Classical music reviews

I have to confess that the only reason why I bought this recording was because of Kleiber. I never cared for Cotrubas's voice because I always found it nasal and not very attractive. I'm a big Callas fan and her voice is certainly not everyone's taste and is also slightly on the nasal side but she delivers so much that I can overlook the faults. I've never been a big fan of Domingo's because I strongly believe a tenor should have high notes. And I never really understood what was so great about Milnes. He certainly had a big voice and was a barihunk but those lunges at the high notes and piano singing in the back of his throat always turned me off. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the performances in this recording. Cotrubas is one of the best Violettas in a studio made recording. She certainly understands what she's singing about. Domingo is youthful and ardent, although the high notes are strained and the high C in the cabaletta to his aria is obviously spliced in. I noticed that immediately even without using headphones. Milnes is at his best here although the performance is wooden and he really does nothing in the duet with Violetta nor with his aria.

But for me the star of this recording is Klieber and since the great maestro recorded only a few operas, I couldn't resist having this one, which is also a favorite opera of mine.

Overall it doesn't compare with the live Callas La Scala and is several notches below Anna Moffo's recording which does have a tenor with ringing high notes (Richard Tucker) and a much more adept and convincing Germont (Robert Merrill). In fact if sound is a consideration, you might want to go with the Moffo recording in it's Living Stereo release. Avoid the first edition which is really lousey.

There are just no words that explain how the music over whelms the soul and has the body swaying whilst the voice attempts to reach the various notes of these accomplised artists. One can only feel an overwhelming envy of those having the capability of, dear I say, such vocal talent, that only the listener can share with many that have only an ear of appreciation.

The conductor and lead singers bring out the best in their performance of this great Verdi opera. A great and inspired rendition.

This is probably the most relaxing album that I've ever heard, certainly the most relaxing album that contains vocals. I am not a Bossa Nova guru though, so take that with a grain of salt. I was referred to this album by a friend, and ended up writing many term papers to it. I especially like O Amor Em Paz. Imagina is great, Sabia, and Vivo Sonhando are also very very good. The music as a whole is not always complex or creative, which is why I dropped a star, but it is performed extremely well. I found the first half to be musically stronger than the second, but it is all very good, and as a previous reviewer said, perfect to play when reading a book and drinking tea!

So much to say about this wonderful recording. As I write this, there are 27 reviews posted for Casa and not one of them is less than 4 stars, with the vast majority as 5 stars. That speaks volumes in itself. But the quality of the words and the thought behind them is truly a tribute to Jobim. If we were all lucky enough to have him with us now, the words of these reviews would surely either make him smile or bring tears of joy to his eyes. This truly is music that soothes...reflects...and makes us all appreciate either finding it or being introduced to it by someone. Introduce only your best friends to this, those that would appreciate it as much as you and I do.

This one of those albums that you need to just sit back and listen to in order to fully appreciate. There's a brief moment when it almost approaches what I call musical wallpaper- that music that people play as a backdrop to doing housework or when they're having a dinner party. In all fairness it deserves your listening attention.
I also have this trio of artists other CD called A Day In New York which is an excellent work.

If God had a window, this music would be the curtain you would pull back to see the Divine. I cried first time I heard this cd. This is a lovely and awe inspiring addition to anyone's cd collection.

When you listen to this cd you can imagine what the other side must be like, bring some joy to your world, buy this cd...

I was in what weould best be described as a dour mood this morning and decied to listen to this CD for the first time in my car. I live in a city that has the 5th worst traffic in America. Gridlock and its spirit crushing frustration are a way of life here and it shows in the populace. I often try to listen to ambient or classical music to calm my demeanor when driving. While some of the production is dated, specifically some of the swirling arppegiator effects, this is a piece of music that is truly worth the praise. I was aware of the album when it first appeared in the 80's as I began my exploration of electronic/space music but for some reason never purchased it. I'm glad now that I happened to come across it the other day in a CD store and picked it up on a whim. It's a cliche but this music, I think, was ahead of its time. Denby's classical training shows, but beyond that, this music is composed to stir an emotional/spiritual response in the listener. I can say that it succeeded with me this morning. As I neared the office I saw two large flocks of geese flying over the highway just as I was thinking to myself that this music inspires the urge to fly. It was a neat experience. Thank you Constance for composing an inspired piece of music. Even if you could help give one person some solace for a day wouldn't it be worth it? Certainly this is the contribution she has made to others who have discovered this music. I look forward to exploring some of the other works by this artist but for right now I can't wait for the ride home!

This is truely a wonderful combination of new age and classical music. With the exception of Constance Demby's Set Free, this is her best work.

On this album, "Alpha" is the main theme song for the docu-drama "Death of a Princess" about a Saudi Royal Princess and this song was also part of Carl Sagan's Cosmos television series. This song alone is worth the purchase of the album

Great instrumentation, and programming that Vangelis is truly great at. Synthesizers, and great drum programming, especially on the track Alpha, in fact you'll have Alpha on repeat for days. Pulstar opens the album, and really sets the tone, amazing!

I know some people prefer his orchestral and choral mush but give me this side of Vangelis any day. This is by far his most free and creative album. No constrictions of compositional niceties cramping his work here. Jazz, rock, electronica. This is for me his most exciting album; it gets your pulse racing rather than merely tickling the intellect. I prefer the short version of Pulstar from the vinyl EP but this version still thrills.

I just wish he'd produced more albums of this sort.

Podger's performance manages to be emotionally involved and historically informed at the same time, a neat feat rarely pulled off in baroque music performance these days. (Only Jordi Savall seems to to do it consistently.) These are warm, friendly performances -- nothing forbidding or pedantic going on here at all. As an introduction to this great music, I can't think of how anyone could do better.

Excellent sound and a nice companion project to Peter Wispelwey's winning performances of the J.S. Bach solo cello suites on the same label.

I have long been searching for the "perfect" performance of J.S. Bach's SONATAS & PARTITAS for violin solo. They are absolutely gorgeous pieces of music and, for some reason, there is not really a first class, definitive recording of them. Certainly the first that I owned with Jascha Heifetz was not to my liking: the sound was muddy which made the famous violinist appear to have no technique whatsoever. The sound is alot better on the set played by Itzhak Perlman and until I heard this new recording with Rachel Podger, the Perlman was my recording of choice.

Podger's name is brand new to me; I had not heard of her until I read some of her reviews in a few British classical music magazines. They raved about her flawless technique and sweet sound. I bought both volumes of the SONATAS AND PARTITAS and they are, indeed, very special. Firstly, Podger plays on a baroque violin made in Genoa in 1739. The sound is really quite different from what we are used to in a concert hall or in recordings. I'll leave the precise description to other, better qualified listeners/reviewers, but to my ears it is a beautiful, full, rich sound made crystal clear in the recording by Channel Classics.

The music, of course, is spirited and emotional, riviting, calming, joyful and contemplative. It is Bach at his purest. And this is a recording to treasure. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

There are many versions of these works on the market, but this has to be the "definitive" version recorded in recent years. Other virtuoso violinists seem to play these works in a slower tempo and in a "romantic era" style. Also, the violins used are usually strung in the modern way with steel strings. Miss Podger plays on a baroque violin with gut strings which gives these works an authentic sound. As well, she plays with energy and depth and seems to attack each note, making these works seem more alive than on other recordings. Miss Podger obviously has a love and affinity for Bach, and it truly shows in her playing. Anyone who seriously appreciates Bach's music should do themselves a favor and listen to her. Both volumes are excellent, but I would especially recommend Vol. 1

This instrumental Hawaiian guitar music album plays like a blessing in song. The melodies are achingly beautiful. It can transform the darkest mood.

The tradition of Hawaiian slack key started in the 1800's when guitars were first introduced to the Islands. The instruments were adapted to Hawaiian musical traditions. Hawaiian musicians developed their own tunings which in some cases were passed down through the generations.

Ordinarily these guitarists are not heard solo. Luckily for us, we have this collection of Hawaiian slack key guitarists. Enjoy this beautiful album!

Hawaiian slack guitar is perfect for bringing down your blood pressure, concentrating on work or just for fun. This is the first review I have written and it's only because I feel this album brings me to a higher consciousness and I want to share the experience.

It could be. I have a pretty extensive collection of slack key CDs, and this is my favorite. Without it, I may have never heard Ozzie Kotani or Moses Kahumoku. It's beautifully recorded, the liner notes are well written, plus they give all the tunings.

This soundtrack has a dark intensity very appropriate for the play's setting and subject. It begins with an eerie, striking opening title, and continues with a well-sequenced series of emotion- and thought-provoking pieces, interspersed with Latin hymns and brilliantly rendered speeches. It stands very well on its own. My only complaint is that the recording level isn't perfect in the opening piece; the orchestra comes in too loudly after the flutes open that segment, reducing clarity of tone.
For other excellent Shakespeare soundtracks, try Jocelyn Pook's The Merchant of Venice--which is even more fascinating than this CD is--and the uplifting Much Ado About Nothing composed by Patrick Doyle. Try also to order an out-of-print copy of the two-CD set Shakespeare at the Movies.

I first heard this while flipping channels on TV. The movie "Henry V" was on and the music captured my attention. After watching the movie I was blown away. The movie, the cast, the soundtrack are awesome. Patrick Doyle should be Knighted by the Queen of England for this Masterpiece.

This score is, as my title would suggest, some of the most absolutely beautiful music I have ever encountered. I can't think of many scores I've heard that have songs that can stir the soul the way 'St. Crispin's Day' or 'Non nobis, Domine' can. I really really love this score. If I haven't already made it clear, I also highly recommend it.

This is a beautiful collection of New Age music that should please fans of the genre. Perfect for listening alone or with others. The music is soothing at times, but at others, is fervent and burning.

The first piece of this recording ("The Majestic Land") is like a throwback to "The Big Country." This being my first impression, I thought every other piece was going to sound like movie soundtracks. But no, the second piece proved me wrong. "So You" was like an unworded song of love, eternity, and promise. By the time of the third piece, you'll be burning with the passion and desire of the strings in "Romance for Violin and Orchestra." The pieces afterwards more or less delve into that rich and sometimes otherworldly territory that is New Age, reaching again into a certain height with "Jude's Theme" and "Nimbus," then coming into a prayerful respite in "Pie Jesu." These pieces are what really make up the theme of "Solace."

The last piece called "The Parting," is a very good piece for dispersing all that left-over burden we accumulated in a day's time. The first time I heard it, and afterwards, I felt like I was in the calm, sunny waters of the Greek sea, and swimming among majestic whales!

There is something for everyone in this recording. Solace does not necessarily mean to be alone, and the music here proves that it can be listened to in the solace of lovers, or a dear friend.

Fly away through the sky and let your imagination get a way from materialistic life. This CD is very Relaxing and Soothing especially when you listen to it outside maybe in the park. Have a nice time.

I own 100s of CDs of many different types. I especially love
New Age and Classical music. I bought Solace not knowing anything about Michael Hoppe. I put Solace on my CD player and sat back to listen. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this CD!
Usually, when I purchase a music CD, I will find that I only like a few songs or tracks and the rest will be ho-hum. But this
CD is wonderful from beginning to end! The music is very soothing and I like hearing different musical instruments and
voices for each song. I don't believe that I will ever grow tired of listening to this album. I highly recommend it!

In concert in Boston Zander seems to bring more fire and life to his Mahler than in these Telarc recordings from London. One review will practically do for all of them so far. Zander misses the wildness of Mhaler, his freedom and unleahsed emoiton, because there is so much attention to detail. Mahler doesn't live in the details. If you listen to the bonus CD that contains one of Zander's typically fine lectures, there is an astonishing amount of exegesis lavished on just the opening bars of the first movement.

It's too much mentality for the music to stand, and although Zander is veyr skilled at getting his musicians to stitch a filigree of detail that I guess is admirable on some level, there are half a dozen Mahler Ninths (Walter, Karajan, two Bernsteins, Barbirolli, Klemperer, the recent Abbado from Berlin) that take us into Mahler's world much more personally and intensely than this.

Just one remark about the quality of the recording as such, just to get that issue out of the way first: it could be better. But on the other hand, really everything, from the piercing highs of the trumpets down to the deepest rumbling basses, all instruments and timbres can be made out clearly within a soundpicture that doesn't gloss over any of the pureness, starkness and often 'ugliness' of much of this music, the leanness of the recording making it sound maybe all the more poignant. And also: I have never heard such urgent and rapt pianissimo's (down to pppp?) as with Mr. Benjamin Zander and the Philharmonia Orchestra here on this recording: truly spellbinding!
Anyway, the (not so great acoustics of the recording venue) have had of course no effect on the playing itself, which is simply revelatory (when compared with many other recordings). Maestro Benjamin Zander's genius causes the notes to sound with such a great sense of narrative and over-arching and dramatic insight, that the music really sings - cries, roars, laughs, whispers, ... - out to you with an intensity and directness it has rarely ever done before. (The 'lean' quality of the recording and the acoustics providing the advantage of forcing the listener to concentrate on all of the notes in all of their shattering and ground-shaking honesty - I believe that at least some part of the special quality of this recording is to be seen in this light.) Mr. Zander, together with the orchestra, manages to make the instruments speak with such intensity and with such eloquence as to utterly grip your attention from beginning to end. From what I gather (me being the lowliest and humblest of amateurs, not being able to read music), Mr. Zander, from virtually every bar, is wringing new insights and new details unheard of before. The playing is as searingly intense as can get, and I can only think of maybe Sir Simon Rattle's Vienna Philharmonic performance (on EMI) as coming close to Zander's complete involvement, but even then ... not quite I think. Mr. Zander's Mahler Ninth just sounds that little bit more 'pure Mahler' than Sir Simon Rattle's does (but which I love very much as well!)
This was my first acquaintance with Benjamin Zander and his unique way with Mahler. I initially bought this three-pairing of CD's because I was very curious about this conductor - of whom I had never heard before - telling about Mahler and his music. His narrative essay on (conducting) Mahler's Ninth Symphony was the first CD in the set I listened to, and I was hooked; and it perfectly set the stage for listening to his 'Mahler Nine'. But the true gem was of course the symphony itself. Zander's 'Mahler Nine' is now - along with his 'Mahler Five' - one of my favorite records. I also like how the symphony has been split over two CD's in the way it has: Andante Comodo on disc 1, the rest on disc 2. The break that has been created is a technical necessity (the recording didn't fit on one disc, unfortunately), but it does sound logical having a little pause (now as long as one likes, when shifting CD's) between the long and deeply moving, half hour-experience of the Andante comodo. But after that, one can at least go on listening to part II, III, and IV without a pause, never having to break one's concentration ...
To conclude, the music-making sounds completely and utterly involved, utterly honest and utterly in touch with all of the complexities of these 'beautiful' but gut-wrenching notes, investing every single phrase and every single bar with the utmost of meaning, without ever losing a sense of the over-arching narative, completely gripping ones attention from first to last - not least the audience, of which one almost never hears one single sound ... They must have been truly spellbound ... holding their applause for over half a minute after the music has ended (and the inclusion of which, on this CD, for me only heightens the sense of a marvellous occasion)!

This is one of the most spellbinding performances ever. The previous Mahler Ninths I own or heard; from Masur, Boulez, Bruno Walter, Barbirolli, Kubelik...they sound like "routine" Mahler Ninths. Only Leonard Bernstein's superb performances with Boston Symphony Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic came close as my favorite Mahler Ninths. But Zander's Ninth is otherworldly, just like Horenstein's Mahler Eighth, another favorite recording of mine. Both went through the intricate details and demands of the Mahler himself and "conjure" what they interpret into sounds that went beyond music. It is how Mahler's vision of symphony that embraces the world should do, and very, very few works of Mahler today are capable of that. Routine Mahler performances are forgettable, extraordinary performances are to be treasured, and supernatural performances are unforgettable. Zander's Ninth belongs to the last category.

Maybe my praise went a bit too enthusiastic and akin to being a mindless fanboy, but Zander couldn't actually capture such essence in this recording later on. He has been too submissive into the details and intricate instructions of the composer while failed to find something beyond what is prescribed in the score, proved by recordings of his Sixth and latest Third symphonies.

The second and third movement suffers from the approach I mentioned above. Mind you, I have actually heard Zander conduct the Rondo-Burleske live and it spirals out of control like Bernstein/BPO and loved it, compared to this recording's Rondo-Burleske.

But for just the first and last movements and the lecture that I give this 3-CD set a full rating. No one captures the Andante Comodo as vividly as Zander does. His approach is close to Furtwangler's conducting that I admire the most, spontaneous organic musical approach rather than playing it safe by walking tightrope through the score. You can hear many different voices from individual instruments working like a chamber orchestra and violin ppp passages are stunning when the strings sound as if they're spectre in Barbican hall. Also, Zander focuses on three climaxes that gets louder after another (if not mistaken) and like Horenstein in Mahler Eighth, he accumulates the tension rather than forcing the musicians to do it.

The Adagio is a heart-welming farewell to the world that Mahler loved and also a hint to his everlasting yearning of his late daughter Anna. Again, he accumulates the tension for the biggest climax of the movement before gradually dies away in silence.

As for the lectures, they're fascinating and I am ever grateful to maestro Zander for his tips on conducting the first movement and it helps me to conduct at times. Some posters might question why he needs to yap like a religious evengelist and not let his music speak for itself. Simply because many listeners interpret the works differently. I suppose Mahler himself is a freak since he does "prescribe" his symphonies especially First and Third symphonies, although he retracted them later. Sometimes the listener is curious about the history of music and how it works. Pity Bernstein and Zander are one of the few conductors who educate their listeners today. Classical music should not be a pompous and elite field of interest. It is because of such attitude that today's classical music scene is in deterioration.

This version is extremely accurate in terms of singing and Edith Mathis' voice is one of the best I heard in my life, in fact, her singing is perfect in terms of accuracy.
Dietrich Fisher Dieskau's voice is characteristic of the well-trained german: powerful, vivid, dramatic.
Gundula Janowitz's voiceis also quite good, but not at the same level of the other singers.
In terms of beauty and melody, these singers have reached the top, however they aren't very dramatic, and they could improve quite a bit in that aspect.
On the whole, I'd say this is a very good interpretation, but not the best in the world, in fact I'd say that there isn't any, for every interpretation has one or two flaws. For those who like gorgeously melodious voices this is a must, but for those who tend to go for the dramatic side this is a maybe not, thus I 'm witholding my five and giving four stras to this recording.

This recording is the recording used in the film Shashawnk Redemption (which has drawn tons of people to opera just upon hearing the "Letter" duet "Sull'aria" in one scene in the film). The recording used in the film is credited as the 1968 Karl Bohm edition starring Gundula Janowitz, Hermann Prey, Edith Mathis, Tatiana Troyanos and Dietrich Fischer Dieskau. The soprano voices of Gundula Janowitz and Edith Mathis is what we hear in the film. Many purists argue that the Bohm version is flawed and moreover un-Mozartian simply because the principal singers are German and have no command for the Italian diction so vital in an Italiante comedy like Figaro. But I much prefer the Karl Bohm version though this one is also quite beautiful. Edith Mathis has a lush, radiant soprano voice, with technically no flaw from a vocal point of view. Her particular Germanic school of opera was very handy in singing youthfully and beautifully, even if at the expense of dramatic development of character. As if she's the only one. Today's "gorgeous but un-dramatic" singers include Renee Fleming and even mezzo Denyce Graves. Soprano Gundula Janowitz sings with beautiful tone, but often with very little characterization. Her Countess is lovely but we rarely feel sympathetic for her role as the betrayed wife. She sings so beautifully we are certain the Count will return his former love for her. None of the singers are doing much of a dramatic job. Dieskau as the Count is a roaring lion of pride and masculine vanity and he is perhaps the only singer that is doing a great job here, despite detractors' comments. Herman Prey also does a superior job as Figaro, making him convincingly funny and witty and breathing a dimension of reality to his role.

THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY SUNG version but not the most dramatically satisfying. So it boils down to what your own tastes for opera are. Do you want to hear a gorgeously sung Figaro or a more lively, comedic, "acted-out" Figaro ? If it's the latter, then this recording is not for you. This is sheer beauty and Mozartian grace, worthy of being sung in the most Rococco of opera houses. I would have payed good money to hear these singers back in the late 60's, however I'm too young and never had the opportunity to hear them sing. The only old singer I've heard is Kiri Te Kenawa (and to some this singer is not that old). Te Kenawa is considered one of the great Countesses of this opera, as is Schwartzkopff in the Giulini recording and of course today's own Renee Fleming.

Like the other reviewer mentions, this is the Le Nozze Di Figaro recording that is used in the movie "Shashawnk Redemption". I had a hard time figuring it out. I have always watched the film late at night and always miss the closing credits which credit the source for the "Letter Aria" or "Sul Soave Zefferito" sung by two sopranos the Countess and Susannah her maid. In Redemption, our innocent hero Mr. Dufresne puts on this recording which has been digitally remastered and stars Gundula Janowitz as the Countess, Edith Mathis as Susannah, Herman Prey as Figaro, Dietrich Fischer Dieskau as the Count and Tatiano Troyanos as Cherubino. True, this recording has been highly criticized as faulty by many blase critics. In opera, one discovers very picky people. But to my knowledge, no opera has ever been perfect. This recording is absolutely beautiful. Karl Bohm, a popular Bayreuth conductor, uncovers the lush musical beauty of the score. All the singers live their roles and sing with both beauty and dramatic integrity.

The soprano voices of Edith Mathis and Gundula Janowitz is what we hear in Shashawnk. They are not "Italian ladies" like Dufresne says. They are both German sopranos. Edith Mathis as Susannah is radiant, perky, pretty. Her voice is crystalline and angelic. Gundula Janowitz makes a very elegant and feminine Countess, with none of the maturity and age that Schwartzkopff gave to her. Janowitz always sounded "young". Dietrich Discher Fieskau as the Count is terrific. He sang a lot of Italian roles for baritone/bass, though he was primarily a German Lieder and opera specialist. However, his Italian is excellent. His command of the role is superb. He makes him an overblown egoist and it works. Hermann Prey as Figaro is perfect. He sings with intelligence, charisma and Mozartian talent. Karl Bohm conducts the Berlin State Opera with virtuosity. I have nothing more to say. This is the one and only Figaro. Of course, if you are not satisfied, oh blase ones, try other alternatives to this one such as the Giuseppe Taddei, Elisabeth Schwartzkopf and Anna Moffo recording or the one with Sena Jurinac.