Classical music reviews

I listened to this cd and the technic is truly amazing. This guy is really good-BUT-he has that nasty jazz tone that doesn't do well in classical music. Especially disturbing is the Bach-Busoni Chaconne. Listen to the piano performance by Evgeny Kissin and you'll know what I mean. Good for motivation for brass students, but if you want some really good, sweet classical, go somewhere else.

A great selection of music. Severson's performance is outstanding. Sound reproduction is exceptionally good. If you enjoy trumpet you should have this CD

This album really lets Severinson shine. I always felt he was underchallenged on the Tonight Show. And Kunzel is at his best here, too. If you like Doc and Erik, also give a listen to Big Band Hit Parade.

I think that My Superhero is one of the best ska bands out there today. They know how to get a crowd going with their catchy songs, and this album shows it. Buy it now.

This whole cd is awesome... from the begining to the very end! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll sing along! I would pick out the best songs but they're ALL good. Especially the cover song 'Groovy'! This band should be BIG! The drummer is a bad mo fo! I saw them live in San Francisco! Get it now!

Get this if you don't have it, you'll regret it if you don't have it

`Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill, Volumes 1 and 2' released in 1988 and 1993, plus the third album of Weill's two most important song cycles in German, `The Seven Deadly Sins' (`Die sieben Todsunden') and `Mahagonny Songspiel' released in 1990 unequivocally established Ms. Lemper as the leading Kurt Weill interpreter since Lotte Lenya, Weill's wife and the singer for whom many of his vocal pieces were written. These three disks, sample pieces from most major Weill works written in German, including his most famous musical play, `The Threepenny Opera' (`Die Dreigroschenoper').

The first disc has fourteen tracks with three from `Der Silbersee' with lyrics by Kaiser, three from `Die Dreigroschenoper' with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht, two from `Berliner Requiem' with lyrics by Brecht, two from `Mahagonny' with lyrics by Mahagonny, `Je ne t'aime pas with French lyrics by Magre, and three from `One Touch of Venus' with English lyrics by S.J. Perelman and Ogden Nash.

The middle disc includes both works performed in their original German. After having listened to `The Seven Deadly Sins' done by several different artists, and having just reviewed a CD on which Anne Sofie von Otter does this work, I discover for the first time that the piece was written in two versions, one for a low voice and one for a high voice. Von Otter does the version for high voice and Lemper does the version for low voice that, I suspect, is the way it was originally performed by Fraulein Lenya. One service done by comparing Lemper and von Otter's performance is to see how much closer Lemper is to the original spirit of the work than is von Otter. Weill's venue was not the opera stages of Berlin or Vienna, it was the popular stage, actually much closer to what we see in the movie `Cabaret' than what we see in `Amadeus'. I enjoy von Otter's rendition, but Lemper stirs my heart where von Otter does not. Lemper also seems to have the benefit of a much better cast of supporting voices on the two works on Volume 1.

All albums are done with the backing of the RIAS Berlin Sinfonietta, conducted by John Mauceri who seems to get just the right tone of sleaze out of his ensemble to match the tone of the composition and lyrics by Weill and his various librettists, especially Berthold Brecht.

Volume 2 showcases Lemper's ability to sing with equal facility and understanding in German (Songs from `Happy End'), French (Songs from `Marie Galante'), and English (Songs from `Lady in the Dark'). While my understanding of French is far weaker than my understanding of the German and the English, when I compare Ms. Lemper's French interpretations with the French of Ms. Von Otter, I definitely prefer Lemper's treatment. She may not quite match Edith Piaf, but I feel she has a cachet all her own.

Lemper is a vocalist in that great European femme fatale tradition of Lenya, Piaf, and Dietrich and certainly to my lights the leading interpreter today of Weill's songs plus works by other European composers for the musical and cabaret (See her album `City of Strangers'). Compared to even some of the greatest contemporary American female vocalists on the stage such as Streisand and Minelli, both Yanks have their strength, but they can't or don't try to achieve the same depth of feeling behind the European `Weltschmertz' you hear from Lemper and her forerunners. The closest may be Minelli's performance as Sally Bowles in `Cabaret', but even there, she can't seem to hide her American innocence.

Of the three albums, the first of the three, `Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill' may be the best introduction, as it includes two of Weill's best English songs, `I'm a Stranger Here Myself' and `Speak Low'. The third, `Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill Vol. 2' has two of Weill's most famous German songs outside of `Die Dreigroschenoper', `Bilbao-Song' and `Surabaya-Johnny'.

If you encounter this review and have never heard Ute Lemper, I strongly urge you to try one of these albums. If the German and French turns you off, try Lemper's recent album, `Punishing Kiss'.

Very highly recommended.

This album is full of many highlights, Zu Potsdam, Die Sexuelle Hoerigkeit, Wenn Die Man Sich Bettet, etc. From beginning to end it is a triumph and masterpiece by the international singing sensation Ute Lemper.

It seems that everywhere you turn there is someone "with a unique voice." Usually we nod and upon hearing the voice in question shake our heads and head on to the next great talent. But the trite saying is, for this case, proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

These interpretations are just incredible, ultra-clear, and just the way one would imagine these songs presented. Several of the selections are more suited to a smoky speakeasy rather than the stage which is just fine by me. Lemper runs the gamut from the catty growl to the ultra-lush to the quiet melancholy to the joyous Bronx of "I'm Just a Stranger Here Myself." The three languages presented absolutely no problems: The German was sufficiently guttural, the French erotic and the English - well, as only English can sound.

A near perfect recording by a near perfect artist.

I'm going to make this short since there are plenty of other reviews about this recording. Vocally, orchestrally, and sound wise-this is the definitive (Studio) recording of Otello, hands down. The only problem I have with this CD transfer is the absence of the ballet which is on the original LP's and which is why I give this 4 stars instead of 5.

This Otello, starring the stentorian tenor Mario Del Monaco, soprano Renata Tebaldi and baritone Aldo Protti is largely considered the greatest of the post World War II LP Era. It is a very old-school Otello, with emphasis on the grand Italian opera technique and the singers are in top shape and the sound quality is supreme on this digitally remastered recording. Mario Del Monaco makes a fearsome Otello, every bit the proud, roaring "lion of Saint Mark" he is said to be. From his opening exclamation: "Exultate!" to his first slip into jealous madness "Ora Per Sempre Addio" and his confrontations with Desdemonas are all incredibly dramatic and vocally magnificent. For a long period of time, Del Monaco was considered the undisputed finest interpretor of Otello. Jon Vickers and Placido Domingo followed in his footsteps. Del Monaco may be quite, well "hammy" in certain scenes, but he was an incredible actor and his voice, which is the biggest to date, soared above the orchestra and awed audiences worldwide. Though he wore "black paint" he was statuesque and grand in his dramatic gestures. As for Renata Tebaldi, she owned the role of Desdemona, for not even Maria Callas sang it on stage during her own career. This role was entirely her own, and she sang the heck out of it. Lyric enough to appear vulnerable and innocent as Desdemona is, she was also able to project enough bite and dramatic ardor. It's a lush Desdemona, a regal Desdemona, and very few sopranos were able to sing it that way. Her teamwork with Del Monaco was virtuosic. They recorded several big operas on LP- Tosca, Aida, La Forza Del Destino, Mefistofele. As for the baritone Aldo Protti (who ?) he's only serviceable as Iago. This is a shame. With George London around, and Tito Gobbi, it's a shame they cast a singer who does not put any real effort into the part of Iago, which is a pivotal part. His villainous scheming, his greed and the complexities of his character should surface in the singing. And Protti does nothing to impress us. But this is only a slight and trivial mistake. Other great Otellos you might want to check out include Placido Domingo's several Otellos on recording, Jon Vickers Otellos and that of James McKraken. All fine Otellos but in size and volume they do not compare to Del Monaco, the master of grand opera.

Great recording all round of Verdi's most profound opera.

Chief singers are great -- I find del Monaco and Domingo the best Otellos.

Sound very good for early 60s.

I suggest a box of Kleenex for each person in the room when you play this CD or VHS recording. Mom won't let me play it anymore because she...well, you know what I mean.

When it's cold and frightful here, I play The BOYZ!

So wonderful. So much fun.

Up here in backwash Maine, there ain't much, believe me. But these guys are great. Sincere, care about what they're doing, true artists.

Ah, to go to Ireland again. Well, not unless the price of natural gas recedes!

This recording is wonderful. Ronan's "last Rose of summer" is unique, the Percy French medley shows all three in great voice, Finbar's Maggie is wonderful and the laurels have to go to Anthony for his magnificent rendition of "She moved through the fair", wow!!!!

Well worth buying.

Isaac Chute

I hate to beat a dead horse (with 7 reviews) and to slightly contradict some of the previous opinions, but I can't agree that this CD is one of Fox's greatest. It serves as a fine introduction to those who want to hear the rich tonal palette of an organ and indeed, few are finer than Fox in the jaunty Schumann "Canon" and the oh-so-sweet "Ye Sweet Retreat." However, repeated listenings show the Little Fugue and Handel to be a bit sloppy, and the overall nature of the CD somewhat one-dimensional, with the faster pieces very fast and ending very loud, the slower pieces very slow and ending very softly.

This is not to denegrate Fox, who especially for an organist, had an unbelievable control and understanding of dynamic shading - it's more that the program itself suffers from a lack of variety. Perhaps this CD, being an RCA release, served an important purpose in getting organ music, and more importantly classical music in general, to the broader public.

But for more serious artistry, turn to recordings like Digital Fox (1978) and these unjustly underpublised re-releases of Fox playing major organs:
1) Virgil Fox at Hammond Castle -- available at organarts.com with samples and background info. Contains incredible, I mean incredible, interpretations of Franck's Grande Piece Symphonique and Reubke's Sonata on the 94th Psalm, to name only a few
2) Virgil Fox Command Performances 1963-1965 -- available on Amazon and organarts.com. Fox plays the organs of Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center (with an extremely intense reading of Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor), Boston Symphony Hall, and the Riverside Church. GET THESE ASAP - THEY ARE SUPERB!

Virgil Fox is without a doubt one of the most advanced organists in the new phase of Organs. As an Organist myself, there are many new changes with Organbuilding and how older Organists try to adjust and try to get used to. From the Sound of the Organ it is indeed a rather powerful Organ with what sounds like a Possible 32ft Reed!!! I do not know where this recording was held at, but You need to listen to some of the Samples that there is. There are a wide variety of moods with this organ all the way up to a very scary but demanding Full Organ! Buying this cd is a MUST. If not then at least listen to the samples. You will not consider it a waste of time.

If you like flamboyant, this CD will blow your skirt right up there! The dynamic range of the music in this CD will test your stereo system to the limits. Every part of the organ is used, from the shyest Kleine Erz�hler to what must be a Double Bombarde.

The songs showcase the organ and are played flawlessly, even if somewhat ambitiously interpreted. If you're tired of hearing the Little Fugue in G Minor played like a funeral dirge on a worn-out calliope, then you'll appreciate what Fox does with it on the big Aeolian-Skinner. Absolutely incredible! On the other hand, I personally would have enjoyed C.M. Widor's Toccata from the 5th taken a little slower. Perhaps Virgil was running late for supper or had to go to the bathroom when performing this one, 'cause it could stand a little Largo to let the notes pop out. Nevertheless, it shows what "Nimble-Fingers" can do.

Technically, the CD is flawless, except for some low-level noise heard during the quieter interludes when the volume is up. Ideally, there should be no noise here at all but what do you want for coming from 40-year-old tape masters??? That one flaw is vastly overshadowed by the excellent stereo separation and extreme dynamic range, with absolutely no rumble or flutter to be heard.

The CD includes a couple of the better-known pieces, and the lesser-known ones are equally interesting. Can't go wrong with this CD, but don't expect to get much out of it in your car CD player due to the wide dynamic range and the inherent noise in the car (unless of course you're driving a Mercedes)!!

What elevates George Winston's music above the level of your average new age artist and makes it more than just background noise, is the excellent ability he has to create a mood throughout an album. "Winter Into Spring" ranks with other great Winston albums like "Autumn," "December" and "Summer" in taking the listener away into an aural landscape of distinctive beauty. That he is able to do this with nothing other than his piano is simply amazing. "Winter Into Spring" is another triumph for a great artist.

He has captured the moods of winter into spring I think(for around the area where I live). The excitement of January when winter is new. The settling in of February and even the log cabinish mood of march is captured in the winter months. The awakening of spring with the rain. The rain brings growth which leads into the breezy meadow and the slowing of the briskness to a more steady pace. If I want to chill out I give a listen to 'Winter Into Spring'. I own the cassette tape of this album, and I'm glad I bought it.

Though Winston is not wolrd famous, he has a rare quality that many composers lack today. He combines both lyricism and indivisuality in his compositions. As you listen to the CD, you can feel as if you were at sea during " February Sea." Winston is by far the most underrated composer in the country. People know about Gershwin and other giants like him, but they have no idea who the heck George Winston is. His music shows his passion while painting a vivid image. I have not heard anyone's music with as much lyricism and passion since the Romantic Era of Chopin.

You won't regret purchasing this amazing classical cd, with many well known tunes played on instruments such as the violin and piano. Pachelbel's Canon and Vivaldi's Winter from The Four Seasons are, in my opinion, the two best songs on the cd.

I can't remember why I bought this cd but I can't be happier that I did. What a pleasant surprise. A disk of 20 songs for about [price]. Very nicely arranged and perfect for relaxing, driving, or work.

This is, by far, the best classical music collection ever! I have heard many classical music pieces in my life, including different versions of the recordings here, and it is, by a large margin, the wisest collection ever! All of the pieces and performers were wisely chosen from all over the world and from almost every clasical era. I will now go into the specifics with the noteworthy highlights of the CD.

The opening piece, The Reed Flute Dance from the Nutcracker by P.I. Tchaikovsky is is played by the Berlin Festival Orchestra with a spritely splendor and offers something familiar to get the ball rolling. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is played with alm, peaceful, patience by Dubravka Tomsic. The Minute Waltz by Chopin, performed by Peter Schmalfus is not played rushedly in a minute, but with pleasant refinement that would make you want to waltz around the house. Bach's Prelude 1 played by Christiane Jaccouttet served as the base for Gounod's Ave Maria, also on this recording played by the Sandor Czech Ensemble. The famous overture to Rossini's Thieving Magpie is played with raptorous serenity by the Philharmonia Slavonic. The very famous Toreadorer song from Bizet's Carmen is played here by the RSO is very nice, considering that this piece has constantly been subjected to commercialism. The Hallelujah part of the Messiah is played most attractively by the London Festival orchestra and Choir. Beethoven's For Elise is played very well by Marian Pivka. The complete overture to the Barber of Seville is played by nicely by the Southwest Studio Orchestra. And Pachelbel's Canon in D, which, in my opinion, is the best piece of classical music ever, is played with a great resplendence by the Strutthart Chamber Orchestra.

Overall, this is even better than a live concert! All you have to do is turn up the volume and close your eyes!

This is a very relaxing album--it's what smooth jazz should be,and more.Shweta Jhaveri adeptly combines classical Indian singing with jazz worth lounging to.This album is best combined with other Indian fusion albums (Putumayo's "Asian Lounge",Ana Rita Simonka's "Bossa Nova Delhi",DJ Cheb I Sabbah's "Shri Durga"&"Krishna Lila")

Highlights-
1)To a Beloved.MOST of this track is on Putumayo's sadly discontinued "Gardens of Eden" compilation.This meditative&atmospheric.
2)Amidst a Mist-Mysterious,flowing.Since the jazz musicians are from San Francisco,it is fitting this song makes one think of the Bay Area fog.
3)To the Spring-A joyful,energetic piece.
4)A nosy dawn-Very touching&beautiful,despite the title's strangeness.

This is a beautiful album for contemplation,meditation,relaxation.

This is what jazz is all about---great musicians coming together, challenging each other musically, pushing each other to new heights of ensemble performance, and leaving a grateful fan like me with a recording like this.

In this case, four accomplished San Francisco Bay Area instrumentalists accompany a vocalist trained the north Indian classical tradition. Additionally, each song is composed in a rag format, and is based on a 16-beat rhythm, and I've just told you everything I know about the rag format.

The first track, "Invocation," is a perfect introduction to Jhaveri's vocal prowess. She begins softly, then her voice soars with sudden assured power, then effortlessly slips into a more quiet, delicate, slightly breathy tone, while maintaining remarkable precision in intonation and melody. She's only singing the syllable "ah" to start the song, but the sheer beauty of her voice is riveting.

The second track, "To A Beloved," is the one that completely blew me away and made me fall in love with this record. The instrumental introduction is very strong---too strong, in my opinion, for a jazz vocal piece. But Jhaveri's voice, with its astounding power and grace, is more than up to the task. She truly has an amazing instrument.

Her voice is so powerful I can think of no other comparable vocalist. She reminds me more of a jazz horn player. In fact, I would say that if Miles Davis had ever made an Indian rag record, it would sound something like this record. Miles had the ability to play soft and gentle, and then suddenly take your breath away with his power. Shweta Jhaveri has the same ability, and it is perfectly showcased on this record.

"Anahita" is a modern jazz masterpiece.

After hearing only a few songs from this album, I came to understand where George Harrison got his inspiration to write "Within You and Without You". Schweta's voice is pure and soothing whitch rounds over the dissonant melodic structure that most western music listerners are not used to. If you've never appreciated Indian music, this might be the one that gets you started.

I had this CD when my daughter was born 5 years ago, and it gave us such a soothing environment in which to bond during quiet times. We also put it on shortly before we'd put her down to sleep, and by 6 weeks she was sleeping through the night in her own crib. I think it was her sanctuary, and the music helped her feel comforted. We've since then completely worn out the CD (she listened to it through her 3rd year), and will have to buy a new one for our next little addition (coming soon!). I found it on this site and just listened to the samples from each track. Aahhh... very soothing for Mommy, too!
I also plan to get it as a baby gift for a friend. :)

I listened to this CD countless times ever since I first bought it from BMG music service back in 1997. Compositions of this CD are popular classical hits. That is, you will likely recognize at least some of them if you listen to the sampler.

What sets this CD apart is supreme music performance. Every composition is performed flawlessly, with real feeling and passion. There is a good reason why this CD that was released in 1997 is still around and costs over ten dollars. This reason is called quality.

Not only does our baby love this music, but it is beautiful for us adults to listen to as well. There are 24 tunes, all strictly instumental except the last one. It runs over an hour and does not have any major "loud spots" despite a very nice variety of music.

Highly recommended!!!