An American Portrait

On this CD:

1. Roman Sketches for piano, Op. 7
Composed by Charles Tomlinson Griffes
Performed by Richard Crosby

2. Pieces (3) for piano, Op. 128
Composed by Amy Marcy Cheney Beach
Performed by Richard Crosby

3. Narrative, for piano
Composed by Lee Hoiby
Performed by Richard Crosby

4. Seven Traceries for piano
Composed by William Grant Still
Performed by Richard Crosby

5. The Arkansas Traveler
Composed by David Guion
Performed by Richard Crosby

6. Le Banjo, esquisse américaine for piano, Op. 15, D. 15 (RO 22)
Composed by Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Performed by Richard Crosby

7. Preludes (3) for piano No.1
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by Richard Crosby

An American Portrait, Music, Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, George Gershwin, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, David Guion, Lee Hoiby, William Grant Still, Richard Crosby, Capriccio/Caprice for Keyboard, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb., Keyboard, Music for Keyboard, Prelude for Keyboard, Suite/Partita for Keyboard

Portrait of an American Family
Average customer rating:

The Real Marilyn Manson Roots

I NEED YOU MANSON!STICK AROUND AWHILE!

THANK YOU MANSON!YOU GAVE ME LIFE!

Everything you could want...from a debut

Here's where it all began...definitely a solid album

Portrait of an American Family
Marilyn Manson
Manufacturer: Nothing
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Industrial | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Alt Industrial | Industrial Dance
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Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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The Golden Age Of Grotesque

ASIN: B000001Y5X
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Prelude (The Family Trip)
Cake And Sodomy
Lunchbox
Organ Grinder
Cyclops
Dope Hat
Get Your Gunn
Wrapped In Plastic
Dogma
Sweet Tooth
Snake Eyes And Sissies
My Monkey
Misery Machine

Amazon.com

Every parent's nightmare and every teenager's dream band, Marilyn Manson take no prisoners on their blistering and brutal Trent Reznor-produced debut. Aiming to shock and rock simultaneously, Portrait scores high marks in both arenas. Manson and his grand grimoire take Alice Cooper's tongue-in-cheek mix of glam and death rock to the nth degree with their vision of youth gone wild, personified on cuts like "Cake and Sodomy" and "Lunchbox," a schoolyard revenge fantasy gone horribly awry. One of the most original, hardest rocking albums recorded in the '90s, Portrait of an American Family is a hallmark of the industrial/metal genre, but not for those who are easily offended. --Gail Worley

Customer Reviews:

The Real Marilyn Manson Roots.......2007-06-06

POAAF is the most real album Manson has to offer. I mean I love Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals, and Holy Wood more than this album but they're all much too built up on storylines and his appearances. Portrait Of An American Family is without a doubt the real Manson, Brian Warner or whatever you want to call him. The album is the fruition of his first thoughts and questions on American life and it's warped daily routines. To me this is the first record that a musician has ever attacked what was never questioned before. Most notably Religion. A perfect example of this would be the dark, grinding song known as "Cake and Sodomy". A song in which Manson attacks the stereotypical religious southern, TV watching Christian; the lyrics richly inspired by Pat Robertson of the 700 Club (if you read his book you would know what I mean). While "Lunchbox" offers a more comical side of Marilyn as he takes the role of a frustrated and bullied school child who wishes to be a huge rock star, a song loosely based upon himself. "Get Your Gunn" (the first single) seems to be the most outstanding track for Portrait due ot it's well-written lyrics and imagery. None of the other songs stray away from the seeminglessly harmless childlike themes gone horribly awry ALA "Organ Grinder", "Dope Hat", "Wrapped In Plastic", "Sweet Tooth" and "My Monkey". Comical horror and sound distortions are huge components in this album. POAAF delves into the warped mind of an aspiring rock star (as of Manson's stance in the Music world in 1994) who took on the topics never once opposed and pushed them to the limits of Society's buttons. Portrait is an early deep and brooding industrial gem. Remember without this early 90's classic, Manson and his future work would cease to exist.

I NEED YOU MANSON!STICK AROUND AWHILE!.......2007-05-12

MANSON'S DEFINITELY THE MAN!THIS CD IS PERFECTION-JUST LIKE ALL HIS OTHER CDS!HIS VOICE IS PERFECT.HIS MUSIC IS PERFECT.HIS LYRICS ARE PERFECT.HE'S WHAT WE NEED!HE'S WHAT THE MUSIC INDUSRTY NEEDS!HE'S MY IDOL-AND I KNOW HE ALWAYS WILL BE!MANSON'S EXCELLENT!

THANK YOU MANSON!YOU GAVE ME LIFE!.......2007-03-26

THIS IS MANSONS FIRST CD.REAL AND TRUE MUSIC HAS ARRIVED!HIS VOICE IS SO DIMENSIONAL.HIS LUNGS ARE SO POWERFUL.HIS MUSIC AND LYRICS ARE GREAT!YOU CAN TELL HE PUTS HIS HEART AND SOUL IN ALL HIS SONGS ON ALL HIS CDS.HIS VOICE,THE LYRICS,AND THE MUSIC GO PERFECTLY TOGETHER!HE TOUCHES MY HEART AND SOUL!HE'S MY IDOL!I ONLY LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC.HE MOVES ME.HE MAKES ME FEEL.HE TRULY IS A MAN WHO IS ABOVE AND BEYOND!HE'S EXTREMELY TALENTED AND GIFTED!OF COURSE I RECOMMEND THIS CD,AND ALL HIS OTHER CDS TO EVERYBODY TO LISTEN TO!YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE-BUT SO MUCH TO GAIN!THIS CD IS EXCELLENT!THANK YOU MANSON-YOU GAVE ME LIFE!

Everything you could want...from a debut.......2007-02-15

Upon first listen I thought this would be a great album to put on at Halloween night. From audio of Bud Dwyer's suicide to Marilyn's haunting rendition of the infamous Willy Wonka nightmare boat speech it's sure to make you atleast a little uneasy. As I began to listen to it more I started to notice what a great record this is. Great hooks and riffs from the great Daisy Berkowits, Marilyn's iconic voice, and enough political commentary to make Neil Young feel inadequate, this album has everything you could want...from a debut. If you're looking for Marilyn Manson's more industrial sound this is not the place to find it. If you're looking for a band with a raw sound and great energy then this is the album for you. Some highlights include "Cake and Sodomy" which is the ultimate example of Manson's power, "Lunchbox" is a Manson classic and I wouldn't be surprised if you felt like beating someone after giving this song a listen, "Get Your Gunn" is one that always has creeped me out, mostly because of the audio clips of Bud Dwyer's suicide which have never failed at making me feel like a frightened turtle. All in all this is mpre a piece of art than simply an album. Highly recommended.

Here's where it all began...definitely a solid album.......2006-11-30

This used to be my least favorite release due to its lackluster production quality in comparison to releases like Antichrist and Mechanical. But you've got to consider the time, 1994. Grunge was dead and something dark and more innovative in music was starting to form. Portrait was the beginning of this change. Its a great album, not to be taken too seriously. It shows Mansons roots, his youthful rage, not yet completely clouded by his own nihilism.
Its punky metal with industrial fuzz all around the edges. From start to finish its a solid album, catchy, enjoyable with enough hooks to keep your average listener interested. Compared to a lot of other bands & albums that came out around that time, Portrait sets the standard. Quality songwriting, overall structure and a valid message delivered with a candy coated fist to the face.
Just the beginning of Mansons legendary career, and definitly worth purchasing.

Romeo Cascarino: Pygmalion; Portrait of Galatea; Prospice; The Acadian Land; Blades of Grass

Average customer rating:

wonderful
One of the best of 2007
Gems from a Undiscovered American Composer
Romantic American Orchestral Music in the Barber/Copland Vein

Romeo Cascarino: Pygmalion; Portrait of Galatea; Prospice; The Acadian Land; Blades of Grass

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Carson Cooman: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
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Joan Tower: Made in America

ASIN: B000H4VZBM
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Tracks:

Pygmalion
Portrait Of Galatea
Blades Of Grass
Prospice
Meditation
Elegy
The Acadian Land

Customer Reviews:

wonderful.......2007-05-30

Cascarino's "Blades of grass" is a masterpiece of 20th century music.The cd is worth it just for that one work. Overall the works on this cd are well composed, melodic, tonal, well organized and beautifully orchestrated.

One of the best of 2007.......2007-05-07

I totally agree with the two previous reviews (although I think Mr. Morrison misses the beauty of these pieces) - they are slow, "serene", but this is beautiful music beautifully played. Hats-off to Fanfare Magazine that convinced me to purchase a CD by a composer I was not familiar with, Naxos for its continuing commitment to recording every composition ever written, and to Ms. Falletta and her fine orchestra for making this wonderful music available to the audience that Mr. Cascarino never had.

Gems from a Undiscovered American Composer.......2007-01-12

Twentieth century classical music in the tradition of Ravel, Faure, Copland Delius, Britten and RV Williams. Lush and complex, rich and melodic , somber and uplifting.

Cascarino's works may one day be receiving more attention and scheduled on more programs as an outstanding example of American 20th century polyphony.

Romantic American Orchestral Music in the Barber/Copland Vein.......2006-10-07

Romeo Cascarino (1922-2002) was a basically self-taught Philadelphian who labored in relative obscurity. Of the six works recorded here five are first recordings. And some of the music had never been played before. Cascarino worked for many years as a respected teacher of harmony and composition at the now-defunct Combs College of Music in Philadelphia. His compositional style is completely tonal and sometimes comes across as a blend of the styles of Barber and Copland. This CD contains his six works, with few exceptions all dreamily serene.

'Pygmalion' (1956) recounts the Greek myth of the sculptor Pygmalion and his infatuation with his own marble creation, the beautiful Galatea. It was intended as a ballet and has been staged only once, apparently, in Philadelphia in 1959. A companion piece 'Portrait of Galatea' (1945) preceded the ballet by four years. This recording is from the first performance ever of that work and of its predecessor 'Prospice' (1945) which was written just after Cascarino returned from service in World War II. 'Prospice' is based on the Browning poem of that name, which opens:

"Fear death?--to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face,
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote
I am nearing the place,
The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe ... "

Its first measures have harmonies redolent of the Copland scores of the previous decade.

'Blades of Grass' (1945) is a seven-minute mini-concerto for English horn, harp and strings. It was inspired by Carl Sandberg's 'Grass' which is 'a meditation about men dying in battle.' The plangent lines given the English horn soloist are melancholy in the extreme and are played here beautifully by Geoffrey Deemer, principal in the Philadelphia Chamber Players. (A note about the orchestra used on this recording. The Philadelphia Philharmonic is an ad hoc group whose core is the Philadelphia Chamber Players; its roster is extended by use of some of the many fine free-lance musicians in the Philadelphia area. They sound marvelous.)

'Meditation and Elegy' (2000) is an orchestration for strings of two piano pieces Cascarino wrote in his teens. Both pieces are slow and meditative, with lush string sonorities and often modal melodies. 'The Acadian Land' (1959-60) was premiered in a shortened version by the then New Orleans Philharmonic. It was inspired by Longfellow's 'Evangeline' and of course had particular interest for the Louisianans as their Cajun culture is based on the Acadian culture of Nova Scotia. 'The Acadian Land' is contemplative and melancholy.

Most of the music here is fairly slow. The main up-tempo bits are in 'Prospice.' Admittedly the texture and harmonic language of these works are lush and romantic, but more than 75 minutes of ruminative music might be a bit much for one sitting. Still, the playing of the Philadelphia Philharmonic under JoAnn Falletta is gorgeous and the music qua music engaging. Most will, I suspect, find themselves becoming tranquilly contemplative on listening to these works.

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

My idea of heaven
Wonderful, but not quite the best of I had hoped
A treasury
Chanticleer: A Portrait

Chanticleer: A Portrait
Caroll Coates , Harold / Mercer, Johnny Arlen , Spiritual Traditional , Vince Guaraldi , Joseph Jennings , Ettore Stratta , Eric Alatorre , Tim Krol , Corey McKnight , Kevin Baum , David Munderloh , and Dawn Upshaw
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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How Sweet the Sound: Spirituals & Traditional Gospel Music
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ASIN: B00008J2VP
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

Quem Terra Pontus Sidera
Ave Maria (Gregorian Chant)
Alma Redemptoris Mater
The Angel Cried Out
Angelicas Milicias
Wherewithal Shall A Young Man...
Love Is A Beautiful Dream
This Heart That Flutters Near My Heart
Wild Grass
Labbra Vermiglie E Belle
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
Dulaman
Shenandoah
Spanish Carol
Love Is Letting Go
Blues In The Night
Wade In The Wate
We Shall Walk Through The Valley In Peace
Christmas Time Is Here

Amazon.com

With this disc, Chanticleer, the internationally renowned, all-male 12-voice chamber choir, celebrates its 25th anniversary. Presenting songs from earlier albums plus one not previously recorded, the selection displays the group's remarkable stylistic and linguistic versatility, as well as all the qualities that have made it famous: the impeccable precision and intonation; the pristine tonal purity; the deep, inner expressiveness; the infinitely variable range of colors, textures, dynamics and moods; and the incredible vocal control that allows voices to stand out as well as to blend into a seamless, sonorous whole. Not for nothing has the group been called "an orchestra of voices" with its ability to sound like a big band in chordal passages and to imitate bass pizzicati as well as patter-songs and gospel shouts. The sopranos take off into stratospheric heights with florid coloratura; it is hard to believe that these are male voices. The program ranges from Gregorian chant and liturgical music of the 16th and 17th century, through traditional and jazz-influenced folk songs and spirituals (some in deplorably bad arrangements), to works by contemporary composers. Chanticleer's mostly vibrato-less vocal style still reflects its roots in its original Renaissance repertoire, but the way the singers use their voices in the popular, jazzy songs makes one aware of the evolving kinship between the two traditions. Though primarily an a capella ensemble, Chanticleer is occasionally joined by various instrumental groups, from period instrument orchestras to a jazz trio, and Dawn Upshaw adds her radiant, smiling, unmistakably "real" soprano to a delightful, high-spirited performance of a Spanish Carol. This disc is a fine, varied sampling of Chanticleer's discography and should inspire listeners to search out all the complete albums. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

My idea of heaven.......2007-02-17

If you liked Norman Luboff's Song's of the Sea's "Shenandoah", the price of this CD is worth it alone. That's why I ordered the CD. I heard Chanticleer's version and immediately ordered it. The rest is just the icing on the cake.

Then there is the one Kiri Tekanawa (sp?) offering, which is the only female voice on the recording.

Wonderful, but not quite the best of I had hoped.......2006-07-18

Some great material truly shines on this album, but I wsih that the group had been a little less populist in their choice of repertoire. There is a little too many arrangements and folk-like material, with the exception of the wonderful "Dulaman", and I would like to have heard some more varied repertoire. That said this is an excellent starting point for this amazing group.

A treasury.......2005-11-06

As you can tell from the samples, the music here is amazing and covers a wide territory. It is less obvious that much of this is available on other CDs. I am confident, for example, that "We Shall Walk Through the Valley In Peace" is the same track that you will find on their phenomenal and highly recommended gospel collection, _Where the Sun Shall Never Go Down_, and I see a number of familiar-looking titles from other CDs. My advice is: if you're looking for a broad sample of the group's repertoire, then you can't go wrong here -- but if you've already got several Chanticleer albums, then you'll want to check your existing collection for potential duplications before buying this 'treasury.'

Chanticleer: A Portrait.......2005-10-26

This is a marvelous singing group of all males with a little addition of Dawn Upshaw on a couple of pieces. They are thourally amazing at what they can sing with Male Voices usually unaccompanied. Obviously they have good strong Contra-Tenors that can manage the high notes without any problems. I would recommend this album to anyone who enjoys vocal music, unaccompanied and like Male Voices

Aaron Copland: Lincoln Portrait; Old American Songs

Average customer rating:

Vintage Americana

Aaron Copland: Lincoln Portrait; Old American Songs

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000E8NJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

A Railroad Ballad For Orchestra
Lincoln Portrait
The Promise Of Living
The Boatmen's Dance/The Dodger/Long Time Ago/Simple Gifts/I Bought Me A Cat
Jubilee Variations
Ceremonial Fanfare
An Outdoor Overture

Customer Reviews:

Vintage Americana.......2006-09-08

This album is a wonderful collection of lesser heard Copland gems. The performances have the excitement one always expects from Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops, and it is ever a special treat to hear Sherrill Milnes. A very enjoyable CD.

Average customer rating:

Terrific vocal talents for Copland's music
finally sandburg's lincoln portrait
Wow! Pretty Good Deal

A Copland Celebration Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Copland Celebration Vol. 1
A Copland Celebration Vol. 3
The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971
Copland Conducts Copland
The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948

ASIN: B000050HWT
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

Vitebsk, Study On A Jewish Theme
Sextet For Clarinet, Piano And String Quartet: I. Allegro vivace
Sextet For Clarinet, Piano And String Quartet: II. Lento
Sextet For Clarinet, Piano And String Quartet: III. Finale
Piano Quartet: I. Adagio serio
Piano Quartet: II. Allegro giusto
Piano Quartet: III. Non troppo lento
Duo For Flute And Piano: I. Flowing
Duo For Flute And Piano: II. Poetic, Somewhat Mournful
Duo For Flute And Piano: III. Lively, With Bounce

Tracks:

Lincoln Portrait - CARL SANDBURG
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: I. Nature, The Greatest Mother
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: II. There Came A Wind Like A Bugle
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: III. Why Do They Shut Me Out Of Heaven?
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: The World Feels Dusty
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: V. Heart, We Will Forget Him
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: VI. Dear March, Come In!
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: VII. Sleep Is Supposed To Be
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: VIII. When They Come Back
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: IX. I Felt A Funeral In My Brain
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: X. I've Heard An Organ Talk Sometimes
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: XI. Going To Heaven!
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: XII. The Chariot
Old American Songs (Set 1): The Boatmen's Dance (Minstrel Song, 1843)
Old American Songs (Set 1): The Dodger (Campaign Song)
Old American Songs (Set 1): Long Time Ago
Old American Songs (Set 1): Simple Gifts (Shaker Song)
Old American Songs (Set 1): I Bought Me A Cat
Old American Songs (Set 2): The Little Horses (Lullaby)
Old American Songs (Set 2): Zion's Walls (Revivalist Song)
Old American Songs (Set 2): The Golden Willow Tree
Old American Songs (Set 2): At The River (Hymn Tune)
Old American Songs (Set 2): Ching-A-Ring Chaw (Minstrel Song)
Billy The Kid: I. The Open Prairie - Oscar Levant
Billy The Kid: II. Street In A Frontier Town - Oscar Levant
Billy The Kid: V. Celebration Dance (After Billy's Capture) - Oscar Levant

Customer Reviews:

Terrific vocal talents for Copland's music.......2002-08-08

This second Copland collection focuses on unique talents of veteran performers.

William Warfield lends his voice and his interpretations of Copland's Old American Songs, and he sings them as they were meant to be, not as classical diletantes felt they should be. You have authenticity here.

Martha Lipton likewise contributes an older world charm and charisma to Copland's settings for Emily Dickenson's words.

Carl Sandberg's resonant reading of his own words is worth the full price of this set.

And then the inimitable Oscar Levant's piano treatment of the orchestral pieces...Levant had a wry touch to his interpretations that gave him a voice all his own.

There's much more here, quite a bit that's less than familiar and therefore increases one's familiarity with Copland.

finally sandburg's lincoln portrait.......2001-08-17

For all those like myself who have waited a decade for "A Lincoln Portrait" with Carl Sandburg's narration on CD, here it is finally! Sandburg's heartfelt reading of Lincoln's words is easily the most inspired and inspiring of the legions of others whose voices have been recorded. The orchestration by Kostelanetz also vastly surpasses others. Compare Henry Fonda's reading for example to see a poorly mixed tape where the narrator's voice is overwhelmed by the orchestra.

Wow! Pretty Good Deal.......2001-03-13

I was surprised to find two CDs of such quality being sold for the price of one. It also contained many hard to find Copland works.

Vitebsk is exciting. Strings do much of the work here. The music is very unique to any other Copland works. Definitely here a sample of this.

The Sextet is very interesting. The combination of strings and piano is a prefect balance along with the clarinet doing much of the harmony. It is the same song though as Copland's 2nd symphony, the 'short' one.

Duo for Flute and Piano is fun and happy. The 1st movement fluctuates quite a bit in the feeling but is a very nice combination. The second movement is slightly morbid but the feeling of happy hi ho is not lost. The 3rd movement is light and bouncy and can be described as typical Copland.

Lincoln Portrait is powerful. Though I don't see how it fits on this CD has a rarity or a chamber work. It is the besy Lincoln P. I've ever heard though.

Old American Songs and Poems of Emily Dickinson are not that good though. It's a vocalist and a piano accompanyingthe vocalist. The vocalists are not that good and I felt needed to feel the music a little more. Thomas Hampson and Dawn Upshaw made a CD with these songs which is much better (the only problem is that that CD only has 8 of the 12 Emily Dickinson Songs).

Billy the Kid was a nice way to finish off. It's just a few excerpts played on solo piano. It was interesting hearing the piece performed this way.

The recording quality is okay sometimes and kinda slipping other times. Then again, these are classic recordings for the most part. The skill though of the orchestra and soloists for the most part is that of a high quality. I definitely recommend this CD to any Copland fans out there trying to discover more about Copland. It's a very nicely put together CD and price worthy too.

Portraits Of Freedom: Music of Aaron Copland and Roy Harris
Average customer rating:

The True Spirit Of America

Great Lesser-known Masterpieces

James Earl Jones Is SUPURB

Great Fourth of July album

Perfect collection of patriotic fare.

Portraits Of Freedom: Music of Aaron Copland and Roy Harris
Aaron Copland , Roy Harris , Gerard Schwarz , Seattle Symphony Orchestra , James Earl Jones , and Seattle Chorale
Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Copland | Copland, Aaron | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Harris | Harris, Roy | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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Copland: The Music of America

ASIN: B0000006YT
Release Date: 1994-05-03

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Lincoln Portrait
Canticle Of Freedom
An Outdoor Overture
American Creed: Free To Dream
American Creed: Free To Build
When Johnny Comes Marching Home

Amazon.com

This is a mixture of choral and orchestral music by two great American composers, music that can only be described as patriotic. But don't let that keep you away from Copland's heartbreaking Lincoln Portrait or Roy Harris's much-neglected American Creed. James Earl Jones supplies the narration in Lincoln Portrait. American Creed is filled with Harris's usual open harmonies and melodic expansiveness and is actually a very complex triple fugue. The miking for this entire recording isn't as close to the orchestra or clear as it could be, but this is a great collection nonetheless. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

The True Spirit Of America.......2006-05-18

It is often the case that the true spirit of America can be found in the artists it has given the world throughout history. And no composer embodies our nation's spirit much better than Aaron Copland, as can be gauged on this Delos recording of works by him and fellow American composer Roy Harris, as performed by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra under music director Gerard Schwarz.

The true essence of patriotism, a term too often used for less-than-honorable ends by certain political operatives throughout history, is very evident in both Copland's and Harris' works. Harris is represented by the intensely proud two-part work "American Creed", and his 1935 overture "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", based on the famous World War I song. It is also evident in Copland's rarely heard "Canticle Of Freedom", which here is sung by the Seattle Symphony Chorale.

It is in the three popular Copland pieces--"Fanfare For The Common Man"; "Lincoln Portrait"; and "An Outdoor Overture"--that the best of America lies. The towering brass chorale of "Fanfare" symbolizes, as its title surely indicates, the ability of the common man to achieve the uncommon; while "An Outdoor Overture", written in the 1930s for the Manhattan High School of Music & Art, celebrates American youth. And then there's "Lincoln Portrait", with the words of our 16th president spoken by James Earl Jones, one of our country's greatest actors and voices, with great strength and authority, allowing us to know that while we may be the greatest nation on Earth, we can ALWAYS be better. Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony provide masterful performances throughout this stunning 1992 recording. This is highly recommended for anyone wanting to know the true spirit of our nation beyond the constant and often wreckless political rhetoric that so often abounds here.

Great Lesser-known Masterpieces.......2005-11-03

Portraits of Freedom is a CD featuring works by Aaron Copland and Roy Harris which have a special emphasis on democracy. Not just a "hack" American music CD, features include the very well known to some virtually unknown compositions making this a welcome addition to the Copland/Harris recorded music oeuvre.

Fanfare for the Common Man brings nothing new, but it is such a great miniature. Less recorded is the Lincoln Portrait. Copland opens with a slow triumphant fanfare melody which gives way to a faster "Camptown Races" melody and brilliantly weaves the two together. The piece ends with a dramatic reading by James Earl Jones.

Canticle of Freedom, rarely heard, features chorus. The music and text are interesting enough to wonder why it has been neglected. Along with the Outdoor Overture, Copland uses not only uses his trademark rhythms and harmonies, but dissonance is judiciously placed to give his music an American experience.

Roy Harris' American Creed and When Johnny Comes Marching Home are also rarely heard, nonetheless recorded. Harris' music is a bit more ponderous than that of Copland, and while Harris sticks with more classical formal designs, it is interesting to note the many harmonic and orchestration similarities which exist between the two composers. Harris' energetic "When Johnny..." is also very interesting, especially when compared to the more famous American Salute by Morton Gould.

The liner notes are voluminous accounts into the background of Copland. You really get the gist of how close he was to music and patriotism and how that evolved throughout the 20th Century. The Seattle Symphony plays well on this disk; you can tell they have a real feel of the music. While you can find better recordings of Fanfare and the Outdoor Overture, you can't beat this Lincoln Portrait, and you probably won't find the other works anywhere else, especially so well performed. Copland was serious about music and democracy and it shows in these works; the lesser known ones are greatly eclipsed by his more famous works, and so you probably have to be a Copland junkie to buy this CD. In that case, this will be an easy buy for you!

James Earl Jones Is SUPURB.......2004-10-02

I have listened to several recordings of the Lincoln Portait narrated by Henry Fonda, Carl Sandberg and Katherine Hepburn. James Earl Jones surpases all of them by a wide margin. Every word James speaks comes from his heart and it is a moving experience.

An interesting note: Every speaker since James reads the following line, "government of the people, by the people, and for the people." with the emphasis on the words "of", "by" and "for". When James reads it he shift the emphasis to the word "people" each time and it makes an impressive difference. He is masterful. I've must have played this piece at least 10 times since I received it a week ago.

Buy it!

Jeff

Great Fourth of July album.......2003-01-11

If you buy this CD, you'll probably do so for Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." You won't be disappointed, either, for this is one of the best renditions of that particular symphonic war-horse in print. It's well performed, and James Earl Jones's majestic voice transcends the kitschier aspects of Copland's narration.

"Fanfare for the Common Man" is also here in all its brassy glory, although if you're like me you've heard it so often it gives you a headache. But in all likelihood you haven't heard the other Copland works on this CD: "Canticle of Freedom" and the seldom-performed "An Outdoor Overture." "An Outdoor Overture" is second-tier Copland -- a pleasant symphonic poem, nothing too remarkable. "Canticle of Freedom," on the other hand, exemplifies Copland's worst tendencies as a composer; most of it is just noisy and not musically interesting.

The real surprise here is Roy Harris's three-movement "American Creed," which is both inspiring and musically sound. It is a patriotic symphony that mostly avoids bombast, and it ought to be performed far more often. Harris is a much underrated composer, and this is one of his best works.

On the whole, this CD is a smashing good classical music collection for a Flag Day or Fourth of July holiday -- or for any time you just want to celebrate being an American.

Perfect collection of patriotic fare........1999-10-14

The inclusion of Copland's "Fanfare" and "A Lincoln Portrait" into a CD such as this is a no-brainer, but these recordings are the best of their kind--tremendous sound, and the quintessential narrator in Jones to complete it. Schwarz also blesses us with one of Copland's little-known choral works that sends a powerful patriotic message, and the "Outdoor Overture" is simply Copland at his jovial best at the prime of his composing career. The selected Harris works add further impact to the disc: the only recording available of "American Creed," along with Harris' unforgettable interpretation of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," round it out wonderfully. The Roy Harris works may be the true highlight of the disc--if that's possible. Another splendid job by Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony.

Average customer rating:

Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops are as American as apple pie

American as Apple Pie

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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American Jubilee
Down on the Farm

ASIN: B000001K6T
Release Date: 1995-01-17

Tracks:

Take Me Out To The Ball Game, National Anthem - Albert Von Tilzer
Casey At The Bat - Frank Proto
The Stars And Stripes Forever March - John Philip Sousa
Le Reine De La Mer Waltzes - John Philip Sousa
The Gliding Girl Tango - John Philip Sousa
The Thunderer March - John Philip Sousa
Myrrha Gavotte - John Philip Sousa
The Washington Post March - John Philip Sousa
Peaches And Cream Foxtrot - John Philip Sousa
The High School Cadets March - John Philip Sousa
Desiree: Waltz From The Comic Opera 'Desiree' - John Philip Sousa
El Capitan: Prelude To The Comic Opera 'El Capitan' - John Philip Sousa
Presidential Polonaise - John Philip Sousa
Semper Fidelis March - John Philip Sousa

Tracks:

Oh, Kay: Overture - George Gershwin
Girl Crazy: Overture - George Gershwin
Tiptoes: Overture - George Gershwin
Of Thee I Sing: Overture - George Gershwin
Mvt. I: Love Is Here To Stay; Love Walked In - George Gershwin
Mvt. II: Nice Work If You Can Get It - George Gershwin
Mvt. III: Foggy Day; Strike Up The Band - George Gershwin

Tracks:

The Carousel Waltz From Carousel - Richard Rodgers
Slaughter On Tenth Avenue From On Your Toes - Richard Rodgers
Pops Hoe Down - Richard Hayman
Mark Twain: Portrait For Orchestra - Tony Chipurn
Festival March - Victor Herbert
American Fantasia - Victor Herbert

Customer Reviews:

Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops are as American as apple pie.......2000-07-16

For those of us who have enjoyed the irrepressible Maestro Kunzel and the effevescent Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for so many years both live, on Cd and on PBS, this collection of Americana is as good as it gets. Sousa, long revered as America's March King, shines on these discs as the composer of delightful dance tunes and even 'The Presidential Polonaise' a worthy contender with the weighty European prcessional. Its a pity that the President doesn't trot this out for White House functions. The tunes are every bit a Fourth of July celebration. The spoken word piece, 'Casey at the Bat' couldn't have a better narrator than Johnny Bench,a man who knows the score about baseball. So, if you want to have yourself up and marching and dancing and laughing around the house, buy this collection and treat youself to a holiday any day of the year.

Average customer rating:

CARMICHAEL WILL NEVER BE OUT OF FASHION

A Portrait of Hoagy Carmichael
Hoagy Carmichael
Manufacturer: Gallerie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

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General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Tin Pan Alley | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Hoagy Sings Carmichael
Sings Stardust and His Other Great Compositions
Stardust Melody
Sometimes I Wonder
Music from Humphrey Bogart Movies

ASIN: B00002MNYN
Release Date: 1999-10-29

Tracks:

Stardust
Georgia on My Mind
Two Sleepy People
Ole Buttermilk Sky
Old Music Master
A-Huggin' and A-Chalkin'
Ginger and Spice
Billy-A-Dick
Old Spinning Wheel
Sleepy Time Gal
No More Toujours l'Amour
Everybody's Seen Him But His Daddy
Old Man Harlem
Judy
Hong Kong Blues
Don't Forget to Say No Baby
Talking Is a Woman
Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief
Sing It Way Down Low
Who Killed'er
Monkey Song

Tracks:

Lazy Bones
Riverboat Shuffle
I May Be Wrong
Casanova Cricket
Man Could Be a Wonderful Thing
Tune for Humming
Put Yourself in My Place, Baby
Memphis in June
Gonna Get a Girl
For Every Man There's a Woman
Two Sleepy People - Hoagy Carmichael, Ella Logan
One Night in Havana
New Orleans - Hoagy Carmichael, Ella Logan
Washboard Blues - Hoagy Carmichael, Casa Loma Orchestra
Little Old Lady - Hoagy Carmichael, Casa Loma Orchestra
Moon Country
Snowball
One Morning in May
Bessie Couldn't Help It
Rockin' Chair - Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael
Judy [Early Version]
Barnacle Bill the Sailor

Customer Reviews:

CARMICHAEL WILL NEVER BE OUT OF FASHION.......2001-03-14

A collection offering most of CARMICHAEL's mostly remembered songs between the late twenties until 1950 is always a good buy.This one has HOAGY singing his own songs the way only him could do in his sleepy kind of SOUTHERN grace.The same can be said of his friend JOHNNY MERCER with whom he wrote many songs.If you've never heard them sing their songs you miss something.Those SOUTHERN guys were easy living characters who had a special kind of charm.STARDUST is there in it's piano version;ROCKIN'CHAIR with a young LOUIS ARMSTRONG in a duet;many other duets and other delights make this a perfect compagnon to the CAPITOL singers singing his songs.But as you may remember there was a song that BING CROSBY used to sing that's not included here why?It was IN THE COOL COOL COOL OF THE EVENING from the film HERE COMES THE GROOM.Sorry, but you can't have everything.

Average customer rating:

American Portraits

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003F8N
Release Date: 1992-02-11

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Be Glad, Then, America
Festival Ov On 'The Star Spangled Banner' - Saint Louis SO Chorus/Thomas Peck
National Emblem March
Fugue And Choral On 'Yankee Doodle'
American Fantasia
El Capitan
Battle Hymn Of The Republic - Saint Louis SO Chorus/Thomas Peck
Servicemen On Parade
Lincoln Portrait - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

Average customer rating:

A Magical Experince
Her voice is one of angels.
Judy's beautiful voice in top form...
Wearing Wings
Judy Collins Fan

Portrait of an American Girl
Judy Collins
Manufacturer: Wildflower
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

All Games | Mac Games | Categories | Computer & Video Games
Similar Items:

Bowery Songs
Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy
Forever: An Anthology
Morning, Noon, and Night: Living the Creative Life
The Very Best of Judy Collins

ASIN: B0007VF264
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Tracks:

Singing Lessons
That Song About The Midway
I Can't Cry Hard Enough
You Can't Buy Love
Pacing The Cage
Sally Go 'Round The Roses
Voyager
Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)
Wedding Song (Song For Louis)
Checkmate
Liberte
Lincoln Portrait
How Can I Keep From Singing

Product Description

1. Singing Lessons
2. That Song About The Midway
3. Can't Cry Hard Enough
4. You Can't Buy Love
5. Voyager
6. Sally Go 'Round The Roses
7. Pacing The Cage
8. Drops Of Jupiter
9. The Wedding Song
10. Checkmate Liberté
11. Lincoln Portrait
12. How Can I Keep From Singing

Format: CD

Amazon.com

With her song selection, stately piano accompaniment, and even the soft-focus cover photo, Judy Collins channels the spirit of her 1960s artistry on her first studio album in eight years. Over the decades, her alto vocals have neither lost any of their warmth nor gained much in the way of expressive range. Much of what results is predictably pretty, as Collins's reading of Joni Mitchell's "That Song About the Midway" could pass as a follow-up to her signature rendition of "Both Sides Now," while her revival of "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" evokes similar feelings of folk-era nostalgia. On her own "Singing Lessons" and the a cappella "Wedding Song (Song for Louis)," she delves into New Age spirituality ("I thanked the gods and goddesses for bringing you to me," she sings on the latter) before building to the seven-minute, orchestrated, spoken-word recitation of Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." For those who loved Collins's albums at her popular peak, this release represents a return to form. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

A Magical Experince.......2007-04-14

I bought this album at Judy's concert in Baton Rogue, LA in October 2006, sorry Amazon. I didn't expect to like it this much I am a huge fan of Ms. Collins, and by the way the concert was amazing! Not since her jewel of an album called, "Fires of Eden" have I devoured a Judy studio album this much. Songs on Portrait that really get to me are Singing Lessons, a song clearly about her beloved son who took his own life. Then there is I Can't Cry Hard Enough, You Can't Buy Love, and the treasure on this collection for me is the song Checkmate then again seems to be an autobiographical account of her son. There is a lyric in Checkmate that touches my own soul so deeply and that is when Judy sings, "I would have saved you if I could..." wow! I really adore this work by Judy. I disagree with the Amazon review because Judy, now at 65 years of age, is a better singer than 20 years ago! Buy this album and for God Sake's if one gets the chance, go see Judy in concert! Her performing like this studio album is a magical experience!

Her voice is one of angels........2006-06-15

I bought this c.d. yesterday and was quite impressed with Judy's still fantastic vocals. The one song that touched me was Liberte. Beautiful and stunning is all I can say about it. Thanks Judy for giving all of us your songs through the ages. 4 decades have passed and you still shine.

Judy's beautiful voice in top form..........2006-03-06

Judy Collins first album of original material in eight years finds her in top form with her silvery voice, and shines best on simple tracks like "Singing Lessons", "I Can't Cry Hard Enough", "Voyager", and "Checkmate", which feature Judy singing with just her piano as accompanyment. "Sally Go Round The Roses", "You Can't Buy Love", and a Joni Mitchell cut "That Song About The Midway" are somewhat nostalgic of her earlier folk recordings from those idyllic 1960's. Her self-penned "Wedding Song", while sung acapella and written for her husband and best friend Louis Nelson, is warm and soothing, and recorded with a bit of reverb. For devout Judy fans, her voice quality is remarkably clear for her 66 years. A stunning album of incredibly grace and beauty, Judy's music continues to improve with each release after a rather dry spell of tepid albums in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

Grab it while you can!

Wearing Wings.......2005-10-19

"Portrait of an American Girl" is a set of new recordings by Judy Collins. Born May 1, 1939, she was 65 years old at the time of this recording. Her crystalline voice is amazing for its lovely quality. This is one of the most beautiful sets released this year, worthy of "best of" lists at the end of the year. She opens with a song she penned, "Singing Lessons," whose lovely melody & her exquisite voice are matched against her piano & lifts the track to a polished performance, "And I heard you say death is just a dream; Make your songs again, you must always sing." When Judy Collins scored her only top ten hit with Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" that went to #8 in 1968, she was one of the first champions of Joni Mitchell's music. Her version in this set of Joni's "That Song About the Midway" is superb as Judy's voice floats high, "Wearing wings, you looked so grand, wearing wings; Do you tape them to your shoulders just to sing?" A girl group from the Bronx called The Jaynettes had a #2 hit with "Sally Go Round the Roses" in 1963. Judy makes this sound like a long-lost folk tune rather than an early-60s rock hit, "The saddest thing in this whole wide world is to see your baby with another girl." Bruce Cockburn recorded "Pacing the Cage" for his CD "The Charity of Night"; and it was also recorded by Jimmy Buffett. When Judy sings, "I've proven who I am so many times, the magnetic strip's worn thin," we feel a sense of tiredness in her expression, although it's never hinted at in her voice. "I Can't Cry Hard Enough" was recorded by Victoria Williams whose high-pitched vibrato embraced the tune on her 1990 "Swing the Statue" CD. With Judy Collins, it packs an elegant punch. Train's "Drops of Jupiter" may seem like an unusual choice, but like the classic song stylist she is, Judy makes it fit her like a glove. Collins' "Voyager" is a lovely song with her elegant piano, "Morning came today and you are here." "Portrait of an American Girl" is a gorgeous set, a cause for celebration for Judy Collins fans old & new. Bravo!

Judy Collins Fan.......2005-10-07

As a fan of Judy Collins, I especially enjoyed this CD. Her voice is so easy to listen to and the words really speak to me.
For anyone that enjoys true music,not just noise, I recommend this CD.

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