Chamber & Keyboard Music

On this CD:

1. Adagio con variazioni, for cello & piano, P. 188
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

2. Preludes (3), on Gregorian melodies, for piano, P. 131
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Stefano Malferrari

3. Rispetti toscani (4), songs for soprano & piano, P. 103 No. 1, Quando nasceste voi
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

4. Stornellatrice, song for soprano & piano, P. 69 (from opera "Re Enzo")
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

5. Contrasto, song for mezzo-soprano & piano, P. 66
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

6. Nevicata, song for mezzo-soprano & piano, P. 65
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

7. Scherzo, song for soprano & piano, P. 68
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

8. Rispetti toscani (4), songs for soprano & piano, P. 103 No.4, Razzolan, sopra l'aja, le galline
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

9. Liriche (4), songs for voice, harp, keyboard & strings, P. 125 No. 2, La Najade
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

10. Liriche (4), songs for voice, harp, keyboard & strings, P. 125 No. 3, La sera
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

11. Melodie (6), songs for voice & piano, P. 89 No. 1, In alto mare
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Lorna Windsor, Andrea Macinanti, Stefano Malferrari, Mauro Valli

12. Preludio, for organ in D minor, P. 56
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Andrea Macinanti

13. Pezzi (Preludes) (3), for organ, P. 92
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Andrea Macinanti

14. Pezzi (Preludes) (3), for organ, P. 92
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Andrea Macinanti

15. Suite, for organ & strings in G major, P. 58 Aria
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Andrea Macinanti

16. String Quartet ("Quartetto dorico"), P. 144 No. 4, Elevazione
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Andrea Macinanti

17. Pezzi (Preludes) (3), for organ, P. 92
Composed by Ottorino Respighi
Performed by Andrea Macinanti

Tracks:

Libera nos. I & II (John Sheppard)
Salva nos, Domine (plainchant)
Christe, qui lux es et dies (William Byrd)
In pace in idipsum (John Sheppard)
In manus tuas (Thomas Tallis)
Jesu, salvator saeculi, verbum (John Sheppard)
In manus tuas I (John Sheppard)
In manus tuas II (John Sheppard)
Miserere mihi, Domine (plainchant)
Miserere nostri, Domine (Thomas Tallis0
Misere mihi, Domine (William Byrd)
In pace in idipsum (Thomas Tallis)
Christe, qui lux es et dies (Robert White)
Veni, Domine (plainchant)
Nunc dimittis Gradulia I (William Byrd)
Te lucis ante terminum festal (Thomas Tallis)
Gaude, virgo mater Christi (Hugh Aston)

From the label:

On its spectacular debut recording, the exciting young British vocal group stile antico presents a program of English Renaissance music associated with the office of Compline, the service that ends the monastic liturgical day. A who's-who of 16th-century British composers--including Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, and John Sheppard--is represented here by hymns, antiphons, responsories, motets, and psalms: the occasion not only for music of intimacy, elegance, and reflection, but for flights of breathtaking canonic and contrapuntal invention and harmonic daring.

Stile Antico is an ensemble of young British singers, fast gaining recognition as one of the most original and exciting new voices in its field. In 2005 the group won the inaugural Audience Prize at the Early Music Network International Young Artists' Competition, drawing critical praise for its `wonderfully vivid singing' and `perfectly focused and ideally balanced voices.' Since this success, Stile Antico has appeared throughout the UK, including at the City of London, Lake District Summer Music and Beverley and East Riding Festivals; engagements for 2007 include the York Early Music Festival. The group has also collaborated with Sting on tour in his project Songs from the Labyrinth, performing lute songs by John Dowland.

Working without a conductor, the members of Stile Antico rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing artistically to the musical result. Their repertoire ranges from the glorious legacy of the English Tudor composers to the works of the Flemish and Spanish schools and the music of the early Baroque. They are passionate about the need to communicate with their audiences, combining thoughtful programming with direct, expressive performances. They are also committed to developing their educational work, for which they have received generous funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous.......2007-03-05

The English Tudor choral composers such as Byrd and Tallis composed some glorious music. Sit and listen in a darkened room and you will be transported back to another time and place. Wonderfully atmospheric and moving. The masters of this repertoire are Peter Phillips's Tallis Scholars, but this CD makes me think that they have some serious competition.

Great Premiere from Stile Antico!.......2007-02-27

I got an e-mail from amazon recently to the effect of, "We've noticed that you've rated so-and-so, so we thought you'd be interested in the new release Music for Compline." I usually ignore such e-mails, but I thought I'd check it out. I was intrigued by the audio samples and so downloaded the album on iTunes.

I don't know how a group of young upstarts from Britain without a conductor were able to produce such a sound, but they did. "Music for Compline" focuses on music from composers in England during the transition from Catholicism to Protestantism- Byrd, Sheppard, Tallis, etc.- and as the title implies, it's music that would have been used during a compline service at the time. Compline, for those of you not familiar with the Liturgy of the Hours, is the last prayer service in the liturgical day. As such, the music is serene, contemplative, and prayerful.

The way Stile Antico has gelled as a group is amazing, especially considering they have no conductor. (Although they surely have at least a de-facto rehearsal leader) Their sound is clear and beautiful, and they display exquisite musicianship without being overly technical or icy. They are able to share their fresh (though informed) perspectives on early music with each other to create an organic sound, so not having a conductor actually turns out to be an asset for these young musicians.

Fans of the Tallis Scholars will love this CD. Arguably, Stile Antico is better than the Tallis Scholars in some ways. To elaborate, the Tallis Scholars, as good as they are, can come across as technical and icy, whereas Stile Antico never does, at least not to my ears. On the contrary, they have a warm, authentic sound. Not that I have anything against the Tallis Scholars.

In conclusion, for everyone who loves sacred choral music, or beautiful music in general, "Music for Compline" is a must-have. The musical serenity will be a refuge from stress, and will uplift your spirits.

Music for Compline.......2007-02-05

One is somewhat spoilt for choice these days when it comes to recordings of specialist 'early music' vocal ensembles. In Britain alone, 'brand' names such as 'The Sixteen' and 'The Tallis Scholars', however different their respective approach, have become equally synonymous with excellence in ensemble, intonation, balance and blend. On this basis alone, one might be forgiven for mistaking this CD for another release from one of these fine, long-established choirs. However, this debut recording from 'Stile Antico' has something rather distinctive and individual to offer the listener. Working as a vocal consort without conductor, these are performances born out of an internal commitment and universal understanding within the group, together with an obvious love for this repertoire which they perform so admirably. It is deeply refreshing, in a professional environment where 'time is money', to hear an ensemble who have so noticeably spent a great deal of time 'living' with the music, no doubt both as individuals and collectively as a group. This crucial element of music-making, so often over-looked, is perhaps above all what makes this recording stand out. In fairness, the result is not necessarily superior to that of a conducted ensemble, where a different style of direction in the performances can be attained. But whatever one's preferences - 'Stile Antico' have certainly achieved a winning combination - communicative performances which are simultaneously meditative and emotionally uplifting.

Impeccable ensemble is evident throughout the disc, and this is especially impressive when accomplished within various well-judged slow tempi. Highlights in this regard include a wonderfully ethereal and sonorous performance of Tallis' rarely heard seven-part 'Miserere nostri', and Sheppard's intoxicating 'Libera nos I & II' whose marvellous longing dissonances are given just the right amount of time to register. Byrd's 'Miserere mihi' also receives a fine performance, and the same composer's exquisite homophonic setting of 'Christe lux es et dies' serves to demonstrate these singers' aptitude for naturally shaped phrasing and beautifully paced cadences.

The programming is cohesive throughout, combining familiar, celebrated settings with some rare gems, notably Hugh Aston's giant antiphon 'Gaude, virgo mater Christi', of which this is the first recording made available on CD.

Congratulations are also due to Harmonia Mundi for their superb recording quality, which captures splendidly not only the clarity of the voices, but also the magnificent acoustics of All Hallow's, Gospel Oak. Beautiful packaging together with intelligent, informative programme notes completes this excellent debut release.

Average customer rating:

Better and Better
Such a drama queen...
Still Gowing
Listening is a lot of work...but
He produced Himself, thats all you have to say!

Release the Stars
Rufus Wainwright
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sky Blue Sky
Volta
The Reminder
Back to Black
New Moon

ASIN: B000O78LH8
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

Do I Disappoint You
Going To A Town
Tiergarten
Nobody's Off The Hook
Between My Legs
Rules And Regulations
Not Ready To Love
Slideshow
Tulsa
Leaving For Paris
Sanssouci
Release The Stars

Amazon.com

Recorded in Berlin and executive produced by the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant, Rufus Wainwright's fifth album offers an ounce of restraint from the man that dressed up as Sir Lancelot's crossed girlfriend Lady Shallott on the cover of his last. Well, not really. Having fallen in love and curbed his self-destructive streak, the New York-born singer-songwriter has certainly sharpened his wit on Release the Stars but the songs remain as ornate and over-the-top as ever, drawing as much inspiration from opera and the musical theater as the desire to purge personal demons. So while Wainwright spends considerable time here pondering the state of the world ("Going to a Town") and his own battles with drug and sexual addiction ("Sanssouci"), every note is punctuated by a choir, orchestral swell, or big burst of brass. It wouldn't be Rufus with anything less. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Better and Better.......2007-07-08

What I like best about this album is that it is emblematic of Rufus' ever-maturing talent, both in subject matter and musical stylings.

A few standouts: "Do I Disappoint You" (love this track - bombastic opening as only Rufus can do. Compare with "Oh What a World" and "Agnus Dei" from the Want One and Want Two CD's), "Going to a Town" (written about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina - and NOT Anti-American as some have said), "Slideshow" (love the melody, not sure how well the subject matter goes with it though), and "Tulsa" (wasn't sure about this one at first, but now I like it - and it's not really about sleeping with Brandon Flowers, as many seem to think).

All in all, this CD makes good listening. I can't wait to hear what Rufus will come out with next.

Such a drama queen..........2007-07-04

I've wanted to like Rufus. I've tried to like Rufus. I bought this just for "Going to a Town"- an amazing song, and the lyrics are spot-on. But the rest of the disc is so melodramatic and off-the-charts narcissistic that I find it completely unlistenable. Rufus, can't you rein it in just a little bit?

Still Gowing.......2007-06-29

Rufus has created four masterpiece albums before this one, and he is still growing in talent and direction! Too many artists write the same music album after album once they find success, but this is not the case here. Whereas, I cannot say this album is my favorite, it does grow on me more and more each time I listen to it. This album is quite different - give it your patience and you will be rewarded. It contains few catchy melodies that are accessible upon first hearing, but instead is full of sophisticated musicianship.

Listening is a lot of work...but.......2007-06-27

Purchased this CD solely based on the reviews, and WOW! It is fantastic! It is very complex, and listening to it the first few times feels a bit laborious, trying to take it all in. As it turns out, it is well worth it. What a crazy, soaring, smooth, quasi-operatic extravaganza. I especially like "Release the Stars." It makes you feel like standing up on top of your desk, spreading your arms out wide, and belting it out yourself.

He produced Himself, thats all you have to say!.......2007-06-27

I love Rufus. His music if full and gorgeous.....and the title track on this Cd is an example of that. My only complaint... if it were possible... that this might be a little too much Rufus.

Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

Average customer rating:

Vibe shift
Gorgeous, pure and unexpected
Soul music
An Elizabethan Sting
Labyrinth

Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Not Too Late
An Ancient Muse
Wintersong
James Taylor at Christmas
Awake

ASIN: B000HXDESU
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

Walsingham
Can she excuse my wrongs?
Ryght honorable: as I have bin most bounde unto your honor Â…
Flow my tears
Have you seen the bright lily grow
Then in time passing on Mr. Johnson diedÂ…
The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark
The lowest trees have tops
And accordinge as I desired ther cam a letterÂ…
Fine knacks for ladies
From thenc I went to the Landgrave of HessenÂ…
Fantasy
Come, heavy sleep
Forlorn Hope Fancy
And from thence I had great desire to see ItalyÂ…
Come again
Wilt thou unkind thus reave me
After my departure I caled to mynde our conferenceÂ…
Weep you no more, sad fountains
My Lord WilloughbyÂ’s Welcome Home
Clear or cloudy
Men say that the Kinge of Spain is making gret preparationÂ…
In darkness let me dwell

Amazon.com

In choosing to cover the music of John Dowland (1563-1626), who is known as the "melancholy madrigalist" from his output of cheerful ditties like "Flow My Tears," Police bandleader Sting has entered into a whole new realm of austere eeriness. Originally inspired by the gift of a lute, the rock superstar and activist sings the songs, deliciously sweet and tender or spirited by turn, accompanying himself, with Edin Karamazov sitting on lute and archlute. For listeners accustomed to hearing material of this period interpreted by rigorously trained early music stylists, especially countertenors and the like, Sting's sometimes tight-jawed, chest-heavy vocals may seem amateurish. It's undeniable that in four-part harmonies, the singer, tightly overdubbed, comes across like a combination of the Swingle Singers and Queen (meaning Freddy Mercury and crew, NOT the first Elizabeth). But it's important to remember that music of this period was routinely heard as a casual diversion in private homes, even more often than at Court. It was considered a crucial social skill to be able to join in with an adequate degree of skill, but not everyone was able to negotiate the perilous melodic twists and turns typical of the era's music. With this in mind, the overall effect is of a candle-lit, postprandial entertainment in the home of an English gentleman. Muttered readings from Dowland's letters and brief snippets of sampled birdsong aside, it is a courageous effort, displaying heartfelt admiration for the composer and a considerable degree of earnest charm. --Christina Roden

Album Description

StingÂ's Songs From The Labyrinth is an album of 17th century music composed by John Dowland and performed on the lute, an ancient acoustic guitar. After being given a lute nearly two years ago as a gift, Sting became fascinated and immersed himself with the instrument and the history of lute music. Reminded of his almost 25 year long enthrallment with the works of John Dowland, the Elizabethan composer who wrote songs for the lute, Sting has recorded a new album of vocal and lute music. All songs were composed by Dowland in the 17th century, but have been given new life in these fresh new recordings by Sting. Sting not only sings all the songs (accompanied by leading lutenist Edin Karamasov, who appears on two Andreas Scholl albums), but also plays lute on two instrumental duets with Edin and reads short extracts from a fascinating autobiographical letter by Dowland. Sting has also written a brilliant account of the album's genesis, along with notes on the individual tracks, which serves as the CD booklet.

Customer Reviews:

Vibe shift.......2007-07-10

Why bother? Still would like to say i love the 'shift' it takes to get into this music and how i (and my home) feel when i've enter this rather rarified realm of listening.

Gorgeous, pure and unexpected.......2007-07-06

This music is so pure, so clean, so well performed by two excellent musicians, Edin Karamasov, and Sting, that it put shivers up my spine. Edin is an excellent classical lutenist and Sting's tenor voice is perfect for the music. It was a surprise hearing a rock musician perform this music, but Sting always surprises, continuing to develop as a musican. I will hear this one in my sleep, echoing.

Soul music.......2007-07-05

Have you ever walked a labryinth? Let Sting walk with you either if you are new or an ole' timer at it. This is music for and from the soul.

An Elizabethan Sting.......2007-06-27

A very interesting compilation with a pop star singing music from a high period of Elizabethan music with feeling .style and effectiveness.

Labyrinth.......2007-06-09

What a waste of good talent! About the worst album I've ever heard.

Average customer rating:

Promise at last achieved
Time Did Tell
Mix of Rock and Pop and Celtic Influence
Lovely storytellers!
an amazing listen

The Crane Wife
The Decemberists
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Information
Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Boys and Girls in America

ASIN: B000HKDEEW
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

The Crane Wife 3
The Island-Come & See/The Landlords Daughter/Youll Not Feel The Drowning
Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
O Valencia!
The Perfect Crime #2
When The War Came
Shankhill Butchers
Summersong
The Crane Wife 1 and 2
Sons and Daughters

Amazon.com

Capitol raised a few eyebrows when they signed indie stalwarts the Decemberists. There's nothing blatantly commercial about the Portland quintet, from Colin Meloy's quavery voice and hyper-literate lyrics to the band's wide-ranging music, which encompasses baroque pop, prog rock, and dozens of other styles. Then again, he did once sing, "I was made for the stage," and those who've seen the group live know this to be true. Sure, they're storytellers, but they're entertainers, too--just not in the Top 40 sense. Never ones to play it safe, their major label debut takes its inspiration from a Japanese folk tale. It travels from the Replacements-style balladry of "The Crane Wife 3"--which joins words like "Each feather it fell from skin/'Til threadbare while she grew thin" to the melody from "Here Comes a Regular"--to the ELP hoedown of three-part epic "The Island" to the haunting duet between Meloy and Laura Veirs on "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)." It's an impressively eclectic effort that somehow manages to avoid sounding scattered. Co-produced by Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie) and Tucker Martine (the Long Winters), the Decemberists' fourth full-length is richer, less immediately catchy than its predecessor (there's nothing as bouncy here as Picaresque's "Sixteen Military Wives"). It's also a deeper work that resists snap judgments. Some records hit you over the head with their brilliance, others need time to percolate. Time will tell if The Crane Wife is the Decemberists' best album--it's certainly their most ambitious so far. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

Promise at last achieved.......2007-07-05

A sometimes dark, often beautiful, and always appealing masterpiece, it takes the best elements from their earlier work and ties it all together into a mesmerizing package. Not a bad song among the bunch, and unlike on Picaresque, the ambitious. multi-part epic tracks never slow or flag an inch. Pieced together with the intimate and the grand, they bring in the usual rogue's gallery of specific characters and give the whole thing a wry and literate treatment.

They even manage to swing away from their folk-rock roots by aping entertaining and unpretentious prog on the epic "The Island," organ-driven plastic blues on "The Perfect Crime," and rollicking classic rock on "When the War Came." Even a song like "Sons & Daughters," which is almost just a throwaway closer, has such a perfectly catchy rhythm and sublime round session, that it ends up being one of the most instantly memorable moments. Seems to be a transition period for the band, but if this hints at the direction they're choosing, I'm more than willing to follow. The best album of 2006.

Best cuts: "The Island," "The Crane Wife 3," "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)," "The Perfect Crime #2," "Sons & Daughters," "O Valencia!" "When the War Came," "The Crane Wife 1 & 2," "Skankill Butchers"

Time Did Tell .......2007-06-30

"Time will tell if The Crane Wife is the Decemberists' best album--it's certainly their most ambitious so far."

If you just read that above... well...time did tell.. and this is their best album. I'll keep it short since everyone kept it long. Give The Crane Wife a couple of plays and it will ring true. This is my pick for Best Album of 2006. You can hear the development in The Decemberists' music arc over their albums and their style is anything but static. This band is particularly amazing if you love rich lyrics.

BTW, I love to see all the support for The Decemberists (below).

Mix of Rock and Pop and Celtic Influence.......2007-06-28

After a brief preview on Amazon I thought that the lead singer's voice would be difficult to listen to throughout the entire CD. I took a chance and I am pleasantly delighted that I purchased this CD. The Crane Wife has a Celtic story-telling feel to it that meanders through many different genres of rock with sweet pop hooks on a handful of songs. Suprisingly I hear some influences of Floyd and hints of 70's rock thrown into the mix. The lead-singer's voice is not as monotonous as I had envisioned. This is an excellent CD.

Lovely storytellers!.......2007-06-27

I would rate this as being one of the best of the Decemberists. I love how their music is on the upbeat side but their lyrics are abit on the dark side. And all the songs are telling a story. O Valencia and Shankill Butchers are excellent. I especially like Shankill Butchers because it is actually based on a real gang. Their songs are different than the typical junk that is floating around this days. So, if this so happens to be your first Decemberists experience, I'm sure you wont be disappointed.

an amazing listen.......2007-06-27

This meloncholic dreamy ballard journey carries you away. the lead singers voice is mezmerizing. The stories are strange and the world they describe violent and full of loss and longing but the music, in a minor key is soothing, complex and rich. I hear the songs all day in my mind. My children, jaded teens have stolen the cd from me. It got album of the year on NPR and I can see why.

Average customer rating:

Love at first listen..this is one beautiful album!
4.5 Stars... The National keeps getting better and better
potential record of the year 2007
Keeps Getting Better
Growing

Boxer
The National
Manufacturer: Beggars Banquet Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Reminder
Sky Blue Sky
Mirrored
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Icky Thump

ASIN: B000O5AYCA
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Fake Empire
Mistaken For Strangers
Brainy
Squalor Victoria
Green Gloves
Slow Show
Apartment Story
Start a War
Guest Room
Racing Like a Pro
ADA
Gospel

Amazon.com

With Boxer, the National have reached four albums into their increasingly lauded career, never hurrying the tempo, never over-reaching in volume or instrumental density. Instead, the quintet's balanced on a pin, emotionally austere, if not utterly downhearted, finding brilliantly dusky ways for Matt Berninger's lovelorn voice to mesh with a pair of unobtrusive guitars and, here, an occasional phalanx of piano, horns, and strings. The tunes roll off slowly, Berninger's lyrics hugging the instruments with a sad brawn, rough-hewn as the drums and bass toy with angularity (try "Mistaken for Strangers," for one) but end up woven by that voice. Drummer Bryan Devendorf presses the songs forward repeatedly, as on "Start a War," where he gently thumps the time as the acoustic guitars frame and dot the melody, coalescing as the drums starkly chisel the melody. Nary a distortion pedal is harmed on Boxer, giving the National a magnetism so forlorn that you can't stop listening. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

The follow-up to 2005's "Alligator" is filled with lush arrangements and sees the band incorporating new instrumentation and expanded musical elements such as piano, trumpet, and more prominent background vocals.

Customer Reviews:

Love at first listen..this is one beautiful album!.......2007-07-09

Beautifully crafted and tempered gem by a band reminiscent of Tindersticks. "Boxer" is a special album...rich, lush and atmospheric baroque pop. Every track is a keeper. In my top 5 for 2007.

4.5 Stars... The National keeps getting better and better.......2007-07-06

The National (originaly hailing from Cincinnati incidentally, before moving to New York in the late 90s) have slowly but surely building their indie-music resume since their outstanding 2001 self-titled debut album. After their 3rd album, 2005's "Alligator", now comes the eagerly anticipated new album.

"Boxer" (12 tracks, 43 min.) shows the band progressing again with, at times, magical results. The first 4 tracks of the album are in my opinion the best the band has ever been. The opener "Fake Empire" starts off very calmy before slowing bursting into almost-epic sounds. "Mistake for Strangers" is a coulda/shoulda be hard-charging radio single, which reminds me of Joy Division, of all bands, as is "Brainy", which is followed by my favorite track of the album "Squalor Victoria", which features some lush orchestral instrumentation on top of the intense drums and piano, what a way to cap a perfect initial third of the album. After that, things level off a bit. "Apartment Story" is another hard-charged song that works great. Interesting to note that Sufjan Stevens plays piano on "Racing Like a Pro" and "Ada". The closer "Gospel" is the perfect summary of the album: quiet, yet charged, it captures the mood.

If mainstream radio would be a bit more open-minded, the National might break big. Given the sorry state of radio these days, I very much doubt it. But it doesn't detract from the intrinsic beauty of "Boxer" as an album, and the National keeps winning more fans with each tour. I just love this slow-burner mood piece that this album is. Highly recommended!

potential record of the year 2007.......2007-06-29

Honestly...I think I like this record more than the first two (and probably third) Interpol albums. I also like it more than the National's last record, "Alligator", which was GREAT.

This record is SOOOOOOOO much more than just some Joy Division rip-off. There is a boatload of Americana and folk influence to this record...along with a biting critique of modern American urban life. Great songs about relationships and about our place in the world.

I saw these guys play at the Duck Room in St Louis and they were incredible. I really hope this band blows up because of this record...I listen to it as a whole so much that I cannot even pick a favorite song!

Keeps Getting Better.......2007-06-28

The first notes of this album blew me away; this album starts strong with "Fake Empire," a confusing and beautifully tempoed (if that's a word) song. As with other National albums, this one does take some getting used to, off the bat I really enjoyed "Slow Show" and "Ada," but now I'm getting into
"Apartment Story" and "Racing like a pro." I would probably recommend getting "Alligator" first if you are new to the National, but this album is stellar.

Growing.......2007-06-19

After discovering The Alligator last year and listening to the song Secret Meeting with the "..I had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain.." echoing thru the rest of the album I decided to go a little further and explore their previous works.

Cherry Tree with the theme "about today" automatically owned me the first time it hit my cd player.

Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers revealed me "Slipping Husband", just repeating itself in the stereo until that little moment where he throws his tongue out to unleash "..Dear we better get a drink in you before you start to bore us..".

There are some rare cds that have the ability to just keep growing inside us and reavealing each time yet undiscovered moments of true joy. The National is just the band that allways share with us this kind of cds. It's for me, their trademark. They grow inside you.

Boxer is not different. It just started growing in me play after play and revealing already his first singular moments of true joy.

Truly a must for any music fan.. 5*

Average customer rating:

Indispensable
Light in the Darkness
Amy Lee: The most underrated voice in music today
smart people BUY THIS CD
Overdramatic Crap

Fallen
Evanescence
Manufacturer: Wind-Up
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The Open Door
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ASIN: B000089RVX
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Tracks:

Going Under
Bring Me To Life
Everybody's Fool
My Immortal
Haunted
Tourniquet
Imaginary
Taking Over Me
Hello
My Last Breath
Whisper

Amazon.com

The Daredevil soundtrack provided a nice boost for this previously unknown quartet from Little Rock, Arkansas. Evanescence's songs "My Immortal" and the imposing "Bring Me to Life" are clear standouts in the film, mainly because they work so well with the dramatic, eerie undertones of the storyline. They reappear here on the band's debut, alongside a selection of similarly brooding tracks that evoke pensive artists like Tori Amos and the Cranberries. Vocalist Amy Lee has the kind of voice that can cause weeks of insomnia, but on songs like "Tourniquet" and "Haunted" she belies the music's sinister mood with evenhanded spirituality, thoughtfully letting some light shine through the tempest. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Indispensable.......2007-07-09

This is one of the very best CDs ever made, and one of the ONLY ones I've ever found that I can listen to from beginning to end and never skip past a single song. I think there's maybe four or five others in the world that I can say that about, and I listen to almost all types of music, from Mozart to Enya to Tool to Billie Holiday to Simon and Garfunkel to Staind to... anyway, it's a masterpiece. Some music snobs like to turn up their noses at Evanescence and mock those who listen to them because they're generally thought of as "Teenage Goth", but I have a message for them: GET OVER YOURSELVES!! BY BEING NARROW MINDED YOU ARE ONLY DEPRIVING YOURSELVES OF SOME OF THE BEST, MOST HAUNTING MUSIC YOU COULD ASK FOR!! I listen to this CD ALOT and I never get tired of it. Amy Lee is amazing! TRY IT!!!

Light in the Darkness.......2007-07-03

Fans of bands like Nightwish, The Gathering, Lennon Murphy and Lacuna Coil are either rejoicing or cursing Evanescence. Their brand of atmospheric gothic rock / metal is quite comparable to all bands mentioned above yet they are the ones in the Billboard Top 10 Album chart.

"Bring Me To Life" is a stunning track on its own merit that could stand to lose the male pseudo rap-rock vocal yelling "Wake Me Up". (If you hear the demo version without the male vocal you will understand) I find it amusing that fans of bands like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit are buying this disc just on the basis of this track alone only to realize that the rest of the disc is moody, dark journey into the belly of various beasts. Nevertheless, Amy Lee has a haunting voice that layers beautifully over gothic rock/metal passages much like Tarja, Anneke, Christina, and Tori Amos. "Haunted" is a short, but remarkable track that allows Amy's vocals to breathe chilling words of despair. Just read the cold words to "Imaginary" and you wonder what exact demon tortures the writer's (Ben Moody) soul.

Overall, this disc is way too deep and thought provoking for its target audience. For those of us that have supported this style of music for years, please don't pass judgment against this disc until you have experienced the overall enchantment within its 11 tracks.

Amy Lee: The most underrated voice in music today.......2007-06-27

I remember when "Bring me to life" started playing regularly on a local rock station a few years ago. I thought it was a pretty cool song and liked the vocals of female singer Amy Lee, who seemed to have a wide range and yet still able to have somewhat of an overall mystique to her sound that I still have a hard time describing to this day. At that point a friend of mine loaned me the CD, but upon the first couple of listens I put it back without a second thought.

After selling 14 million copies worldwide and having a strong sophomore release with "The Open Door", I decided to give Evanescence another chance, returning to the debut album "Fallen". Sometimes it takes giving an album a second chance to make a first impression, and this time around I guess I was ready to embrace a band that was deemed as Goth Metal by the masses, but had a female vocalist that was able to help them rise above the all too familiar growl and dirge vocal efforts that usually fall into this category. Strong singles that stand out to me start out with Track 1 in "Going Under", which has a nice, simple guitar piece that has enough grind to stay down in the darker, more brooding sounds of this style of music. Track 6 is a tune called "Tourniquet" and has some eerie tones that help it start out before breaking into a clean, balanced attack of guitars and percussion. The overall structure of this album is great, and although I said there are several singles I like, I will just sum it up by saying there is something great about every song on this album.

What really is a selling point for me, however, is the lead singer Amy Lee. Amy's voice is poetic in deliverance of the songs and has a great overall emotional connection with the music, while at the same time her range allows her to add a lot of diversity to each and every song throughout the album. Overall you have a powerful set of music that rocks when it has to, and has some piano melody to add to the mix (Track 6 and 9 in particular) that I feel sets it apart from a lot of the genre's and classifications that people have been trying to put it in. If you are not much into newer "Nu-Metal" or what have you, but enjoy some of the progressive metal sounds and intricate approaches of such musicians, you just might find Evanescence to your liking. As stated before, it took me a few years to "come back" and discover them, but the wait was worth it and I look forward to any new releases this band has to offer.

smart people BUY THIS CD.......2007-06-24

This CD is the best i have ever Heard. now if you like screaming bands you might not like them [FYI a girl is singing] but they are great.

lets start with Going under great rock i would give it a 9/10
every one knows this song Bring me to life AWSOME all around 10/10
the everybodys fool was a good try good message to i would give it a 7.5/10
the 4th one was also very nice not for rock fans but nice 8.5/10
haunted was my Lest liked did not do what Amy does best 5.10
The 6th one Very very nice not the best but not the best 8/10
the 7th one nice strings very nice to 8.5/10
the 8th one rock on 9/10
hello tryed to be like the 4th one BUT failed badly 6.5/10
we are allmost done My last breath they did it again Very nice 9/10
last one whisper 9/10
and it wont tell you but theres 1 more its number 4 again but with guitars again BUY THIS CD

Overdramatic Crap.......2007-06-24

This album is a bunch of teenage overdramatic crap. Amy Lee's vocals are too overdramatic, and most of the lyrics sound like what would come out of a teenagers jounral about how depressing things are. I can't belive some people call this metal or goth music, it is neither. This album is way too comericalized, the music is itself is nothing too write home about. Alot of this album sounds like it was thrown together in about 5 minutes, with not much thought behind it. If you want TRUE metal stick with old school metallica, megadeth,testament,pantera(r.i.p. Dimebag),slayer,and fear factory. Avoid this album if you are a TRUE metal fan, you will be dissapointed.

Average customer rating:

=)
Just lovely
Piano Enthusiasts - rejoice!!!
Best movie soundtrack of all time!
Soothing memories

Pride & Prejudice
Caroline Dale , Benjamin Wallfisch , William Lyons , English Chamber Orchestra , Jean-Yves Thibaudet , and Aidan Broadbridge
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BEZQ0Y
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

Dawn
Stars And Butterflies
The Living Sculptures Of Pemberley
Meryton Townhall
The Militia Marches In
Georgiana
Arrival At Netherfield
A Postcard To Henry Purcell
Liz On Top Of The World
Leaving Netherfield
Another Dance
The Secret Life Of Daydreams
Darcy's Letter
Can't Slow Down
Your Hands Are Cold
Mrs. Darcy
Credits

Amazon.com

The year 2005 was big for Italian composer Dario Marianelli. His score for The Brothers Grimm received much applause (probably more than the film itself) and a few months later he came back with another batch of compositions for a period film. This time around, the plaudits are reversed: The film is better than the score. And that's not the only reversal: Since several of his compositions were to be performed by some of the characters on screen, Marianelli wrote parts of the music before the movie was shot, switching the order in which these things are usually done. The onscreen pieces are for solo piano, and Marianelli got a huge leg up by having them played by famed classical performer Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Marianelli was instructed by director Joe Wright to think along the lines of Beethoven (tall order!) but unlike The Brothers Grimm, which cleverly mixed and matched its classical influences, Pride & Prejudice fails to acquire a personality of its own. A few tracks, such as "Arrival at Netherfield," even border on George Winston territory. The intervention of the English Chamber Orchestra usually helps, but overall the score's palette sticks too much to a monochromatic beige. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

=).......2007-07-01

I gotta tell you, the only thing better than Mr. Darcy confessing his love to Lizzy in the rain is listening to this score. I absolutely love it--I espeically love picturing the scenes, which one can see so vividly while listening to the music. It's beautiful. My favorite tracks are 9 and 11. Enjoy!

Just lovely.......2007-06-12

I think this soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and the composer should have won the Oscar in 2006 (at least it was nominated).

Piano Enthusiasts - rejoice!!!.......2007-06-01

I purchased this album some time ago, following having seen the dvd of the movie. What I had really wanted was the sheet music so I could play the beautiful piano pieces as heard in the film. It took a few months for the music to be published - Dario Marianelli is the composer - but until that time I listened to the c.d., which, I believe any lover of classical music will enjoy whether they play piano or not. Mr. Marianelli has crafted a hybrid blend between the best of classical form in musicianship with a more modern aesthetic. His music is cleaner, less fussy . . . and therein lies the beauty - you can hear the melodies singing out above all else, and they are rich, lovely melodies! Grab a cup of tea and the newspaper, or head out in the early morning dew to fuss with your garden . . . with P & P playing as your soundtrack. Hugely satisfying!!!

Best movie soundtrack of all time!.......2007-06-01

What makes the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack by Dario Marianelli the best? It's so good that you would want to heard it throughout the day, while you're driving, while in your shower, while you're cooking, while doing chores around the house, even while watching my kids play in the park. I got the CD, downloaded it in my cell phone's MP3 and off i went into my classical, magical and elegant world of Jane Austen... even in the midst of my very ultra-mordern suburban life. I love the Black-eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake and the ENglish rockbands too, but sometimes, when you want to go about the day in the Elizabeth Bennet kind of mood, this is the kind of music that puts you into character, that enables you to walk elegantly, slow down and smile charmingly at your kids and husband... this is the soundtrack of my life.

Soothing memories.......2007-05-18

I recently have developed an addiction to anything Jane Austen, especially anything to do with Pride and Predjudice. While I prefer the A&E production as opposed to the more recent verison, I prefer this soundtrack over the A&E verison. The lilting melodies bring back memories of the movie but are also very soothing after a hard day at work. I listen to it on my way to work to peacfully begin my day and then on the way home to relax my mind after a long day. I have enjoyed listening to the piano forte solos "immensely" (Jane Austen's influence).

Average customer rating:

End of the Day
Wonderful!
Over and over and over....
Non-standard CD format
wonderful surprise

Romance of the Violin
Claude Debussy , Fryderyk Chopin , Camille Saint-Saens , Franz Schubert , Vincenzo Bellini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Alexander Borodin , Antonin Dvorak , Claudio Monteverdi , Jules Massenet , Robert Schumann , Michael Stern , Craig Ogden , Gregory Knowles , John Constable , Jacob Heringman , and Stephen Orton
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000DG06L
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')
The Girl With Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book I; La fille aux cheveux delin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)
Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)
The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957
Casta Diva (from 'Norma')
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: 3rd movement
Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orfeo ed Euridice')
Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano B104/4 Op 55/4
Pur ti Miro (from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea')
Elegie (Elegie 'O doux printemps d'autrefois' for voice and piano)
Traumerei ('Kinderszenen' for piano, Op 15, No. 7 'Dreaming')

Amazon.com

Every track on this CD contains a beautiful melody, many of them easily recognizable, all of them exuding tranquility. "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi opens the disc, with Bell delicately accompanied by a harp and spinning the long melody with great sensitivity. Bellini's "Casta diva" from Norma lives up to its reputation as the epitome of bel canto in Bell's hands; his violin sings. The middle movement of Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto takes well to the violin, and Debussy's "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is played with great warmth and sensuality. It would be easy to turn a recital like this into treacle, but Bell is wise enough to realize that the music is already sweet enough and he plays with great reserve and a minimum of sentimental slides. The light accompaniments always support, with woodwinds prominent but used with grace. This CD, in short, is a beauty: a fine gift, a lovely mood setter. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

End of the Day.......2007-06-08

I am a Joshua Bell fan, and this album is the one that I enjoy with my dessert, it calms me at the end of the day, and makes me think of my 6 year old granddaughter's visit. She has to have music on during meals at her home. Usually it is some kid stuff, but I do not have anything like she has at home, so I chose to play Joshua Bell during our dinner. When I placed the dessert before her, she looked up at me and said: "This music is so beautiful, I want to play the violin just like that". What more could I say.
He is inspiring, and she is right. This album is beautiful.

Wonderful!.......2007-05-30

I play this for my grandson to nap by. It is so relaxing and wonderful!

Over and over and over...........2007-05-17

That's how I want to play this CD! It's a wonderful line-up of rich, mellow, captivating compositions played with a warmth and vibrancy that is seldom heard. Joshua at his very best. You won't be disappointed.

Non-standard CD format.......2007-04-22

The music on this CD deserves five stars, but the CD itself is a non-standard format that doesn't work on all players. There's a tiny warning on the back of the CD. You won't notice the warning until you discover that the CD doesn't work on your player. My Macintosh computer wouldn't read the non-standard format so there was no way for me to listen in my office or put the music on my iPod.

A friend's PC was able to read the CD and make a copy in standard format that can be read on any player, including my Mac. The story had a happy ending, but I can not comprehend why the publisher chose the oddball CD specification.

The music is excellent and worth the trouble of making a copy, but the publisher really shouldn't make you go to that effort just to listen to a CD that you paid for.

wonderful surprise.......2007-04-13

This recording has quickly become a most favorite cd in my collection. My personal preference had always been for opera and not symphony concert. To hear the violin replace the voice and line of the opera singer (in two of the excerpts) was a wonderful surprise for me, and has enhanced my enjoyment of all of this recording.

Average customer rating:

this music lives
Soporific Yet Satisfying
Elegant and free-flowing.
Intriguing combination
pure grace and beauty in sound...

Ojos Negros
Dino Saluzzi , and Anja Lechner
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Responsorium

ASIN: B000N4RA4C
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Tango a mi padre
Minguito
Esquina
Duetto
Ojos negros
El titere
Carretas
Serenata

Album Description

Few artists have as rich and varied a history with ECM as Dino Saluzzi. The Argentine bandoneon master has recorded 10 albums, and each one tells it's own endlessly inventive musical story. The spirit of Dino Saluzzi's work is derived from the oral tradition of Argentina's music and its value on melody and simplicity.

A 1996 collaboration with the Munich-based Rosamunde Quartett became the starting point for Saluzzi's work with cellist Anja Lechner. Lechner has had her own success on ECM, most notably with her album, the hit Chants, Hymns and Dances. For the past six years, Saluzzi and Lechner have performed in concert all over Europe.

Ojos Negros is the first recording from this magical duo, and creates a richly lyrical dialogue that blurs the lines between folk music, jazz and tango. This is chamber music with Argentine traditions, presented through Saluzzi compositions and the beautiful old tango tune "Ojos negros" ("Black Eyes").

Customer Reviews:

this music lives.......2007-06-24

an intense listen. Great communication and interaction . Music as a form of human language has rarely been demonstrated so exquisitely . High Art . While still being an easy but attentive listening

Soporific Yet Satisfying.......2007-06-08

The liner notes in the handsome booklet that accompanies Ojos Negros start with a very telling anecdote involving Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, and it is obvious that the author of the notes intended the putative Borges quote to apply to the music of Dino Saluzzi as well. That is, if you don't understand the work, then its not for you.
That has been the problem for me since I was introduced to the music of Saluzzi through his work with Al DiMeola's world music project. He was so good there, I sought out his own projects. But as hard as I tried, I just didn't connect with any of them until now.
If you are looking for the music of Dino Saluzzi, then its likely that you already know what the bandoneon is all about. There surely is not another instrument with the power to express melancholy, longing and angst as the bandoneon and that is what makes perfect for tango. But in the last half-century, adventurous musicians, Saluzzi among them, have explored the possibilities of the bandoneon beyond the world of tango.
The foundation of Ojos Negros lies in tango. The title of the CD itself is also the name of a tango dating from the time of the Guardia Vieja of the early 20th century, and it is indeed the only composition covered here that is not Saluzzi's. If you know the piece, you will surely recognize it. But while Saluzzi's music is anchored in tango, his collaboration here with German cellist Anja Lechner extends his musical reach deep into the worlds of chamber music and avant-garde jazz and the result is often spellbinding.
I have listened to Ojos Negros at least a dozen times since I bought it. And though I did not like it instantly, its musical secrets gradually revealed themselves to me after repeated listens. This is a work that surely demands that you be all ears lest the key to its mysteries escape you. It is somber, it is stately, and it is often soporific, yet it is ultimately satisfying.
A couple of other Saluzzi CDs I own haven't really "worked" for me. Ojos Negros does. If you have the patience and the time to listen without distractions, you may find that it works for you as well.

Elegant and free-flowing........2007-05-30

Argentine Dino Saluzzi, a master of an accordion-like instrument called the bandoneon, plays moody, meandering music derived from the tango.
He is a virtuoso and a symbol of the music which he plays.
A Master of his instrument, and of his idiom, a defiantly acoustic, 21st-century development of the angst-ridden New Tango.
He has collaborated with jazz masters such as John Surman, and with classical ensembles such as the Rosamunde Quartett. He was a star of last year's Norwegan Nattjazz festival where he was featured in a concerto-like setting with the Bergen Big Band.
"Ojos Negros" features eight duets performed with German cellist Anja Lechner (of the Rosamunde Quartett), all but one composed by Saluzzi. Yet mastery does not guarantee a world-beating album.
The duo's interpretations are elegant and free-flowing, but there's a lack of compositional bite that is not always compensated for by sheer performance.
There are times, listening to these intense and beautifully recorded duets, when the predominant impression is that of eavesdropping on a well-mannered private conversation.
Which is why many people will adore "Ojos Negros".

Intriguing combination.......2007-05-27

This is a fabulous album, combining a couple of excellent musicians performing an interesting tango music with an unusual colour of sound, Piazolla must be thrilled!

pure grace and beauty in sound..........2007-04-15

I've had this recording for 2-3 weeks now, and I can't seem to get enough of it. On first listening, from the first few notes breathed from Dino Saluzzi's bandoneón, I knew I was in for something magical. Even though Dino's `sound' is recognizable immediately, no one should mistake that statement as characterizing him as standing still musically - his art is continuously evolving and growing. Since the issue of his first album for ECM, KULTRUM (1982), I've been following the creativity of his music, and I've never been disappointed. He has worked as a solo artist, in duos, trios and larger groupings - his 1999 recording with the Rosamunde Quartett (again entitled KULTRUM) showed that the bandoneón fit perfectly into a setting that could almost be classified as chamber music.

That recording also marked his first work with Anja Lechner, cellist for Rosamunde - she had for some time loved the music of the tango, and working more closely with Dino allowed her to hear that genre performed in a manner much more authentic than the European derivatives to which she had mainly been exposed. Saluzzi's music, she relates, `...was more profound that just tango. He was playing a music that was really his own...I entered a new world.' She is without a doubt one of the finest cellists working today in any genre - her skill and sensitivity, and her ability to convey emotion and feeling in her playing without overriding her partner make her a perfect match to Dino's work.

The phrase `more profound than just tango' describes the art of Dino Saluzzi perfectly. In his hands, the bandoneón breathes with a life of its own - it becomes a part of him, an alternate voice, a storyteller, a filter through which passes everything he has seen, felt, tasted, experienced over the course of his life. When I listen to Dino play, I can close my eyes and see a mountain path shrouded in the mist of early morning. I can rub the dirt of a country road at twilight under my bare feet, fell wind with a hint of coming rain blowing in early evening, take in the scent of a meal cooking over a fire, hear the laughter of children playing, relax in the embrace of a lover, see the wisdom in the dark eyes of a forest Indian. Dino's music is his history - there are pieces inspired by events, family members, acquaintances, places and times - and the skill, love and care with which he evokes all of these things is nothing short of palpable in his playing.

There are a couple of pieces here that Dino has recorded before - `Tango a mi padre', the album's opening track, is a loving portrait of his father, and first appeared on MOJOTORO in 1991. `Minguito' was recorded on VOLVER, a project he did with the great Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava, in 1986. All of the pieces, save `Ojos negros' - composed by bandoneónist Vicente Greco (1888-1924) - are Saluzzi originals. `Esquina' is a particularly beautiful example of how Dino's memories wind their way through his music. He remembers the time, in his village of Salta, more than 60 years ago: `I still have this very clear picture of my father, sitting on a rock somewhere in our little village. I see him from the back, in his short-sleeved white t-shirt, in the moonlight, playing the bandoneón - and he's playing a song I loved when I was just seven years old, a sad song about leaving a beautiful small town to go to the big city of Paris...'

The bandoneón and the cello complement each other exquisitely throughout the recording - alternately leading or supporting, weaving in and out of each other with the grace of skillful dancers, moving so naturally that the listener might be compelled to suspect mind-reading talents are involved. Grace is indeed involved, but the music is also evolving constantly - Anja Lechner says, `In Dino's music, you never play any phrase the same way twice.' Dino adds, `We are basically playing a music build of rubato phrases - but the conception of the rubato is different at every concert. The pieces change all the time, but the way the improvising is integrated is different from the jazz approach...the composition is an idea that suggests some possibilities...we take a lot of freedom with the forms.' The freedom here is based on structure as a foundation - but the skill of the players never allows the music to descend into anarchy. There is grace and beauty in every note, every phrase - it's a wonderful thing to experience.

Now and then one can hear the rhythm and form of the tango assert itself - it rises up for a moment, as if to remind us of where this music was born, of its lineage, then dances off into the mists of sound created by the players, leaving an audio shadow, a presence that never quite disappears. That being said, one should definitely not go into Dino Saluzzi's music expecting it to be limited to `tango' - that would be a big mistake. When asked if his music should be called `tango', Dino wisely says `Time spent trying to define the music is time taken away from playing it. I always simply say, "I play music, sir", and I hope that is enough...does the music touch you or not? This is what matters.'

I've always felt that the mark of a master musician is the impression left with the listener that the instrument is an extension of the performer's voice, of his or her very soul - a window to their inner being, through which everything that makes them the person they are can be `seen' in the form of sound. This recording delivers on that rare level - and it soars even higher on repeated listenings. It's a treasure in the fullest sense of the word.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful!
Voice of the Violin
Disappointed
Voices of the Violin
Angelic music

Voice of the Violin

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
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Romance of the Violin
Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy
The Essential Joshua Bell
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]
Romance Of The Violin (Live From New York In Concert)

ASIN: B000H7JD1I
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Tracks:

Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Ave Maria
Pourquoi me riller from Werther
Aprun r, Op. 7, No. 1
Song to the Moon from Rusalka
Laudate Dominum from Vesperae solennes de confessore for soloists, chorus & orchestra, K. 339
None but the Lonely Heart, Op. 6/6
Una furtiva lagrima from L'Elisir d'Amore
In trutina from Carmina Burana
May Breezes from Songs without Words, Op. 62, No. 1
Beau soir
Estrellita
Nana (Bercuese) from Siete conciones populares Espanolas
Je crois entendre encore from The Pearl Fishers
Morgen! Op. 27, No. 4

Amazon.com

Constantly exhorted to "sing," string players naturally try to emulate that most beautiful musical instrument, the human voice; no wonder they literally want to get their fingers on the treasures of the vocal repertoire. Joshua Bell has appropriated some of its best-loved songs and operatic arias, from Mozart through the romantics to Orff. Slow, sustained, lovely and yes, singing, these beguiling melodies and wide emotional range are eminently well suited to the violin. Credit for most of the arrangements is given to J.A.C. Redford, a well-known film and television composer, and indeed the throbbing strings and jarring modulations typical of sound-tracks invade his orchestrations, in startling contrast to the composers' own. In Debussy's "Beau soir," pianist Frederic Chiu partners Bell so beautifully that one wishes he had supplanted the orchestra in all the songs with piano accompaniment. The violin transcriptions of the vocal line closely follow the originals, except for Redford's compulsive habit of adding octaves in the repeats and jumping from the lowest to the highest register. Of course, Bell is very good at all this, and it's the playing that's really the thing. His tone is ravishingly beautiful, warm on the G-string, radiant up high, and always deeply expressive. His love and innate feeling for the music---its inward simplicity, romantic yearning and passionate ardor---speak straight to the heart. In the only authentic violin part, the obbligato of Richard Strauss' "Morgen!" he is joined by the golden-voiced soprano Anna Netrebko; at first overly intense, she relaxes into a blissful, magical ending. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful!.......2007-06-14

I think the reason I love this cd is because the music was not primarily written for the violin. Joshua Bell makes the violin "sing" the pieces. I especially liked Tchaikovsky's "None but the Lonely Heart." I've loved it since we sang it many years ago in our High School chorus and it is not on any of my classical cds.

Good choice.

Voice of the Violin.......2007-06-13

I was disappointed in Bell's popular music style. I love him playing Mozart with his verve and energy - as Mozart would have wanted his music played. This seemed slow and draggy.

Disappointed.......2007-05-17

I had heard one of the tracks on the radio, so I bought the CD. It was too high-ended, a little screechy.

Voices of the Violin.......2007-05-17

Voices is no only a great listen because of Joshua Bell, but it is relaxing and calming - for me that is a great way to let stress melt away.

Every song is well done. Of course Joshua Bell is a favorite.

Angelic music.......2007-05-14

I heard about this artist on NPR, and am enchanted by the magnificent voice he gives to the violin. Well worth the purchase.

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