addition to any Christmas music collection, especially for listeners who wish to experience a musical journey of the mind and soul. Five stars plus!

There isn't much I can add to the praise bestowed on this album by earlier reviewers. I do think though that a special poignancy is undeniable since Auger's voice, while still beautiful, clearly is not that of a young singer. Her maturity makes her interpretations of these love songs all the more touching. I've probably played this CD a dozen times through the years, far more than any other in my collection. It remains consistently and deeply satisfying.

This is a disc that I recommend to my graduating seniors/graduate students who are pursuing a graduate degree or career options in Vocal Performance.
From the standpoint of technique, Auger is practically flawless---"harsh" is not a word I equate with Ms. Auger's singing. She and Dalton Baldwin are impeccable performers on this disc. All the material was wisely chosen and presented, including one of the slowest "O del mio amato ben's" and one of the slowest "Salley Gardens", indicative of the beautiful breath control this artist had. I have to take exception to one of the comments made by one reviewer, of the "lack of sesitivity to the music that most classical singers possess". This is plain ignorant. This reviewer clearly does not understand the great artistic endeavor that classical singers have to have with Song literature---only a non-singer could have said this. Our finest classical singers of memory have all been outstanding musicians. They also have texts to interpret in many languages. I, as a singer-performer-teacher take great umbrage at comments like this which serve only to degrade the richness of so much repertoire.
I too hated the untimely passing of this fabulous singer. She is one of four famous women singers who all died at the age of 53. I think this disc was recorded not to long before she passed away and does reflect her "goodbye" to her audience. However the disc will remain as timely as the repertoire in it.
Marcia M.Baldwin, Gig Harbor, WA.
Professor Emeritus, Eastman School of Music, Rochester,NY

This recording is possibly one of the best examples of beautiful singing one will ever find. The repertoire, the artfulness, the line and the sheer beauty of Miss Auger's voice is a rare find. I've just recently purchased another copy as I loaned mine to a friend who begged to keep it! One note on the cover - this new cover art seems to imply this CD is some light version of 1970's Montovani romance music. Nothing could be further from the truth. Though the previous jacket (a photo of Miss Auger on pale pink) did look dated, I hope the next pressing of this (& I'm sure they'll be many more to come!) will give this collection the class packaging it deserves. This is a collector's item. Enjoy!!

When I first played the first Nightnoise album, I remember feeling that I had finally found the music I had been seeking; that which evoked images of the Irish countryside. The first 2 albums were perfect and would be rated 5 stars. Beautiful instrumentals which allowed me to visualize my own personal scenes. Then, the singer with the ultra-fast, annoying vibrato was added. The group was never the same and the CDs no longer perfect. It's so seldom I find recording artists that I want to play frequently and eagerly anticipate their next release. I feel angry that this joy has been denied me. Nightnoise, return to the original group and record at least one more CD.

This CD has some hauntingly beautiful tracks, and some beautiful melody's that are just wonderful. You won't regret purchasing this CD.

Maybe the deepest effort for Nightnoise, 'At the End of the Evening' shows how intense and emotional soft melodies and moods can be. The first song, 'Windell', is a very interesting cycling melody with a lot of Celtic taste and very nature-evocating. 'Hugh' is a very emotional and warm piano melody, that brings you a lot of memories when you hear it again times after, and the best song of the album for me is clearly 'Her Kansas Sun'. The American fiddlist Billy Oskay is the one of the band who steps further from Celtic styles and dares to bring other jazzy or maybe new agey flavours. This song is strangely and beautifully composed and played just like everything from the guy and reaches the top of my expectations for music... By the way, I agree to another writer in saying that Triona's voice sometimes sounds a little annoying and forced... also don't like so much the song that gives the title to the album.

The last song is another magic artwork, and it's called 'The Swan'. After one almost ordinary and common acoustic guitar riff it comes an ethereal flute and sweet fiddle that construct a dreamy tune that repeats like a merry-go-round and gives a very sentimental and special end to the album. This is music poetry, mostly if you play it "at the end of the evening" :)

Not as good as "December" by a long shot, but it is a good effort. Winston would be interesting to see in concert. I wonder if there are any video concert videos/DVD's out there.

I am an ardent listener of George Winston and have many albums by the best there is of Windham Hill and it's collectors series. The peace and tranquility Mr. Winston generates through his masterpieces are treasures to me, as are many other piano selections. His notes are like a dense forest filled with the incredible stillness of nature and the feelings that the quiet beauty of it brings forth, in you. Needless to say, I have my moments of imagining myself in the places that "Autumn" takes me to.

I first heard "Autumn" when it was released in 1980, and it was one of a couple of albums that got me hooked on New Age music. When I first bought the album (and it was a vinyl LP; this was before CDs were affordable, at least on my then-struggling-student budget), I thought it was the most beautiful solo piano music I had ever heard. I am still inclined to believe that today, and this album withstands the test of time to emerge as one of the all-time best New Age works.

The first half of the album is the most melodic, and thus the stronger, half in my opinion. There is very little out there in the musical world that can compare to the 1-2-3 combination of gentle grace and bittersweet melody shown in "Colors/Dance," "Woods," and "Longing/Love."

Although I had long replaced my vinyl copy of "Autumn" with a CD, I ordered the 20th anniversity edition for the sole purpose of the added track containing the sheet music for Longing/Love. I enjoy playing the piano, and I have tried searching the web for sheet music for George Winston compositions, to no avail. I was thrilled to hear that this CD contains an arrangement for what is one of my favorite Winston songs.

Is this George Winston's best album? Very possibly. The other possible candidates are "December" and "Forest," both highly worthy of purchase if you do not already have them. Both also contain songs of aching beauty (e.g., the "Walking in the Air" arrangement from "The Snowman"). But when you consider the influence "Autumn" had on the development of New Age music in general and how early this appeared in Winston's career, that may tip the balance in favor of "Autumn."

I had the good fortune to see George Winston in concert recently, and his sheer talent continues to amaze and inspire me. (In addition to playing the piano, he also impressed us with virtuoso guitar and harmonica solos.) He is unassuming in appearance and seems to be a genuinely nice guy. We are all fortunate that he has shared his talent with us.

Verdict: If you like New Age music, buy this album. If you like piano music, buy this album. Heck, if you like music at all, buy this album. It would end up high on my list of "what would you bring if you could only bring 10 CDs with you to a desert island."

Magnificent pianism and music of substance and emotional depth here. This is some of the most intimate, personal musicianship on record, at the same time that it is some of the most extrovert and aggressive (an unusual and fascinating combination).

Four stars and not five, however, because the interest of the first of these two discs will be somewhat diminished for those who do not have an insider's apppreciation of or enthusiasm for pianism qua pianism (as I do not). The repertoire here is chosen to showcase Richter's formidable virtuosity; but if you do not find that especially interesting, then a good bit of the significance of the the first disc here might be lost on you. I tend to enjoy this sort of virtuoso display for its own sake in orchestral music---I'll listen to and enjoy only passable interpretations of the orchestral repertoire if the color and ensemble playing are of the highest order---but pianism for the sake of pianism doesn't do much for me.

None of that applies to the second disc, however, which contains the 6th, 7th, and 8th of the Prokofiev piano sonatas. In these readings Richter's virtuosity functions as an integral component of the music: technical concerns serve musical and expressive ends, and not the other way around. I especially loved the 7th, which is bright and jazzy, and the 8th, epic and haunting.

In all, gorgeous, muscular performances of fascinating repertoire. A classic!

This issue presents the world-known Soviet pianist Sviatoslav Richter. It consists, naturally, of 2 discs.
Disc 1
On this disc is recorded his well-known Sofia recital.
Well, despite his performance of Moussorgsky's Pictures is considered to be one of the greatest ones, I would be more careful in evaluation. If you want to hear a really valuable and musically rich performance of the work, take Janis' or Pogorelich's one. This one made by Richter is not bad, but the style is too "Russian", something like "I'm the great hero from Moscow and I'm going to take your breath...". It means its not refined in an "European" way and many things are unnecessarily and ridiculously exaggerated. This can fascinate those people who don't look for ideas and don't try to think about the music but just want to be impressed in a very direct and simple way. Such exaggerations for the sake of exaggerations can be accepted in several works by Rachmaninoff, Prokofieff or Scriabin, but here I can really imagine more musical ideas and thoughts and less technical and emotional exhibition. And apart from that, despite it is a live performance, the number of mistakes is quite high, one has a feeling that this piece is really very demanding (it is, but I would expect a little bit more from such a recording made by such an artist). As I have already mentioned, it is not bad, but if I compare it to Janis or Pogorelich, its simply not the number one. Richter made a plenty of better recordings (e.g. Schumann Concerto is great).
The another part of the recital contains the music of Schubert, Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff. It is considerably different, the level of quality is much higher and the intellectual value of Richter's playing is very pleasant. Also from the technical point of view its very fine.
Disc 2
Thats a different world, Sonatas by Prokofieff are the home ground for Richter and he is really excellent here. The drammatical and angry Sonatas Nos. 6 and 7 are absolute. The mood is as "Prokofieff-like" as possible and contrasts between lyrical and "sharp" passages are breathtaking. In the Sonata No.8 Richter creates something extraordinary and transcendental, he takes you to a different world. These sonatas are MUST for every fun of Prokofieff's music. Disc 2 is the highpoint of this issue.

Obviously this is a classic...and it's out of print??!!

I found it at a used record store for $12.00, and I think it hadn't even been opened. And now some people want $129 for it? Look around folks.

As far as the CD goes, the real stars are the Prokofiev pieces. Very commanding and stunning. The Mussorgsky is a mixed-bag. Richter starts off a little shaky, and there is some disturbing audience noise. But by the time he finishes he is in full command and the shaky start is totally forgotten.

Try to find this, but don't pay too much!

I try not to begrudge other reviewers, even when they lead me against my better judgment into a foolish purchase. This Traviata from 1962 would be dead on arrival if only because of the listless conducting of Votto, a La Scala hack who brings down Callas's othrwise excellent Ballo un Maxchera and La Boheme. The tenor lead, Gianni Raimondi, has a smallish, reliable tenor but no imagination or passion.

I was prepared for both these drawbacks, hoping for Scotto to carry the show, and it's true that she tries to pull against Votto's slack direction. However, this was too early for her to have developed the unique vocal drama that made her a star--she sounds fairly routine a lot of the time. Which is fatal here because Scotto's voice was never lyrically beautiful--as one critic said, the voice has as much needle as thread in it. She avoids shrillness and wobble, the two faults that settled in after 1970, but by then she was the best verismo actress since Callas and it didn't matter.

Altogether, there's no reason to bother with this bargain release. No price could be low enough.

There are a plethora of Traviata recordings. But pretty much none, IMO, convince from beginning to end in quite the way, say, that classic sets like the Cellini or Serafin Rigolettos or the Cellini or Salzburg Trovatores do.

Recent re-listening, FWIW, to a range of "traviate";-) has left me pondering the field with somewhat less frustration (though only marginally so) than I had a while ago. It may be useful to understand the pitfalls involved in some detail before understanding my (highly subjective?) reasons for making the recommendations I do.

If one wants (and, yes, I do!) a set with a thoroughly committed heroine, colleagues who are at least within hailing distance of her wavelength and her vocalism, a conductor who, at a minimum, is a viable enough storyteller with neither a tendency to thump, to rush nor to snooze, and sound quality that (even when monaural) at least gives a reasonably undistorted picture of what the artists are trying to do, then one has a long search in store.

The pleasant surprise here is how much I am now drawn in to the earlier Scotto Traviata on DG (under Antonino Votto) and the Virginia Zeani recording on Vox (under Jean Bobescu). Neither of these are any less uncut than most of the others, but they successfully hold my interest in ways that the others don't. Committed heroines, simpatico colleagues, responsive and sensible (if not necessarily inspired) conducting, reasonably clear sound -- all these assets seem more present than absent in both these sets.

Slightly surer conducting and a stronger rapport in the crucial meeting of Germont pere and Violetta may give the Zeani set, as a whole, a slight edge. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts -- that sums up the virtues of this set.

But both the DG Scotto and the Zeani are fine performances, and John Steane, in his classic book, The Grand Tradition, points out correctly, in my view, that the young Scotto's mastery of all the demands, expressive and vocal, of the tricky Act I scena puts her in a class by herself. La Scala's more seasoned forces are also an asset here.

No, neither set has an absolutely ideal cast, neither set is uncut, neither set plumbs all the expressive potential in the score -- but there is relatively little to distract one from listening to a compelling drama told clearly through inspired vocal (and orchestral) writing -- more than one can say (IMO) of any of the others. These two give me a feeling that I'm hearing a generally accomplished and "lived-in" reading where the experience is not being "filtered" through stopgaps for this or that or through the vicissitudes of amateurish recording quality or through the necessity for applying due appreciation for high artistic intent compromised by uneven result. Instead, one is set up with certain expectations that are, by and large, fulfilled.

Unfortunately, so far as I know, neither set provides a libretto/text of the opera as part of its packaging, let alone an English translation! So one would have to look elsewhere for a separate libretto, I'm afraid.

It seems like the star of the show here is Votto, the conductor. He leads all of the singers except Violetta and Germont, (who hold their own in accordance with Traviata performance practice), to excellent accented Verdian singing. Very often Traviata can be the least "Verdian" opera of all; arias are turned into showpieces and tempi may be sluggish, but Votto keeps up beautiful tempi and creates a truly urgently authentic performance.

Scotto never sounded better! Raimondi as Alfredo is just right if not memorable. Perhaps the greatest voice on the disc is Bastistianini but he was struggling a little, perhaps because of the illness that plagued him near this time. But the voice was a golden dream. All of the comprimari are really wonderful.

This is an altogether lovely Traviata!

I bought this CD (specifically for the Jauchzet) at Border's in Ann Arbor, after my Stich-Randall LP version was no longer playable. From the first 4 seconds I knew it would be bad. The race through the Jauchzet was 50 seconds shorter than Stich-Randall's 4:53. Audible gasps, unfinished words and phrases, a trumpet that could barely keep pace with the rest of the English Baroque Soloists. What was Gardiner thinking?
This is one of the most disappointing CDs I've ever bought.

Actually the record was made in the eighties. I have a vinil edition of that. No words to properly describe the Ms Kirkby perfomance, her accurate 12 years old boy incarnation. Mr Gardiner reliable direction is also impressing.

Bach's "Magnificat" has been a favorite since it was composed for a Chirstmas service in 1723 at Leipzig. He revised it in 1730 by taking out some elements more relevant to Christmas, transposed it down a half-step to D major, and some other small changes. This recording is of the 1730 version and is performed with tremendous energy and exuberance. And why not? These are the words of Mary upon being greeted by Elizabeth as the mother of the Lord. The soloists are very fine and the choruses are unbelievably clear and precise. The instrumental playing is first rate. Who would expect any less from John Eliot Gardiner.

Some have complained that the tempi are too fast. They may be a tad on the fast side for my taste as well, but it never feels rushed to me. I think Gardiner had a vision and pulled it off thanks to the abilities of his performers and his own skill as a conductor.

The "Magnificat" is also a wonderful work to sing. If you get a chance to participate in a local chorus and sing this work, please do! We sang it with the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers not long ago, and it was a most rewarding experience.

The cantata "Acclaim God in All Lands!" is terrific, as well. I have been an Emma Kirkby devotee since I first heard her sing "Messiah" in Ann Arbor in December 1980 (I was in the 35 voice chorus as one of the tenors). Her angelic voice always delights me and often surprises me with its flexibility, purity, range, and power. The amazing Crispian Steele-Perkins brings his natural trumpet virtuosity to this recording and he always delights. How can you have a bad day after listening to such playing?

If an album of serious art music can be a "feel good" CD, well, this is it. It is like a shot of sunshine and energy to your soul.