Green Angel

Track Listings

1. Prayer

2. Meditation

3. Voices of Faith

4. -10. Seven Sacred Stones

5. Comments on the Cosmos

6. -14. 3 on the Green

7. Pele

Editorial Reviews
The Organization of Sound, November 30, 2000
...fantastic recording...Paganini-like virtuosity paired with her mastery of electronic sound composition...a masterpiece that won't go unnoticed.

Splendid E-Zine, June 26, 2000
Intelligent and skillful...her virtuosity is a trademark...such mastery and taste...an avant-garde reverie.

Album Description
Mary Lou Newmark's new CD, "Green Angel," is an exciting, eclectic mix of solo electric violin and electroacoustic works. Ms. Newmark combines the elements of live performance, original poetry, sounds from nature and electronically generated sounds into unique pieces which inhabit their own sound world. Visit the company website at www.greenangelmusic.com for more about Mary Lou and her green electric violin!

Green Angel

Tracks:

Angel Main Theme The Sanctuary Extended Remix performed by Darling Violetta
Start The Apocalypse
The End Of The World
Massive Assault
Home
Hero featuring vocals by Elin Carlson
Judgment & Jousting
The Birth of Angelus featuring vocals by Elin Carlson
Rebellion
The Trials for Darla
Dreaming of Darla
Untouched / Darlas Fire
Darlas Sacrifice
Welcome To PYLEA
Through The Looking Glass
Castle Attack
Cordy Meets Fred
Princess Cordelia
Farewell Cordelia
Im Game by Christophe Beck
Touched performed by Vast
LA Song performed by Christian Kane
Lady Marmalade performed by Andy Hallett
Its Not Easy Being Green performed by Andy Hallett,
A Place Called Home performed by Kim Richey

Album Description

Fans of Angel have continually hoped to one day hear an album. Their wait is finally over. Live Fast, Die Never: Music from the TV Series features * A newly-recorded, full-length version of the main-title song * 3 songs performed by cast members as were featured in episodes of the show (a karaoke bar was a recurring location) * Score by the show's composer, Robert Kral *key songs to the show performed by Vast and Kim Ritchie *notes from Joss Whedon and extensive cast photos from all 5 seasons Angel is Academy® and Emmy® -nominated writer Joss Whedon's humorous exploration of the twists and turns of adulthood set against a backdrop of supernatural adventure and is seen currently on TNT.

Customer Reviews:

Vampire Muzak.......2007-04-01

The music on the series was very effective and enjoyable, but being written in service to the story and visuals makes it a little unsatisfying with the music alone.

Exactly what I expected.......2007-03-26

I wish it had a few more darker songs on the album but what I got is exactly what I expected it to be. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

Music to remember.......2007-03-13

The opening track of the album by Darling Violetta, is absolutely fantastic. Having all the Buffy albums and knowing how thought provoking the music is from that show, I did expect more from the Angel album. But it's still good music and any fan would be happy to say they have it.

Love the show - Love the music.......2007-01-20

It is wonderful music!!! It is as huanting as it was while watching the show!

more please!.......2006-12-05

One of my favorite is season 5 episode 6 "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco " I wish this compilation include the guitar solo section. I am completely opposite to the one of the reviewer. I love the music part only. I find it inspiring. There's some Hans Zimmer style in it. I really dig it...quiet yet powerful. However, it start to become a little too formulated. Too much of the same thing is definitely not a good thing. Ahhh, classic tragic hero stories. I can't resist.

Average customer rating:

Traditional Irish music with great fiddle
Farewell, Frankie.....
Undoubtedly a celtic classic!
Altan's Best
Every track takes you 'across the pond'

Island Angel
Altan
Manufacturer: Green Linnet
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Celtic Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Harvest Storm
Local Ground
Blackwater
The Red Crow
The Best of Altan

ASIN: B000005CP2
Release Date: 1993-10-06

Tracks:

Tommy Peoples/The Windmill/Fintan McManus's (Reels)
Brid Og Ni Mhaille (Song)
Fermanagh Highland/Donegal Highland/John Doherty's/King George IV (Reels)
An Mhaighdean Mhara (Song)
Andy De Jarlis/Ingohish/Mrs. McGhee (Jigs)
Humours Of Andytown/Kylebrack Rambler/The Gladstone (Reels)
Dulaman (Song)
Mazurka
The Jug Of Punch (Song)
Glory Reel/The Heathery Cruach (Reels)
An Cailan Gaelach
Drumnagarry/Pirrie Wirrie/Big John's (Strathspey And Reels)
Aingeal An Oilean (Island Angel)

Amazon.com

The Chieftains may be the most refined and virtuosic of all the Irish folk bands, but Altan is the most exciting. On Island Angel, the Dublin sextet blazes through the instrumental medleys of reels, jigs, strathspeys and mazurkas with a reckless abandon. Not content to merely play the dizzying melodies at demanding tempos, all six musicians seem to lean into the rhythms with an urgency that's thrilling to hear. When the music slows down for a slow Gaelic song by Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh, the contrast with the blistering tunes only heightens the drama of her gorgeous, wistful soprano. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Traditional Irish music with great fiddle.......2004-08-23

If you're looking for good traditional Irish music, and/or the fiddle is your favourite instrument, look no further than Altan. This album wouldn't be a bad starting point, either. It is also the last that the group made before flutist/"Mairead's husband" Frankie Kennedy's death. Island Angel contains amazing reels and jigs (the most outsanding example being "Glory Reel/The Heathery Cruach"; there's a reel you will listen to over and over again!) together with some more unusual instrumental music such as "Mazurka", all of it of great quality and, more often than not, heavy on the violins, of which there are two in the group. Ni Mhaonaigh's singing appears to divide opinions, many fans of Altan being fans precisely because of it, others calling her voice shrill and singing technique unprofessional. Personally I belong to neither group, finding Ni Mhaonaigh's voice often girlish, technically far from perfect, but nevertheless pretty, and, more importantly, suitable for the songs that she performs. If you're a fan of her singing, you are sure to enjoy the songs of this album. However, the real interest of this album lies, in my view, between the songs. The instrumental music is energetic and inspired, and while listening you could easily picture a group of musicians and good friends seated at their local pub and happily losing themselves in the wonderful music they are playing. Of the songs, "Dúlamán" contains a nice violin theme, and "Jug of Punch" is the one that I would count among Altan's finest. What is there in that simple little song that it should wring my heart thus?...

Farewell, Frankie............2003-02-01

Not one for sentimentality, in fact often brutally humourous, Frankie Kennedy left us with "Island Angel" (Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh?) as his coda on a career that established him as the most creative, inventive and dynamic leader in Irish music ever. Losing his battle to cancer, he virtually willed this album into being, refusing to let his bandmates slip into the tragedy, and insisting that they join him in leaving a final document to his passion for interpreting a tradition ad moving it forward, and I can think of no other musician in any discipline who did so more heroically than Frankie Kennedy.
Dermot Byrne was on board by this time as a full time member of the band and brought considerable writing skill to the team, as well as a new dimension to te sound. It is as though Frankie knew what would be needed when he passed and had the foresight to make a bold and important move for the future integrity of Altan. But by this point, all of them knew that they had reached a sort of Crispin's Day. And each of them rose to the occasion.

What you have here then is the companion piece to "Harvest Storm." All the components are in tact: brilliant musicianship, with Ciaran Tourish establishing himself more confidently, particularly on stage when Frankie's health would at times impede his dynamic presence, and most especially when it would all come crashing down. The Philadelphia Folk Festival appearance was a defining moment: Frankie was home in very drastic straights, the team soldiered on, but the pain was visible. Tourish rallied his colleagues bravely for what was the most difficult performance I've ever seen a group give. It was not their best show, it was certainly their finest hour.

And so, the Phoenix was born with this album, and it is as mystically beautiful as "Harvest Storm" was tempestously passionate. It is a stellar acheivement for any creative person to reach the mountaintop in their creative lives. To do it twice in succession is unparalleled. With this CD, Altan set themselves apart forever. This is a loving farewell to a visionary from those determined to take that vision forward. Frankie would have expected nothing less.

Farewell, Frankie...

Undoubtedly a celtic classic!.......2002-08-11

I'll apologize right away for a short review! Now that I consider myself pretty well schooled in celtic music (at least modern), I can safely say I consider this to be a classic of the genre. As a matter of fact, I believe it's my favorite celtic music album altogether! The diverse songs do a fine job of highlighting Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's beautiful singing voice, but the thing that stands out to me most are the numerous fast-paced fiddle tunes that I consider among the best to be found. I could play track #10, "Glory Reel, The Heathery Cruach" over and over and over, and tracks one (Tommy Peoples, The Windmill, Fintan McManus's) and three (Fermanagh Highland, Donegal Highland, John Doherty's, King George IV) are outstanding as well. Dual fiddles at their finest, with Altan's typical musical excellence and wonderful collective sound. An exceptional album from an exceptional band. . BUY IT, you will NOT regret it!!!

Altan's Best.......2002-02-05

Although I own all their albums, this by far is my favorite Altan record. Harvest Storm was their first masterpiece, but this is Altan's crowning achievement. While there were fine performances on there earlier recordings like The Red Crow, they hadn't yet refined their exhilirating mixture of sweetness & fire. More recent major label recordings, unfortunately, saw too much smoothing of their edges (although 2000's "Another Sky" was a return to form). Island Angel perfectly captured that balance & was the last album to feature late, founding flute player Frankie Kennedy. An album every Celtic/Irish music lover should own and the place to start any Altan collection.

Every track takes you 'across the pond'.......2000-07-22

You will not be disappointed by this delightful album! This may be sacrilege, but the Chieftains can get old after a while (well, they ARE old)...and Altan is certainly a breath of fresh air. These folks know what they're doing, and you can hear it in their whimsical reels. I look forward to getting more of their stuff. Highly recommended.

Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll

Average customer rating:

Nice Collection
PERFECT!
Great singing and excellent value for money
More than two hours of beautiful 17th century 'ayres'

Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll
Henry Purcell , Nancy Argenta , and Nigel North
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Essential Purcell
Purcell: The Fairy Queen
Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
English and Italian Renaissance Madrigals
Gabrieli · Monteverdi · Vivaldi - Venetian Church Music / Taverner Consort, Choir & Players · Andrew Parrott

ASIN: B000059LOH
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

O Solitude - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
Ah! How Sweet It Is To Love - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Not All My Torments - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Paul Nicholson
Stripp'd Of Their Green - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Tell Me, Some Pitying Angel - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
If Music Be The Food Of Love - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Hark! Hark! The Echoing Air - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
The Fatal Hour Comes On Apace - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
Incassum, Lesbia - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Paul Nicholson
Sweeter Than Roses - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby
Cupid, The Slyest Rogue Alive - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
From Silent Shades - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Dear Pretty Youth - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby
From Rosy Bow'rs - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Now That The Sun Hath Veil'd His Light - Nancy Argenta/Paul Nicholson
Beneath A Poplar's Shadow - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby
I Attempt From Love's Sickness To Fly - Nancy Argenta/Paul Nicholson
Let Us Dance - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Fairest Isle - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
O Solitude - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby

Tracks:

Nymphs And Shepherds - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Amidst The Shades And Cool Refreshing Streams - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
Love In Their Little Veins Inspires - Nancy Argenta/Rachel Becket/Marion Scott/Richard Boothby/Nigel North
Fly Swift, Ye Hours - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
They Tell Us That Your Mighty Powers - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
The Plaint: O Let Me Weep - Nancy Argenta/Pauline Nobes/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
In The Black, Dismal Dungeon Of Despair - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/John Toll
See, Even Night Herself Is Here - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones
Why Should Men Quarrel? - Nancy Argenta/Rachel Becket/Marion Scott/Richard Boothby/John Toll
Seek Not To Know - Nancy Argenta/Paul Goodwin/Sophia McKenna/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Retir'd From Mortals' Sight - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
To Arms, Heoric Prince - Nancy Argenta/Mark Bennett/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
O Lead Me To Some Peaceful Gloom - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Halcyon Days - Nancy Argenta/Paul Goodwin/Pauline Nobes/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Bid The Virtues - Nancy Argenta/Paul Goodwin/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Lord, What Is Man? (A Divine Hymn) - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Music For A While - Nancy Argenta/John Toll
If Music Be The Food Of Love (1st Setting) - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/John Toll
Sawney Is A Bonny Lad (A Scotch Song) - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
When I Have Often Heard Young Maids Complaining - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Ah! Cruel, Bloody Fate - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/John Toll
Thy Hand, Belinda... When I Am Laid In Earth - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones/Richard Boothby/Nigel North

Customer Reviews:

Nice Collection.......2007-03-05

I have many collections of Purcell's Music. This collection stands up to them at half the price. Solid buy.

PERFECT!.......2006-10-26

There is only a word with which I can describe this set of discs: perfect!
The only flaw there is, is not related to the singing or playing: no text enclosed.

Great singing and excellent value for money.......2004-09-19

This is probably one of the best anthologies of Purcell songs around, and not just because it's two-for-one pricing means it contains twice as much music (CD1:74'24" & CD2: 77'41")! Nancy Argenta has an irrepressible sense of style and crystal clear diction. But unlike Emma Kirby, whose vocal purity can become tiresome, these renditions radiate warmth. She is also, I have found, more consistently involving than any one of the singers in Hyperion's three disc survey of Complete Secular Songs (recently reissued as a single set). One marvels at how she judiciously balances restraint and emotional forthrightness. The accompaniments (archlute, viola da gamba, harpsichord, and organ) are well judged and blend with the voice, all helped by an excellently defined recording acoustic. This is an absolute winner at any price!

More than two hours of beautiful 17th century 'ayres'.......2001-08-02

Two CDs, totaling more than 150 minutes of sparsely-arranged (never more than 3-5 instruments at a time), sweetly-sung, 350 year old 'ayres' (a typically English form of secular music). Nancy Argenta's soprano voice is lovely, silvery indeed as her name implies. The instruments are a discreet but friendly accompaniment to her solo voice. Perhaps the instruments are a little too discreet -- there are times when I wish they were a touch more prominent. But that is a very, very minor complaint. A beautiful collection, and quite well worth the money.

Average customer rating:

The best of latin music through Domingo's voice
Classic Latin American tunes beautifully sung and produced,

De Mi Alma Latina

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

De Mi Alma Latina, Vol. 2
100 years of Mariachi
Por Amor
Placido Domingo: A Love Until The End Of Time
Por Fin Juntos

ASIN: B000002SLF
Release Date: 1994-09-13

Tracks:

Aquellos ojos verdes
La flor de la canela - Que nadie sepa mi sufrir - Amarraditos
Nosotros - Contigo - Sin ti
De Mexico a Buenos Aires
Se me olvido otra vez
El Humahuaqueqo - Caballo viejo - Moliendo Cafe
Delirio - Alma llanera
Solamente una vez - Veracruz - Noche de ronda
Manha de carnavaz - Aquarela do Brasil
Sabras que te quiero
Alfonsina y el mar - Gracias a la vida
Lamento Boricano - Vereda Tropical
Como ayer
Perfidia - Frenesi - La ultima noche
Adios
Por Amor - Asi como te buscaba - Yo vendo unos ojos negros

Customer Reviews:

The best of latin music through Domingo's voice.......1999-08-10

This CD goes wherever I go, it is with no doubt, the queen of my collection. Medleys are wonderfully orchestrated and arranged and every song makes you travel anywhere between Mexico and Buenos Aires. Here, Domingo's voice is more like a musical instrument than anything else and each song you'll discover a new instrument. Honestly, I would personally award it six stars.

Classic Latin American tunes beautifully sung and produced,.......1998-12-11

Domingo's love for traditional Latin American music shines throughout this CD. A selection of great "standards", beautifully arranged and recorded by one of the world's great voices. "De Mexico a Buenos Aires," written by Domingo's son is the one original song on the recording and is one of many highlights here. I have listenned to this CD countless times over the past two years and it remains a delight.

Average customer rating:

Loved this CD
I LOVE this CD!
Costello Partners with Hubris and Yields Variable Results
what's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?
No life in her (pop) art

For the Stars
Anne Sofie von Otter , and Elvis Costello
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

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Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low ~ Songs by Kurt Weill / Gardiner
North
The Juliet Letters
When I Was Cruel
Deep Dead Blue, Live at Meltdown

ASIN: B00005A46I
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

No Wonder
Baby Plays Around
Go Leave
Rope
Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
Broken Bicycles / Junk
The Other Woman
Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
Green Song
April After All
You Still Believe In Me
I Want To Vanish
For No One
Shamed Into Love
Just A Curio
This House Is Empty Now
Take It With Me
For The Stars

Amazon.com

At a time when popular music has been micro-marketed to the far side of ad nauseam, Declan MacManus, a.k.a. Elvis Costello, has traded on his reputation as the brightest songwriter to emerge from the new wave era to foster any number of delightful, cross-genre/generation musical surprises, including soundtracks and collaborations with the Brodsky Quartet, Paul McCartney, jazz artist Roy Nathanson, and songwriting legend Burt Bacharach. The latest fruit of that generous, insatiably curious artistic spirit is this elegant partnership with Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne-Sofie von Otter. Though an admitted pop novice, Otter couldn't have picked a better confederate than Costello, an artist whose taste in songs has seldom been tainted by trend.

Together, they weave material from disparate sources--including a slate of compelling Costello material, a pair of Brian Wilson's evocative "Pet Sounds" confessionals, a Tom Waits song from Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart (oddly, though effectively, coupled in medley with McCartney's "Junk"), an Abba song, and the Beatles' "For No One"--into a musical tapestry of stately power and grace. Costello sparingly uses his voice as seasoning throughout, though his masterful touch is everywhere. Otter's novice pop singing reveals an easy knack for jazz phrasing that should tempt further explorations and a warmth that belies the rigidity that's so often a byproduct of classical training. Most gratifying of all, this album ultimately achieves what's become one of the loftiest plateaus in Pop music: common ground. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Loved this CD .......2006-06-13

Who would pair Costello and an opera singer?? Elvis, and somehow it works. I really love the tone and moodiness of it and lyrics that talk about love and life, failure and success. It's soulful, in a contemplative way, music for those tucked away, rainy days .

I LOVE this CD!.......2005-09-01

Finally, an opera singer who knows how to channel her Classical training into a sound that is, as one critic aptly described it, "what pop singers would sound like if they could actually sing"! Although Elvis Costello does not join Ms. von Otter very often in the vocals, when he does they harmonize beautifully. With great melodies (some beautiful, some catchy) and sensitive (but not sappy) lyrics, this album makes a fine addition to any CD collection.

Costello Partners with Hubris and Yields Variable Results.......2005-05-08

Having just heard Elvis Costello's masterful collaboration with Burt Bacharach, "Painted from Memory", for the first time this past month, I had high hopes for this equally unusual partnership with mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter released in 2001. This time, however, Costello acts as arranger and producer, and it is von Otter who is front and center on vocals. She is among the most revered of singers on the opera and recital stages, and she has impressed me in the past, in particular, with her Dejanira in the 2002 Marc Minkowski-led performance of Handel's "Hercules", among many other roles she has embodied. Here she is called upon to be a pop chanteuse, and while the beauty of her voice is inarguable in any setting, her ability to interpret the diverse lyrics in these songs is far more debatable. This is where a Marianne Faithfull, a Blossom Dearie or even a Joni Mitchell could capture more of the underlying feeling with a fraction of the vocal power von Otter can provide but with twice the nuance. There is a rather sterile sameness to the performances here, somewhat jazz-inflected in a cocktail lounge manner at times and at other times, rather morose and dirge-like.

Take, for example, her rendition of Brian Wilson's "Don't Ask (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)" from the legendary "Pet Sounds" album. It moves so glacially that it actually extricates the romantic subtext almost surgically. The same can be said for Jessie Mae Robinson's "The Other Woman", which has at least Magnus Persson's vibraphone to provide relief from the tedium. She's better on the other "Pet Sounds" classic, "You Still Believe in Me", where she cannily soars with the chorus, though Costello damages it by adding some odd, muffled rapping in the background. Ironically, it is on the Costello compositions where the recording most noticeably flails. The opener "No Wonder" starts as a "Greensleeves"-like madrigal and then turns into Beatlesque pop; "Baby Plays Around" seems to suffer from exhaustion by all parties; the two Fleshquartet collaborations, "Rope" and "Just a Curio", sound somewhat like extraterrestrial hymns done in a series of minor keys; and the closing title track, "For the Stars" includes peppy, Beach Boys-sounding harmonies which escape her grasp. In fact, "Just a Curio" would have been a more appropriate title for this entire recording.

On the other hand, the Gallic flavor of Benny Andersson's accordion effectively informs her rendition of Tom Waits' "Broken Bicycles", which melds perfectly with Costello's vocal on Paul McCartney's "Junk". Speaking of Andersson, a fellow Scandinavian, von Otter admirably covers a piano-led ABBA ballad, "Like an Angel Passing Through My Room". She also displays a meticulously casual bounce on Lennon-McCartney's "For No One", though it stops rather abruptly. Von Otter acquits herself surprisingly well on the jazzy "Shamed into Love", written by another unlikely duo, Costello and Rubén Blades, and performed as almost a smokier variation of Bacharach's "Alfie". And speaking of Bacharach, she does a nice turn on the lovely "This House Is Empty Now" from the 1998 Bacharach-Costello disc. Costello and von Otter are masters of their craft, but I think some of the collaborations reflect simply irreconcilable differences. While Costello seems to have an insatiable desire to expand musically, his hubris here appears to constrain the often preternatural vocal skill von Otter displays on the opera and recital stage. Consequently, what we have here is a nice album, a generous one with eighteen tracks, that doesn't seem to capitalize on either contributor's talent fully.

what's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?.......2004-04-22

Nothing's funny about this boring duo. I picked this up FREE at my library and it didn't take me too many tracks to see why it was donated. The musical arrangements are hapless and dull, and her voice is Dion without the Vegas power finale. Come to think of it, the lyrics remind me of Dion; they are as saccharine as anything Dion has ever sung. I wasted a blank CD on this limp, sleepy pairing of two otherwise good artists.

No life in her (pop) art.......2004-03-15

I am a big fan of both artists and wanted very much for this combination to work. It avoids the traditional trap of "oversinging" the pop material. But a few years after its release, in these American Idol era, is that really such a terror for pop music any more? So-called oversinging seems pretty popular these days!

The big problem is that von Otter has not found a way to communicate any emotion in this scaled-down form of singing. All her classical techniques are stripped away, and there's nothing to replace them. Sure, her voice is gorgeous, but it sounds exactly the same no matter what the lyrical content. The songs could have been made up of nonsense syllables for all the emotional life she communicates.

Tracks:

Tango: La Cumparsita - Orch Ens/Lalo Schifrin
Jealousy - Stanley Black And His Orch
Tango: El Choclo - Orch Ens/Lalo Schifrin
Caminito - Placido Domingo
Blue Tango - Mantovani And His Orch
Besame Mucho - Mantovani And His Orch
Volver - Placido Domingo
Tango: Calambre - Orch Ens/Lalo Schifrin
Tango: Tango Del Atardecer - Orch Ens/Lalo Schifrin
Nostalgias - Placido Domingo
Dark Eyes - Stanley Black And His Orch
Green Eyes - Frank Chacksfield And His Orch
A Media Luz - Placido Domingo
Mi Buenos Aires Querido - Placido Domingo
Adios Muchachos - Mantovani And His Orch
Tango: Recuerdo - Orch Ens/Lalo Schifrin
Vida Mia - Placido Domingo
El Dia Que Me Quieras - Placido Domingo

Customer Reviews:

Tango's for gringos.......2003-04-20

If you like Argentine style tango you won't like this cd, but if you are like me and like tango played romanticly, and with lush stringed arraingements, instead of the harsh icy sound of the argentine way, then you will love this recording, I only wish that the original albums from which this cd was compiled were available in their entirety.

Big disappointment for Tango fans.......2001-04-24

I purchased this CD with great expectations which were completely dashed. I have always wished that Placido Domingo would record a CD of Argentine tango, since he has the voice and sense of drama to do justice to the art of tango. So when I saw this CD, I thought, "Wow!"

However, this CD is a crime commited against tango. The arrangements are not traditional Argentine tango, but the most saccharine gringo tango. I wish that Domingo had recorded with a real tango orchestra like Color Tango or the orchestra from Forever Tango.

Tracks:

Maire, My Girl
Like Stars Above
Take, O Take Those Lips Away
A Child's Song
Asthore
A Farewell
My Commander As Envoy Bids Me Come
I Know Of Two Bright Eyes
Eileen Aroon
The Wearing Of The Green
The Rosary
The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls
Silver Threads Among The Gold
T'eri Un Giorno Ammalato
At Dawning
Dai Campi, Dai Prati
Giunto Sul Passo
Mi Par D'udir Ancora
Nirvana
There Is a Flower That Bloometh
My Dreams
Sweet Genevieve
I'll Sing Thee Songs Of Araby
Where The River Shannon Flows
Silver Threads Among The Gold

Tracks:

Within The Garden Of My Heart
Dear Love, Remember Me
Chiudo Gli Occhi 'Il Sogno'
Molly Brannigan
A Foggy Dew
The Low Back'd Car
Sospiri Miei, Andate Ove Vi Mando
Say 'Au Revoir', But Not 'Goodbye'
Mother O' Mine
Down In The Forest
Votre Mere Avec Moi Sortait De La Chapelle
I Hear A Thrush At Eve
Goodbye
A Little Love A Little Kiss
Questa O Quella
Nearer My God To Thee
Eileen Allanah
Goodbye, Sweetheart, Goodbye
Le Portrait
Angel's Serenade
Le Nil
Beneath The Quivering Leaves
Ave Maria, D.839
Ave Maria 'Meditation On J.S. Bach's Prelude In C'

Customer Reviews:

When looking for "the most".......2001-05-14

A local New York professional opera enthusiast has concluded that Corelli is the most popular operatic tenor, followed by Jussi Bjoerling. But if the question is, who had the most beautiful tenor voice ever impressed upon wax, we must lift up John McCormack. Here is true bel canto which no one else has ever equalled. These two CD's contain some of the most exquisite sounds ever issued by a human throat. Let the galleries declare their enthusiasm for stentorian high C's, the real lover of great singing will find much more to their like her than in all the verisssimo arias. Listen to the two "Mefistofele" Arias (Boito) and ask yourself if they have ever since been so beautifully sung. This recording belongs in the collection of every aspiring tenor, just to remind what can be accomplished by art and perfect singing.

A superb McCormack collection.......2000-10-21

If you remember hearing transfers of acoustic recordings to LP, you remember how hard it was to really connect with the music and performer through all the rumble, noise and resonance. This audio restoration is the most astonishing technical feat I have ever heard. The noise is now only a gentle background presence, not the roar of yesteryear. And even more important, it is constant in volume- in other words not a distraction. The fidelity really lets us hear what the early recording engineers really achieved. That said, what this brings to us are the performances of one of the world's greatest singers in richly emotional popular songs (and a few opera arias). There are so many of those old sentimental pieces no one could get away with recording anymore, but hold such a splendid reward for those of us who love them. John McCormack's recordings receive with this reissue the wonderful presentation they so richly deserve. Many many thanks to the label and Mr. Marston who made it possible.

Simply the Best.......2000-01-27

This along with Vol. 1 is simply the best McCormack transfers available from this period. The master of the trade, Ward Marston has outdone himself this time. Waiting for Vols. 3,4,5!

Average customer rating:

An Enjoyable Themed Sampler
Robin Hood music
Lackluster performance, strange selection

Under the Greenwood Tree

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection
Music Of The Crusades
Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early 15th Century

ASIN: B0000014DV
Release Date: 2000-10-06

Tracks:

Palastinalied
Ja nuls homs pris
A l'entrant d'este
Kalenda Maya
Novus miles sequitur
Estampie
Clap, clap, par un matin s'en aloit Robin
Robin Hood
Ah! Robin
The Wedding Of Robin Hood
Under The Greenwood Tree
Sellengers Round
Greensleeves
Greensleeves
Browning My Dear (On The Theme, 'The Leaves Be Green')
Robin Hood And The Cultural Friar
Robin Hood And The Tanner
Pavane: La Venissienne - Quart Livre de Danceries
Gaillarde - Sixieme Livre de Danceries
Robin Hood And Maid Marian
The Green Man - 'The Dancing Master'
Greenwood
Nottingham Castle
Green Goose Fair
Sweet Angel Of England, To The Tune Of 'Bonny Sweet Robin'
Ricercar On 'Bonny Sweet Robin'
When Kempe Did Dance Alone (Or 'Robin Hood, Maid Marian And Little John Are Gone')
O Lusty May

Customer Reviews:

An Enjoyable Themed Sampler.......2006-11-20

As other reviewers have mentioned, sometimes the playing is a touch ragged...but that is not necessarily bad. Ancient music, like ancient stories, tends to suffer from either too much respect or a lack thereof. The music on this has a lively feel that I like, rather than sounding like it's been preserved in a glass case. It also hasn't been moodified into some new-agey thingamajig.

I'm no ancient music scholar but I listen to a lot of it...and will give this collection to my siblings.

Robin Hood music.......2004-07-29

The intent of this recording (according to the liner notes) is to evoke some of the sounds sentiments and personalities of Robin Hood's time, then drawing on later ballads and dances to celebrate the enduring Robin Hood legend. In this regard, the CD does a good job, presenting a variety of works from the late 1100s through the 17th Century. I'll agree with another reviewer that the ensemble playing is not the best, and sounds unpolished in several songs. The soprano is quite good, though. And there are a number of good little dances. Ballads like Robin Hood & the Curtall Fryer, Robin Hood & Maid Marian, and The Wedding of Robin Hood are all classic humorous Robin tales. Unfortunately, enjoyment of them may suffer from the lack of a lyrics sheet. Overall, if you like Robin Hood stories and early music, this is a fairly fun and inexpensive CD to add to your collection.

Lackluster performance, strange selection.......2001-02-02

It is important to note that the British -Estampie- ensemble performing on this record is not the same artist as the German -Estampie- group who made -Crusaders in Nomine Domini-, a much better record than this.

The programme on this recording is a strange selection. Was the intent to produce a general early music sampler? If so, there are a lot of gaps here. On the one hand, we have Crusader era and troubadour material like -Palastinalied-; on the other hand, we have lightweight British pastoral stuff, like two versions of -Greensleeves-. If, as the title suggests, the intent was to produce a medieval/pastoral atmosphere recording, then raucous wind performances of monophonic dance material seem not to belong. Both monophonic material and some not particularly well played ensemble polyphony make a record that seems to lack focus.

The ensemble playing is not the best on this disc. The female vocalist is competent, but seems to invest very little passion in the material. This one definitely starts to drag early on.

Average customer rating:

The Perfect Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi , London Chamber Orchestra , Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , Toulouse Chamber Orchestra , English Chamber Orchestra , Neville Marriner , Louis Auriacombe , Iona Brown , Jonathan Rees , George Malcolm , Christopher Warren-Green , Christopher Parkening , Maurice André , Andre Saint-Clivier , Aimee Auriacombe , Scottish National Orchestra Wind Ensemble , Niall Brown , William Bennett , Michel Sanvoisin , and Bernard Soustrot
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00001SVLV
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Tracks:

The Four Seasons - 'Spring' Concerto No.1 In E Major, RV 269: I. Allegro
The Four Seasons - 'Spring' Concerto No.1 In E Major, RV 269: II. Largo e pianissimo sempre
The Four Seasons - 'Spring' Concerto No.1 In E Major, RV 269: III. Danza pastorale (Allegro)
Concerto For Guitar In D Major, RV 93: I. Allegro giusto
Concerto For Guitar In D Major, RV 93: II. Largo
Concerto For Guitar In D Major, RV 93: III. Allegro
Concerto For Flautino In C Major, RV 443: I. Allegro
Concerto For Flautino In C Major, RV 443: II. Largo
Concerto For Flautino In C Major, RV 443: III. Finale - Allegro molto
Concerto For 2 Mandolins In G Major, RV 532: I. Allegro
Concerto For 2 Mandolins In G Major, RV 532: II. Andante
Concerto For 2 Mandolins In G Major, RV 532: III. Finale - Allegro
Concerto In G Major, RV 151 'Alla Rustica': I. Presto
Concerto In G Major, RV 151 'Alla Rustica': II. Adagio
Concerto In G Major, RV 151 'Alla Rustica': III. Allegro
Concerto For Cello In B Minor, RV 424: I. Allegro non molto
Concerto For Cello In B Minor, RV 424: II. Largo
Concerto For Cello In B Minor, RV 424: III. Allegro
Concerto No.1 For Flute In F Major, RV 433: I. Allegro
Concerto No.1 For Flute In F Major, RV 433: II. Largo
Concerto No.1 For Flute In F Major, RV 433: III. Presto
Concerto For 2 Trumpets In C Major, RV 537: I. Allegro
Concerto For 2 Trumpets In C Major, RV 537: II. Largo
Concerto For 2 Trumpets In C Major, RV 537: III. Allegro

Average customer rating:

exquisite

My Spirit Sang All Day

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

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Kids' Stuff

ASIN: B000002RR2
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

My Spirit Sang All Day
I Have Loved Flowers That Fade
To A Lady Seen From The Train
Gibberish
Bring Us In Good Ale
Matthew, Mark, Luke And John
The Seeds Of Love
Rest
My Tocher's The Jewel
Beauty Is But A Painted Hell
The Little Green Lane
Blow Away The Morning Dew
Deep In My Soul
The Bee
O Weary Hearts!
Hilli-ho! Hilli-ho!
Music, When Soft Voices Die
Sweet Day, So Cool
There Comes A New Moon
When Winds That Move Not
Spring, The Sweet Spring
To Daffodils
Brigg Fair
Autumn Leaves
Quick! We Have But A Second

Customer Reviews:

exquisite.......1999-12-02

This cd was a genuine delight. The music, plus really good liner notes, was an education in itself. I knew little about this group of composer- arrangers and the time in which they lived. "Fat White Woman Whom Nobody Loves" may not have been meant as humorous, but it was anyway. This has got to be one of the KS'S all-time best.

Music Track: