Classical music reviews

This is spectacular. But the cd "The Art of the Prima Donna" remains the definitive last word in the art of bel canto singing. Sutherland is far more fantastic in that album.
This greatest hit is a super buy. But if you want to hear what they say is the most phenomenal coloratura display ever recorded, I recommend "The Art of the Prima Donna". ...

La Stupenda's list of aria is impressive, and the singing is definitive. One of the best choices out there.

The selections here really span the length of the great Dame's legendary career. The many incredibly difficult arias here are all sung to perfection by the diva. This recording clearly shows that Dame Joan Sutherland was the supreme bel canto singer of this century.

What a great recording!! Good tempos, excellent balance and blend, historically-authentic interpretation. Brandenburg No. 3 ROCKS!!!

The idea of a "perfect recording" is, of course, chimerical. But Trevor Pinnock's "Brandenburg Concertos" and "Orchestral Suites" come pretty close to the mark. There are two factors which put this 3-CD set in the category "very special": One is the sheer musicianship of the young English Concert team. Every soloist seems to want to outdo the others in technical skill, tonal clarity and emotional verve. Listen to Pinnock himself on the harpsichord in the Brandenburg Concert No. 5; listen to Lisa Beznosiuk accompanying him on the traverse flute; listen to Simon Standage, Philip Pickett and Rachel Beckett in Concert No. 4 ... and so the list goes on. This is an unending sequence of instrumental delights, and only someone who dislikes Baroque period instruments on principle will fail to experience heights of enjoyment of this exquisite sound. Which brings me to the second factor: Seldom have I heard such a brilliant recording! Deutsche Grammophon is generally known for superior sound, but this 1982 piece of digital engineering (Brandenburg Concertos) surpasses anything I have ever heard even from this label: Purity, clarity, spaciousness and presence are uniquely combined to provide a listening experience which could hardly be topped.

The Orchestral Suite sound (analogue recording from 1979/1980) is only slightly less brilliant and also deserves great praise. I have listened to a number of rival recordings, but nothing captivates me quite like the the English Concert discs. The only slight question mark could perhaps be put behind the Sixth Brandenburg Concerto, which in its Adagio slow movement seems to lack a little fire. Generally, Pinnock has chosen tempi that are moderate, and although musicologists and interpreters since this recording (Goebel; Rampe) have argued cogently for faster rhythms, their efforts sound decidedly contrived in comparison with Pinnock's easy, flowing version which caresses the ear without betraying any of Bach's depth or humour. It would surprise me greatly if anyone who bought this CD-box ever regretted it.

Like many baroque listeners, I'm a big fan of Trevor Pinnock. But even among a catalogue of such quality as Pinnock's, the Brandenburgs are special. As always with Pinnock, the orchestra is charged with concentration and joy, the sound quality is spectacular, and the harpsichord -- which can sound like rattling tin in a bad recording -- sparkles here in all the right places. This is one of my very favorite recording ever.

Andreas Vollenweider continues to jazz up his electro-accoustic harp compositions, this time with even more variations in style and flavor drawn from musical traditions the world over. The liberal addition of choirs and symphony orchestras, along with bandoneon, shakuhachi, daiko drums, congas, and Chinese and Indonesian percussion, make for interesting, energetic music that is billed as "A Soundtrack for the Imagination". Retained from his previous work are Vollenweider's trademark harping and whimsical style, but in these large, sweeping, brooding compositions the sense of intimacy and magic present in his earlier releases is often lost. I have to admit that I miss it. If you want to sample even more divergent compositional styles of this talented and ever-evolving artist, try his 1993 collaboration with singer Eliza Gilkyson, "Eolian Minstrel", or his 1999 release, "Cosmopoly", which features many guest artists. For the best example of Vollenweider's early style, try "Trilogy" or any of its separate components.

I have been a fan of Andreas Vollenweider's for over 10 years. Everytime I pick up another CD of his I know I will be thoroughly amazed and awed at his genius. "KRYPTOS" is a perfect example of his limitless imagination and abilities. He his not alone. By no means can we dismiss wonderfully talented folks who choose to be part of his music.

experience it. What a CD! What a collection of music! Wow! Calling Andreas Vollenweider a musician would be like calling Michaelangelo a "painter". This is truly a work of art. Buy it, play it and make sure you listen in "surround sound". Wow.

After the "Girl crazy" revival album in this series, I was hooked. That album was a delight and full of hits. "Lady, be good" is still worthwhile but has fewer good songs. It has great versions of "Fascinating Rhythm", "Lady, be good", "Hang on to me" which are not to be missed but I found most of the other songs to be fillers and undistinguished except for "Little Jazz bird" which is a find. Buy "Girl Crazy" and then this one if you can spare the cash and love Gershwin as I do.

When we think of musicals today, we most likely think of a type of musical known as "integrated"--a show in which the musical numbers are so deeply tied into the plot and characters that it is often difficult to disengage them. But integrated musicals did not appear until the mid-1930s, did not become widely popular until the 1940s, and did not achieve absolute ascendancy until the 1950s. The original American musical, which developed in the 1910s and 1920s, was quite different: the story was very loose, existing to provide a platform for musical numbers and comedy acts, most of which were performed as set-pieces and had little to do with the story per se.

Such was the 1924 musical LADY BE GOOD. Written by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson, the story concerned a "financially embarrassed" brother and sister and their various romantic entanglements--an ideal vehicle for the brother and sister team Fred and Adele Astaire, who had made a tremendous hit in London a season or two earlier. Spots were also written in for Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards, one of the more popular recording artists of the day (and later again celebrated as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's PINOCHIO), the popular stage comic Walter Cartlett, and pianists Victor Arden and Phil Ohman. But even with all the star talent, what really made the show special was the music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin. The Gershwins had been kicking around the New York stage with varying degrees of success, but by 1924 their stars were on the rise-and LADY BE GOOD would be the smash hit that established the brothers at the forefront of the American musical.

With the advent of the integrated musical, the original LADY BE GOOD would be reworked time and time again in order to keep up with changing fashion. In the process, the original script, scores, and arrangements would be lost--some of it them forever. But this 1992 studio restoration does an incredible job of restoring the show to its original 1920s style. And the result is tremendous fun.

The big numbers here, of course, are the standards "Lady Be Good" and "Fascinating Rhythm"--but while not every song here belongs to the list of great Gershwin classics, the charm of each is once again apparent. This is particularly the case of the large ensemble numbers "End of a String" and "Linger in the Lobby," and the opening number between Dick and Susie (here performed by Lara Teetor and Ann Morrison), "Hang onto Me," is also uniquely memorable. One of the highlights of the recording is "Little Jazz Bird," originally written for Ukulele Ike and performed by John Pizzarelli, who manages to capture the casual grace of Ike's style without actually imitating him. Although many of the original arrangements are missing, the arrangements created for this recording are perfectly in line with those that do survive, and the sound is classic 1920s: bright and sharp, carefully balancing a tight structure and strict rhythm against the hard-edged jazz flourishes that accented the music of the era. Sadly, there is no recording of the original cast-the habit of creating such recordings wouldn't emerge until the late 1940s-but short of hopping in a time machine and traveling back to 1924, this Roxbury Recording is the best thing going. Recommended.

--GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)--

this is simply a terrific cd with wonderfully joyous performances.

It's hard to believe a person can get so many great sounds from a solo accoustic guitar. The mix is perfect: classical, flamenco, and ragtime. If you can imagine going from a Scott Joplin masterpiece to a Bach and Pernambuco masterpiece, you'll have a sense of what this CD is all about. If you're a fan of Marc Ribot's "Saints" CD, you'll probably dig this CD. Lansburgh is more down-to-earth and traditional than Ribot (who isn't?), but captures the same magic.

This CD is actually EROTIC!

When I ordered the CD, I thought I was just getting some great guitar music, but then my husband and I had a nice evening at home, I lit some candles, he put on this CD, and... WOW!

Quite apart from the sensual aspect to this cd, this guitarist is very satisfying to listen to musically. He has an unbeatable combination of great heart and a beautiful, crisp technique. He obviously loves his music.

I was intrigued by the combination of classical, flamenco, and ragtime on the same disk. There's even a sweet Brazilian piece. My point is that the guitarist makes this interesting mix work beautifully. In spite of the different types of music, you will find a strong continuity throughout.

Will you find this CD erotic? I guess that depends on who you are. By all means, listen to this CD in candle light.

This CD is one of my favorite to wake up with. Each cut invites me to enjoy my day, to make the most of my time. I look forward to hearing more from Larry.

When I was first getting interested in opera, during the late 1960s - early 1970s, Leontyne Price was still singing at the Met, but I could never get a ticket because she only sang five performances a year (later, three). She said this was to "preserve" the voice but, as I learned from those who actually did hear her in person, her mid-range was deteriorating at that time until it was practically inaudible (though her high notes and lower range still sounded great). Also, to be honest, as a youngster I was put off by the promotion of her albums...all those fancy pictures of her in diamonds and furs just seemed so ostentatious to me, and listening to her on records was not always a pleasurable experience. Her voice so often sounded swamped by those loud, blaring, overblown orchestras.

But then I heard a remastering of the famous 1961 "Aida" with Vickers, Gorr and Merrill, and I realized how great a singer she was. That's when I started listening more seriously, and discovered a soprano who had a thorough command of her voice from the late '50s to the late '60s, not only in terms of vocal color but also in terms of phrasing. Listening to Price in her prime is incredible...she almost sounds as if she never breathed, her phrasing is so beautifully bound and poised. At the same time, however, I was disappointed by RCA's choice of partners for her on recordings. ...

This set goes a long way towards restoring the legend. Stripped of her sub-par partners (with the exception of Corelli's belting in the "Seguidilla" from "Carmen"), one can listen to Price's voice uncompromised, and it is a thrill. Even when the orchestra sounds detached and uninteresting, as it often does, Price seems to be on an entirely different wavelength, giving out with passion and great musicality. As for the selections chosen, they represent an excellent cross-section of Price's best work, even though the Purcell and Berlioz sound awfully heavy by today's standards and I can live without the "Anthony and Cleopatra" selection or the Strauss song.

One caveat I have is the lack of discographical information. No dates, orchestras or conductors are given. This is a grave injustice, even though the backup does not always meet expectations. On the plus side, all of the legendary "blue album" (her first recital discs for RCA in 1961) is presented complete, including the two selections from the July 1959 "Il Trovatore" that were on that LP...and in MUCH better, more focused sound. For this, and the heavy orchestral sound, I give the set only 4 stars...but for the singing alone I would give it eight!!

This was the first time I ordered anything from you. I was very happy with my selection. Delivery was fast and accurate, I immediately played my CD and have enjoyed it since.

Rolande M. Collins

Ms. Leontyne Price is the quentisential diva. I fell in love with her when I started studying music at the conservatory level. Her phrasing, tone, quality, and endless range are breathtaking. This CD features selections from when she was vocaly at her best. Even though I could go without the Ariadne and Cleopatra, the rest of the CD is simply marvelous. I cannot stop listening to D'amor sull'ali rosee, which I think is the best interpretation and performance of the piece that I have ever heard!!! I prefer Price over Sutherland, Caballe, Freni, and Fleming any day. Her high tones give you the feeling of floating on clouds. This is one of the best CD's in my entire classical/Opera collection. Whoever purchases this CD, it will be worth your while.

The Weill/Brecht "Seven Sins" may not be as famous as the Threepenny, and it's certainly not as long. The songs aren't "catchy"-- no Doors or Darin or David Bowie or Dresden Dolls are going to cover any of the ballet's nine pieces. But, in all its operatic beauty, it's one of my favourite musical works on this planet.

In short: the Seven Sins is unbelievable. It's Brecht/Weill at their very best. It will latch itself onto your brain, stick its claws into your skull, surpass anything you've ever heard before. From the very start -- just three notes that will, I promise, make you shiver -- to the beautiful, melancholy ending; it's what opera should be like, and it's beyond perfect.

Miss Lotte Lenya, who was the smartest woman in the world for marrying Kurt Weill TWICE, sings what's probably the definitive version of Anna-Anna. Yes, it's two octaves lower than what was intended (but if it's high-pitched warbling you're after, I can highly recommend the lovely Anne Sofie von Otter version), and some people seem to be slightly allergic to Lotte's voice. Which I still fail to understand. She embodies everything Weill writes -- every word out of her mouth feels just right, just exactly the way it was intended.

One other version I'm particularly fond of is the one starring Marianne Faithfull. The differences are easy to spot: Marianne sings in English. Marianne sounds more stoic. Marianne's choir is more overwhelming, but smoother, though the pieces don't fit together quite as well. Marianne is just slightly faster, less emotional, slightly sweeter. Lotte, on the other hand, gives it everything she's got -- never holds back -- and fills the part with emotion. Lotte's choir is tinny, Berlin-y cabaret-y. Lotte's orchestra is much more solid. And Lotte toys more with the lyrics. Both versions are perfect, and I would VERY highly recommend buying both if you can afford it, if just to compare.

Just like Marianne's CD, this album is filled up with as much other Brecht/Weill stuff as would still fit on the disc. The final notes of the Seven Sins epilogue are quickly followed with a gorgeous full Mack The Knife (yes, uncensored), an unbelievable (and definitive) Pirate Jenny, an Alabama Song... pretty much everything these people are famous for, and even some rather obsure songs. The orchestra and background singers mix perfectly with Lotte's vocals on every track. There's not a single flaw -- not in the music, not in the recording quality, nothing -- every bit of it is as perfect as these songs get.

Whether you're just starting out collecting Berlin cabaret, or finally look to complete your collection, this album is simply something you can't NOT buy. So buy it. Buy it. Yes. Excellent. And, if you're searching for more excellent related stuff, here's some other CDs I can recommend:

- Die Dreigroschenoper: 1999 version, starring Nina Hagen, Max Raabe, HK Gruber
- The Threepenny Opera: 1954 Blitzstein adaptation (English softened version)
- Jasperina de Jong - Sieben Rosen hat der Strach (Brecht tribute)
- Cathy Berberian - The Unforgettable
- The Tiger Lillies - Twopenny Opera (It's One Cheaper)

And a final note: avoid the Ute Lemper version at all costs. She's a great singer, absolutely, but will never be Anna-Anna.

'Lotte Lenya sings Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins and Berlin Theatre Songs' is a single CD combining two separate 1955 LPs recorded in Germany, five years after the death of husband and composer, Kurt Weill.

As a lifelong Weill fan who has heard many different interpretations of these songs most notably from Ute Lemper and Maria Stratas, I was struck by how dramaticly better was Lenya's performance of the lyrics. I think this goes far beyond the fact that many of these works were written specifically to be performed by Lenya in Berlin between 1927 and 1933. It is obvious to my ear that even though Lemper is a great cabaret singer, Lenya trumps this with years of performing on the live stage without the aid of electronic amplification.

Lenya does 'Die Sieben Todsunden' with the version done for a lower voice (same as Lemper) rewritten for her by Weill. As other reviewers have noted, this was originally a combination ballet / song cycle commissioned in Germany by George Balanchine where the singer and the ballerina perform two sisters, both named Anna.

None of the individual songs are nearly as popular on their own as the following collection of songs from the German works, 'The Threepenny Opera', 'Mahagonny', and 'Happy End'.

My first encounter with Lotty Lenya's singing was on a Columbia collection done on vinyl in the 1960s, done, probably following on her appearance in the second James Bond movie, 'From Russia, With Love' as the Russian Colonel Klebb. I think this recording is far superior to that issue or to any other recent recording where Lenya does songs she never performed on the stage.

The seven Deadly Sins was commissioned as a dance piece for Les Ballets 1933 with choreography by George Balanchine, Balanchine re-staged it at the New York City Ballet with Lenya at 1958. Anna Sokolow who has difficulties to work with Bertold Brecht to close (Galileo), gave her own independent interpretation to this play as a director with Netherland Dance Theatre in 1967 and at Detroit in 1967 (Cleo Laine).

I have two of these cd's. My kids are 2 and 4 and I bought the first cd when my daughter was a newborn. These have been a true blessing and most evenings, put ME to sleep along with my daughter as I'm getting her settled and to sleep. SOO soothing and relaxing.......just beautiful. The original cd had gotten a scratch on one song so I'm here on Amazon trying to buy yet another one. Great just to play when the kids are wound up just to sooth them.

This compilation of songs is most restful for both the young and old. I received this CD as a gift years before the birth of my daughter and I used it's calming effect while studying calculus.

While working in a daycare this CD had twenty 3-5 year old children fast asleep within minutes. Very cool!

I just purchased a new copy of this CD as the old one is scratched and worn out. I now look forward to sharing this soothing music with my newborn baby girl. ****I highly recommend this CD for putting your little one to sleep.****

As a highly active amateur cellist, this is my signature baby gift to all friends and family - all have commented at it's soothing effect when played at naptime or bedtime. This is a wonderful collection, well-played - BUT IT'S NEVER AVAILABLE. I'm now on a constant search to find used copies. I can only hope that they get back on the ball and restart production on this CD - so that all of you can enjoy it!!

I'm sort of a new lover of Harold Budd. I've only known or heard of this great composer for about 8 months now, but I've spent this time tranfixed on the style and mood of Harold Budd. I can not say I have all the fancy words or expressions of some of the other reviews on here of his CD's, but the music trancends time and space, and takes you to far off places. Luxa is one of the finest CD's in my Budd collection now. Even though I paid a heavty price for it, and was a bit reluctant, it was very much worth the money. Much in the same feel as "The White Arcade" and "The Room", but the sound quality and depth of sound is remarkable. I highly recommend this CD. If your just starting out your Budd collection like me, begin with the more obvious titles, but work your way to Luxa, you won't be disappointed.

Ambient music preoccupied the first half of my life since Eno and Budd had walked into my private chamber in the 70s and 80s. The mood and tranquility that being generated and developed through the collaboration of the two afore mentioned artists, which looked very much aspired by Satie, provided the most relaxing and meditating ambiance to draw city men away from the daily pressurized robotic life. Luxa - a name which made no meaning to me, rather all its masterpieces, had led me to travel through another time and space to experience the beauty and mystery of nature. Pictures after pictures, scenes after scenes, vivid, yet peaceful, flipped across my mind, as if it were an endless trip to a faraway land with no boundary. Hat off to Harold Budd. Ambient 2 and The Pearl hit 80s while Luxa took over the 90s and even transcends the Millennium.

Harold Budd is probably sick of reading this sort of praise about his work, but truth is truth. He writes beautiful music. I would go as far as to say pretty music. HB is not going to set the world on fire with his piano technique, but then again he would be the first to admit to that. He has a very minimalistic way of of playing the piano, a very much soft pedaled approach. When HB performs you have feel within that time stands very much still.

Like most people who are aware of the music of Harold Budd, I first came across his music back in the eighties via the two releases with Brian Eno. The Plateaux of Mirror and The Pearl with Budd on electric and acoustic pianos and Eno providing shimmering background textures and atmospheres, both went on to become benchmark classic ambient releases blitzing what little opposition there was, and elevating ambient music to an art form.

This is HB's first solo work since 1991. It's basically HB paying tribute to people like Chet Baker, Agnes Martin, Serge Poliakoff. The music itself is as usual very light and free floating, the sort of thing we have come to expect from someone like Mr Budd. Sustained atmospheres bring back memories of The Pearl. What a beautiful album that was. This is dream music, hypnotic in effect. This really is beautiful music HB.

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Like other reviewers, I just want to say that this set lacks the famous Elgar recording by Jackie Du Pre. The Elgar performance on this CD is dull in comparison to her more famous performance. So, you will have to buy a separate CD for the Elgar. Other than that, this is a great set to have. I love the two Haydns especially.

This is a comprehensive collection of Cello performances by a thrilling artist. Unfortunately, despite reviewer MacFarlane's assurances to the contrary, the producer of this CD has failed to include Jacqueline du Pre's *famous* and greatest performance of the Elgar Cello, and this is the reason for witholding a star. Ms.du Pre's famous performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto, Opus 85, was performed live in Philadelphia on November 27-28, 1970, with conductor-husband Daniel Barenboim, not Conductor Barbiroli. This Amazon review, comparing the two performances will indicate why this CD loses points for not featuring the Barenboim performance: <> The performance with Barenboim was formerly available on Sony. Today the Amazon search engine only turned it up one time in six search attempts using the SAME words! Elusive, but an essential recording nonetheless! Because confusion persists between the Elgar performances and conductors, it is necessary to persist in citing that it is Jacqueline Du Pre's performance with BARENBOIM which is so revered. Besides, the Sony disc which has the favored performance with conductor Barenboim, is also known for Barenboim's brilliant interpretation of the Elgar Enigma Variations. Daniel Barenboim's talent is becoming more and more visible and worthy of following closely. He's doing great things outside of music as well, so put his name in the Google search engine and find out!

If there is one word for describing Jacqueline du Pre, it is MUSIC. She was the embodiment of music itself, because she gave all to the music she played. Some do not like her playing because it is too emotional. I echo the other reviewer's sentiments in that music is there to be played. Played with emotion. Music is about transmitting emotion to the listener, and du Pre was one of the best examples of how that could (and should) be done. Here, EMI has remastered and reissued most (I say most, because one concerto - the Lalo- has been omitted in this otherwise full compilation of du Pre's concerto recordings) of du Pre's concerto recordings. The Haydn concerto in C, is undoubtedly one of the most touching accounts, with its romantic sentiments. The same can be said of the Haydn in D and the Monn concerti, with the broad tempi, quite relaxed, and very opposite of Period performances Completely incorrect stylistically, but the performances are so moving and involved that all the fuss about stylistic correctness is throuwn out the window. I dare say that one is not going to get a more impassioned account of the Haydn C major concerto. It is among my absolute favourites. The Boccherini concerto is another matter. The version du Pre plays is not the original, but a mixture of the original, with bits borrowed from other Boccherini cello concertos, combined with Romantic styling by Grutzmacher (the 'editor' of the concerto). I don't like it as much as the Haydn concertos, but still it receives a bravura performance by du Pre with the English Chamber Orchestra under Barenboim. The Schumann and Saint-Saens concerti are unsurpassed for their passion and imaginativeness. The Schumann is tragic, but ends triumphantly, in a way that only du Pre could make it sound like that. The Saint-Saens is a less musically significant piece, but in du Pre's hands, it sounds like an important work. Dvorak's cello concerto is one of the greatest pieces in the cello repertoire, with its grand writing and poignancy. While du Pre's Dvorak concerto is not the best version one can buy, for the recording quality is notoriously horrible, with the orchestra sounding so distant from the cellist (who is placed far too forward) it is certainly one of the most outspoken and yes, impassioned accounts, interpretation-wise. Emotionally, it outdoes the justly famous Rotropovich/Karajan version. But the other Dvorak piece in this collection, the Silent Woods, is so touching that one is bound to cry at some stage of the 6-minute piece. The Delius concerto is a very rhapsodic, but a very engmatic one. Technically it is very demanding, because for once the technical difficulties are really due to the musical difficulties. It is hard to make sense of the work unless you are absolutely sure of its musical structure. But du Pre makes this sound easy, fully capturing the rhapsodic nature of the work, and sings beautifully. It was du Pre's first concerto recording, under one of the most arrogantly aristocratic conductors (arrogant to soloists, I mean, as he didn't regard them highly. But for du Pre, he was more than generous), Malcolm Sargent. The Elgar had to be included, didn't it? I mean, it is one of the great classics of the century. So there is nothing more to say about the Elgar. The Strauss tone-poem Don Quixote is a strange work, because it has a solo cello part (with a solo vioin and viola, who are usually members of the orchestra), a solo part that can be a soloist or the principal cellist from the orchestra cello section. It is strange, because the cello part is the most significant solo part, yet 80 per cent of the time it is outplayed by the orchestra, because the 'solo' cello plays the part of the orchestral cello section. But as to this performance, it was a run-through for a concert. Klemperer was supposed to be the conductor but he pulled out at the last minute and Boult was engaged. This historical recording does not sound like a run-through, although it si a bit messy at times ensemble-wise. But du Pre plays with absolute commitment. Her playing of the Finale must be one of the most poignant ever. The conductor's 'bravo' and the unanimous applause of the orchestra adds to the magic. I apologise for the long review, but if you have read this far, then I will say if you like du Pre and the cello, then this set is essential, and at mid price for CDs that would otherwise be full price and in single CDs, it is a bargain.