Mendelssohn: Elias (Elijah)

On this CD:

1. Elias (Elijah), oratorio, Op. 70
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Leipzig Radio Chorus and Gewandhaus Orchestra with Theo Adam, Elly Ameling, Annelies Burmeister, Christel Klug, Renate Krahmer, Hermann-Christian Polster, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch

Mendelssohn: Elias (Elijah), Music, Gisela Schroter, Ingrid Wandelt, Hermann-Christian Polster, Theo Adam, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Leipziger Rundfunkchor und Gewandhausorchester, Christel Klug, Elly Ameling, Renate Krahmer, Roswitha Trexler, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch, Peter Schreier, Annelies Burmeister, Choral, Classical, Classical Music, Oratorio

Mendelssohn: Elijah
Average customer rating:

Wonderful, but not my first choice

THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever...

Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw

Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem]

ASIN: B0002XV31A
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

Introduction: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth
Overture
No.1 Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
No.2: Lord! Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
No.3: Ye People, Rend Your Hearts
No.4: If With All Your Hearts
No.5: Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
No.6: Elijah! Get Thee Hence
No.7: For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
Recitative: Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up
No.8: What Have I Do To Do With Thee?
No.9: Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
No.10: As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth
No.11: Baal, We Cry To Thee: Hear And Answer Us!
No.12: Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!
No.13: Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not!
No.14: Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel!
No.15: Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
No.16: O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits
No.17: Is Not His Word Like A Fire?
No.18: Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!
No.19: O Man Of God, Help Thy People!
No.20: Thanks Be To God!

Tracks:

No.21: Hear Ye, Israel; Hear What The Lord Speaketh
No.22: Be Not Afraid, Saith God The Lord
No.23: The Lord Hath Exalted Thee
No.24: Woe To Him, He Shall Perish
No.25: Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious
No.26: It Is Enough; O Lord Now Take My Life
No.27: See, Now He Sleepeth
No.28: Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
No.29: He, Watching Over Israel, Slumbers Not
No.30: Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey
No.31: O Rest In The Lord
No.32: He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
No.33: Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord!
No.34: Behold! God The Lord Passed By!
No.35: Above Him Stood The Seraphim
No.36: Go, Return Upon Thy Way
No.37: For The Mountains Shall Depart
No.38: Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth
No.39: Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth
No.40: Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah
No.41: But The Lord, From The North Hath Raised One
No.41a: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
No.42: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful, but not my first choice.......2007-04-07

I believe this was the first recording of Elijah in English that used an "international" conductor and some international singers. Fruhbeck gives a good, dramatic sweep to the piece, with some wonderful dramatic moments. This is an old fashioned performance, with only a solo quartet, and if there is a semi-chorus, I can't tell the difference. This means that the soprano is the Widow, and an Angel, the mezzo the Angel and Queen Jezabel, etc. You really should have a libretto, but you don't get one at this price.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.

THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever..........2006-08-15

Okay, I'm gonna admit I'm biased- I first sung in the chorus of Elijah when I was 14 and it made a BIG impression on me!
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.

That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.

All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.

Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah.......2006-07-03

This is a good recording of an oratorio that deserves more attention. The chorus and soloists are very good--I just wish Fischer-Diskau wouldn't slide around so much in singing the title part!

Average customer rating:

Outstanding
The heavens are telling
Uncle Abe rattles the house with this thing
Sir Robert with ASO and Chorus at their Best!
Celestial melodies

Choral Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003CTR
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hallelujah
Ave Verum Corpus K.618
Kyrie Eleison
Passion Chorale
The Shepherds' Farewell
Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
He Watching Over Israel
Dona Nobis Pacem
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Worthy Is The Lamb
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Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen
The Heavens Are Telling
Rex Tremendae

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-01-12

-gave this as a Christmas gift to my brother-in-law, a church musician. He has listened over & over & thinks it is really outstanding. Thank you!

The heavens are telling.......2005-10-21

This is a very great chorus, and one of Haydn's best as far as i am concerned. The pace, grandness and spirit of the piece all conjure in one's imagination the majesty of heaven, and God's throne. I cannot help but be moved to praise the God of the heavens and the earth.

kanmi ogundipe

Uncle Abe rattles the house with this thing.......2004-11-22

I came home from work one day when my uncle was visiting my wife and myself. He was recently retired from the ministry. He had heard a lot of choral music in his life. My aunt said he had the stereo ( power end of my stereo at the time was an Adcomm 555 amp. conservatively rated at 200 watts RMS per channel) up so loud it was rattling the whole house. I too have come to love this music. I mostly listen to rock and roll; but the way my uncle, and now I, play this thing, it is rock and roll from another era!!!

Sir Robert with ASO and Chorus at their Best!.......2003-11-16

After Mr Shaw spent many years in NYC and Cleveland with RCA Red Label,he came into Atlanta for a big change! Soon he switched to TELARC DIGITAL! I still Joyfully remember our Recording of the Christmas Nativity in Dec of 1975! Sir Robert, conducting with earphones encasing his head shouted: "Stop the taping, there is some Darn Sizzling noise in those Lights!" We may have not heard the word "Damn" lights, that he employed at times!

On both this newer release of TELARC and the older Recording of The Christmas Nativity, there are Bach's Chorale, Break Forth, Dona Nobis Pacem from the B-Minor Mass, Handel's Hallelujah! Plus the exquisite, Shepherds's Farewell to the Holy Family of Berlioz's The Infant Christ!

Those who may not be familiar with Berlioz from both recordings, will be richly rewarded by hearing them plus the Rex Tremendae from Berlioz''s Requiem and the other Kyrie from the Bach B-Minor! Absolutely, no other Christmas Music can ever approach these two splendid recordings, which are the basis of the ASO celebrating every Christmas with "Robert Shaw in the Spirit!"

Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

Celestial melodies.......2001-05-27

No matter what mood you are in, the gorgeous chorals will draft you through the paths of holiness, and you will find yourself situated in the Elysium, land of eternal joy, yet you are far from dead. The past grief, weariness, and worries will fade and torture your soul no more. You are set free.

Tracks:

Introduction (Elijah) - 'As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth'
Overture
1. Chorus - 'Help Lord'
Quartet: Recitative - 'The Deep Affords No Water'
Duet With Chorus - 'Zion Spreadeth Her Hands For Aid'
3. Recitative (Obadiah) - 'Ye People, Rend Your Hearts'
4. Air (Obadiah) - 'If With All Your Hearts'
5. Chorus - 'Yet Doth The Lord See It Not'
6. Recitative (Angel) - 'Elijah! Get Thee Hence'
7. Double Quartet - 'For He Shall Give His Angels'
Recitative (Angel) - 'Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up'
8. Air (Widow) - 'What Have I To Do With Thee' - And Recitative (Elijah, Widow) - 'Give Me Thy Son!'
9. Chorus - 'Blessed Are All They That Fear Him'
10 Recitative (Elijah, Ahab) With Chorus - 'As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth'
11. Chorus - 'Baal, Answer Us'
12. Recitative (Elijah) And Chorus - 'Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!'
13. Recitative (Elijah) And Chorus - 'Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not'
14. Air (Elijah) - 'Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel'
15. Quartet (Angels) - 'Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord'
16. Recitative (Elijah) And Chorus - 'O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits'
17. Air (Elijah) - 'Is Not His Word Like A Fire?'
18. Air - 'Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!'
19. Recitative (Obadiah, Elijah, Youth) And Chorus - 'O Man Of God, Help Thy People!'
20. Chorus - 'Thanks Be To God!'

Tracks:

21. Air - 'Hear Ye, Israel!'
22. Chorus - 'Be Not Afraid'
23. Recitative (Elijah, Queen) And Chorus - 'The Lord Hath Exalted Thee'
24. Chorus - 'Woe To Him!'
25. Recitative (Obadiah, Elijah) - 'Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious'
26. Air (Elijah) - 'It Is Enough, O Lord'
27. Recitative - 'See, Now He Sleepeth'
28. Trio of Angels - 'Lift Thine Eyes'
29. Chorus - 'He, Watching Over Israel'
30. Recitative (Angel, Elijah)- 'Arise, Elijah'
31. Air (Angel)- 'O Rest In The Lord' (Florence Quivar)
32. Chorus - 'He That Shall Endure To The End'
33. Recitative (Elijah, Angel) - 'Night Falleth 'Round Me'
34. Chorus - 'Behold, God The Lord Passed By!'
35. Recitative, Quartet and Chorus - 'Above Him Stood The Seraphim'
36. Chorus - 'Go, Return Upon Thy Way' - And Recitative (Elijah) - 'I Go On My Way'
37. Arioso (Elijah) - 'For The Mountains Shall Depart'
38. Chorus - 'Thus Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth'
39. Air - 'Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth'
40. Recitative - 'For God Sent His People The Prophet Elijah'
41. Chorus - 'Thus Saith The Lord'
Quartet - 'O Come, Everyone That Thirsteth'
42. Chorus - 'And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth'

Customer Reviews:

Great music.......2007-01-12

I love "Elijah" -- I sang it in college. The music is fine, but when I downloaded it into Windows Media Player the music was split up and stored in a random order, rather than in chronological order. I don't know why, and I couldn't fix it, so I deleted it. When I loaded it into iTUnes for my iPod, however, it was fine.

Why mess with the words?.......2004-01-05

Robert Shaw certainly is the choral master and this powerful story is well "acted" by soloists and chorus. That said, I don't understand why Shaw changed the words in so many places. He wasn't updating King James English (i.e., the verbs still end in "eth"); there's a bit of generic "they" instead of "men" but that isn't consistent. "Baal, we cry to thee" becomes "Ba-al, answer us." "Draw near" becomes "O come." In some places it just loses the poetry and becomes flat prose - for no obvious reason. Or he substitutes another verse of Scripture! The cd notes include nothing from Shaw himself so it's a mystery. I sang along with my old score and, frankly, some of his changes don't flow nearly as well as the older versions -- or maybe I'm just being picky!

But that isn't a reason to pass up this recording and I'm glad I bought it. Elijah is a star of the choral repertoire and this performance is very well done. Put away your old score and enjoy.

Very excellent, especially the choral work.......2003-12-17

Having sung in this oratorio many times (both the contralto, and the soprano solo parts) I was very familiar with the work. What hit me first in this recording was the WORDS were not the same as those I had sung so many times. It was sort of a jolt. Instantly, that made me wonder what was going on, after all, didn't Mendelssohn write this oratorio in English. Well, he did, but it was an English translation of the German libretto which came from the German translation of the Bible. We were all used to those words, and they have taken on special meaning. There have even been recordings of the past that gave the scriptural cross references to those lines. Well, what has happened here is the conductor and others have actually gone back to those scriptural references and made sure the words sung are those found in our King James Version of the Bible.

The changes in this text are not that great, but they are noticeable. Do I like them? Well, yes, but I have to admit while listening to the recording my mind always trails back to the familiar words.

There are a few things different about this recording than most. Firstly, there are not only four soloists, but nine of them. To some, with our tradition of having only four soloist, that may seem odd. It is not at odds with the original performance. In this oratorio, like many by Bach, there are soloists who are simple commentators, and some who are characters. We never had that distinction in other recordings. It is refreshing to hear it. Thus, we hear very different voices intone the "mother" and those who are just singing commentary (the first duet in the oratoria). It wasn't necessary to do this, and the oratorio works quite well if it is not done, but there is an added sense of drama, like we are witnessing a real story not just talking about it when we hear certain voices associated with certain people and events.

I found it delightful to listen to the good diction in English of some of the singers, though not all the women have good diction in English. I wonder why we tolerate bad diction in English but simply won't tolerate it in Italian or German? That is a very eternal question for me. I remember one of my own teachers saying that if a singer can't sing in their own language and make sense how can they really sing in a foreign one? Whether her conclusion was correct or not, I do know that with all the "Native English speaking singers" out there why so few of them have mastered diction in their own language. It would be wonderful if they had teachers wise enough to help they understand the pure Italian vowels they sing don't fit English where there is no such thing as a pure vowel. One singer who bad diction cannot be leveled at is Thomas Hampson. It is a real pleasure to hear him sing the Part of Elijah. I have an old recording of this oratorio with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Nicolai Gedda, Gwyneth Jones, and Janet Baker. Each of them sing English masterfully and clearly, no distortion, yet, only two of them are native English speakers. Gedda and Fischer-Dieskau have the most wonderful English, and one would think they really spoke the language from birth as it has no "foreign" sound to it at all. Thomas Hampson comes super close to having the same affect with his diction as Fischer-Dieskau, and filling the text with special meaning (as this fine German artist did). Sadly, the rest of the cast, though understood, simply doesn't have his mastery of "Their own language." I say that because everyone in this recording IS A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER.

The quality of the singing is superb and it cannot be faulted. The orchestral presentation is masterful. The choral work is breathtaking, and with an oratorio like this, the chorus is what makes or breaks it far more than the soloists.

The quality of the recording is superb, though I wish the sound were more "full-bodied." I have this complaint about most digitally created CD's. The old Annalog recording method captured the brilliance and the depth of the music more completely. In digital music it seems the upper overtones are lost, but the "shrillness" of the high notes is not, and the depth and sonorous sound of the lower harmonics is not full or complete enough (and adding the "enhanced bass" setting does not give the reality of the depth to the sound). Having heard all the lead singers in life, I can tell you there is that special depth of tone, that richness that is part of their sound that simply is not there. One person who is really losing out in representation of her sound is Florence Quivar. Whatever her flaws in diction, her sound is rich and plummy, but you wouldn't know that listening to this recording. Even Thomas Hampson, though his voice is not a huge one, doesn't quite reflect his ability to resonate. His sound is very resonnant, very full, and it has a depth of emotion that is spine tingling. His voice caresses and invites the listener in. In some ways, it sounds like we are invited to listen in, but to stay out of the room in which he is singing. This is all the balance of the technicians. Wonderful as digital technology is, it still can't capture the human voice with all the nuances and overtones it has. I doubt any form of recording ever has, but it is missing some of the most important parts of it. The result of all this is a performance, wonderful as it is, that is lacking the amount of life it should have. One knows this is NOT the result of anything the performers or conductor are doing, for one can get that life if you play the recording quite loudly. The problem is, one shouldn't have to play it loudly to feel that.

Whether this is the best of the best, I couldn't say. It is a good recording and well worth adding to your library. The approach is different from the common way of doing things, and that adds a special refreshing touch to a work that is well known, and well performed.

Good choral technique, weak on prophetic message.......2003-12-07

If you like choral technique, then buy this one. Robert Shaw is the unquestioned master in that regard. If you want something to capture the essence of the biblical story, you would do well to find another. Shaw himself once said that Mendelssohn had maybe become "too Christian" with the obvious messianic implications at the end.

Simply an excellent and enjoyable performance.......2000-05-01

Growing up, my family played an LP of Elijah almost every week. As I grew up, I discovered what an excellent recording it was. When I went searching for my own copy a few years ago on CD, I bet on the conducting of Robert Shaw. I have never regretted the purchase, and have never grown tired of the recording. The singing is excellent, and the conducting superb. This is my favorite classical cd in my collection, and I've even bought a copy for my Mother!

Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

Average customer rating:

Robeson on wax
The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation
A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving
Robeson at his best
some of the greatest songs of the last century

Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

Manufacturer: Sony
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029YJ
Release Date: 1997-12-09

Tracks:

Balm in Gilead
Chassidic Chant
Quiet Flows The Don: From Border To Border
Quiet Flows The Don: Oh, How Proud Our Quiet Don
Elijah, Op. 70: The Lord God Of Abraham
The Purest Kind Of Guy
Joe Hill
The Peat-Bog Soldiers
The Four Insurgent Generals
Native Land
Song Of The Plains
Cradle Song
Within Four Walls
By An' By
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
John Henry
Water Boy
My Curly Headed Baby
Mah Lindy Lou
Wagon Wheels
The House I Live In
Showboat: I Still Suits Me
Sylvia
Showboat: Ol' Man River
Porgy And Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So

Amazon.com

There was nothing like the Robeson sound, ever. To describe his deep, rich, perfectly equalized instrument is futile. Go instead to "Balm in Gilead," the opening track, and see if you can listen to the last pianissimo phrase without falling to pieces. Robeson was at his best when the music was slow and the words contained spiritual or social messages. Faster, lighter fare like Kern's "I Still Suits Me" or Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" find the serious-minded singer out of his element, lacking irony and swing. "Old Man River," though, gets a simple, dignified treatment. It's Songs of Free Men, though, that will just keep Robeson's artistry rolling along, especially in Sony's astonishing transfers. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Robeson on wax.......2007-06-19

I found this album in a thrift store last week, for a couple of dollars. It's the original pressing on four 78 RPM records, in a gatefold format. It's in pristine condition. I really bought it for the incredible cover art, although I hope to be able to listen to it in this format at some point.

The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation.......2004-09-24

Put this on your stereo and if it is good enough the depth and richness of Robeson's voice will make your fillings rattle and your chest rumble. The power of his voice is awesome. This CD is superbly recorded with no audible noise at normal listening levels.

A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving.......2002-09-01

"Red diaper babies" have greeted this disc with nostalgic joy, and it captures a time and an aesthetic and a political belief with precision. Anyone interested in the emotional life of the pro-Soviet left of the 1940s should buy this disc. It's something like Henry Wallace set to music. There is much more to Robeson than that, however, and Sony has given us Robeson whole: there are songs by American masters of the musical, there are labor songs, religious songs, as well as the kind of faux-folk songs which the butcher supreme Josef Stalin encouraged and which were not taken seriously inside the USSR (except at gunpoint!!) but which were taken up by dupes around the world. This is Robeson at his least savory - willing propagandist for a vile mass murderer. Songs such as "Native Land" (fittingly, Robeson is referring to the Soviet Union) and the Red Army song are the equivalent of the "Horst Wessel Song", anthems of murder, and it is difficult to listen to the worst of them without retching. On the other hand, Robeson's commitment to American folk culture was real. "Balm in Gilead" is deeply beautiful; "John Henry" is heroic; "By an' By" is both resigned yet hopeful. "Joe Hill" captures an era in labor history. Anyone interested in American popular song should hear these. Turning to Broadway, his "Old Man River" is very fine, though Robeson changed the lyrics for political reasons and Leonard Warren has done the song better. I disagree with the editorial reviewer: "I Still Suits Me" is wonderfully playful and shows Robeson using his gorgeously rich voice to tease and poke fun. However, Marc Blitzstein's "Purest Kind of a Guy" is beyond saving - another example of Robeson recording an unworthy song by a political fellow-traveller. Ugh. But for every miss there are two hits. Robeson performs Mendelssohn's Elijah with nobility, and sings his favorite song, "Water Boy", with joyous pride: "There ain't no hammer that's on these mountains that rings like mine, boys, that rings like mine."
No one need have any fears about the mono sound quality. The orchestra in the second half of the program is at times a little dwarfed by Robeson's voice, but it generally sounds clean and colorful, and the great artist's voice rings like no other.

Robeson at his best.......2000-05-12

It's hard to believe that most of these recordings pre-date the advent of magnetic tape: the CD transfer is superlative. The songs and performance are beyond reproach. Notable is the imaginative packaging in miniature 'record album' format, complete with the original cover art, and a replica of the original Columbia record label applied to the CD.

In response to a previous question: Robeson's performance of Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) can be found on the Vanguard LP entitled "Robeson" (VRS-9037).

some of the greatest songs of the last century.......2000-05-05

In the 1940s, before rabid McCarthyism and racism had taken its toll on him, Robeson made these wonderful recordings of spirituals, classics and pop tunes. Accompanied by the solo piano of the incomparable Lawrence Brown, or by an orchestra, the songs ring out with pride, dignity, skill and unmatched integrity. The shameful treatment that Robeson was subject to from American authorities certainly seem grotesquely absurd to a modern listener. The wonderful version of "The House I Live In" included on this cd should forever kill off any suspicion that Robeson did not love his country deeply. This album ought to be heard by millions of people, world wide. Robeson's voice is nothing less than a glorious high point in 20th century music, and it's hard to think of any recording capturing it to greater advantage.

Mendelssohn - Elijah / Terfel, Fleming, Bardon, Ainsley, Fulgoni, Paul Daniel

Average customer rating:

Excellent!
Outstanding Performance Deserving a Better Overall Rating!
Mendelssohn-Elija/Terfel
A prophetable experience
The Standard. Period.

Mendelssohn - Elijah / Terfel, Fleming, Bardon, Ainsley, Fulgoni, Paul Daniel
Bryn Terfel , Felix Mendelssohn , Paul Daniel , Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , Renée Fleming , Edinburgh Festival Chorus , John Mark Ainsley , Neal Davies , Patricia Bardon , Libby Crabtree , Sarah Fulgoni , and Geoffrey Moses
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Mendelssohn: Elijah
Elijah in Full Score
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Franz Joseph Haydn: The Creation

ASIN: B0000042HI
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth (Introduction) (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: Overture
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 1 - Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 2 - Lord, Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 3 - Ye People, Rend Your Hearts And Not Your Garments (Obadiah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 4 - 'If With All Your Hearts Ye Truly Seek Me...' (Obadiah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 5 - Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 6 - Elijah! Get Thee Hence, Elijah! (An Angel)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 7 - For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 8 - What Have I To Do With Thee, O Man Of God? (The Widow, Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 9 - Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 10 - As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 11 - Baal, We Cry To Thee
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 12 - Call Him Louder, For He Is A God! (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 13 - Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 14 - Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac, And Israel (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 15 - Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 16 - O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 17 - Is Not His Word Like A Fire (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 18 - Woe, Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him! (Contralto I)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 19 - O Man Of God, Help Thy People! (Obadiah, Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 20 - Thanks Be To God! He Laveth The Thirsty Land

Tracks:

Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 21 - Hear Ye, Israel (Soprano I)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 22 - 'Be Not Afraid' Saith God The Lord
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 23 - The Lord Hath Exalted Thee From Among The People (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 24 - Woe To Him! He Shall Perish
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 25 - Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious In Thy Sight (Obadiah, Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 26 - It Is Enough! O Lord, Now Take Away My Life (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 27 - See, Now He Sleepeth Beneath A Juniper Tree (Tenor I)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 28 - Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 29 - He, Watching Over Israel
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 30 - Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey Before Thee (Elijah, An Angel)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 31 - Oh Rest In The Lord (An Angel)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 32 - He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 33 - Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord! (Elijah, An Angel)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 34 - Behold, God The Lord Passed By!
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 35 - Above Him Stood The Seraphim - Holy Is The God The Lord Sabaoth (Contralto I)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 36 - Go, Return Upon Thy Way! (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 37 - For The Mountains Shall Depart (Elijah)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 38 - Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth Like A Fire
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 39 - Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth (Tenor I)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 40 - Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah The Prophet (Soprano I)
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 41 - But The Lord From The North Hath Raised One - Oh Come Everyone That Thirsteth
Elijah: Oratorio, Op.70: No. 41 - And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth

Amazon.com

Mendelssohn (1809-1847) is a perennially underrated composer who finally may be coming to greater appreciation. Certainly this fine recording (in English) of a masterpiece that he believed joined the Jewish faith of his fathers with his own Protestant Christianity should not hurt his reputation. The superb Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel gives a dramatically charged performance in the title role, while soprano Renee Fleming sings with beauty and limpid understanding; the cast is almost uniformly strong. The Edinburgh Festival Chorus, directed by David Jones, sings with care and conviction, and Paul Daniel conducts his forces firmly. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2007-05-07

I listened to several recordings of Elijah and like this one the best. Given that the technical challenges to record this production would be huge, I think this recording is good. The chorus' diction is superb, and the soloists are exceptional.

Outstanding Performance Deserving a Better Overall Rating!.......2007-02-05

My intent is not to repeat the comments from the 'excellent' reviews already present, but to warn others who may be contemplating the purchase of this Elijah set to ignore the two 1-star ratings; first, the sound recording and dynamics on these CDs are outstanding - I'm assuming that the one reviewer has either bad audio equipment or was unlucky to obtain bad discs (exchange them!); second, 'wrong key' downgrades the rating to one star! As already pointed out, this is a HIP adventure, and the tuning of the key used is just different - ignorance of this fact does not deserve an ignorant rating.

This is a worthy performance - did not receive a top rating in the Penguin guide (not sure why not after reading the comments?); in the 'Third Ear', the set did get a glorious review (unusual for that book); and finally, in the 'Rough Guide to Classical Music', this version is the one recommended. If you want to own an Elijah set, do not ignore this one as a possibility - Terfel & Fleming are superb and the period instrument orchestra outstanding.

Mendelssohn-Elija/Terfel.......2007-01-14

This is one of the worst recordings I have ever purchased from Amazon. Many tracks of this sublime music are inaudible. Fortunately the music is "there". With about 8 hours of work, one can remaster the disks to produce a fine recording, but I would not recommend this for most people.

A prophetable experience.......2004-04-28

I've heard a lot of performances of Elijah, a well-crafted work that used to be more popular than it is these days, and this is an extremely good one. The musical direction is to the point, Fleming and Terfel are at their best, and the other soloists are extremely good. (Although I wonder if they originally tried to get an alto better-known than Patricia Bardon.) I'm also glad that there are enough soloists on hand: Mendelssohn asked for at least 8, and older recordings that make do with 4 (turning all octets into choruses, for instance) seriously distort his plan.

The pitch of the performance is a result of the use of period instruments and the tuning standard selected. There was no single pitch standard at this period, but the one selected is plausible and may be one heard by the composer. It is not a "transposition" or a distortion.

The Standard. Period........2002-04-26

I've heard many fine performances of this, the Mendelssohn masterpiece, both live and recorded, and THIS recording is the quintessential presentation. I've heard this sung in German, and I've heard it sung in English. And, no matter which of the two this is sung in, there is no finer performance anywhere. From the opening, with Bryn Terfel bursting force with the most power I've heard from him to date, to the defeat of the prophets of Baal, to the plea for Israel, to the final praise of God by the children of Israel, this work never lets up. Regardless of the pitching of the instruments or how Mendelssohn would have heard it, there is no doubt in my mind that he most certainly would have been enthralled with Terfel's performance. Terfel is, no question, the best there is in the world of classical bass-baritones today. Renee Fleming delivers a magnificently gorgeous performance. John Mark Ainsley holds his own as well. I was particularly impressed with the work of Patricia Bardon, whom I'd never heard from before this recording. Paul Daniel is worth his salt, too. And, the cake, which all of the soloists and the conductor are the icing for, is the combination of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the Enlightenment Orchestra...these are simply wonderful! They are so dramatic, articulate, and involved. If one is in search of a recording of "ELIJAH" by which one wants to hear the way it was meant to be performed (with intensity, emotion, fervor, and energy), then THIS is THE recording to pursue.

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of Janet Baker is simply the very best!
Grace Incarnate
A Rare & Glorious Singer

The Very Best of Janet Baker

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Great Recordings Of The Century - Janet Baker Sings Mahler / Barbirolli, et al
Philips and Decca Recordings, 1961-1979 (Limited Edition)
Very Best of
The Very Best of Lucia Popp
Very Best of

ASIN: B00005UUOW
Release Date: 2002-04-09

Tracks:

Christmas Oratorio: Bereite Dich, Zion
Messiah: He Was Despised
Elijah: O Rest In The Lord
Alto Rhapsody
Ich Bin Der Welt Abhanden Gekommen
L'Invitation Au Voyage
Pie Jesu (From The Requieum Op.9)
Sea Pictures Op.37: I. Sea Slumber-Song
Sea Pictures Op.37: II. In Haven
Sea Pictures Op.37: III. Sabbath Morning At Sea
Sea Pictures Op.37: IV. Where Corals Lie
Sea Pictures Op.37: V. The Swimmer
The Angel's Farewell - Ambrosian Singers

Tracks:

Linden Lea
A Boy Was Born, Op.3: Corpus Christi Carol
Pretty Ring Time
Prison
Soir
Clair De Lune
Ave Maria (Ellens Gesang III)
Gretchen Am Spinnrade
Wiegenlied (Schlafe, Schlafe)
Die Forelle
Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen
An Die Musik
An Sylvia
Nacht Und Traume
Heidenroslein
Du Bist Die Ruh'
Auf Flugeln Des Gesanges
Liederkreis, Op.39: Mondnacht
Frauenliebe Und -Leben Op.42: Du Ring An Meinem Finger
Geistliches Wiegenlied
Befreit
Morgen!

Amazon.com

While it is impossible to really squeeze The Very Best of Janet Baker onto just two CDs, this two and a half hour anthology is a fine portrait of the British mezzo-soprano. Central to CD 1 is Elgar's Sea Pictures, a definitive account with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. While other British music is represented by Vaughan Williams's "Linden Lea," Britten's "Corpus Christie Carol," and Warlock's "Pretty Ring Time," CD 2 balances the program with 10 Schubert songs accompanied at the piano by either Gerald Moore or Geoffrey Parsons, which range from "Ave Maria" to Shakespeare. The set lends equal weight to orchestral and more intimate song, as well as to works in English--a very moving reading of Handel's "He was despised" from Messiah--and European landmarks, including Mendelssohn's On Wings of Song and Brahms's Alto Rhapsody, the latter with a superlative London Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult. In an age of technically dazzling but sometimes bland singers, this release is a reminder of emotionally intense musicianship that retains vocal clarity and commitment to the composer's intentions over superstar ego. The word great is often used all too easily, but it could not be more appropriate for this outstanding collection of a great singer. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

The Very Best of Janet Baker is simply the very best!.......2005-02-09

This cd and this amazing musician are an absolute must have for any music lover or music snob alike! Her voice is amazing!

Grace Incarnate.......2002-09-02

If there is one singer who has ever truly been able to master the singer's art of interpretation, this is her. She is a gift to music, I truly believe this. A few words, or glowing adjectives could not accurately describe the singing of a woman who epitomizes art. And music. Grace and beauty.
Each track on this cd is a perfect union of poetry, melody and technicality. Dame Janet Baker fully immerses herself into each piece, and delivers highly commited, intelligent & emotional performances.

A Rare & Glorious Singer.......2002-06-10

This is a pretty good cross-section of Dame Janet's output from the prime of her career. There are few if any singers like her around today. There are many mezzos who can sing beautifully, with great articulation and finesse, but they lack the moral and musical integrity Dame Janet always brought to her singing. The voice is ardent, seeking, yearning, finding, exulting. Listen to the excerpt from "Dream of Gerontius" or the third of the "Sea Pictures" to see what I mean.
She does not sing to show off. She sings to enlighten, to illuminate, to reveal, to enter into. Her voice carries us off, near to Heaven.
Dame Janet has been neglected of late. This recording shows us why, in these perilous times, we need her more than ever.

Sacred Classics - Messiah, Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Zadok the Priest, L'enfance du Christ

Average customer rating:

A wonderful and varied compilation of Sacred Choral Works

Sacred Classics - Messiah, Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Zadok the Priest, L'enfance du Christ
George Frideric Handel , Johann Sebastian Bach , Gabriel Fauré , Antonio Vivaldi , Charles Gounod , Johannes Brahms , Edward Elgar , Gioachino Rossini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Schubert , Giuseppe Verdi , César Franck , Hector Berlioz , Franz Joseph Haydn , Felix Mendelssohn , Gregorio Allegri , Conservatory Concert Society Orchestra , New Philharmonia Orchestra , Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , London Philharmonia Orchestra , Halle Orchestra , Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra , Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra , Berlin Symphony Orchestra , Sir Charles Mackerras , Andre Cluytens , Riccardo Muti , David Willcocks , Philip Ledger , and Otto Klemperer
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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

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The #1 Choral Album
The Power & The Majesty: Essential Choral Classics

ASIN: B000000UWF
Release Date: 2003-08-05

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:

Uneven quality but great value
A superb collection of Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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ASIN: B00062FLJ2
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Uneven quality but great value.......2007-04-30

Brilliant Classics has found a niche with their extremely low-price multi-disc collections of the work of a single composer or performer. The Bach, Mozart and Chopin Complete Editions are legitimately considered to be artistic and economical triumphs. But the Masterworks series are more uneven. Currently available from Amazon France at about a buck per CD, they're still a bargain for those interested in quickly building a music library. But it's worth keeping a few things in mind. Unlike the Bach and Mozart Editions, these are not always historically informed performances. In this Mendelssohn set, the Hanover Band puts in a cameo (in Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), but most of the ensembles use modern instruments, techniques and proportions. This doesn't always work out, as in the case of the ponderously heavy recordings of the String Symphonies by an apparently full complement of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig strings (Mendelssohn likely wrote these early works for a much smaller group). The caliber of the performances varies too, ranging from good to poor, and from marquis musicians such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to a few Dutch who-dats. The chamber musicians generally acquit themselves well (though the Octet recording is marred by an engineering flaw in the last movement, distortion, at least on my copy). But the symphonies suffer from some substandard performances, such as the Italian Symphony's live recording with not only audience noise but also ensemble flaws such as a distracting clarinet squeak in the first movement's recapitulation. Another strike is the lack of program notes. Brilliant's Complete Editions provide a booklet or CD-ROM with program notes, but here you'll need to do your own research.

Despite these shortcomings, this set is still good value (at least at Amazon France's current price of 31 Euros). And it's a fine way to become acquainted with Mendelssohn's music.

A superb collection of Mendelssohn.......2007-03-24

Let me preface this by saying that most of these works were not new to me - I own many other Mendelssohn CDs and have enjoyed his compositions for some time now. Also, this set is available much cheaper elsewhere, particularly from European retailers.
The symphonies are well-performed. 'Reformation' is an inspired live recording. The 12 string symphonies, written in Mendelssohn's youth, are also included. The concertos are exceptional - the violin concerto is as good as you'll find anywhere. The oratorios Elijah and Paulus are included, as well as the complete chamber works and a diverse assortment of choral works. The last few discs include the Lied ohne worte, the epic organ sonatas, and excellent renditions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Fingal's Cave. While there are a few sketchy performances in the choral and chamber works, the performances and recordings are generally very solid, and the body of work couldn't be better.

Average customer rating:

Elijah: the most famous Oratorio excepting Handel's Messiah

Mendelssohn: Elias & Paulus (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Handel: Messiah, Israel In Egypt - Andrew Parrott/Taverner Choir & Players (4 CD's)
Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Russian Album

ASIN: B00008UANP
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Customer Reviews:

Elijah: the most famous Oratorio excepting Handel's Messiah.......2003-05-18

Here is the bargain of the year.

1) Classical Digest.Com points you to several extremely favorable reviews of this version of _Elijah_, in fact perhaps this performance by Rilling et.al. gets the best reviews overall !

2) Check prices of the other sets: (_Paulus_)+ (_Elijah_) = :(

3) These "Brilliant Classics" disks have the identical sound as the Hannsler original pressings :)

4) But BC licensed them from Hannsler and repackaged the disks (with no libretto booklets, etc) : /

4) ...But opera.standard.edu has the full original (German) text of these and heaven knows how many other operas/oratorios.

Tracks:

Franck: Paris Angelicus
Mendelssohn: Hymn of Praise - I waited for the Lord
Verdi: Quattro pezzi sacri - Laudi alla vergine Maria
Mendelssohn: Elijah - Lift thine eyes
Greene: The Lord is my shepherd
Faure: Requiem - Pie Jesu
Franck: Choeur de Paques - Alleluia!
Faure: Ave Maria Op.67, No.2
Schubert: Gott ist mein Hirt
Ireland: Ex ore innocentium
Hadley: I sing of a maiden
Faure: Messe Basse
Karg-Elert: Dritte Sinfonische Kanzone (Fuge, Kanzone und Epilog) Op.85, No.3

Customer Reviews:

Great performances from a great choir........2007-03-08

King's College is a reliably solid choir. Set to doing a mix of challenging pieces, they rise splendidly and with moving effect through a range of musical styles or types. I didn't grow up on the English choral style. Frankly, I prefer German composers and that style of arrangement, but the King's College Choir is so good and so controlled that I found it impossible to be bothered by my petty likes or dislikes. Instead, I was gladly and happily swept along by the sound of Heavenly Voices.

Out of the Mouths of Children..........2005-07-30

Who can resist the incredible purity of sound garnered by a boys choir? On this beautifully recorded CD the Boy's of the King's College Cambridge Choir are conducted by Stephen Cleobury in the hall in which they perform - that otherworldly resonance of King's College Chapel. This collection separates the men from the boys in that the usual full Choir is all male with men singing the tenor and bass roles and the boys singing the soprano and alto roles.

The works performed fall into the 'old chestnut' category: Franck's 'Panis Angelicus', Faure's 'Pie Jesu' from the Requiem, Mendelssohn's 'Lift thine eyes' form Elijah, etc. There are a few works less familiar (and equally as lovely) such as the Karg-Elert 'Dritte Sinfonische Kanzone (Fuge, Kanzone und Epilog)' Op.85, No.3. The intonation and musicality of the choir is impeccable and the tone is as pure as any achieved by other groups of similar description.

This is one of those recordings for quiet contemplative moments, those times when the need to just clear the mind and be refreshed occur. Not a terribly unique recital but one of great beauty. Grady Harp, July 05

Music Review:

Music Review

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