Classical music reviews

This recording is interesting in that Robert Shaw took a one-voice-to-a-section balance for some of the choruses rather than using massed forces throughout. I like the effect, but am ready to admit that it's not quite kosher. In addition, all of his soloists are excellent except for bass Thomas Paul, a longtime NYC veteran of the Bach-Mozart circuit, who just was not in good voice here. The problem is that, even more so than Sir Georg Solti, Shaw makes "the crooked straight and the rough places plain," sacrificing the exciting edginess of Bach's counterpoint in favor of more homogenous textures. As the performance went on, I found myself more and more engaged by the soloists and less and less by the chorus....not a good thing in a work that is about 80% choral!

Of the existing versions, John Eliot Gardiner's is probably the best, but if you seek out the old Peter Schreier recording on Philips you will be rewarded by a performance whose rhythmic and textual riches will delight you again and again. If you want a somewhat smoother Mass, the Solti recording has more enlivened orchestral and choral playing, though it borders on the over-reverent in tone and Bel Canto in style.

Whenever I chance to listening to the "Kyrie Eleison, Dona Nobis Pacem, Sanctus...SAHnctus...SAHNCTOOS!" I must admit they are so deeply entrenched into my bloody emotions...They move from deep in the Pit of my Stomach, to my heart, back to my Spinal-column, finally into my wee bits of Cerebreal Memory! Since 1970's, I first began to listen to Shaw's glorious 33 1/3 RCA Recording: It either sent cold chills or warm thoughts start me to singing or meditating!

Finally in mid-1970's in Westminister Choir College, we began to rehearse in the Cavernous Temple University Cathedral with its' reverb of 35-40 seconds! Alongside those awesome soloists from NYC, adding to the Orchestra from NY Philarmonic, we thoroughly enjoyed heading: Tommy Pyle, Ara Bebarian, Florence Kopplev, and tenor Seth McCoy! Whenever we took a break I had chances to chat with Tom Pyle or Seth McCoy. They gave great Respect, Love and Admiration for Sir Robert. I finally began to understand him as both a kind person and tremendously gifted-human Being...The Only one of his kind!

When we first recorded, "The Christmas Nativity" in the Atlanta Symphony Chorus, I often caught a glimpse of tears trickling down his expressive face, near the ending of Dona Nobis Pacem! He both gave all of himself and asked his singers to do as much from themselves! With fond memories, retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

A great piano pedagogue once said "there are two types of people who play Bach: those who use pedal and those who don't." I find the same is true in listening to Bach Oratorios such as the Passions, Magnificat, and The B Minor Mass. There are some who find Robert Shaw's immense, knock your socks off, blow the roof off the joint interpretation to be utter blasphemy. Then there are others who say "we've heard it on period instruments, but it sounds better with 250 singers!" Or in other words, "if Bach had a pedal he would have used it."

Shaw's performance of the Mass is certainly the grandest, and by that, most impressive recording on the market. The Kyrie is stunning and the Gloria magnificent. But the Sanctus is out of this world. This recording is worth the purchase for the choral, orchestral, and solo performances in this movement alone. I applaud Shaw for successfully pulling a mass chorus through such a harsh yet delicate work. The tempo at times drags a little, but with the size of choir and orchestra being used it is common to take such liberties. This is a wonderful CD set and will surely be a prized collection. So pedal that prelude all you want, pianists!

On my shelf, I have this recording next to Gardiner's Christmas Oratorio. Matter and antimatter, you say? I don't think so. Simply put, this performance is musically convincing and a joy to listen to; it does not suffer from the ponderous tempi that hurt Richter's later work, and packs a wonderful dramatic punch. Kudos especially to Haefliger; his performance of "Ach, mein Sinn" gets me every time.

There is one small defect: the fermatas in the chorales are uniformly held long. This sounds great in "O grosse Lieb" but cuts into the choir's momentum in a couple of the other chorales. Otherwise, a brilliant performance.

After 30 seconds of listening to the opening chorus it hit me and I had to rewind to verify: it's the guided tour to the piece. Amazing, I have never heard any performance of anything that is as much a lesson as it is best-of-class performance. Richter is taking the listener by the hand and explains how the piece works, by performing it with minimal emphasis on different concurrent lines. Polyphony explained, wonders shown, all without words. If you consider yourself both a lover and a student of Bach music (two roles that are probably hard to separate) this is the recording to get.

Your attention is grabbed and sustained from the moment the woodwinds begin in the haunting opening measures of the first chorus. This version is incredibly presise ad skillyfully executed--the best of the best!

This is a beautiful recording. Somewhat more accessible than some John Zorn records. I don't write long reviews. YOU NEED TO OWN THIS!!

"Bar Kokhba" is one of John Zorn's most tirelessly praised and revered albums-- look no further than the reviews here, all of them give the recording five stars. Likewise, every commercial review sings its praises-- "[t]he album consistently impresses" (All Music Guide), "a double album of painfully beautiful music" (omnology.com), "simply excellent music" (Lord Chimp's review here on amazon).... the praise goes on and on. The album is discussed as the kind of Zorn you could play for your friends and family, I even saw one review mention this as dinner music. Zorn? Dinner music? So what's the truth? Is this piece all those things? "Painfully beautiful"? Arresting and engaging? Human and living? A total masterpiece?

You know, it pretty much is. There's few albums that stretch over two hours as this one does that can really hold my interest, but this does so effortlessly. "Bar Kokhba", for those unfamiliar, is effectively billed as chamber ensembles play the Masada songbook. For those unfamiliar, the Masada book is a series of melodies written by Zorn using the "Jewish scales"-- this lends that Middle East meets Eastern European vibe that you get from traditional Jewish musics. Originally performed by a quartet modelled after Ornette Coleman's famed quarter on his Atlantic recordings (alto sax, trumpet, bass and drums), "Bar Kokbha" was the first recording to explore the music in different lights. Featuring violinest Mark Feldman, cellist Erik Friedlander, bassists Greg Cohen and Mark Dresser, guitarist Marc Ribot, pianist/organists Anthony Coleman and John Medeski, clarinetists David Krakauer and Chris Speed, drummer Kenny Wolleson and trumpeter Dave Douglas in various formations, the music is performed with a depth and sensitivity. Alternatingly aggressive (the Masada String Trio on "Sheloshim") and passive (piano and organ duet "Mo'ab"), delicate (downtempo Speed and Medeski duet "Abidan") and explosive (Coleman/Dresser/Wolleson piano trio "Nefesh"), patient (bubbling solo guitar piece "Mochin") and schizophrenic (Cecil Taylorish Medeski solo piano piece "Hath-Arob"), the music never ceases to engage the listener fully.

Still, as wonderful as this recording is, it's not the kind of thing everyone's going to "get" It's still a Zorn piece, and for every easily digestable piece ("Mashav"), there's one that's not so easy to deal with ("Paran"). Both of these are duets between Krakauer and Coleman, but while the former features melancholy clarinet over delicate piano, the latter features swirling, avant-garde organ and dug-in bass clarinet. But it's really this duality that makes the album so successful.

One more note-- the production on this is fairly unique-- it's almost as though Zorn wanted a human feeling to this-- clicking clarinet keys, fingers muting strings, and breathing all are readily apparent, and this serves only to enhance the recording. All in all, an essential entry in Zorn's catalog. Try a straight Masada piece first if you're new to the music (I'd recommend "50th Birthday Celebration Volume 7", a recent live recording for an introduction), but this may be a good second place to look. Highly recommended.

This is quite a set. _Bar Kokhba_ is two hours of small chamber-jazz ensembles playing pieces from John Zorn's Masada songbook. The music stems from traditional Jewish melodies, which are addictive and lovely, but Zorn revisions them as very jazzy and deviously contrapuntal. The instruments used are violin, cello, bass, drums, clarinet, trumpet, piano, organ, and guitar. Certain combinations appear more frequently than others, for instance the Feldman-Friedlander-Cohen string trio and piano trios led by Anthony Coleman or John Medeski. There are also a few piano solo pieces, with one in particular, "Hath-Arob", where Medeski attacks with a 'free' atonal clatter, while still sounding kinda Jewish. Marc Ribot is notably impressive on guitar. No matter what he plays, on this disc or anything else, it is always so compelling. His 13-minute solo piece, "Mochin", is probably the high point of disc 2. This is simply excellent music that will impress many. It would be wise to purchase it.

There is really very little I can add to the other reviews of this remarkable performance. This is, flat out, the most
AMAZING 9th you will ever hear! Who ever would have thought that
ANGER and OUTRAGE were appropriate emotions for approaching the
9th? Furtwangler not only pulls it off, but does so in a way that is so utterly convincing, that all other recordings of the
9th pale in comparison... in spite of the limitations of the
1942 technology! This is Furtwangler's artistic protest of Hitler and Naziism, and it is full of strength, muscle and
tenderness. His famous liberal use of rubato actually succeeds
in making the music "breathe" more fully. In spite of the atrocities going on around him, Furtwangler gives us a 9th which
is full of humanity -- albeit, a dark response to our darker
impulses. Yet, if the "Ode to Joy" here is full of anger, it is
equally full of sunlight, but it is sunlight focussed like a laser down a mineshaft.
There is no other word for this performance than ASTOUNDING. It
will reduce you to repeated, inarticulate utterances like "Oh wow!" and leave you limp... but also exhilirated, too.

As the other reviews say, this performance of Beethoven's 9th is unlike any other that you will ever hear. Make no mistake, it is a great performance, but somehow that is one of the least important aspects of this recording. Above all, this recording is a time machine that takes you to a very distinct place and time: Berlin, March 1942. You need only listen to a few minutes of this recording before you can feel the tension and horror of a wartime Berlin that knows Nazi armies have been pushed onto the defensive on the Eastern front, and that knows of the deportations of German Jews to "the East" and of the mass executions of Russian Jews by SS killing squads in Russia. This is gut-wrenching music, brim-full of what I hear as outrage, horror, and sadness. I find the boxy sound actually *adds* to the power of the performance: this is music from the abyss, a sometimes faint echo of a nightmare, all the more terrifying for the moments when the recording crumbles before the almost hysterical fury of the music. If Beethoven had known of Auschwitz, this is how he would have wanted the Ninth to have been played.

It's exceptionally rare that one comes across a truly mind-boggling rendition of an extremely popular classical piece; so many recordings have been made that virtually every creative avenue has been explored. Yet, that's exactly what you get with this CD, a performance for the ages, an interpretive tour de force.

Wilhelm Furtwangler was known as a great conductor of Beethoven's symphonic repertoire, indeed, he was a musician with a powerful gift for the compositions of the German masters. The maestro recorded the ninth symphony many times, in the process, he gave us two of the greatest interpretations of that astounding work, this being the more inspired of the duo.

Upon listening to this CD for the first time, you'll immediately notice that the sound quality is horrendous; hiss, bad microphone placement, and sounds from the audience that rival that of the orchestra. But stick with it! In time, the sonic inferiorities of the recording melt away to unveil a performance of ethereal inspiration. You will not believe the supercharged finale! Every time that I listen to this performance, I'm left in awe; it's THAT unique!

I own nine recordings of this most well-known opus, among them are some really exceptional efforts, but this Music & Arts CD is the most cherished. Fritz Reiner's version of the symphony is, rightfully, a classic, Solti's 1972 performance is electric, Muti's rendition is excellent, but Furtwangler's 1942 effort stands at the summit, outdoing even his 1951 offering.

A neophyte should probably begin with Reiner's beautiful account, and perhaps listen to Solti's version next. I would NOT recommend this CD to a beginning collector; the sound is too primitive and the performance is too atypical. But those familiar with Beethoven's final symphony will consider it the proverbial cream of the crop. I pull this puppy out like I would a bottle of my finest Brandy, only when I want a taste of the sublime.

Wilhelm Kempff has long been one of my favorite Beethoven interpreters, ever since I first acquired his first (and best) complete set of Beethoven Piano Sonatas on mono DG LPs. His highly polished "cameo" style brought out both the poetry and wit of those wondrous Beethoven "diaries" in unique fashion. Only the very different complete sets by Artur Schnabel and Yves Nat have given me comparable satisfaction.

This pairing of Beethoven's 4th and 5th Piano Concertos is one of the finest available in stereo. However, it comes from fairly late in Kempff's career: some of the virtuosity had dimmed a little by then, and Ferdinand Leitner's accompaniments are a trifle slack and uninspired.

Here is one jaded collector's view of those recordings that ought to be auditioned in order to get the full measure of these fabulous works:

Piano Concerto #4. To my mind, this is Beethoven's finest piano concerto: it was the first ever to start off with the piano solo (no orchestral introduction), and the slow mvt. is simply sublime. Unlike the 5th, this one has two different cadenza choices for the 1st mvt., both written by Beethoven: the first is rather short and fiery, the second is longer and the more frequently played of the two. Some pianists "adapt" it (Hansen with Furtwangler, Rubinstein/Krips, Backhaus/Krauss, Solomon/Cluytens, etc.), while a few either opt for versions composed by others (e.g., Brahms, Saint-Saens, Reinecke), or choose to play their own (Kempff). In the 3rd mvt., there are also alternative cadenzas (e.g., Edwin Fischer plays the d'Albert, Rubinstein/Beecham goes with Saint-Saens, etc.). So there is some real justification here for having more than one version of this concerto in your collection.

There are so many readings to choose from here! Two that are very highly regarded by others are Gilels/Jochum (to my ears, it's just a little TOO perfect) and Pollini/Bohm, which strikes me as being more about pianistic fluency than musical perception. Those I would most recommend auditioning are the 1947 Haskil/Zecchi (deleted Decca - it's coupled with Lipatti's superb "live" Schumann Concerto with Ansermet), Cor de Groote c.1953 with Willem von Otterloo (this rare Epic LP REALLY needs a good CD transfer, along with the other 4 concertos in that gorgeous set), the 1939 Kempff (with Abendroth on Music & Arts 1065, with hair-raising accounts of the "Eroica" and 9th Symphonies), the 1953 Kempff with Paul van Kempen (from the complete concertos with the BPO on DG 435744), the 1963 Moravec/Turnovsky (on VAI - it has a spine-tingling account of Beethoven's 1st mvt. early cadenza), the 1954 Edwin Fischer/Philharmonia (he also conducts - but the Testament CD transfer is terrible), the live 1943 Conrad Hansen with Furtwangler/BPO (Tahra & other CD labels), and two by Schnabel: the 1933 Sargent/LSO (Dante, Pearl or Philips) and the 1942 Stock/Chicago Sym. (excellent mono sound on RCA).

Of these, my favorite is the Schnabel/Sargent, closely followed by the Schnabel/Stock, Kempff/Abendroth, and Hansen/Furtwangler. Kempff's cadenza in the 1st mvt. is really intriguing, and the way it re-joins the orchestra is utterly ethereal.

Piano Concerto #5. To my mind, the great ones here are the magnificent Fischer/Furtwangler (on his Vol. 2 in Philips "Great Pianists" series), Kempff/Kempen (DG), Schnabel/Sargent and Schnabel/Stock, de Groote with Otterloo and the Hague Phil. (Epic LP), Hansen/Bohm (Musicaphon), and the "live" 1942 de Groote with Mengelberg and the Concertgebouw (on a fabulous 10-CD box set from Q-Disc). The latter has a unique poetry from the pianist and sensational conducting from Mengelberg - it's my favorite along with the Fischer, Schnabel/Sargent, and Kempff with Kempen. For a superb stereo recording, try chasing down the cheap Allegretto Vox CD recording by Dubravka Tomsic/Anton Nanut. The conducting is nothing special, but this is a wonderful collaboration - and the sound is exceptionally warm and realistic.

If your primary interest is in obtaining Kempff's finest accounts, I would strongly recommend getting his complete set with Kempen on DG, supplemented by that terrific Abendroth set on M & A. You will then have a virtual embarrassment of riches!

To many listeners around the world, Wilhelm Kempff still remains as the authentic voice of Beethoven. The expressive and peerless phrasing of this colossal pianist simply has no parallel in the music. Luxuriant, elegance, class, flair, energy, and absolute domain of the span makes of him one the supreme interpreters of Beethoven.

In this case his collaboration with Ferdinand Leitner brings us a performance where wisdom and elegance shake hands; Kempff was always surrounded of that supreme conviction, that undeniable commitment about the significance of Beethoven ?s legacy. That ?s why his sound looks like the rest and nevertheless no one sounds like him.

To my mind his version of the Fourth is unbeatable but I rather his Emperor reading with Paul van Kempen of the Fifties.

This recording is proof (as if it was needed!) that when you are shopping for classical music CD's the price you pay is in no way related to the quality of the product you get. PolyGram is to be commended for both the quality of the music and packaging of its mid price "Original's" series which has over the past several years made available some of the jewels of DGG's priceless back catalogue and this release is no exception.

Drawn from Wilhelm Kempff's justifiably famous 1960's Beethoven cycle these ravishingly beautiful accounts of the 4th and the 5th (The Emperor) concertos are in my opinion the finest ever committed to tape. This is especially true of the 4th concerto, this most lyrical of concertos is played with such passion and delicacy that the listener can not fail to be moved, the second movement "Andante con moto" in particular possessing an almost ethereal beauty. Kempff himself always considered this to be Beethoven's finest work for piano and orchestra and this recording includes Kempff's own cadenza which he played throughout a concert career spanning seven decades.

The Emperor Concerto however is where most people start to have trouble with this release. In Kempff's reading, the concerto's heroic aspects are subtly muted, the artist concentrates on the more lyrical side of the music which seems to me to lend a degree of irony -almost akin to a raised eyebrow- to the more bombastic elements of the score. Although a controversial view, this is perhaps more in keeping with Beethoven's eventual feelings about the Emperor than would be evident in a more straight-forward reading, but as ever with any of Kempff's recordings the listeners opinion will be a highly personal one. For me Kempff's delicate technique and the almost unique depth of his artistic insight make this recording an essential part of my collection.

While it was the ninth symphony that became the work the Romantic age wrestled with for decades, it was the third symphony with which Beethoven broke with the past and announced himself a revolutionary. A great deal has been made of it being originally inspired by Napoleon or at least dedicated to him. Whatever the truth is, the name was crossed out and the name of the E-flat third symphony became Eroica (Italian for Heroic)

Written during it 1803 it was first performed for the Prince to whom it was dedicated, Franz Joseph von Lobkowitz who paid for the rights to perform it at his house for several years. When it was first rehearsed, things did not go well because the music seemed so strange and unlikely. The Prussian Prince, Louis Ferdinand, paid a visit to Prince Lobkowitz who had this strange work played for him. The Prussian listened with increasing intensity and asked for an immediate repetition. An hour later he asked for it to be performed for a third time.

Once people caught on to what the music was about it became a huge success and was performed throughout the composer's life, is on programs regularly, and recorded often. However, this recording by George Szell and the Cleveland Symphony is a classic and one many of us grew up listening to over and over again. It is powerful and clear and one you will want to hear many times even if you favor another recording more.

The eighth symphony is a masterpiece whose utter greatness is not fully appreciated by the general public. At its premiere in 1814, it followed the seventh symphony in A major (whose andante so affected the audience they demanded an immediate repetition). Expectations were high for this totally new and unheard eighth, but it did not cause the audience enough excitement after the seventh to demand a repetition. The newspaper review of the concert said the eighth would have been better placed before the seventh on the program. The reviewer also suggested that the eighth should not be paired with the seventh on a single program, but be performed on its own in order to achieve real success. To me, this seems good advice.

Still, this is a work of so many delights and such musical mastery that it deserves more attention than even lovers of Beethoven's symphonies usually accord it. There is humor, effervescence, and musical mastery to spare. The finale is exuberance and good humor personified. This recording by Szell is well balanced and gets at what the music is offering us very well.

Enjoy!

Although there are hundreds of digital recordings of the Beethoven symphonies popping up all over the map, it's refreshing to see that people still look to the older masters for definitive recordings. George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra always, ALWAYS deliver fantastic performances. And they deliver quite a punch in this CD of Beethoven's eroica and 8th symphonies.

The eroica is a difficult to perform well. Its clearly a classical symphony, and must be treated as such. Still, the dramatic energy of the work belies its classical form. Thus, the conductor must balance the classical and romantic aspects of this work. Szell does a superb job handing the eroica. His tempos are swift and energetic. His climaxes are electrifying. His power is absolutely astounding. This is truly one of the best recordings of this symphony.

The eighth, although less emotionally captivating than the eroica, is still wonderfully performed by the orchestra. Szell gives an energetic, fascinating performance.

Although these analog recordings were made half a century ago, they stand up to any digital recording. Highly recommended.

It has been said that Szell's Eroica is in the Toscanini tradition. It certainly comes closer to the famous Toscanini broadcast of 1939 (the consensus seems to be that this is the best of the Toscanini recordings, even more so than his fine 1953 broadcast) than many others. Although Szell may lack a little bit of Toscanini's nervous intensity and abruptness of accent, he shares enough of these qualities to bring out the rhythmic drive and incisiveness of the music. Regarding the matter of accents, my feeling is that the nature of this music, and Beethoven orchestral music in general, requires sharp, forceful accenting. Otherwise the music will fall flat. For example, although Karajan's well known 1963 DG recording with the Berlin Philharmonic employs similar tempi to those of Szell, his consistent rounding off of accents (more appropriate for Bruckner) severely vitiates the music of its native rude force, thereby rendering it rather bland and boring.
On the other hand, this performance, while much more consistent in tempo than someone like Furtwangler, yet retains enough breath and flexibility of phrasing to avoid the metronomic rigidity that afflicts at least some of the original instrument recordings. His performance of the 8th shares the same qualities.
Although the sound, though clear and natural, is arguably a bit limited compared to more modern recordings, the price of this coupling is at the superbudget level (6-7 dollars), which makes it a superbargain for the musical rewards contained therein.

Although at first listen this piece is full of screeching and wailing, it is definitively Bernstein. The syncopated rhythms, odd time signatures, nods to American popular, blues and jazz idioms, as well as the explosive dynamics of this piece make it a fascinating listen. WHat I didn't like about this particular recording, led by the Maestro himself, is that one cannot understand much of the text. It is mushily inarticulated. The orchestra, however, is superb, especially the percussion, and the dynamics on this recording are well differentiated. The boy soprano in the 2nd movement(emulating boy David with his harp)sings gorgeously, but one can't understand a word of the Hebrew text of the 23rd Psalm, too bad.If only Bernstein had paid as much attention to the choir as he did to the orchestra, this would be a fabulous recording of a distinctive work.

This recording is a digital remastering of the two works, as originally recorded and issued on Columbia records. I listened to my old, now broken-down vinyl copies again and again, and am very pleased to have the works on CD. The performances are stunning and authoritative; the singing and the playing, exquisite; and the music, electrifyingly dramatic. This album is well worth owning!

Leonard Bernstein's Kaddish Symphony is a powerful mass reflected on a Jewish background. With both the composer who is a Jewish American, and the first Cathloic president John F. Kennedy, whom Bernstein dedicated the music to after the tragic assisination, being pious believers of heritage, it's partly fit to empasize and create this "requiem" based on the pure Jewish heritage.

Bernstein's Kaddish is an incredibly powerful piece. Although it's hard to understand the Jewish words sung by the choir, the music itself shows its emotions of savagry, pain, and lament, and to top it off, the narrating voice of the music, played by Bernstin's wife, is more than enough to give importance to the "deep sense of kinship and loss that Bernstein felt" after the president had died. The words can show how remorseful Bernstein, and his wife, must have been.

Regardless of the mediocre technology of digital recording on this performance, this music is a definite buy for those who want anything about Bernstein, or wants to give into an American Tragedy. I don't care how great other performances may be; Bernstein's performance is enough for me.

On the other hand, Chichester Psalms, like the Kaddish Symphony, has no specific story, being based, this time, on Psalms 2, 23, 100, 108, 131, and 133. The first movement is joyous, the second movement is a sort of a 'hymn' sung by a male solo high as a boy would sing, and the third movement closes peacefully. I was especially moved by the third movement. The melancholy sounds of the strings in the beginning of the movement reminded me of the grim, dark lifestyles during the Jewish Halocaust, even though the subject might not have been intended in the music. I can consider the words and the sentiment in the movement to be a song of resettlement after the Nazi's attempted genocide of the Jews.

This performance with the New York Phil too, despite its recording technology, is absolutly unmatched. The only other recording I would listen is the one Bernstein performed with the Isreal Phil on Grammophon during his later years of conducting. By noticing the recognizable use of energy of Bernstein's youthful earlier performance, though, I would recommened this performance than the latter.

Generally, the two pieces are magnificently performed, showing how great Bernstein was. Unless you want really cle-e-e-an recordings, you won't be dissapointed.

This 2-disc set is one of my favorites--and I own over 32 Christmas CD's and over 20 Christmas cassettes.)

Narada is a popular New Age label, and this is a compilation CD from previous Narada Christmas releases. What is New Age music? Many styles fall under New Age music, including neo-classical, instrumental, ethereal synthesized music, Celtic, and light jazz. Some artists don't like to be categorized under New Age, but it's hard to find a place for the beautiful, relaxing, and positive music that often falls under the New Age genre.

This CD features traditional Christmas songs rendered in a non-traditional way, as well as new Christmas songs that are sure to become favorites of the season. There is enough varying of styles to add interest, including songs with beautiful vocals. What you won't find on this CD is drummed up "fake" holiday cheer with songs that grate on your nerves. Every song is truly ear candy that will soothe frazzled holiday nerves and bring the mind and spirit back to a more peaceful and joyful state.

Currently we have both CD's in our car's CD changer, and it was a treat to listen to them as we went Christmas shopping this weekend. Even my 5 year old son called from the back seat "nice singing!" I highly recommend this 2-disc Christmas collection from Narada if you like fresh, inspiring, and pleasant holiday music.

Disc 1

1. I Saw Three Ships - David Arkenstone
2. First Noel - Ralf Illenberger
3. Enniscorthy Christmas Carol - Dordan
4. Il Est N� (He Is Born) - Michael Gettel
5. Joy to the World - Bruce Mitchell
6. Angels We Have Heard on High - David Lanz
7. Away in a Manger - David Darling
8. Silent Night - Tingstad & Rumbel
9. We Three Kings - David Arkenstone
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Michael Whalen
11. Unto Us a Boy Is Born
12. What Child Is This? - Billy McLaughlin
13. Carol of the Bells - Kostia
14. Bring the Torch - Tingstad & Rumbel

Disc 2

1. Gloria - Nando Lauria
2. Silver Bells - David Arkenstone
3. Mistletoe Waltz - Dordan
4. O Come All Ye Faithful - David Lanz
5. O Holy Night - Brian Mann
6. Ding Dong! Merrily on High - Nancy Rumbel
7. Do You Hear What I Hear? - David Arkenstone
8. Ukrainian Carol - Spencer Brewer
9. It Came upon a Midnight Clear - Wayne Gratz
10. Celebration - Tingstad & Rumbel
11. Coventry Carol/No�l Nouvelet - Bob Read
12. O Little Town of Bethlehem/The Holly and the Ivy
13. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming - Sheldon Mirowitz
14. Hallelujah

What I demand from Christmas music is that it create a mood. I have Christmas music that is reverent, contemplative, festive, playful, or reminiscent of years gone by. I have Christmas music by which to wrap presents, watch a fireplace fire, visit with friends, meditate, clean house, or write Christmas cards. While this CD does not create some of the strong emotional reactions that I have to some Christmas music, it is happy and light. My husband whistles to it. Although there are many spectacular selections, there are few demands from the music to stop everything and listen. For me, this is the music by which to watch it snow, plan shopping trips, or quietly visit with friends. Except for the ending Hallelujah chorus on Disc 2, I would call this Christmas chamber music.

Some details: Disc 1 is 60 minutes and Disc 2 is 62 minutes. That is a lot of music for the price. I highly recommend this 2 disc set.

THIS IS THE BEST OF THE NARADA COLLECTION BECAUSE IT HAS MOST OF THE MUSIC FROM THE OTHER CDS. BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BUYING ALL
THE COLLECTION BECAUSE YOU WILL GET SO MUCH MORE. THIS IS JUST
A SMALL SELECTION OF THE MAIN COLLECTION. I PLAY IT ALONG WITH THE OTHERS FOR A WONDERFUL 4 OR 5 HOURS OF MUSIC. I HIGHTLY RECOMMEND THIS CD WITH THE OTHERS.......

If I could own just ONE Mozart recital disc, it would be this one. (Though Renee Fleming's Mozart collection is superb as well). I believe that the two arias for Fiordiligi in COSI FAN TUTTE included here are among Bartoli's very finest recordings to date. But all of the arias on this CD are memorably performed. Please buy "Mozart Portraits"!

...the day Cecilia Bartolli was born. Talk about blessed -- all this and such a versatile voice, too. Mozart would have been delighted.

However, I don't think she's perfect. Yet. This recording is, however. The orchestra has just the right timbre to complement the richness of her voice. And it is a rich voice. In fact, my main complaint is that I think she has outgrown Mozart's Susanna. Her voice is perfect for the Countess, and the rendition here of E Susanna non vien! is utterly charming and believable, with just the right touch of pathos.

The other aria that bothered me was the Batti, batti, o bel Masetto. She just sings it beautifully, of course, but it deserves more con fuoco at the beginning (she is, after all, begging to be beaten!) and more espansivo at the end, possibly with a touch of arrogance. Callas sang it that way once.

I prefer Kathleen Battle's Alleluia because she's more precise. Bartolli sings it "scorrevole." It's easy for her, as easy as a mother will sing a lullabye to a child. To me, this prayer needs vocal fireworks -- like an explosion of faith and gratitude. Bertolli can do it, she just chooses not to. That's why I can't fault her for it. After all, she made the album, it's her choice.

In all I really love this album and I love her voice. How wonderful it must be to have the ability to open your mouth and have such musical richness issue forth. The pleasure alone has to be worth all the work and effort it takes to make it that way.

"Exultate, Jubilate" seems to be one of those works which every soprano records at some point in her career. Among others, I've heard recordings by Barbara Bonney, Sumi Jo, and Kathleen Battle. But if I had to choose only one recording of "Exultate, Jubilate" to content myself for the rest of my life, it would definetly be this recording - Cecilia Bartoli's. She sings gloriously, with such an infectious joy that I've never heard in the others (Sumi Jo comes close, but still too careful and measured). The orchestration is also great - big and full of gusto, just like Cecilia's voice.

I haven't listened closely to the rest of the disc, but from what I have, it is just as well done as the "Exultate, Jubilate" (especially the Countess's "Dove Sono" and Despina's humorous "In Uomini, in Soldati"). As one reviewer pointed out, this recital would have made Mozart proud - I heartily agree.

This recording is extremely clean and clear. The levels are great - some other recordings are a little low on vocals.

I have heard only one better set of soloists (I can't remember the recording details), but this is the finest orchestra I've heard for a Beethoven #9.

You should have this recording.

This 1972 Beethoven Ninth from Solti is surprisingly expansive--it's strange to think of the Hungarian fire-breather conducting slower than Furtwangler. Although the Gramophone called Solti's 1986 remake 'extraordinarily tedious' and 'exciting if you are a nonagenarian German,' the slow tempos here mostly work. The Adagio definitely becomes tedious at Solti's crawl, not because of the slowness but because he finds so little inner life and tension in this movement.

But that's the only bad news. As other reviewers have said, the choral work in the finale, along with the solo quartet, is outstanding. Margaret Hillis's CSO Chorus was justly famous; here they are musical, clear, in tune, and well recorded. In addition, Solti gives the soloists and chorus permission to sing lyrically rather than shout--always a relief in the Ninth. Martti Talvela sings the bass recitative so fluidly that you wonder why other basses resort to barking.

The first movement is also fairly broad, and Solti is not the best at evoking mystery or a searching quality htat great Ninths invariably have, but the CSO plays so well and he conducts so respectfully that this movement holds one's attention. So does the Scherzo, which is middle-of-the-road despite one's expectation that Solti will let 'er rip with the timpani interjections. He doesn't, which is consistent with his middle-European approach to Beethoven in general.

In sum, a more than respectable Ninth that by comparison makes Abbado on Sony, Wand and Mehta on RCA, and even Giulini on EMi look to their mettle. Anyone interested in Solti's Beethoven could do worse than begin here. (Note: Listeners put off by Solti's broad tempos should know that his 1986 remake is less crisp and at times even slower.)

I have been a huge fan of the 9th symphony since I was twelve years old and consequently am very picky about tempo choice and phrasing, especially in the first two movements. My favorite recording untill I heard this Solti recording was Georg Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. I've always felt that Szell got the tempos just right while German conductors including Furtwangler, Fricsay, and Bohm conducted the first movement too slow and usually the fourth movement too fast such that the soloists sound rushed. However, I've always felt that a slow beginning to the first movement had merit and therefore I have always been trying to find a recording of the ninth with a slower tempo in the first movement but without the space and sloppiness that results when some conductors try this.
This brings me to this recording of Solti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This is the most perfect performance of the 9th symphony I have ever heard and I would say that it is tied with Szell/Cleveland as being my favorite CD. The tempo of the first movement is slower than Szells but it doesn't lose its forward momentum. The phrasing throughout the movement is perfect, extremely powerful, and the recapitulation absolutely thunders. The second movement is just as good with a tempo exactly the same as Szells made even better by the great timpani sound on this recording. The third movement is just fine although I have heard better from more "spiritual" conductors. Nevertheless there really isn't anything wrong with Soltis interpretation of this movement. Finally, the famous fourth movement is, like the first two, about as perfect as I have ever heard. The tempo of the main theme is great and the chorus is by far the best you will ever hear sing this piece. The soloists are outstanding, especially Talvela and Minton. I have only two very very minor complaints about this recording. First, during the "Wem der grosse wurf gelungen..." part when the soloists are singing together it seems that the instrumental part suddently cuts out for a second. Also, I felt that the tempo of the march in the fourth movement was just slightly too fast but this is easily overlooked considering that I have heard recordings where that part is played way too fast such that it doesnt even have the feel of a march anymore. Again, these are two very very minor things are really not that noticeable. Overall this is the best recording of the Ninth I have ever heard and is tied with the Szell recording as my personal favorite. Perfect chorus, perfect performance, outstanding sound, and outstanding soloists. Who would have thought that the best recordings of the Ninth symphony would be American?