Tenor's Christmas

Track Listings

1. First Noel

2. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

3. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

4. Deck the Halls

5. O Christmas Tree

6. We Three Kings of Orient Are

7. Joy to the World

8. Silent Night

9. O Little Town of Bethlehem

10. O Holy Night

Tenor's Christmas, Music, Adolphe Adam, Franz Xaver Gruber, George Frideric Handel, John Henry, Jr. Hopkins, Felix Mendelssohn, Lewis Redner, Christmas Traditional, Richard Storrs Willis, Mario Lanza, Ballads, Chamber, Christmas / Chanukkah, Christmas Music, Classical, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Solo Voice(s) and Orchestra, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal, Xmas Vocal

Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Average customer rating:

A Beautiful, Relaxing Project

It just cannot be the end for Charlotte's classical career! :(

Charlotte Church

Somewhat decent but still mediocre

R&B For Charlotte

Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Church, Charlotte | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:

Enchantment

Voice of an Angel

Charlotte Church

Tissues and Issues

Dream a Dream

ASIN: B00006LFGG
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Tracks:

Pie Jesu from Requiem
My Lagan Love
In Trutina (from Carmina Burana)
Panis Angelicus
Amazing Grace
Just Wave Hello
La Pastorella (The Little Shepherdess)
She Moved Through The Fair
Ave Maria
Dream A Dream (w/ Billy Gilman)
The Flower Duet
Haba
The Prayer (w/ Josh Groban)
All Love Can Be
It's The Heart That Matters Most
Tantum Ergo
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Sancta Maria

Amazon.com

Need more evidence of the record industry's obsession with youth? Consider that budding Welsh diva Charlotte Church was a ripe, old 16 when this, her first greatest-hits anthology was released. Spanning her first four releases, as well as some outside collaborations and unreleased material, this 18-track collection underscores the soprano's seemingly boundless potential--as well as some potential career obstacles ahead. Her crystalline, still-maturing voice is best showcased on classically oriented works like Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Pie Jesu," Franck's "Panis Angelicus," and her now-ubiquitous rendering of Delibes' "Flower Duet." She also excels on folk traditionals such as "She Moved Through the Fair" and "My Langan Love." But overwrought productions like the already-dated "Dream a Dream" and "Habanera," a faux-flamenco take on Bizet, nearly get the best of her. Still, her promising duet with fellow young phenom Josh Groban on "The Prayer" and her mature, dreamy reading of A Beautiful Mind's "All Love Can Be," as well as strong performances on the previously unreleased "It's the Heart That Matters Most" and "Bridge over Troubled Waters," are ample evidence of her potential for rewarding pop crossover--if she doesn't retire by 21. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

A Beautiful, Relaxing Project.......2007-06-15

My only other experience with Charlotte Church was seeing part of a PBS special on her, where she sang songs like "Some Enchanted Evening". I actually enjoy her voice on this style of music.

I love her rendition of "Amazing Grace". She also did good on covering "Bridge Over Troubled Water", though I was disappointed she didn't try the high note on the verses as Garfunkel did. My favorite on the project was "It's the Heart That Matters Most".

If I want some beautiful sounding music to relax to while I'm working, this would be a very good project for that.

It just cannot be the end for Charlotte's classical career! :(.......2006-08-20

I'm just shocked that Charlotte has decided to end her classical career with this mediocre assortment of her most loved pieces from her other albums! I wish that she had re-sung all of the pieces to make them sound better than ever with her mature voice! To me, it seems disgusting that anyone would want to end their career with a last album that sounds the way this album does!

Her beginning pieces (Pie Jesu, My Lagan Love, In Trutina, Panis Angelicus, and Amazing Grace) were sung at the beginning of her classical career, and you can hear her flat vowels and shaky low notes. You can also hear it in "She Moved Thru the Fair". It's really annoying!

La Pastorella is a beautiful song to sing, and Church masters it beautifully! Just Wave Hello - the Ford Anthem, is also a beautiful piece, with amazing work from the orchestra.

Ave Maria is a complete annoyance! Church lays on the high notes too much, putting too much emphasis on them, and it's an annoyance! Her vowels are also flat on the high notes - I just hate it!

Dream a Dream is a very nice piece, leaning more towards the pop scene. Church still seems to make it work, and I would listen to it all day!

The Flower Duet is a beautiful song, but Church's vocals are strained, which makes it hard to listen to with a smile on your face! It's still beautiful!

The Prayer (w/ Josh Groban) is a very nice piece, originally sung by Celine Dion. She's still a little bit flat here!

All That Love can Be is sung beautifully, completely smooth and connected. The vocals are flawless and have a mezmerizing effect.

It's the Heart that Knows is a pop piece that Church sings with strong vocals. It's just showing us that she's ending her career as a classical superstar!

Tantum Ergo, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Sancta Maria, are all beautiful pieces!

I am a Charlotte Chruch fan, no doubt, but I really didn't like this album! I still wish that she would stay with opera, but I guess dreams don't come true! I wouldn't advise you to buy this CD - but as long as you have Voice of an Angel, Charlotte Church (the Self Titled Album) and Enchantment, there's no need for this CD!

Sorry Charlotte!

Charlotte Church.......2006-07-29

Love that voice!! This is a great CD and any one who had not heard this young lady sing should buy it and prepare for some musical enjoyment.

Somewhat decent but still mediocre.......2006-06-07

I am well aware of Charlotte's age. However, I am also aware of her amazing vocals and powerful range. But these things don't make you a good singer. Charlotte chose to stick to opera in most of her songs. And face it, not just anyone can do opera.

Charlotte's voice is very well trained - maybe too trained. From a very young age she's been hitting the same notes as Sarah Brightman. But I feel that Charlotte's over-worked and not to mention overdone voice has been declining tremendously.

But I guess none of this really matters now because I haven't heard her do anything classical for a while. If you want to listen to Charlotte now, go find the song 'Crazy Chick.'

If you want to listen to other angel voiced sopranos, I'd go with Sarah Brightman or Renee' Fleming.

R&B For Charlotte .......2006-05-07

If a bird can be annoying as in a Rooster Crowing in the morning, some people will like it. A dog can bark in the nights we sleep, some People will like it. A human voice so light, so vibrated within their own dimensions, people will like it, but not I. I never really saw the beauty of opera, agitating to the ears, just like a Rooster calling on it's hens. With that said, Charlotte needs to turn to Blues Rock or R&B. Yes, Boogie style Blues Rock, she has the voice for it. No matter how many here perceive Opera or know what should sound good, no opera singer could ever sing Blues without a voice and a heart for it. Not One! So why should a girl with soulful music embedded in her, do the same? I say, "it's time to really Rock Charlotte!"

Average customer rating:

Bryn Terfel's beautiful voice.
Why do people think this guy can sing??
Relaxing
Bryn Terfel's Simple Gifts
A Heartfelt Offering Reminiscent of An Earlier Era

Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites
Bryn Terfel - If Ever I Would Leave You (Songs from My Fair Lady, On a Clear Day, Camelot, The Little Prince, Brigadoon)
Sacred Songs
Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome

ASIN: B000B8ISN2
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

Ave Verum Corpus, K.618 - Adapted by Chris Hazell
Deep River - Arranged by Chris Hazell
The Lord Bless You and Keep You
I'll Walk Beside You - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Stabat Mater
Still, Still, Still Weils Kindlein Schlafen Will
Simple Gifts - Arranged by Chris Hazell
How Great Thou Art
Panis Angelicus - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Bless This House - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Ave Verum Corpus
Cavatina - Arranged by Chris Hazell
The Rose
Amazing Grace - Arranged by Chris Hazell
God's Mercy
Morning Has Broken - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Nearer My God To Thee - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Ave Maria
Send In The Clowns - Arranged by Jonathan Tunick
God Will Be With You

Amazon.com

Everything about Bryn Terfel is over-life-size: his physique, his personality, his breath-control, and of course his extraordinarily beautiful voice. This recording displays his stunning vocalism and versatility to full advantage, but its title belies its content. Alhough it does include some simple pieces, the execution is fussy, overdone, and calculated for maximum external effect. The program ranges from Mozart, Pergolesi and pseudo-Bach to Sondheim in arrangements that are pure Hollywood, complete with throbbing strings and rolling drums, often destroying the spirit as well as the letter of the original compositions. It begins with Mozart's heavenly "Ave verum" arranged for baritone solo and chorus, frustratingly cut off after a few phrases (another setting of the same text by Karl Jenkins, written for Terfel, is more satisfying, being complete and original). The splendid baritone Simon Keenlyside joins him here as well as in the opening number of Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater;" originally for soprano and alto, this must be the baritones' revenge on female singers who usurp songs written for men, like Schubert's and Schumann's cycles. Franck's "Panis angelicus" also inexplicably becomes a duet; unfortunately, Terfel's and tenor Aled Jones' voices do not match. Bach-Gounod's popular "Ave Maria" is all swells and exaggerations. The rest of the program consists of folksongs, hymns, show and film tunes, inflated to operatic proportions and generally ending in a fade-out or a flourish. Even the title song is anything but simple. This record is not for purists who like their music performed the way the composer wrote it, but aficionados of great singing will love it. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Bryn Terfel's beautiful voice........2007-05-13

Bryn Terfel has a beautiful voice. Listening to him is very pleasant and definitely something to look forward to. I read a review saying he would replace tenor Pavroti. However, I believe that Mr. Terfel is a Baritone and not a Tenor. That does not detract from the fact that he should be considered one of the world's top male singers. His voice is truly impressive. This CD by Bryn Terfel is one from our collection that is outstanding and a favorite.

Why do people think this guy can sing??.......2007-04-27

Sorry, I think this guy is one of the most overrated singers out there today. He always sounds like he is singing holding his nose shut. VERY nasal sounding.

If you want to listen to an incredibly beautiful voice, buy one of Josh Groban's CD's--you won't regret it! He has the voice of the century!

Relaxing.......2007-02-03

Excellent selection of music. It covers many different types. My wife likes being able to hear the words with out instruments drowning out the vocals. I find it relaxing and many of the songs are familiar and very well done.

Bryn Terfel's Simple Gifts.......2006-02-25

Simply superb. I don't know what our local (Wash DC) paper was talking about when they said Deep River was the weakest link. I was enthralled from beginning to end. I have had the pleasure of hearing Bryn Terfel live in recital at the Kennedy Center. I can assure you that his voice has only improved with age. He was wonderful then and is spectacular now!

A Heartfelt Offering Reminiscent of An Earlier Era.......2006-02-15

Bryn Terfel harkens back to earlier American operatic stars such as Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill who crossed grenres to satisfy their unquenchable need to sing any and all songs that moved them to an appreciative public. These great singers all had their origins singing sacred music from their respective religions and learned to lay their considerable talents before the altar of the simple inspirational song.

This recording is wonderful on many levels. The selections are an unusual mixture of classical sacred music, spirituals, hymns, Lieder, Austrian Christmas and Gaelic songs, musical numbers and movie theme songs harmoniously combined to touch the soul of the listener in a gentle ebb and flow of devotion, intensity and tenderness. All of these songs are beautiful in and of themselves and in his hands, we experience them anew.

Bryn Terfel sings with the commitment necessary to make the awesome challenge of simplicity look easy. To my way of thinking, he is the most communicative and articulate singer today, bar none. He is a poet who savors the sound, feeling and meaning of each and every word and marries it uniquely and faithfully to the music. He transports the listener into the life of a song and transfixes us each and every moment. His enormous talent is not overwhelming or distractive and is inextricably and wholly intertwined with the music. This is greatness and it is very, very rare today.

I like the inclusion of the choir in several of the numbers as it reflects on the nature and context of the songs. I am less fond of the selections with the guest soloists as I feel they do not match his ability to "get inside" a song. The orchestra and orchestations are sensitive and enhancing.

This recording is simply wonderful and should have a broad appeal. It will move and inspire the believer, satisfy and fulfill the otherwise spiritual, calm the troubled and renew a flagging soul.

Average customer rating:

Great collection of sacred music
An Inspiring and Heartening Compilation
making a joyous sound
A correction
I AM A SIMPLE WOMAN

Kiri Te Kanawa - Ave Maria

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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Kiri
Kiri Te Kanawa Classics
Kiri Te Kanawa - Greatest Hits ~ 14 Favorites of Opera, Popular & Traditional Song
Ave Maria
Christmas with Kiri

ASIN: B0000040X1
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

O Divine Redeemer
Laudate Dominum
Bist Du Bei Mir
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Sanctus
Auf Flugeln Des Gesanges: On Wings Oof Song
Panis Angelicus
Ave Verum K. - KV 618
Ave Maria Op.52-6
Trumpet Tune
Let The Bright Seraphim
Let Their Celestial Concerts

Customer Reviews:

Great collection of sacred music.......2005-12-23

What a great collection, many real sacred classics, all delivered in very heartfelt, but simple way, and Kiri's voice is just so beautiful. And I like the fact that there are many different moods, there are some songs which are very soothing, slow pieces but also different ones, and the the final songs are Let The Bright Seraphim which is so uplifting and bright and Let Their Celestial Concerts. They are both from Samson, it's refreshing to hear these tracks instead of the usual pieces from Messiah.
My favourite songs are Bist du bei mir and especially Mozart's Ave Verum, so perfect when sung by Kiri, I know so many different versions but these are probably the best I have heard.
Mozart's Laudate Dominum is done very nicely, good tempo and such great singing. Kirir has a great trill! Panis Angelicus is good too, I wish Kiri would do something else instead of this worn classic, but her version of Schubert's Ave Marias on this album is actually very good. This is a great, refreshing collection overall, well put together, with very tasteful arrangements. There is also a nice chorus, they only sing in few pieces but they sound really good.
There is a small problem with the sound level on this album, it's true, but Kiri's voice still sounds beautiful, just crank up the volume a little bit, so you can hear her better. Maybe the bright seraphim will hear her too!

An Inspiring and Heartening Compilation.......2004-07-12

Kiri Te Kanawa voice never fails to inspire me and uplift my spirit. Her rendition of "Ave Maria" is just so beautiful and moving that its effect on the listener can not be expressed in mere words. Kiri's voice and intuitive nature of delivering the inner strength and emotion of each selection on this CD is just inspiring.

making a joyous sound.......2003-07-03

Dame Kiri's voice shines in these beautiful sacred pieces, and as her biographer David Fingleton, in his excellent liner notes for this CD points out, that going back to her youth and first voice teacher, who was a Sister of Mercy, church music has always been a part of her repertoire, even though she is mostly noted as an operatic soprano.
Favorites include Gounod's exquisite "O Divine Redeemer" ("Repentir"), the two Mozart pieces, "Laudate Dominum" (from "Vesperae solennes de confessore" KV 339), and "Ave Verum" KV 618, and the luminous performance of Schubert's popular "Ave Maria".

Track # 11, Purcell's "Trumpet Time", is a trumpet solo by Crispian Steele-Perkins, and there is also a good and jolly trumpet on track # 11, Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim" from "Samson", which is the piece Dame Kiri sang in St. Paul's Cathedral for the Prince and Princess of Wales, at their wedding in 1981, and has become one of her most often requested songs.
This recording was made in 1984, at the All Saints' Church in Tooting, England, and the sound is not great but quite adequate. The boys of the Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral sing like little angels, and the English Chamber Orchestra is led by Barry Rose. Total time is 47:40.
This would make a nice change of pace CD during the Christmas Season, and for fans of this wonderful soprano, hearing her voice is a joy any time of the year.

A correction.......2003-05-28

I don't know where this comment belongs, but I have a correction to make:
Track 2 is Laudate Dominum from Vespearae solennes de confesore (K.337) and not Vespeare de Dominica (K.321) as the listing says.
Both Mozart's arias are beautiful, though.

I AM A SIMPLE WOMAN.......2003-02-08

I LEARNED TO PLAY CHOPSTIX AND THE RIGHT HAND PART OF BLUE MOON FROM MY FATHER WHEN I WAS LITTLE. I LEARNED TO SING FRERE JAQUES FROM HIM TOO AND WE SANG IT TOGETHER IN ROUNDS. I KNOW WHERE MIDDLE C IS ON THE PIANO AND THIS IS THE EXTENT OF WHAT I KNOW ABOUT MUSIC. SO YOU EXPERTS CAN JUST GO TO THE NEXT REVIEW IF YOU LIKE AND I WONT BE OFFENDED. I AM A KNUCKLEHEAD BY YOUR STANDARDS AND I WOULDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO ME EITHER IF I WERE YOU. BUT FOR THE REST OF YOU, LET ME SAY THAT THIS WOMAN'S VOICE IS LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER HEARD. THE MUSIC SHE CHOSE TO SING FIRST OF ALL, IS BEATUIFUL, JUST BEAUTIFUL. YOU'LL GET GOOSEBUMPS. BUT HER VOICE IS THE THING. IT'S LIKE GOOD COLD SPRING WATER. IT'S CLEAN AND CONFIDENT, NO FUZZY EDGES OR BIG SHOWY SWOOPS. IT'S SOFT AND STRONG AND BIG AND TINY JUST WHEN IT SHOULD BE, I THINK. YOU WILL JUST FIND YOURSELF LISTENING AND SOMETIMES YOU WILL JUST BE HOLDING YOUR BREATH, HARDLY BELIEVING YOUR GOOD LUCK THAT YOU ARE HEARING THIS. I ACTUALLY SHUSHED MY HUSBAND AND TOLD HIM TO STOP TRYING TO TALK TO ME WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID I WOULD MISS SOMETHING. I LOVE A GOOD VOICE AND/OR A GOOD SINGER. THEY AREN'T ALWAYS THE SAME THING. SO I WILL ADD THIS WOMAN AND HER MUSIC TO MY COLLECTION OF FAVORITES THAT INCLUDE THE MUSIC OF JANIS JOPLIN, NINA SIMONE, JONI MITCHELL, CECILIA BARTOLI, MARIAH CAREY, MR. PAVOROTI AND SOME OTHER GOOD GIRLS AND GUYS. AND POUR YOURSELF A GLASS OF WINE THE FIRST GO AROUND...

Average customer rating:

LETTER PERFECT CLASS(ICAL) ACT!
Great Tracks -- Great Value -- Great Book, Who Can Complain?
At this price, how can one complain?

A to Z of Classical Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
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The Arts: World Themes
A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
Rise to Globalism
Walden and Other Writings (Modern Library Classics)
Twentieth-Century World History

ASIN: B00004YYRT
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

De Profundis - Nova Schola Gregoriana
Alleluia - O Virga Mediatrix - Oxford Camerata
Gloria - Oxford Camerata
Pavane - Red Byrd
Canon - Capella Istropolitana
Vivace - Grave - Capella Istropolitana
Prelude - Laurence Cummings
Allegro - Takako Nishizaki
Adagio - Miroslav Kejmar
Air On The G String - Capella Istropolitana
Hallelujah Chorus - Scholars Baroque Ensemble
Menuetto: Allegretto - Capella Istropolitana
Andante - Failoni Orchestra
Allegro - Capella Istropolitana
Adagio - Jeno Jando
Andante - Ernst Ottensamer
Quis Est Homo - Hungarian State Opera Chorus

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Ingrid Kertesi
Un Bal - Pinchas Steinberg
Wedding March - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Minute Waltz - Idil Biret
Larghetto - Alexander Rahbari
Ride Of The Valkyries - Uwe Mund
Prelude - Alexander Rahbari
Hungarian Dance No.3 - Budapest Symphony
Scene - Ondrej Lenard
Slavonic Dance No.1 - Balazs Szokolay
Nimrod - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Clair De Lune - Keith Clark
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Opening) - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Prelude In C Sharp Minor - Idil Biret
Fountain Of The Villa Medici At Sunset - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Overture - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
O Fortuna - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
Playful Pizzicato - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Violin Concerto - Adele Anthony

Amazon.com

Is it a two-CD set with a particularly thick booklet, or a 562-page book with a compilation album attached? Either way, the unpretentious text by Keith Anderson offers an introduction to the lives and works of dozens of composers, together with recommended recordings from the Naxos and Marco Polo catalogs. Anderson includes a useful 59-page glossary of musical terms and an extensive listing of classical pieces used in films. The odd thing about the 36 extracts and complete pieces on the CDs is that they do not form an A-to-Z at all. Rather, they are arranged chronologically, from 1,000-year-old Gregorian chant to the opening movement of contemporary composer Philip Glass's Violin Concerto. Between these two points is the early music of Palestrina and Byrd; the Baroque glories of Vivaldi and Bach; the 19th-century Romantic masters, from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky; and such 20th-century greats as Rachmaninov and Stravinsky. Opera, song, and chamber music are barely represented, but only so much can fit into 151 minutes. Essentially a deluxe sampler of the vast Naxos catalogue, the discs offer a good introduction to some of the most famous and melodic music ever composed, while the book will be very useful to newcomers to the potentially confusing world of classical music. --Gary S. Dalkin

Album Description

A-Z of Classical Music is a remarkable 562-page, illustrated bok, detailing the lives of all the great composers as well as many less known, but equally fascinating, musical masters. Like the Naxos range of recording itself, A-Z of Classical Music is a rich source of inspiration for anyone either just embarking on a lifetime of musical enjoyment or for whom classical music has long been a way of life. Included within is an extensive glossary of musical terms plus a unique guide to classical music used in acclaimed films. Two-and-a-half hours of the finest music from across the centuries are contained in the accompanying CDs.

Customer Reviews:

LETTER PERFECT CLASS(ICAL) ACT!.......2003-01-19

It's only natural we sometimes hit the high seas....make that Cs. This is one box set about which we sing praises. This set features more than two hours of the finest music from across the centuries by such composers as Schubert, Chopin, Mozart, Handel, Stravinsky and Glass. The set also comes with a 562-page illustrated book, detailing the lives of hundreds of composers, a
glossary of musical terms and a unique guide to the classical music used in 360 top films.

Great Tracks -- Great Value -- Great Book, Who Can Complain?.......2002-08-30

Naxos is a fabulous label -- you will not get samples of the best classical music through the ages at no better price. These tracks are as good as any of the over-priced major orchestras and in some cases better. This is a great starter set for a beginner or anyone who just wants to "taste" the classics. If you prefer Opera I would suggest the A to Z of Opera -- most of the tracks on A to Z Classical are orchestral. I was so impressed with this collection that I purchased the Discover the Classics Vol's 1-3 which will give you a more detailed look at the great classics. Take a look at the Naxos web site at NAXOSUSA.COM -- what you will see will blow your mind -- there are literally thousands of pieces that you could listen too!

At this price, how can one complain?.......2001-09-30

This is pretty much a CD version of a mini-Naxos and Marco Polo catalog. All the pieces and extracts are ordered chronologically on the 2 CDs and are of very acceptable quality, but don't expect excellence in every track. Personally, I was particularly disappointed with one of my favourite Pachelbel pieces. The Naxos Canon & Gigue lacks all the emotion of my favourite versions.

Still, any possible weaker performances are of little importance after you get your hands on the fat booklet with over 500 pages. The booklet offers a short intro about the great composers, a glossary of musical terms, a list of works used in films and dozens of illustrations of several composers.

Overall, at this price, this is a must-have pack for any beginner, and might be useful for the occasion "quick check" of the work of many composers. Do not expect many detail, nor references to all the works of some composers; I often got frustrated with the lack of detail in some cases, but in general, the booklet is very effective for a quick reference.
You will need more titles that offer more complete information, and you won't truly learn to love classical music just by reading it, but it is small and compact.

It really puzzles me why Naxos did not include a full index of composers, a serious omission. To find a particular composer you will have to look for it yourself in over 500 pages. Also, the separation of the text is not so good, making the search even a bit slower. The lack of the index is truly annoying and I am sure it will be corrected in future editions.

Even with a few weaker pieces and the lack of the index, at this price, there isn't much to argue about. This is truly a bargain that you should not miss. I would also recommend the A-Z of Opera, which offers a bigger booklet with over 700 pages, focusing on opera works and mentioning several composers that are absent from the A-Z of Classical. That other booklet has a very complete index, and much clearer text layout and separation, that's the way both booklets should have been designed.

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Sancta Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Panis Angelicus - Norbert Balatsch
Cujus Animam
Ingemisco
Ave Verum Corpus
Der Engel
Frondi Tenere... Ombra Mai Fu
Pieta, Signore - Norbert Balatsch
Domine Deus
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Norbert Balatsch
Silent Night
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) - Norbert Balatsch
Gloria A Te, Cristo Gesu (The Hymn Of The Great Jubilee)
Agnus Dei
I Believe

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. This new special edition includes two bonus tracks on a CD enhanced with a picture gallery as well as a full-length DVD of Bocelli in concert filmed at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. --Thomas May

Album Description

Special Edition includes enhanced CD with bonus tracks and concert DVD.

Customer Reviews:

A spiritual experience.......2003-11-27

The DVD is the full 77 minute concert with two featurettes previously released alone. The CD is the full 72 minute concert previously released alone, except that two bonus tracks have been added. The audio quality of each one is quite good. (If you have a Dolby Digital stereo, then you must go into the setup menu on the DVD to select Dolby Digital sound. The default music track is the stereo 2.0 sound.) The video quality of the DVD is astonishing.

The DVD gives the feeling that you are in the church with the other worshippers. It literally sends chills up and down my spine. I highly recommend this CD/DVD combination Special Edition while it is still available.

Hodie / Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Average customer rating:

A most incredible, beautiful, and moving recording

An old friend

Can't go wrong with Hodie

Some of the loveliest Christmas music ever written

A classic recording of a classic

Hodie / Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Britten: A Ceremony of Carols

Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music · Five Mystical Songs · Fantasia on Christmas Carols · Flos Campi / Sixtieen Soloists · Thomas Allen · Nobuko Imai · Corydon Singers · ECO · Matthew Best

Respighi: Laud to the Nativity; Monteverdi: Magnificat

Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Elegy/ Flos Campi/ Sancta Civitas/ etc.

The John Rutter Christmas Album

ASIN: B00004YU84
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

Fant On Christmas Carols: This Is The Truth Sent From Above- - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
Fant On Christmas Carols: Come All You Worthy Gentlemen- - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
Fant On Christmas Carols: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing- - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
Fant On Christmas Carols: God Bless The Ruler Of This House - John Barrow/Chor Of Guildford Cathedral
Hodie: I. Prologue: Nowell! Nowell!
Hodie: II. Narration: Now The Birth Of Jesus Christ-
Hodie: III. Song: It Was The Winter Wild
Hodie: IV. Narration: And It Came To Pass In Those Days
Hodie: V. Choral: The Blessed Son Of God
Hodie: VI. Narration: And There Were In The Same Country
Hodie: VII. Song: The Oxen (Christmas Eve, And Twelve Of The Clock)
Hodie: VIII. Narration: And The Shepherds Returned
Hodie: IX. Pastoral: The Shepherds Sing
Hodie: X. Narration: But Mary Kept All These Things
Hodie: XI. Lullaby: Sweet Was The Song The Virgin Sang
Hodie: XII. Hymn: Bright Portals Of The Sky
Hodie: XIII. Narration: Now When Jesus Was Born
Hodie: XIV. The March Of The Three Kings: From Kingdoms Of Wisdom-
Hodie: XV. Choral: No Sad Thought His Soul Affright
Hodie: XVI. Epilogue: In The Beginning Was The Word

Customer Reviews:

A most incredible, beautiful, and moving recording.......2005-04-12

I first became aware of Hodie when I performed the work in high school. While it is true that Vaughn-Williams does use a variety of styles, this is much more than a compendium of musical approaches. Each style is well chosen to provide an appropriate context for the words in a way matched by few composers - intimate in "The Oxen", hushed and reverential in "No sad thought his soul affright", and imposing and even majesterial in "The March of the Three Kings". I can't imagine how anyone could listen to the Epilogue (especially as performed here) with it's quoting of the beginning of St. John's gospel without being utterly undone.

Because of the beauty of the work and the quality of the performance, it quickly became one of my most beloved recordings, defining for me how this work should be performed just as Karl Richter's Mass in b Minor and Colin Davis's Mozart Requiem have. The singers all have incredibly beautiful voices and each use their voice very sensitively. Just listen to John Shirley-Quirk's simple yet eloquent singing in "The Oxen", describing the animals in the manger on their knees at cradle of God incarnate or Janet Baker's "Lullaby" with a beauty that can bring tears to your eyes. Richard Lewis likewise provides a good range from the heroic to the sensitive - one of the best performances of his I have heard. The choral work is likewise fantastic. I have been searching for this work on CD for years to replace my well-loved but somewhat worn-out LP copy and am delighted that it is finally available again.

More so than Messiah, this work has come to define Christmas for me. If you love choral music, Vaughan-Williams's work, works that can put you in touch with the Divine, or you just appreciate beautiful singing, I would STRONGLY urge you to purchase this recording while it is still available.

An old friend.......2004-02-09

It is always a wonderful thing to find a beloved recording transfered to CD. My old LP is still on my shelves and has been there since 1973, though the recording dates from 1965. It is a fine performance of an unjustly neglected Christmas work.

Vaughan Williams was 81 when he wrote this. It is a portmanteau piece, a form pioneered by Britten, with narrations alternating with chorals, hyms and songs enclosed within a prologue and epilogue. The words set range from the biblical to Thomas Hardy. The narrations, sung by a boys' choir accompanied by a chamber organ, tell the story of the Nativity, and are often followed by a short tenor solo with full orchestral accompaniment. These brief, melismatic sections are of extraordinary emotional power. They still make me go all funny after 30 years. Set in this regular framework go the assorted numbers which vary in character from a gentle lullaby to the glittering March of the Three Kings (the words of which were written by the composer's wife). The work has been criticised for the disparate styles of the settings - some songs like early RVW, others set to the glassy, late orchestral style of Sinfonia Antartica. To me it adds variety as well as demonstrating the sheer breadth of his music. This is a gorgeous piece to play on Christmas day and it will refresh your spirit no end.

The performance is first rate, with a trio of distinguished soloists. The recording is remarkably good for its age.

The Fantasia on Christmas Carols is a much earlier work and its title is self- explanatory. It is a very attractive work which is given a perfectly acceptable performance here. A mystery is the name of the band : "String Orchestra", which sounds alarmingly generic. Guildford, a town to the west of London, does have a semi-professional orchestra so maybe the players are from this.

The insert notes are by Michael Kennedy, who was a close friend of the composer and is the leading authority on his music. Full texts are included for Hodie.

Can't go wrong with Hodie.......2003-01-02

The other reviewers have it right in giving this disc five stars, at least for Hodie. First the bad news: the Fantasia is given here in a slightly bloodless version for baritone, chorus, strings, and organ, which can't quite match the original.

Now the good news: the performance of Hodie on offer here is amazing. As good as Hickox is in his later EMI recording, he and his team of soloists are clearly outmatched. We have captured here early recordings of both Dame Janet Baker and John Shirley-Quirk, two of the great British singers of modern times, each in gorgeous voice and both deeply committed to the work. If you need much convincing of this, try "It was the winter wild" or "The Shepherds sing"; you won't be disappointed. Of course, we shouldn't leave Richard Lewis out, even though he has a somewhat smaller role in the proceedings than the other two. In exchange, he has the challenging hymn "Bright portals of the sky," which he delivers with seeming ease. Their trio in the "March of the Three Kings" is the crowning moment of the work, until topped a few minutes later by the bank-holiday fervor of the finale.

The choral and orchestral work is on pace with that of the soloists: I would say that one can hear more orchestral and choral detail on this disc remastered from the mid-1960's than is available on the Hickox recording!

So, in short, this disc is a must-have for Hodie; if you want the "Fantasia" too, go for Matthew Best's recording with Thomas Allen, the Corydon Singers, and the English Chamber Orchestra on Hyperion.

Some of the loveliest Christmas music ever written.......2002-12-25

I have played this recording every Christmas for the past 28 years at least, first in the original LP from Angel, and then the first CD release, which for a while was out of print. I am so happy to see that it is again available.

If you do not know the Vaughan Williams Hodie, you are missing some of the loveliest Christmas music ever composed. A brilliant mosaic of musical styles serving to set poetry of the most diverse sources,the various parts are all bound together by the Gospel narration of the Nativity story sung by boy's choir. The result, far from being a hodge-podge, is instead deeply felt, organic, and filled with that pastoral, mystical and intensely affecting quality of the best of RVW's work. The soloists are terrific, especially the young Janet Baker at her most radiant. The sound is still quite fresh and beautifully recorded.

I cannot imagine Christmas Eve without this heavenly music!

A classic recording of a classic.......2002-01-09

I first heard Hodie on the initial vinyl release of this performance over 30 years ago. It's one of the finest choral works of the 20th century, and a rare instance where the nobility of the music matches the nobility of texts--and what texts! Milton, the Bible, Thomas Hardy, George Herbert--some of the finest religious poetry in English. The performance is, quite simply, perfection. Willcocks owns every note of the score, and the soloists are perfectly matched.

Tracks:

Hallelujah - Ambrosian Singers
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Ambrosian Singers
Pie Jesu - Victoria De Los Angeles
In Excelsis Deo - Teresa Berganza
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude - Choir Of King's College Cambridge
Ave Maria - Philip Ledger
Zadok The Priest - Coronation Anthem - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Wie Lieblich Sing Deine Wohnungen - Phiharmonia Chorus
Sanctus Fortis - Richard Lewis
Agnus Dei - Dame Janet Baker
Cujus Animam Gementem - Robert Gambill
Lacrimosa - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Ave Maria - Gerald Moore
Ingemisco - Confutatis - Dies Irae - New Philharmonia Chorus

Tracks:

Panis Angelicus - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Herrscher Des Himmels, Erhore Das Lallen - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Ouverture - L'Adieu Des Bergers - Choeurs Rene Duclos
Libera Me Domine - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Ave Verum Corpus, K618 - Swedish Radio Chorus
Die HImmel Erzahlen Die Ehre Gottes - Jose Van Dam
Komm, Holder Lenz! - Chor Der Deutschen Oper Berlin
Lord God Of Abraham - New Philharmonia Chorus
And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth - New Philharmonia Chorus
Miserere Mei, Deus - Stephen Cleobury
Erbarme Dich, Sein Gott - Julia Hamari
O Haupt Voll Blut Und Wundern - Julia Hamari
Ich Folge Dir Gleichfalls - Lisa Otto
Ach Herr, Lass Dein Lieb' Engelein - Lisa Otto

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful and varied compilation of Sacred Choral Works.......2001-08-13

This is a 2 CD set and is one of my favorites. While this CD contains several pieces that the general public probably hears often (Handel's Messiah, Bach's Jesu Bleibet mein freund) it also contains some not well known pieces. Of particular quality is the recording of Gregorio Allegri's MISERE MEI DEUS, a piece composed at the end of the Renaissance era. This piece, lasting roughly 13 minutes, is a master stroke of pure choral music. The piece is repetitive but Allegri builds up to a fantastic ending. Also of note is the glorious recording of Mozart's AVE VERUM CORPUS, Hadyn's DIE SCHOPFUNG, and Brahm's EIN DEUTCHES REQUIEM. A MUST for any choral music fan.

Average customer rating:

The amazing Jessye Norman
Amazing Grace
Superb! As Always, superb!
Uplifting and Timeless
Why was I such a fool?

Amazing Grace: Jessye Norman

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jessye Norman Classics

ASIN: B00000413L
Release Date: 1991-09-12

Tracks:

Amazing Grace: Amazing Grace (traditional)
Amazing Grace: Gesu Bambino
Amazing Grace: Ave Maria (Op. 52 No.6)
Amazing Grace: Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Amazing Grace: Let Us Break Bread Together
Amazing Grace: There's a Man Going Round
Amazing Grace: Mary Had a Baby
Amazing Grace: Panis Angelicus
Amazing Grace: Greensleeves
Amazing Grace: Great Day
Amazing Grace: Steal Away
Amazing Grace: Were You There
Amazing Grace: Calvary
Amazing Grace: City Called Heaven
Amazing Grace: Give Me Jesus
Amazing Grace: O Divine Redeemer
Amazing Grace: He's Got the Whole World
Amazing Grace: Amazing Grace (traditional)

Customer Reviews:

The amazing Jessye Norman.......2007-06-18

Oh what a joy to listen to one of the richest voices of our time! A truly great singing legend. Breathtaking depth and effortless power!

Amazing Grace.......2007-05-08

Don't Know. Holder had a CD of Ludwig con Beethoven! Awaiting the real thing.

Superb! As Always, superb!.......2003-12-27

There's not enough words that can express how wonderful Miss Jessye Norman's vocal talent is. What a wonderful opera diva! I thought the George Bizet's Carmen (CD) was magnificient but then when I got this (CD), I was thrown back. The range and style in "Ave Maria" is splendid, so is "Let's Break Bread Together," "Amazing Grace," and many more songs found on this CD. Miss Jessye Norman, Ms. Leontyne Price, Miss kathleen Battle, Miss Joan Sutherland are top opera divas on my list. So you know I have a fine taste of hearing great vocals; you can't go wrong in purchasing this CD. It's a treasure to listen to.

Uplifting and Timeless.......2003-09-08

Jessye Norman is one of my favorite opera singers. I hope that she may release another CD of Gospel songs very soon. We have waited too much!!! How about to revisit Marian Andersons' Gospel recordings!!!

Why was I such a fool?.......2003-06-17

Okay, if you look at my other recommendations, you'll see that I'm a conservative. So, before my full embrace of the classical vocal artistry, and when I was just beginning to grasp politics (I'm only 21 now), I heard a beautiful voice and rejected it because it was singing at the inauguration of Bill Clinton.

I've learned a little since then. I've learned to ignore an artists political leanings, because they don't tell you much about quality (contrast the Republican South Park creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone with the Democrat Robert Redford). I've also learned to (sometimes) listen to the recommendations of friends. And well, after a friend heard me laud Reneé Fleming, Kathleen Battle, and Leontyne Price, she told me I needed to try Jessye Norman. So I did.

Tracks:

Pueri Concinite
Adeste Fideles
Panis Angelicus
Ave Maria
Der Evangelimann: Selig Sind, Die Verfolgung Leiden (Lied Des Evangelimann, 2. Akt)
Xerxes: Largo (Ombra Mai Fu - Welch Schattig Grun) Arie Des Xesxes, 1. Akt)
Omnes De Saba Venient (Graduale)
Ave Maria
Crucifix (Vous Qui Pleurez)
Agnus Dei: Agnus Dei (Intermezzo)
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott)

Customer Reviews:

Ave Maria-Christmas with Placido Domingo and the Vienna Boys Choir.......2007-03-08

Excellent! I purchased this as a gift for a friend who loves Placido Domingo and she was very pleased. There is no other who compares to him. (our opinion)

Average customer rating:

Spine tingling
Physic for the Psyche
You'll adore the angelic Ingrid Kertesi's dulcet tones
The voice of heaven is the voice of Ingrid Kertesi

Ave Maria

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ave Maria
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ASIN: B0000014F4
Release Date: 1997-04-22

Tracks:

Cantata, BWV 147: Jesu bleibet meine Freude
Notenbuchlein fur Anna Magdalena Bach: Bist du bei mir, BWV 508
Serse: Ombra mal fargo
The Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Rinaldo: Lascia ch'io pianga
Vesperae solennes de Confessore, K. 339: Laudate Dominum
Ave verum corpus, K. 618
Exsultate, jubilate, K. 165
Caro mio ben
Ave Maria, D. 839
Angus Dei
Ave Maria
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Ave Maria
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Customer Reviews:

Spine tingling.......2005-03-15

This album is really about one thing to me - Ingrid Kertesi's version of Ave Maria. This is possibly the closest thing to perfection I have ever heard in music. Words will never explain true art so I won't try. I defy anybody to listen to this and not be moved by it's incredible force. Truly inspirational !!

Physic for the Psyche.......2004-10-24

I bought this CD for one track--Schubert's Ave Maria. I have searched through hundreds of Ave Maria albums for the perfect Ave Maria and, though this version is not perfect, it is the closest I have heard to perfection. Ingrid Kertesi's voice bathes you in the song's rich, warm, red sea of love that is so restorative, you can't help but feel pure and whole after one listening--though, I guarantee you won't be able to listen just once.

I only wish Naxos had chosen to record it with a piano instead of a full orchestra--Naxos's budget orchestras have a budget sound, and besides, this song has an intimacy that resonates best with a simple dialogue between a soprano and a piano. How many music directors have gone wrong by using a soprano and an orchestra, a tenor and an orchestra, or a tenor and a piano. No, no, no! Schubert's Ave Maria = Soprano and Piano, and it better be a damn good soprano, or don't bother recording at all. Really.

I didn't care about any of the other tracks on the CD--and about half are throw-aways. But the Ombra mai fu, the Lascia ch'io pianga, the Mozart masses, and the Donizetti and Gounod Aves (also sung by Kertesi) are all first rate.

Bottom line: the bad tracks are bad, but the beautiful tracks are ecstatic and full of heart and passion. Do your soul a favor and listen.

You'll adore the angelic Ingrid Kertesi's dulcet tones.......2004-07-22

Ingrid Kertesi really does have the voice of an angel. As an ex-choirboy, I have an inherent preference for the pure tones of a boy treble, rather than the mature vibrato warbling of most sopranos. But I bought this disc because the review by Mr. JB from Karlskrona, Sweden (June 18, 2000) grabbed my attention. He is 100 percent right: I defy you to listen to Ingrid Kertesi's version of J.S. Bach's "Bist du bei mir" ("Thou Art So Near") and not have the same ecstatic reaction he did. The same applies to that most hackneyed of works, the "Ave Maria" that Charles Gounod added atop Bach's C-major Prelude from the "48 Preludes and Fugues" ("The Well-Tempered Klavier"). Kertesi's exquisite version makes this old warhorse sound fresh and new again. It's sure either to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up or have you falling to the floor in sheer ecstasy. OK, forgive the hyperbole, but listen to the sample online and you'll get the point. The rest of the disc has humdrum versions of some very familiar pieces by Handel, Mozart and Schubert. But it's truly worth having for Kertesi's incomparable contribution.

The voice of heaven is the voice of Ingrid Kertesi.......2000-06-19

The reason that I bought this record was that as I was walking around in a record store I suddenly heard a heavenly voice, singing a wonderful song. It was so capturing that I had to go ask the staff for the CD. I must say I was deeply surprised when I found out it was a Naxos recording, since their song-CD's sometimes tend to be not so good. But this one is a real bargain.

The song was "Bist du bei mir" by Bach (Stötzel), and the singer was the totally unknown Ingrid Kertesi. This was almost a year ago, but I still think I get a new glimpse of heaven every time that I listen to her. The beauty of her voice makes you forget that her pronunciation is extremely bad (as with Sutherland in her prime). Kertesi sings a few more songs on this CD, and they're all lovely.

Many of the classic christmas & sacred songs are included on this CD, we find three 'Ave Maria' here. Most of the songs are nicely sung, except for some Mozartpieces. The other singers are not in the same class as Kertesi, but mostly OK.

This is a extremely nice compilation for christmas or any other time when it's dark outside. Ingrid Kertesi alone makes this CD worth the price.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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2. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
3. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
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6. We Three Kings of Orient Are
7. Joy to the World
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