Classical music reviews

Eileen Farrell's voice is a magnificent instrument. With a rounded tone, beautiful overtones, sumptuous middle notes, secure low notes, and serviceable (re: adequate) high notes, enormous volume, and an unmistakable timbre, the voice is awe inspiring. To hear this soprano singing softly is a great experience. To hear her unleash the massive power of which her voice is capable is an even greater experience. The recording has superb stereo sound, but Farrell's voice is definitely not as loud here as it was live in a concert hall or in the opera house. Her three duets with Richard Tucker are supremely sung. Tucker is miked closer than Farrell so that she doesn't blow him away with her voice. Still, the Tucker voice is a very big instrument, with a wonderful tenor sound and ringing high notes. His pitch is well nigh perfect. On top of this, he emotes wonderfully. The duet from "Don Carlo", "Io vengo a domandar", is spine-chilling in its brilliance and artistry. The lyric singing displayed in the soft sections is heavenly, and the more impassioned parts are brought vividly to life by Tucker and Farrell. Verdi's orchestration in this duet is greatness itself. I wish Columbia had recorded Farrell in "Tu che le vanit�" instead of the Willow Song. Still, the Willow Song allows Farrell to show off her magnificent pianissimo, so beautiful and well controlled for a voice of such great size. In "Pace, pace, mio Dio", Farrell sings wonderfully and with alert attention to both text and drama. Her final cries of "Maledizione!" must have been deafening in the recording studio. She displays impressive agility for a voice of such size in the cabaletta to "Tacea la notte in placida" and her piano singing in "D'amor sull'ali rosee" is a delight to hear. Her duet with Tucker from "A�da" is great to hear. Her "Come in quest'ora bruna" is lightly sung, with wondeful delicacy and a superb, beautifully floated mezzo forte high note on the word "fior" near the aria's end.

This CD contains Verdi singing the likes of which have totally disappeared from today's opera stages. Get it while you can!

EILEEN FARRELL IS SO UNDERRATED!! HER VOICE IS SO FULL AND ROUND. EVER SONG SHE DOES ON THIS CD WAS PERFECTION AND I DON'T USE THAT WORD LIGHTLY. IT'S TOO BAD SHE DIDN'T RECORD MORE BECAUSE HER VOICE IS SO STUNNING...BUT UNLIKE OTHER MAJOR OPERA STARS SHE SEEMED VERY LOW KEY, NOT DETERMINED TO BE KNOWN EVERY WHERE TO EVERYONE. SHE HAD THIS VOICE AND SHE SANG AND THAT WAS IT. I HOPE SOMEDAY THAT SHE IS SEEN FOR WHO SHE REALLY IS, ONE OF THE BEST LYRIC-DRAMATIC SINGERS! BRAVA!

Eileen Farrell. What can one say? Well, for starters, she is probably the best female Verdian that America has ever produced. I am sorry Price fans, but Farrell is better than Price. Yes, Price is more famous and deserves her fame very much, but that doesn't mean she was the greatest American spinto there ever was. Farrell beats Price in the areas of pianissimo, diction, and identifying with the characters she sings instead of prima donna showoff singing. And no, I am not a racist. Farrell's voice soars in Verdi's music. Her magnificent instrument is capable of anything Verdi throws at her. She has an excellent trill. Her pianissimos and diminuendos are world-class. She really digs deep for characterization. Her "Pace, pace, mio Dio" ranks with Tebaldi's version. Farrell's version of the Willow Song from "Otello" would definitely make Tebaldi jealous. Her "Ave Maria" definitely rivals Caball�'s stunning 1964 version. Farrell almost sounds like Tebaldi when she sings in her upper register. Her "Ritorna vincitor!" is awesome in its scope. Angry and self-loathing in the first half, then gently innocent in the second. Amazing. Her "Come in quest'ora bruna" demonstrates her wonderful agility. She beats every soprano who has recorded "Tacea la notte placida" and "D'amor sull'ali rosee" with her own masterful renditions. Her pianissimos, trills, and stunning agility are showcased in these two arias. Among the three duets with Richard Tucker (an excellent tenor and partner for Farrell), the only one worthy of the two's talents is "Pur ti riveggo" from "A�da". The two other arias, one from "Don Carlo" and the other from "Un Ballo in Maschera", are two of Verdi's most overrated. If you want to listen to justly praised and magnificent love duets, listen to the master of all Italian love duets, Giacomo Puccini. Verdi, as great as he is, cannot come close to Puccini in expressing love through operatic music.

This disc is very highly recommended. I pray that every up and coming spinto, American or otherwise, listens to Farrell's singing closely and learns from her. It is truly a disgrace to Verdi's name that Angela Gheorghiu's Verdi recital has been praised to the heavens by the blind music critics. No light lyric soprano should even consider recording an entire album of Verdi soprano arias, no matter how talented they are. When you hear this recital, you will be mad at Gheorghiu for even attempting to sing this music. This just may be the best Verdi recital ever recorded.

I have worn this cd out. I put this on as I leave downtown Houston in rush hour traffic, which is very stressful, but as long as I have either this or Wayfarer playing I am no longer stressed out. Instead, the music transports me to quiet places like lush green fields or a forest. I honestly couldn't make the commute without this wonderfully relaxing cd! I love the first song, Fairie horses the best!!

John Doan, a virtuoso of the rare "harp" guitar, has crafted a masterpiece. The songs, all written at least in part by John Doan, are reminiscent of Lorenna McKennitt. 'Where Horses of Fairy Hide', 'Farewell' and 'The Old Church of Kilronan' are especially enthralling. A must buy for anyone who enjoys Celtic or New Age music.

This album is the most excent collection of Celtic music I have ever heard. I have played in Celtic groups, and heard music of this genre from all over, but this artist takes the cake. John Doan's use of such a unique instrument and ability to meld it in with recorders and mandolins and bagpipes only furthers to sweeten the album. This CD is a must have whether you are a casual listener, or a striving Musician trying to make it in a similar genre. It is a must have of any collection

I've heard Chris play locally many times and am constantly amazed at his composition, playing and his broad musical knowledge. In his act, he covers new age, flamenco, celtic, mid-east, etc. with original and covers of existing songs. My reaction to this CD was "WOW!". He has skillfully added strings, percussion, etc. to make a truly delightful CD. Sometimes the music carries you to where you think it should, and other times it has a delightful surprise. I strongly recommend that you take this CD to your favorite spot and listen to the last cut. Close your eyes and let it fill your soul!

Chris has, once again, proven his amazing musical abilities by releasing this wonderful collection of songs. The descriptions of the songs are proof that he also has a sense of humor. 5 stars and my fingers are crossed for another release in the near future.

Chris Dunnett combines impeccable technique, strong musicianship
and solid songwriting on this CD that combines flamenco, classical, Middle-Eastern and pop styles. My personal favourites
are the beautiful Yo Se Que Yo Puedo, the Arabic sounding Samson & Dilemma and a wonderful cover of the traditional Maleguena.

I first heard Bastianini is Serafin's London recording of "La Boheme" with Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Tebaldi. I was impressed then and I still am now.
To possess such evenness in every part of one's range is nothing short of amazing. Bastianini's high notes are as rich as his lows and it is stunning to hear such brassiness in a baritone. A beautiful timbre is matched by peerless vocal skill; he is VERY well trained as a singer. Nothing is out of tune, a beat behind, or cut short for lack of air.
His opera buffo is superb; I wish there was a recording of "The Barber of Seville" with him in the title role. He truly has character when he sings comedic roles and his diction is impeccable; I don't think I've ever heard recitative done that quickly before. He is a little static and distant in "Eri tu" (I like it a little slower), but I think that, had he lived longer, he would have grown more into the role of Renato. Despite this, he is a true Verdi baritone singing with great civility and consistancy. Track 7 from "Don Carlo" shows this perfectly; easily some of the best lyrical phrasing on record.
Every song is done with perfect technique punctuated by great expression. He makes the change from technical singer to interpretive artist with considerable ease, especially in the last tracks which are live recordings of him in concert.
The orchestra and piano accompaniments are just that; accompaniments. And there is little effort made on the part of the conductors to intrude upon his singing. There is depth, but it quietly provides a very easy platform from which to simply listen to his voice and enjoy the sparkling clarity.
The recording quality is excellent mono that sounds like a very distant stereo instead of like someone singing into a box. There is very little static or hiss and the audience is barely audible at all.
Truly, an excellent (and rare) recording of a singer whose voice was a gift from God. It's a rather odd, but very special album that any opera buff should have.

Ettore was the best and the most incredible baritone of all time. This CD contains many of earlier recordings when he switched from bass to baritone. And he sang absolutely wonderful. He'll take you to heaven when you hear pieces from Forza, Ballo and all the rest. He would have been a great Iago. He proved in this CD. He also proved that he was a great comedian in Barbiere and Maschere. What a pleasure and the gift he'd left with us. I can't thank him enough!

When I listened to Ettore Bastianini for the first time, I got very impressed with the pureness of his sound. His range was incredible and even though he started his career as a bass, his roles as a baritone are superb. His voice of supreme beauty reminds us that baritone's voices don't have to be limited and common. This recording is great. That "Si puo? is powerful. All the arias are performed with passion and beauty. Bastianini is a must to have baritone in all opera collections.

I suppose when I get a few more listenings in to this fabulously reconditioned bit of Americana, I'll think the rating to be 5 stars instead of 4, as was the case with my ultimate love of the Gershwins' "Oh, Kay" under these same auspices involving the Library of Congress. The tracks did not all sink in as they're starting to now, the first night I listened to this version of "Girl Crazy", but then I'm of the generation with short attention spans, raised on a diet of TV and action movies. I was first exposed to the notion of the Gershwins' musical comedies in 1980, when I bought an LP that appears now to be out of print, called "Gershwin on Broadway". This was at about the time of Woody Allen's "Manhattan", when I was only aware of "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Porgy and Bess". The record had six overtures, one after another, and it became something I'd listen to over and over on a monaural cassette player in the car. Giving a listen now, the music seems to pop up again and again, in contexts across the media spectrum, and the tale of the musical numbers themselves, indeed, is one of genuine "platform independence". In this particular CD, we have a real conservation effort and resultant treat on our hands, presented in full DDD format. The music vendors might call it "classical music", and I suppose there are some of the old Vaudeville-styled antics involved. But rather than being stuffy or staid, we have instead something of the real Gershwin Bros. and their production teams from the 1920's and 1930's, brought back from an entirely different time, when we were still chewing on the Old Deal. I suppose I date myself when the only voice impression in the "But Not for Me" reprise I don't instantly recognize is that of Eddie Cantor, but gosh, the folks that were out and about in those days were as young once as today's head-bangers and trend-setters. It is hard to believe, from some of the subject matter, that these songs are supposed to be set in Arizona, especially when we have on hand reminders of the "Barbary Coast" in San Francisco and NYC in "Goldfarb, That's I'm". It is also hard to read Mickey Rooney out of the role of Danny Churchill from his 1943 screen version of this show, but then I would have had a hard time redacting Ethel Merman from the original cast as well, had I ever seen her live. The musical stage, as first envisioned, was a place for the human spirit to run amok and find its authentic home, amid the good-natured and the sincere. The orchestral content of this soundtrack alone is enough to give the scurrying citizen of the 00's a taste of what it was like to scurry about in the '30's. I've now got 25 years in which "I've Got Rhythm" and "Embraceable You" have been in my head but now, we are treated to a fine slice of the stage as it once so fully was, in giving this gift to the heritage of America. You can't go wrong with Gershwin.

Some people value the "integrated" musical, like "Oklahoma," in which the songs emerge from character and advance the plot. But the disintegrated kind can be a lot more fun. "Girl Crazy" is a wonderfully nonserious musical -- the "plot" is just an excuse for the numbers, a setting for some priceless Gershwin jewels. Unlike today's hit musicals, which yield at most a single semi-memorable tune, "Girl Crazy" is packed with brilliant songs that became standards. The overture alone is enough to cause blindness and insanity. For the kinda guy I'm, "Girl Crazy" is an essential and irreplaceable CD.

As with so many Broadway shows, the story behind Girl Crazy is concerned with the quest for love and romance built into a thin story. The setting of Girl Crazy in Arizona provided a more exotic locale for 1930's America. What makes Girl Crazy so memorable are the songs: "Embraceable You," "Sam and Delilah," "Could You Use Me?," "Barbary Coast," " But Not For Me" and "I Got Rhytm." This is a well-cast recording of Girl Crazy with Lorna Luft (a daughter of Judy Garland) as Kate, Judy Blazer as Molly and Frank Gorshin as Gieber Goldfarb, to mention a few. The "But Not For Me" routine where Mr. Gorshin does several impression is truly wonderful. The vocal quartet singing "Biddin' My Time" are fabulous.

The orchestra, conducted by John Mauceri, play with real affection. They sound a bit muffled, as if they were playing in an orchestra pit, which may be an attempt for accuracy. The voices are loud and clear. This was the first complete recording of Girl Crazy made with the cooperation of the Library of Congress. The accompanying booklet is highly informative about the musical, the Gershwins and the orchestrators who expanded George Gershwin's musical ideas for the stage. This is a very special recording that is a great introduction to the musicals of the Gershwins.

'The Girl with Orange Lips' sung by Dawn Upshaw, backed with a rather eclectic colleciton of musicians, is the kind of album Ms. Upshaw should really be doing. Like 'White Moon', it is a collection of unusual songs from far corners of 20th century repitoire, rather than an essay on the more familiar material which is done so well by the heavyweights such as Renee Fleming, Anne Sophie von Otter, and Cecilia Bartolli, not to mention songs of the modern European and American stage owned, in my mind, by Ute Lemper.

Unlike another reviewer, I really prefer 'White Moon' to this album on a visceral level, although I listen to both at least once a year.

My only criticism is that as original DVD releases go, it seems a bit short, but this only reinforces the fact that I would like to hear more of Ms. Upshaw do this material in a single shot.

This might be my favorite recording by Dawn Upshaw, and she's done some wonderful work. The slightly startling title is taken from Earl Kim's song cycle Where Grief Slumbers, one of the highlights of a very well-conceived program. Of Kim's gorgeous set of seven songs, the real stunner is "Ophelia," with a dramatic a capella opening that Upshaw handles immaculately, before the harp and strings enter with their mellow accompaniment.

The Ravel Mallarme songs show Upshaw in sparkling, sensuous form, and I also loved the four Delage works, perhaps because of their relative rarity. But the entire program is quite interesting, and further, most of these works have not been recorded to death -- a great compliment to Upshaw's programming instincts.

In every track, Upshaw radiates confidence and produces a beautiful range of tonal colors matching the vivid writing, and offers exceptionally clear diction (although I can't vouch for the accuracy of her French). Nonesuch provides excellent sound quality, capturing the clarity of her voice as well as the gentle, outstanding accompaniments by the well-chosen cast of instrumentalists. For those inclined toward unusual repertoire, this can't be recommended too highly.

Thank God for musicians who are dedicated to expanding the repertoire which we are able to hear in performance and on recordings. So many artists are afraid to venture into 20th century art song/chamber repertoire and we have in turn been left wanting.
This is simply one of the most amazing recordings I've ever heard. Dawn Upshaw's voice is clear as a bell and deep with emotion--and her technique does not waver here, it is entirely classical and fabulous. I cannot praise her choice of repertoire more--every cycle, every song is entirely unique and remarkable. Earl Kim's cycle is breathtaking.
Don't walk, run. You need this.

Ms. Mutter makes the violin sing in this fine collection of violin concertos recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic. Ms. Mutter was discovered by Herbert von Karajan at age 13, declared by him as "the greatest musical prodigy since the young Menuhin" and played with the Berlin Philharmonic as a teenager. The two Mozart concertos were recorded when she was only 15. The other concertos were recorded before she was twenty years old. My favorite is the Mendelssohn concerto. Ms. Mutter plays its haunting theme with elegance,flair and fire. Her passion and precision are evident through the difficult passages. Married to conductor Andre Previn, who wrote a violin concerto for her, Ms. Mutter never fails to intrigue her audience, making her vioin sing with colorful, soulful voices.

Deutsche Grammophon has assembled the recordings made by violinist Mutter, conductor Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic back in the 1970's and early 1980's when Mutter was a teenage prodigy on the violin. The finest performances are those of the Beethoven and Brahms concertos, but the others are fine too, especially the Mozart concertos. Sound quality purists may prefer remastered versions of the Beethoven violin concerto - available as part of Deutsche Grammophon's complete Beethoven commemorative edition and the others which are available separately on Deutsche Grammophon's legendary recordings series. Yet those who prefer having all these performances in one box set won't be disappointed with the sound quality.

To know that Anne-Sophie was just a teen when these recordings were made...15 to 19 years of age...is truly astonishing. She plays with a virtuosity well beyong her years. As the booklet states, Karajan has referred to her as "the most outstanding musical prodigy since the young Menuhin"; as anyone can tell by listening to this set, this is an apt title for her. I am no expert when it comes to Classical music, so I won't attempt to compare or analyze or go into the set deeply; but I certainly know something beautiful when I hear it, and this set of 4 cds is certainly that. Recommended!

Have mixed feelings over this one. Technically the recording is excellent (DDD) but I always wonder why mix a Grofe recording with Gershwin. Maybe it's because they start with "G". A much better redition is Angel's "Great American Grofe" with all Grofe cuts although recorded originally in the mid '50s.

Thank you Ferde Grofé. One has to have visited the Grand Canyon to capture the grandeur and power of this music. One has to have walked along the chasm and seen the sun rise from the deepest depth of the tortured cliffscape to feel the beauty of the music. Nature is so grand, so big, so powerful, so forbidding that we can only remain breathless in front of it, in front of its complex and yet simple mechanisms, its beautiful sunrise than brings the full strength of the millenium-old cliffs and of a aeon-old river at the very bottom of an abyss. One has to have seen the sun going down over the canyon, the darkness climbing from the river and yet falling from the sky, the chilly night suddenly surrounding us with its luminescent draperies little by little adorned with millions of starry gems and brilliant stars high above our heads, to feel the immensity of the world and our minute tininess. And the cowboys, or rather pioneers, on the trail going up the canyon to some promised and yet unknown land are so helpless and yet so thrilled by the amazing beauty they discover in front of their eyes that the braying of an ass is both ridiculous and revealing. We feel so small in front of this tortured reality that our dream is nearly nullified. But man is more than his fear of some shadow or his fright of some storm. He is able to conquer nature and the wilderness if he is able to step into it, to live with it, to climb up the ladder to the gigantic dream of getting accepted by nature itself. And this measureless nature keeps quite a few surprises in its vast pockets. The more or less innocent clouds can burst into some fiery and demential storm. But the smallest spark of humanity each one of us contains can grow into some vine that can conquer this demented nature and bring it to some useful application. There too one has to have been there to feel that strength that surges into us coming directly up and down from the immensity and unforgettable lack of proportions and humility that nature itself is wide and wild enough to contain. One is never crushed by any superior circumstances if one is able to inflate one�s heart to the very limitlessness of those circumstances. And that is human ambition, that is human vision, that is what America stands for us, even if we call it at times with another name. Any man has this unconquerable frontier in the deepest depth of his dreamlike consciousness and most unconscious dreams.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Under the direction of Antal Dorati in the late 1970s and 1980s, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra was very much involved with 20th century music, particularly that of American composers. This recording allows us a glimpse into our Amercian music spirit via works that are sometimes dismissed as pops concert items.

Dorati and his orchestra give us a great performance of the Gershwin "Porgy And Bess Symphonic Picture", as arranged by Robert Russell Bennett. It captures many of that great American opera's classic themes brilliantly. It is the most popular symphonic imagination of the opera, superceding even Gershwin's, and the Detroit Symphony's performance shows why.

But the orchestra really shines on Ferde Grofe's celebrated "Grand Canyon Suite." Grofe knew a lot about orchestration, having been a violist with the L.A. Philharmonic in the 1920's and being the one responsible for the orchestration of Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue." This suite, which premiered in 1931, captures America's greatest natural trench in all its splendid glory, and comes up with some spectacular moments, including "The Painted Desert" and the extremely vivid "Cloudburst" movement.

This recording of two of the greatest examples of musical Americana comes highly recommended, not just for the works themselves but for the way the Detroit Symphony performs them. Not to be missed!

Let me be frank. I obtained this recording because of the other positive reviews here, and because I hold Leonard Warren in very high esteem as an artist. He is fantastic here as Macbeth. Leonie Rysanek, a soprano who normally didn't record well, is in excellent voice here. But a performance never really "happens," and I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of conductor Erich Leinsdorf, an experienced theater conductor who apparently had no feeling for Verdi. Leinsdorf's recordings of Puccini and Wagner operas are quite fine, but this one is DOA: stiff, lifeless, square as a cube, man.

Which is a shame because, as I say, Warren is incomparably the best Macbeth on records. Rysanek sings with power and musicality, but, you never really "feel" Lady Macbeth in her. The late Jerome Hines is an excellent Banquo, but Banquo's role is very small. Carlo Bergonzi sings the music of Macduff. That's all he does - sing notes. Very nicely, but he could as well be singing "Arrivaderci Roma" or "The Hut-Sut Song" for all the difference it makes, not an aria about his anguish in losing the family he loved. The Witches sound studied and bored. All in all, a very disappointing failure.

The finest performance of this much-maligned opera is still the 1952 Callas conducted by the great Victor de Sabata. You can see my comments at that listing.

This recording, in my opinion, is the overall ALL TIME BEST recording of this opera. I think this is an under rated Verdi opera. The music is very dramatic and listenable. It follows the story quite well also. The musical direction is perfect especially for the age of the recording. The direction is clear and energetic. Now, for singing. There are no words to describe Leonard Warren. I have not heard this recording since I was a teenager. I finally found the CD and listened to it the other day. Leonard Warren still sends chills. His large dramatic voice lends itself well to Macbeth. He gives power to the role where most other baritones just gives weakness. His voice is glorious. No other can match his incredible voice. As a far as Leonie Rysanek, I absolutely love this singer. I saw her in her "declining" years at the Met years ago in Electra and her voice was very youthful and beautiful. She is the finest Lady Macbeth ever. Her voice is even, her high notes are not pushed and over produced. She uses her beautiful voice well and I don't find myself cringing like I do with so many of today's voices. This truely is an era where singers took time to really learn to sing and you can hear it in this recording. Leonie is dramatic without sacrificing her voice. She uses many different colors, again without sacrificing her voice to do so. In addition, Lady Macbeth is a soprano role and should be sung by a soprano and not a mezzo no matter how high a mezzo can screatch up to the high notes. Jerome Hines is dark, musical, strong, and, well, perfect. You just couldn't get any better than that. If you are looking for a recording that is completely perfect, this is it. Yes, it has the slightly older sound that is quickly forgotten within seconds. They did a very good job in transferring this to CD. This is the second recording I have of this opera. The first is with Birgit Nilsson, another incredible recording with Nilsson and the orchestra as the stars. The Macbeth is okay and from there it goes down hill. But it is worth the price just for Nilsson. However, this recording of Warren and Reysanek is the best. I will never get tired of listening to these great artists. I wish we had them today.

Although it isn't perfect as some critics would have it, I find this recording sensational. The Metropolitan Opera conducted by Erich Leinsdorf, treats Verdi's Macbeth as an early grand opera of his, which it truly is. Macbeth is a sensational, dramatic and dark play and as an opera it is equally as electrifying. Verdi's first big success is credited as Nabucco but Macbeth is well-made, having many dramatic moments that should bring down the house. Leonard Warren was a famous baritone who was instantly a Met legend because he died on the stage of the Met of a heart attack after singing the lines "Morir tremenda cosi " "What a horrible thing is death" in the opera La Forze Del Destino by Verdi. Warren IS Macbeth, ambitious, driven, cruel, heartless. Everyone seems to think that he is the true reason you should get this recording. No other interpretor matches his performance.

As for Leonie Rysanek. She is incredible ! True she overacts, she is melodramatic and she sounds totally crazy, but I think this is how she should be performed. Critics have always admired Shirley Verrett's performance as Lady Macbeth, which they feel is more accurate on a human level. But I find that Rysanek is a fine Lady Macbeth. After all, the character is dark and crazy. At the beginning of the drama, she is ambitious, bloodthirsty and even more cruel than her husband. She drives her husband to murder and to seize power. She is the dark part of Macbeth's own nature. Such a strong woman suddenly turning crazy in the Mad Scene is incoherent. Therefore the singing and acting should come off as crazy ! It makes sense to me. No one sings like that then Leonie Rysanek who can sing in the classical diva style but with so much bite and fury. I find that she is doing a perfect job. This is an old recording with fine sound quality, with a great cast. Carlo Bergonzi sings the tenor role of Macduff, a tame performance but good nonetheless. He is meant to sound "noble" and "good" next to the dark Macbeth of Leonard Warren. This is why the role of Macbeth is a bass or baritone role. The tenors are rarely the villain. The great exception is Verdi's own creation in the Duke in Rigoletto. This opera is terrific and highly recommended. Don't just ignore it. Listen to the Macbeth that you will most like among the many recordings. But this one is one that ought to be on your exploration route.

When I first heard this CD I just could not stop laughing. Novaes plays the first etude about 1/4th of the speed and technique that Pollini does PLUS hits HUNDREDS of wrong notes, makes up some notes..... all with atrocious pedalling.
Great so she can play a few nice slow nocturnes (this is all her technique could LET her play).... and even these she plays not entirely even. If she can't play these pieces evenly than I don't think she would have the technique to play chopsticks either.
How she even got recorded is something I don't understand.

This is an example of a fourth rate pianist somehow getting lucky (I suppose through networking, connections, legacy... though I could be wrong) and getting recorded.

She desperately needs about 100 master classes from Pollini.
Don't mistake listening to new pianists to "broadening your horizons." This is not worthy of the rats in the New York subway system.

I couldn't disagree more than the review produced by "pianoman". Pollini has one of the most technically brilliant performances of the etudes--but the keyword here is "technical". You might say his professor was sitting there with a metronome making sure he never got too carried away with his rubato. It's nothing to worship, but something to tip your hat at--a good student who's glowing picture on the front has more warmth than his playing. Novaes might miss a note here and there, but plays the etudes in particular with a deeper maturity and artistic fashion. She understands that it's about music, not proving something. I admire her interpretation and heart, and find that listening to her playing reminds me of why I ever found interest in music.

I find Novaes' Nocturnes as satisfying as Arrau, Moravec and even Rubinstein. Forget Pires. It does'nt get any better than listening to Chopin by Novaes while reading the Sunday paper.