Cradle Songs

Editorial Reviews
Manila Bulletin
"...naturally pleasing voice projected in a manner of ease and assurance that leaves the listeners in a pleasant receptive mood."

Sunday Chronicle
"...a voice that caressed with so much natural vocal warmth; the timbre was gracious and the diction crystal clear."

Album Description
Cradle Songs is a collection of lullabies from all over the world selected from hundreds of different classical folk songs, art songs, and original works sung in their original language. These songs were given a new life by adding modern crossover arrangements to their original classical settings. Our artists were invited from a pool of gifted and seasoned musicians with numerous performance experiences in the field of symphonic music, opera and musical theater national tours, and film. Cradle Songs is unique, in that, it reacquaints us with some old and familiar classical melodies hummed for generations yet the same melodies have been reset to appeal to the modern and young listener.

Cradle Songs

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.

Average customer rating:

A Sweet Piece of Art Work
Haunting Beauty
Superb
Superb, lush and enchanting!!!
A Prize Winner!

Duets with Spanish Guitar

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002S1C
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Entr'acte
Bachianas brasileiras No. 5 - Aria
Ronde
Azulao
Prelude In E Minor, Op. 28 No. 4
O Cacador
Pastorale joyeuse
Tes pontos de santo
Tambourin
Boi-Bumba
Sicilienne
Para ninar
Piece en forme de habanera
Maracatu
Pavane pour une Infante defunte
Passarinho esta cantando
Modinha
Serenade For Strings: Waltz
Siete Canciones populares espanolas: Cancion
The Three Cornered Hat: Farruca

Customer Reviews:

A Sweet Piece of Art Work.......2007-05-13

I first heard this recording on vinyl. This CD lives up to the quality first captured in that original recording. Laurindo Almeida requires no review or publicity; he is a legend exceeding Segovia or Montoya. Salli Terri, mezzo-soprano, happily, has no vibrato. When she hits a note, she means it...no wavering somewhere between tones leaving you some subliminal perception of the intended note. She has an absolutely pure, rich voice and a profound comprehension of aesthetics. I have not heard other works by Martin Ruderman, who accompanies on flute, but his skills are notable within this sweet ensemble. A wealth of skill and mastery contained on this tiny CD! I am sure you will be transported.

Haunting Beauty.......2007-03-22

I'm fascinated by the reviews from those who remember this album of long ago. In 1971 my girlfriend and I spent a night in a rustic B&B in Big Sur. The following morning, as we dined on a scrumptious breakfast and the love in each other's eyes, I had to ask the waitress about the music playing in the background. We bought the record as soon as we got home, and I have cherished it ever since. Six additional selections on the CD reissue are almost superfluous. The memories, and the music, are precious.

Superb .......2007-01-08

From beginning to end, I am enthralled by this album. I bought the original LP when it came out over 40 years ago and I also own the CD version. All performers are themselves excellent and they blend wonderfully on a Grammy awarded sound track. The biggest thrill for me is always Salli Terri's Bachianas Brasileiras number five. I have heard many recordings of this Bachianas by the most famous sopranos in the world. Salli Terri's singing of the Bachianas is in a class of its own --absoulutely spine-tingling.

Superb, lush and enchanting!!!.......2005-10-19

It is very hard for me to be objective when reviewing this CD. I'm in the same situation as one other reviewer said, my father used to play this record frequently when I was growing up. Of course, as a little kid, you will not always make a note of such things, and may not even care about it. I had not listened to this record since the mid eighties (when our last turntable broke and we made the transition to CD's). As soon as I started listening to it I was taken back to that time of my life, and all of these memories which I did not knew I had came back to me. This record had been part of my life's "soundtrack". It would be easy for me to be over-analytical, since I happen to have a degree in music, but I would not dare to do so. The music is pure, absolutely beautiful. If anything, even though back when it was recorded it won awards for its sound quality, nowadays we have been spoiled with modern sound recording quality. You can certainly hear that the recording was not made recently, but it is the performances that count, and these will always sound as fresh and magnificent as the day they were first captured on tape. I will have to get a copy for my dad!

A Prize Winner!.......2003-01-26

At the first Grammy Awards in 1959, Salli Terri was nominated for Best Classical Performance, Vocal Soloist, along with Callas, Tebaldi, and Ferrell (Tebaldi won). The album did win the Grammy for Best Engineered Classical Record, a honor richly deserved as evidenced by the glorious sound of this CD.

I think a review in the May, 1958 issue of Hi-Fi & Music Review says it best: "...a prize winner in my collection. Laurindo Almeida's guitar playing captures the keen poignancy and rhythmic elan of Brazilian music with superb assurance and taste. He is joined by an excellent flutist, Martin Ruderman...and a mezzo-soprano whose velvet voice and astonishing flexibility has hardly an equal at present...Salli Terri. She sings Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 with a sinuousness and ecstasy which make this the finest modern version."

Tracks:

Music By John Dowland: Come Again! Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
Music By John Dowland: Allemande (Guitar Solo)
Music By John Dowland: What If I Never Speed?
Music By John Dowland: Galliard (Guitar Solo)
Music By John Dowland: Fine Knacks For Ladies
Ave Maria
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5: Aria
Coleccion De Tonadillas: La Maja De Goya
Three Brazilian Songs: Boi-Bumba
Three Brazilian Songs: Azulao
Three Brazilian Songs: Para Ninar
Three Spanish Folk Songs: Cancion
Three Spanish Folk Songs: Nana
Three Spanish Folk Songs: Seguidillia Murciana
Six Spirituals: Ain't Got No Time To Die
Six Spirituals: I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray
Six Spirituals: Ain't That Good News!
Six Spirituals: Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Six Spirituals: This Little Light Of Mine
Six Spirituals: Ride On King Jesus

Customer Reviews:

Enjoying The Pleasures of K. Battle & C. Parkening.......2007-05-06

Whether you are very familiar with these two artists or have never heard either one, you will delight in this musical collaboration. Only a guitarist of Christopher Parkening's stature could be the ideal accompaniment to the perfection of Kathleen Battle's voice. The music ranges from selections by John Dowland to American spirituals, Bach/Gounod, Villa-Lobos, Granados and some Spanish folk songs. The result is a coherent, soothing and utterly delightful listening experience. You will revisit this album often, and always be glad that you have it. For fans of Kathleen Battle and Christopher Parkening, I think it is a must.

Great blending of the talents of two top-notch artists in their respective fields. Parkening on the guitar and Battle singing........2006-01-31

We always enjoyed seeing and hearing Battle in concerts, usually on the television and Parkening has been a favorite guitarist. To listen to these two fine artists in concert is a real treat.

Superb technique, emotionally flat, but enjoyable even so........2005-05-25

I can't imagine these songs being performed with any greater technical brilliance than they are by Parkening and Battle on this CD. Both are virtuosos, him in the guitar, her the voice. Their skill is particularly apparent in the Dowland songs, the "Ave Maria", and the Bachianas brasileiras no. 5 (for me, the high point of the recording), which are all in a formal style well suited to the talents of the performers.

I compare the Brazilian songs to the version recorded by Salli Terri with Laurindo Almeida in the late '50's on "Duets with Spanish Guitar", which I have listened to repeatedly since I first heard it in 1959. Battle's phrasing, enunciation, and vocal skill are far superior to Terri's, but Terri brought a level of emotion to her singing that Battle seems to lack. Where Battle's perfection enhances her superb performances of the Dowland and Villa-Lobos pieces, it seems to detract from her performance of the Brazilian folk pieces.

I find this to be true again in the spirituals - vocal perfection and control detracting from the "soul" required to bring out the "spiritual" feeling. Imagine these same pieces sung by Mahalia Jackson or Aretha Franklin and you'll understand my point.

Parkening's performance has the same quality - technical virtuosity, especially noticeable in his lute-like technique in the Dowland solo - but lacking in emotional depth.

The classical selections are highly recommended, the folk pieces a bit disappointing, but overall an enjoyable recording.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITES.......2004-03-19

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BATTLE ALBUMS, HER SWEET VOICE IS ACCOMPAINED BY THE GUITAR VIRTUOSO CHRISTOPHER PARKENING, TOGETHER CREATE A TENDER, DELIGHTFUL & BEAUTIFUL LISTENING EXPERIENCE. BACHIANAS BRASILEIRAS N- 5 HAS IT`S BEST PERFORMANCE IN THIS CD.

Fans will be delighted!.......2003-08-25

Fans, maybe, but I must say I'm not a huge fan of Kathleen Battle or opera or songs in different languages, either. My mom is, though. And through her I have heard Kathleen's best. And her very best (if you ask me) is one of the tracks ON THIS CD titled "Ain't that good news," even though it should be called "Ain'ta dat good news," since that is how its sung. It is a really good song (ask anybody) with a little surprise high-note at the end. If I were you I would (if not buy this CD right here and now) then go to [a book store] and see if their computers will let you hear "Ain't that good news" because that song is great.

Average customer rating:

An exquisite gem of a desert island CD
Sweeping, seductive, and superlative!
Mesmerizing music for the heart
La Ninna Nanna
"Stunningly beautiful" is an understatement

Ninna Nanna: Lullabies (1500-2002)
William Byrd , Jordi Savall , and Hesperion XXI
Manufacturer: Alia Vox Spain
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lux Feminae
Du temps & de l'instant
Villancicos y Danzas Criollas
Diáspora Sefardí
Bella Terra

ASIN: B000071XAC
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

Anon. (Purtugal): Cancao de embalar: Jose embala o menino
Anon. (England): Lullaby: My little sweet darling
Anon. (Greece): Berceuse: Dors mon bebe
Anon. (Sefarade): Berceuse Ladino: Nani, nani
Anon. Berbere: Berceuse Amazigh
William Byrd: Lullaby: Come, pretty babe
Tarquino Merula: Canzonetta spirituale sopra la nanna: Hor ch'e tempo di dormire
Anon. (Alicante): Mareta, mareta no'm faces plorar
Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752-1814): Chanson d'une maleureuse mere: Dorsmon enfant
Modest Mussorgsky: La Chambre des enfants (1870): Avec la poupee
Anon (Israel): Berceuse hebraique: Noumi, noumi yaldati
Arvo Part: Berceuse de Noel (2002)
Max Reger (1873-1916): Maria Wiegenlied: Maria sitzt am Rosenhag
Manual de Falla (1876-1946): Nana: Duermete, nino, duerme. Canciones populares (1914)
Darius Milhaud: Berceuse hebraique: Dors, dors (1925)
Federico Garcia Lorca: Nana de Sevilla: Este galapaguito (1930)
Arvo Part: Berceuse Estonienne: Kuus, kuus kallike (2002)
Anon. Catalogne: Cancao de Bressol: La mare d e Deu

Amazon.com

This is a formidable collection of lullabies, spanning 500 years, 18 of them (from almost as many countries) in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Catalan, English, and more, each one lovely, each one in its own idiom. Some are anonymous; others are by composers as different as Byrd, Mussorgsky, Milhaud, and Arvo Pärt. The disc shouldn't be listened to in one setting--no matter how interesting they are, they're still lullabies and can mellow the listener into torpor--but in three-or-so chunks, the contents are fascinating. Figueras can make her sound move from folk to classical, from a mother who is passionate about her child's safety to one who merely wants to entertain into slumber. The anonymous Greek lullaby (track 3) contains the oddest little vocal quirk--a whipping up of the tone at the close of some phrases--which only an artist like Figueras could pull off. And Savall and soloists accompany on various instruments--flute, harp, viols, etc.--with pianist Paul Badura-Skoda playing on three of the lullabies. The CD is a wonderful tour of the world through the centuries with only one subject in mind: sleep. And sleep is something, after all, that takes up a third of our lives. This CD keeps getting sweeter the more you listen. Recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

An exquisite gem of a desert island CD.......2005-06-09

Every time I catch sight of a Vox Alia CD with its distinctive packaging I find resistance is futile and I end up buying it. This gorgeous collection of lullabies delivered much more than I had ever dreamt possible.

What gives this CD its magic is the fact that this is music making amongst friends and family. In fact the record label is Jordi Savall's own, Monserat Figueras is his wife, and Arianna Savall his daughter - so it really is an all family affair. The whole of Hesperion XXI play like they know each other intimately and we are just privileged eavesdroppers who were lucky enough to have overheard them. If some of the major record labels are increasingly marketing their music like MacDonalds hamburgers then this is like being invited to dine at a lovely family run Spanish restaurant. There is a heartwarming homeliness here the majors could never emulate in a hundred years. So it is entirely appropriate that this should be a collection of lullabies, for this is a celebration of family intimacy of the most deeply poetic and affectionate kind.

The selection of music might strike a casual listener as being unusual - exotic is a better term - yet they are all so instantly attractive that I think this would make a lovely gift (especially given the beautiful booklet that comes with it) to a child, a mother, a partner, a friend, a music lover; even people who know nothing about the composers here would surely be enchanted. I was particularly delighted by the reviewer who wrote that her daughter listened to this at night - oh, how fortunate it would be to grow up with music like this with its imaginatively chosen collection of music from so many countries and centuries - you would carry this music in your heart for the rest of your life! Amongst the songs is a Greek song, a Catalan song, a 16th century English song, a song by William Byrd, Max Reger, Moussorgsky as well as two by Arvo Part, both of which carry dedications to Monserat Figueras, Arianna and Jordi Savall (in the photograph reproductions of the first pages of the handwritten score Arvo Part has written in German 'gewidmet an...' if you were wondering where this info comes from).

Typical of the CD is how difficult it is to hold back a tear listening to Reger of all composers - I would have never thought it possible, especially when it would have been simply all too easy to choose some all to well known Schubert Lied, but here it is, they have picked Reger and it is PERFECT. Yet that is only one gem amongst so many more here. I am speechless, for this CD is indeed a rare treasure made for people who truly love beautiful music making - a CD to cherish and to weep for joy over.

I should add that as usual from Vox Alia the recorded sound is audiophile quality, and a notch above what you get from about 95% of record labels. In my opinion they even surpass some boutique audiophile labels like Linn, which is really saying something. So if you love to luxuriate in rich sound this will fit like a glove.

If you fall in love with this recording please, please may I suggest you BUY it for someone you love, rather than burning it, just as a way of saying 'thank you' to this family of musicians. This is a family run label rather than some huge impersonal coorporation and I have seen too many private boutique record firms go bust over the years, so please help ensure that these artists continue to make lovely recordings such as this one.

I am adding this CD to my desert island collection.

Sweeping, seductive, and superlative!.......2004-01-14

Figueras offers the listener a triumphant collection of evocative songs. Let's dispense with a possible concern. This CD is sub-titled "Lullabies". Anyone going to sleep listening to Figueras should see either a hearing or a brain specialist. While they may pacify children, adult listeners will be exhilarated by the sweeping range of her voice and exquisite presentation. Figueras' expressive style simply transcends descriptive praise. From soaring appeals to the heavens to quiet, soothing reassurances, she demonstrates the magnitude of her evocative skills. One can sense constrained passion in each song as she moves from one culture to another through the collection. That one of the pieces was commissioned for this collection is further proof of the extent she provides the listener - she's not confined to neither time nor place.

What is most clearly manifest in this musical anthology is Figueras' professionalism and her Catalan background. Unlike the operatic divas who have deigned to release popular renditions, she demonstrates how someone who truly understands the music of mountain villages or plains communities in any nation can elevate even the most "common" music. The selections range over five centuries or more, reinforcing the impression that nothing exceeds the capacity of her elegant voice to convey feeling to the enraptured listener. Each of us will likely settle on a favourite selection. Predictably, my own is a Catalan piece of an anonymous composer. Perhaps because the lullaby is in her native tongue, the richness of Figueras' rendition evokes intense emotional response. Would that i'd been born a Catalan!

Alia Vox was launched to give fresh impetus to the recordings of Figueras, her husband Jordi Savall and the groups they have created together. This CD will remain a testimony to their efforts to produce the highest quality discs. The sound is excellent, clearly imparting voice and background instruments alike. With 18 selections from a variety of eras and locations, the notes for this CD are extensive. The text of each tune is given in the original and seven other languages. Could scholarship and the universality of music be given finer endorsement? [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Mesmerizing music for the heart.......2003-10-18

Rarely has there been a more beautiful collection of lullabies than those presented in Ninna Nanna. Clearly a labour of love of Montserrat Figueras and her family, it brings together songs that mothers have been singing to their infants over the centuries - whatever their culture or language. "It is like food for the young child" reflects Montserrat Figueras in her dedication, the most intense reflection of affection and tenderness.

Lullabies in this collection, come from cultural backgrounds as diverse as Russia, Morocco, Greece, England and, of course, the Iberian Peninsula. They span from the Renaissance to contemporary music. Most of the musical versions have been masterly arranged by Jordi Savall, suited to fit the extraordinary voice of his wife. We also find some arrangements by well-known composers such as Moussorgski, Reger or de Falla.

Being lullabies, the songs show similarities: above all their tunes are beautifully soft and melodious. Yet, the tunes show considerable diversity in rhythm and tonality. Some are melancholy and almost haunting, others joyful and jubilant. Montserrat Figueras' voice is, as always, in a class of her own, radiating with richness and intensity. The music touches the deeper cords in the listener's consciousness. Her voice is superbly and sensitively accompanied by Hesperion XXI, the accomplished team of musicians under the leadership of Jordi Savall.

The informative booklet accompanying the CD is well presented and includes the songs' texts in eight languages, including the original. This is a CD you will not get tired to listen to many times, whether you play it for your children, your family and friends, or just for yourself. [Friederike Knabe, Ottawa, Canada]

La Ninna Nanna.......2003-08-17

Very few times in life we can be transported back to share such deep experiences as that of holding a child in your arms while singing a lullaby. This CD is exceptional not only because of the high quality of the production but also by the deep emotions that each song carries. A true gift for all those of us that need to stop and enjoy a moment of peace!

"Stunningly beautiful" is an understatement.......2003-05-31

I bought this as a gift for our daughter, and it works great; but I also can't stop listening to it myself day and night, having nothing to do with her bedtime and nap times. If one wants to go to sleep, it works beautifully for that; or if one wants to stay up and pay attention to every wonderful nuance, it also works for that. Or if it's just on as background music, it changes any room to a place of comfort and home. Montserrat Figueras here sings in at least twelve different languages, in music spanning 500 years, and puts it all across with heartfelt directness. What more difficult musical task could there be than all the above, together? But she does it.

This disc is really a family affair: Figueras and Savall, plus their daughter who also sings and plays, and their son who took the photos; plus their friends and colleagues, among the most imaginative and soulful players alive. Extraordinary. And the new music composed by Arvo Part for this album: it's proof that music can objectively make a person weep.

And the booklet: a gorgeous presentation with full background information, photos of the sessions, and each song is given in translation to eight or nine languages! (The original, plus eight more translations if different.)

The only thing you can't do is play this in the car, while driving around to lull the child with the motion. Oh, that works great for the child, but it's the driver's concentration we should be worried about. There is no way to keep one's mind safely on the road while this CD is on.

Tracks:

Song To The Moon
Should I Ever Learn
How Confused I Feel
Solveig's Song
Solveig's Cradle Song
Amor Volat Undique
Stetit Puella
In Trutina
Vier Letzte Lieder
Vier Letzte Lieder
Vier Letzte Lieder
Vier Letzte Lieder
Symphony No. 4 In G
Tatiana's Letter Scene

Tracks:

Un Cenno Leggiadretto
Ho Perduto Il Caro Sposo
O Had I Jubel's Lyre
Laudate Dominum
Welche Wonne, Welche Lust
Porgi, Amor
Voi Che Sapete
Giunse Alfin Il Momento...Deh Vieni, Non Tardar
Crudele?...Non Mi Dir
Come Scoglio
Una Donna A Quindici Anni
Der Holle Rache
Ach, Ich Fuhl's
Crucifixus
Die Forelle
Gretchen Am Spinnrade
An Sylvia
Zueignung
Es Lebt' Eine Vilja
Klange Der Heimat

Customer Reviews:

Ever-reigning Queen of Sopranos.......2007-05-28

Listening through these two discs, one thought kept leaping up to mind: will ever there be another soprano as versatile and accomplished as Lucia Popp? Died in 1994 at the early age of 54, the operatic world hadn't really mourned her enough.
People are still lingering on Maria Callas, the 'star' soprano with all her glamour and legendary life could offer.
Real listeners, however, could not give up the memory of Lucia Popp's terrific artistry and almost supernatural voice.
Her Rusalka, her Solveig, her Susanna, Zerlina, Despina in the da Ponte/Mozart trio, her terrific Queen of the Night (unsurpassed by ANY subsequent sopranos up till now), and ALSO her Pamina in the same opera. In any language you ask her to sing, and she excelled. I marvel at the Letter Scene in Eugene Onegin - only if Lucia had the chance to perform the whole opera during her short life! The joy, the expectation, the emotional tribulations, so vividly captured in girlish and pure timbre. No one will ever beat her; not even Fleming and Netrebko.
"Weird and wonderful" - that's what Elisabeth Schwarzkopf said of Lucia Popp's singing. We today would modify it to 'wonderful and unsurpassable'.
This 2-CD set is an absolute must have, even if you have never heard of Lucia Popp before.

Lucia Popp.......2006-01-12

This is a wonderful album showcasing the very best of Lucia Popp (as the title suggests). Her voice was absolutely beautiful. She could sing the slavic languages like no one else. Her version of Dvorak's Song to the Moon is unbeatable. I dare anyone to find a better performance! Also, the song from Die Zauberflute -Ah Ich fuls (sp?) is outstanding. I've yet to hear a better version. Her diction was fantastic and while she wasn't the highest soprano around - she knew what worked for her voice. This is album is a keeper!

Lucy: The Reigning Queen of Opera.......2004-07-12

Lucia Popp is one of the best sopranos to ever grace the operatic/classical voice stage. This CD compilation shows her progression through lyric Handel to lyric and dramatic Mozart (her Der Holle Rache from Magic Flute is unrivaled) to tender art song and operetta literature. The first disc also showcases her adeptness with 20th Century literature as well as the ability to step out of the traditional four languages of opera. Any avid music fan MUST have this CD compilation.

Average customer rating:

Christmas Adagios
christmas adagios
Nice Background for the Holidays
One of my very top 5 favorite holiday albums!
Wonderful POCOCAT?

Christmas Adagios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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#1 Christmas Album
The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album 2
The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album
Ultimate Classical Christmas Album of All Time
Cello Adagios

ASIN: B00005NY7D
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

O Holy Night - Leontyne Price
Ave Maria - Luciano Pavarotti
In The Bleak Midwinter - Rosemary Joshua/Ian Bostridge
Coventry Carol - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
Away In A Manger - Mark Tinkler
Gabriel's Message - The Choir And Orchestra Of Clare College, Cambridge
Pastoral Sinfonia - Academy Of St Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
Il S'en Va Loin De La Terre - Acadamy And Chorus Of St Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
Panis Angelicus - Kiri Te Kanawa
Schlafe, Mein Liebster - Marilyn Horne
Wiegenlied - Renata Tabaldi
O Jesu So Meek - Simon Preston
While Shepherds Watched - Stephen Cleobury
Susser Trost, Mein Jesus Kommt - Agnes Giebel
Lute Concerto, RV 93: Largo - Eduardo Fernandez
Alma Redemptoris Mater - Julian Podger
O Magnum Mysterium - John Angelo Messana
Zastupnitse Userdnaya - St Petersburgh Chamber Choir/Nikolai Korniev
Iubi-Te-voi (I Will Love Thee, O Lord) - Angela Gheorghiu/Romanian National CHamber Choir 'Madrigal'/Constantin Marin
Once In Royal David's City - Robin Barter/David Briggs
O Tannenbaum - Vienna Boys Choir/Uwe Christian Harrer
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks

Tracks:

Stille Nacht - The Bach Choir/David Willcockes
Gloria In Excelsis Deo - Katherine Fuge/Nicola Jenkin/Elinor Carter/Julian Podger
Winter, RV 297: Largo - Alan Loveday
The First Nowell - The Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
In Dulci Jubilo - The Bach Choir/David Willcocks
The Three Kings - Gerald Finley
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen - Monteverdi Choir
Still, Still, Still - Ian Bostridge
The Crown Of Roses - The Choir Of Clare College, Cambridge/John Rutter
Christmas Concerto, Op.6 No.8: Largo Pastorale - Academy Of Saint Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
The Lamb - Monteverdi Choir/John Eliot Gardiner
Balulalow - Anthony Way/Lucy Wakeford/St Paul's Cathedral Choir/John Scott
Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Luciano Pavarotti
Vesperae Solennes De Confessore, K.339: Laudate Dominum - Kiri Te Kanawa
The Infant King - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
Lullaby My Jesus - The Choir Of Winchester Cathedral/David Hill
What Child Is This? - Anthony Way/Tom Finucane
The Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarolle - L'Orchestra De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge
See Amid The Winter's Snow - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks
The Blessed Son Of God - The Choir Of Winchester Cathedral/David Hill
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear - Leontyne Price
White Christmas - Kiri Te Kanawa/London Voices

Customer Reviews:

Christmas Adagios.......2007-03-03

This is the BEST Christmas collection that I have ever heard. I would like
to purchase 15 more to give as gifts this year; however, it appears that
Decca is out of stock or no longer releasing it. HELP!!

christmas adagios.......2007-01-14

this was one of the best assortment of classical holiday songs that i have ever heard. it contains a marvelous array of the best composers and performers that the world has to offer. if you are a fan of classical music, i think this cd will be a positive addition to your music collection

Nice Background for the Holidays.......2007-01-11

Beautiful Adagios and a rich selection for the price. Audio travels to Vienna, London, Cambridge etc

One of my very top 5 favorite holiday albums!.......2005-11-19

What a delightful surprise this 2 disc album was and I'm not a big fan of Christmas music. I loved all the selections and felt they were well performed. This is a true "must have" for any Christmas collection. Superior to many other compliations on the market. This one is a keeper! It is the one album I'll pick first to listen to after Thanksgiving.

Wonderful POCOCAT?.......2005-07-16

Great CD. The reviewer who calls him/herself POCOCAT says he/she is an opera singer. Wonder how much work an uninformed singer gets?
A "fast spinning" vibrato,as you describe Ms. Price, is not the same as a wide vibrato. The former is a speed issue, the latter a width issue. Therefore, 4 variables exist: fast, slow, wide, slim. Thus, 4 types of voice exist: fast/wide, fast/slim, slow/wide, and slow/slim. Most often a singer leans toward fast/slim or slow/wide, in varying degrees. A matter of taste, yes, but learn more about the voice before you expound.

The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music, Vol. 6-10

Average customer rating:

Great collections, with poor quality sound
The Greatest Collection Of Romantic Era Music
Somewhat lacking

The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music, Vol. 6-10

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Masters of Classical Music (Box Set)
Classical Moods
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]
25 Beethoven Favorites
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B000001W12
Release Date: 1995-11-01

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1843: Wedding March, From 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1847: Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1842: Nabucco - Overture - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1848: The Merry Peasant - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1847: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1850: Lohengrin - Preldue To Act 3 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1853: La Traviata - Prelude to Act 1 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1845: Tannhauser - Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1845: Violin Concerto In E Minor, 2nd Movement - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1846: Poet And Peasant - Overture - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1858: Orpheus In The Underworld - Overture - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1858: Melody In F - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1854: Les Preludes - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1865: Waltz In A Flat - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1862: The Force Of Destiny - Overture - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1864: I Love You - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1866: The Bartered Bride - Overture - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1864: Barcarolle, From 'The Tales Of Hoffman' - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1858: Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1866: Light Calvary - Overture - Various Artists

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1875: Piano Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Minor, 1st Movement (excerpt) - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1868: Cradle Song - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1875: The Moldau - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1870: Ride Of The Valkyries - From 'The Valkyrie' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1876: Morning, From 'Peer Gynt' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1875: Les Toreadors, From 'Carmen' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1870: Notturno, From 'Coppelia' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1876: Marche Slave, Op. 31 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1872: L'Arlesienne - Intermezzo - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1867: The Blue Danbue - Waltz - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1878: Polonaise, From 'Eugene Onegin' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1893: Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World' - 2nd Movement - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1892: Waltz Of The Flowers, from 'The Nutcracker' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1887: Alborado, From 'Capriccio Espagnol' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1886: The Last Spring - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1886: Slavonic Dance No. 2 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1889: The Sleeping Beauty - Introduction - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1877: Siegfried's Death And Funeral March, From 'Twighlight Of The Gods' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1880: Songs My Mother Taught Me - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1889: Emperor Waltz - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1896: Also sprach Zarathustra - Fanfare - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1902: Symphony No. 5 - Adagietto - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1899: Finlandia - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1900: Dance Of The Bumble Bee - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1894: Meditation, From 'Thais' - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1901: Pomp And Circumstance - March No. 1 - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1894: Humoresque - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1903: Valse Triste - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1899: Vienna Blood - Waltz - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1928: Bolero - Various Artists

Customer Reviews:

Great collections, with poor quality sound.......2003-01-09

I expected to listen to great professional classical orchestra ...for this classical music collection, but the quality of the music is not too good.

There are a lot of great music collections, but they will sound better when they record it right.

It is good when you just want to have more classical music, but for a CD, the sound quality is like a [poorley made] CD.

I give 3 stars for this product.

The Greatest Collection Of Romantic Era Music.......2002-09-05

The Top 100 Classical Music series is a must have for novices of classical music, or someone already into the classics but wishes to amassa an "essentials" collection. This particular cd's span the Romantic Era, and although the 19th century saw much more music than what is covered on these recordings, this is nevertheless a brilliant and essential body of works. The Wedding March of Mendelsshon's Midsummer Night's Dream (played in weddings all over the world I'm assuming), Franz Lizst Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (The Looney Tunes Theme Music by the way) and other jewels of the era, such as the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss, the operetta overtures of Franz Von Suppe, Verdi's preludes to such operas as Nabucco and La Traviata, Wagner's intense, dramatic music for his Ring of the Nibelung operas, regarded as the epitome and the zenith of Romantic Era opera, and the music of other composers such as Tchaikovsky, Bizet, Sibelius, Rimsky Korsakov and many others. I highly recommend this cd to anyone wanting to sample and taste what Romantic Era music was all about. Five stars all the way.

Somewhat lacking.......2001-03-28

(referring to the entire collection)

The collection is well designed for introducing the listener to a large variety of music, with its broad range of composers and types of music. However, the interpretation of the music is hardly existant, and many of the pieces sound rather dull and uninteresting. Some lively pieces are played too slowly, and nearly all of them without emotion, keeping the set out of reach from being included in a true classical collection. Despite all that, the sheer number and range of pieces (along with the low price) make this a collection well suited for the new classical listener.

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Songs Without Words
Average customer rating:

Lovely Piano Miniatures

Excellent, delightful, colorful

Not professional quality playing

Ravishimg songs without words!

A lot of listening

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Songs Without Words

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Songs Without Words

Brahms: Works for Solo Piano

Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes And Impromptus

Mendelssohn: Piano Trios Op. 49 & Op. 66

Grieg: Lyric Pieces / Emil Gilels

ASIN: B00000417E
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

Op.19: Sweet Remembrance
Op.19: Regrets
Op.19: Hunting Song
Op.19: En La Majeur
Op.19: Restlessness
Op.19: Venetian Gondola Song
Op.30: En Mi Bemol Majeur
Op.30: En Si Bemol Mineur
Op.30: Consolation
Op.30: En Si Minieur
Op.30: En Re Majeur
Op.30: Venetian Gondola Song
Op.38: En Mi Bemol Majeur
Op.38: Lost Happiness
Op.38: La Harpe du Po te
Op.38: En La Majeur
Op.38: Appassionata
Op.38: Duetto
Op.53: En La Bemol Majeur
Op.53: The Fleecy Cloud
Op.53: En Sol Mineur
Op.53: Sadness of Soul
Op.53: Folk Song
Op.53: La Fuite
Andante con Variazioni in E flat major, Op.82: En Mi Bemol Majeur

Tracks:

Op.62: May Breezes
Op.62: En Si Bemol Majeur
Op.62: Funeral March
Op.62: Morning Song
Op.62: Venetian Gondola Song
Op.62: Spring Song
Op.67: En Mi Bemol Majeur
Op.67: Lost Illussions
Op.67: En Si Bemol Majeur
Op.67: The Bee's Wedding
Op.67: The Shepherd's Complaint
Op.67: Cradle Song
Op.85: En Fa Majeur
Op.85: Adieu
Op.85: En Mi Bemol Majeur
Op.85: Elegy
Op.85: En La Majeur
Op.85: En Si Bemol Majeur
Op.102: En Mi Mineur
Op.102: En Re Majeur
Op.102: Tarantelle
Op.102: En Sol Mineur
Op.102: The Joyous Peasant
Op.102: Belief
Andante Cantabile e Presto Agitato in B: En Si Majeur
Variations in B flat major, Op.83: En Si Bemol Majeur

Customer Reviews:

Lovely Piano Miniatures.......2006-06-13

Felix Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words" will always have a special place in my heart because one of the "Venetian Boat Songs", opus 19 no. 6 was the first work of serious music that I performed in a piano recital as a child. I have returned to the collection many times over the years, both to hear the music and on occasion to practice some of the pieces.

Mendelssohn composed eight sets of "Songs without Words", each consisting of six pieces, over a course of 12 years (1835, 1837, 1841, 1844, 1845, and two posthumously published sets in 1847). These works are romantic miniatures, characterized by their lyricism (the title of "songs" is apt), elegance, polish, grace, and imagination. Each piece is intended to capture for the listener a specific mood or emotion; they are of the type of romantic piano music sometimes referred to as a "character" piece, as are the individual sections of Schumann's Carnaval and Scenes from Childhood, Scubert's Impromptus, and Moments Musicaux, and much of Chopin. Many of the pieces in the collection have acquired nicknames over the years, but Mendelssohn himself only gave titles to five: the three "Venetian Boat Songs", the "Duetto", opus 38 no. 6, and the "folksong", opus 53 no. 5.

Mendelssohn's Songs were highly popular during the mid-19th Century but have subsequently been criticized by many for their alleged superficiality, their generally cheerful tone, and their lack of intense passion. I find the criticism misdirected. These pieces were composed for amateurs to play in their own homes. They have a flow and a beauty to them that I would not part with. It is sad that domestic music-making, people playing for themselves for the sheer joy of it, is becoming an endangered art.

This two-CD mid-priced Phillips set includes the complete Songs without Words performed by Ilse von Alpenheim. In addition, the compilation includes three of Mendelssohn's other piano works: two sets of variations and an andante cantabile. Ms. von Alpenheim was the wife of conductor Antal Dorati. Her recorded output was not extensive, but it includes the Haydn piano concertos with Dorati at the podium. Ms. von Alpenheim is a near-ideal pianist for Mendelssohn's Songs. She has an exquisite, polished, touch, a singing melodic line and flexible but controlled rhythm. She plays without mannerism. She neither prettifies these works nor attempts to find profundities in them. She offers the type of performance that one can imagine hearing in a home or in an intimate hall. I enjoyed relistening to these performances, score in hand.

Listeners will each find their own favorities in this collection. My favorites include the three Venetian Boat Songs, the first song in opus 62, the opus 62 no. 3 "funeral march" and the the first, and surprisingly romantic, work of opus 67,

Rehearing Mendelssohn's Songs brought me happy moments and made me want to turn to some of these works, including the Venetian Boat Song I played as a child and its two companions, on the piano. Amateur pianists and those who love the piano will enjoy this recording.

Robin Friedman

Excellent, delightful, colorful.......2005-03-21

This is a very expressive and colorful, but not overstated recording. I picked it up a number of years not knowing anything about the performer, but it was the only complete recording in the store at the time. I was impressed the first time I played it, but since then, my enthusuasm grows for it every time I hear it. Only later did I learn that in addition to being Antal Dorati's widow, that she has recorded all of Haydn's piano works and just a few other albums--I will surely be on the lookout for them. I only wish she had recorded more widely.

Not professional quality playing.......2005-02-03

I would avoid this set, despite its price and the fact that it includes all the Songs without Words. Alpenheim is simply not a professional quality pianist and was likely only recorded because of her husband, the great conductor Antal Dorati. Alpenheim doesn't have the technical proficiency or range of textures one would expect from a first-rate pianist but what is most annoying is her inability to shape the music's melodic line into an expressive whole. Look elsewhere.

Ravishimg songs without words!.......2004-12-17

Antal Dorati `s wife was an exquisite pianist wrought in the purest roots of the late Romanticism . Her Mendelssohn texture reveals the wide scope she had . Despoiled of that slender refinement which weakened seriously the score, she is more interested in extracting the dramatic nucleus instead the possible fireworks and the sweet charm of every piece .

The other three recommended versions would be in this precise order : Walter Gieseking , Annia Dorffman and Daniel Barenboim.

Pitifully Guiomar Novaes that incredible brazilian pianist just recorded several pieces but never as whole .

A lot of listening.......2002-09-13

This CD began a serious exploration of Songs Without Words for me that has included the Barenboim recording and others. I heartily don't recommend the latter as being incredibly fast and lacking any sensitivity. By contrast, this interpretation has kept me thinking and holds interest after many months. In fact, I'm on this space to purchase a replacement disc. I should also mention that it is very well recorded and retains the bass without boosting. If you appreciate Songs Without Words, this is the best recording I've found.

Average customer rating:

Classic Hits for Kids

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000A4T9AS
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Average customer rating:

Don't miss it!
Delectable!
TODO LO QUE ELLA CANTE ESTÁ BIEN
She's back!

Ewa Podles · Russian Arias
Ewa Podles , Alexander Borodin , Sergey Prokofiev , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin , Igor Stravinsky , Modest Mussorgsky , Constantine Orbelian , and Philharmonia of Russia
Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ewa Podles - Rossini Arias for Contralto
Ewa Podles - Handel Arias from Rinaldo & Orlando
Ewa Podles: Respighi - Gli Uccelli/Il Tramonto/Trittico Botticelliano
Gluck - Orfeo ed Euridice / Podles · Rodrigo · Merced · Maag
Ewa Podles - Airs célèbres (Famous Arias)

ASIN: B00006313Z
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Tracks:

Konchakovna's Cavatina
Young Maiden's Song (Field Of The Dead)
Joan's Aria
Voina's Arioso
Varvara's Limericks And Dance
Jocasta's Aria
Lullaby
Serenade
Trepak (Russian Dance)
The Field-Marshal

Customer Reviews:

Don't miss it!.......2004-03-31

Ewa Podles' voice is incredibly rich, her technic is astonishing and she sings so expressively that really brings tears in my eyes. She is definitely a diva and performs these wonderful pieces the way they should be performed. The booklet includes libretto with English translation, which is very helpful for those who don't speak Russian. However, the music and the performance are so emotive that can touch you even if you do't know the words.

Delectable!.......2003-01-15

This disc is altogether delectable. With few exceptions, Russian opera is little known or appreciated in this country. Perhaps, if it always had interpreters as stupendously capable as Ewa Podles, the story might be different. She is a true contralto, and, as such, more than capable of bringing appropriate power, flexibility and idiomatic darkness to these largely unfamiliar arias. Even more impressively, she uses her magnificent talent to get inside the character of each piece. The result is a virtuoso variety of texture. The sumptuous richness of her sound makes even the finest counter-tenors seem rather thin-voiced. Do not let the unfamiliarity of most of the pieces put you off. Full translations are provided, with the Russian being helpfully rendered in Roman letters. So, let this superrb and thrilling singer introduce you to some very fine music.

TODO LO QUE ELLA CANTE ESTÁ BIEN.......2002-09-07

Una voz tan impresionante como la de esta mujer, me deja sólo agradeciendo que exista, o que haya existido alguna vez, y que haya respirado, al mismo tiempo que yo, en este planeta. Por lo tanto, recomiendo absolutamente todo material que ella grabe. Es un placer, un poco de luz en medio de tanta oscuridad.

She's back!.......2002-07-01

The first time I heard Ewa Podles was in a live performance of Verdi's "Requiem". After that I've been buying all her records and trying to hear her live. I still don't understand how she is still ignored by the major record companies...
This CD of russian arias could not be rated less than extraordinary: if the voice itself wasn't enough - and it is more than enough - the interpretation would.

Music Track:

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