French & American Saxophone Music

On this CD:

1. Petit quatuor for saxophone quartet
Composed by Jean Francaix

2. Quartet for saxophones
Composed by Alfred Desenclos

3. Works (medleys)
Composed by George Gershwin

4. Improvisations (3) for saxophone quartet, Nos 1-03 (complete) No. 1
Composed by Phil Woods

5. Suite for saxophone quartet
Composed by Nick Ayoub

6. The Entertainer, for piano
Composed by Scott Joplin

7. The Easy Winners, for piano
Composed by Scott Joplin

Tracks:

Vie, L'amour
La Vie En Rose
Milord
Comme Moi (Like Me)
Le Vieux Piano (Old Piano)
Polichinelle (Punchinella)
Toujours Aimer (Always Loving)
L'effet Que Tu Me Fais (The Effect You Have On Me)
Mon Manege A Moi
Mon Dieu (My God)
Hymne A L'Amour (If You Love Me, Really Love Me)
T'es Beau, Tu Sais
Bravo Pour Le Clown!
C'est L'Amour (It's Love)
Non, Je ne Regrette Rien
Avant Nous (Before Us)
La Goualante De Pauvre Jean (Poor People Of Paris)
L'Accordeoniste

Amazon.com essential recording

The voice of Edith Piaf carries with it perhaps more national identity than that of any other recorded artist in the world. Tiny, frail, and tragic in her life, Piaf brought French identity to the rest of the world in a way that was understandable to all. Known as "the Little Sparrow" in her country, her voice was strong, bold, and passionate, even as she grew more infirm. The archetypical torch singer, she had massive popular success with songs like "Milord," "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien," and "La Vie, L'Amour," included here with 18 other classics. While this is a great compilation of some of her best material, the complete lack of enclosed notes or biographical material may frustrate those not familiar with her fascinating career. However, the work of one of the most original songbirds of all time speaks loud and clear for itself. --Derek Rath

Customer Reviews:

"The little sparrow" ,Edith Piaf sings her best hits!.......2007-06-26

This Cd has all of Edith's best known hits, sung by "the little sparrow" herself.

The re-recordings are quite excellent....well done....smooth and crisp.

The songs are well chosen and nicely arranged in sequence.

Edith`s voice sounds as good as ever in this BEST HITS Cd.

A fantastic compilation.......2007-06-23

Edith Piaf's voice is like no others. It is husky yet brash, sultry and deep. Hearing this music takes you to another place. She was a fantastic singer with a wonderful low range a great cd.

The Voice of a Sparrow at a Bargain Price!.......2007-06-03

Edith Piaf was a tragic figure with a talent of singing often painful and sometimes happy songs. In this compact disc, there are her classics like Ma Vie en Rose, Milord, Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, and others listed here. Of course, Edith Piaf is not for everybody. She is an acquired taste that unless you are fan of French music or Edith Piaf that you may not like. Piaf's life was as tragic as some of her songs but she left in indelible legacy of her recorded music that comforted and soothed the French during World War II. Piaf's singing has to be appreciated as well. maybe you don't know French, you don't need too. You do know pain, agony, heartbreak, falling in love, loss, death, happiness, sadness, etc. then you will appreciate and love Edith Piaf.

Piaf cd.......2007-05-30

Fabulous music. Film of her life will be out soon featuring this music.

Splendid introduction to the art of Edith Piaf.......2007-05-04

This is a collection of some of Edith Piaf's greatest hits. My French has deteriorated to the point where I cannot translate the French to English very well. But I can appreciate a genuine talent.

Piaf caught the spirit of those not in the elite. Her songs touch one's heart and spirit, even if one cannot understand the words themselves. She has an evocative voice that captures the spirit of these songs.

Take, for example, "Non, je ne regrette rien" ("No, I regret nothing," if my understanding of French suffices). This song really catches one's attention. Her rather small voice (voice of the sparrow??) catches an emotion, a fragment of our feelings. One of my Piaf favorites.

Or the lively, inspiriting song, "La vie, l'amour" ("Life and love," if my memory of French is accurate). This livelies one up.

Another of her signature songs: "La vie en rose." Listen to this and you understand her hold on the French who listened to her songs.

"Poor People of Paris" ("La goualante de pauvre Jean") is delightful, filled with energy and excitement.

One could only wish that there were liner notes to this excellent CD that provided some context for the listener. That is a disappointment. Still and all, this is a wonderful introduction to the talent of Edith Piaf. !

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Compilation of Edith Piaf
Eternelle
Mesmerizing and enchanting...
The definitive single CD

Eternelle: The Best Of
Edith Piaf
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

French Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf
Edith Piaf: Her Greatest Recordings 1935-1943
Edith Piaf: 30th Anniversaire
Aznavour: Ses Plus Grands Succes
La Vie en Rose: La Mome

ASIN: B000050ZM2
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

La Vie En Rose
Hymne A L'amour
Padam... Padam
Johnny Tu N'es Pas Un Ange
La Goualante Du Pauvre Jean
Sous Le Ciel De Paris
L'homme A La Moto
Mon Manege A Moi (Tu Me Fais Tourner La Tete)
Non Je Ne Regrette Rien
Milord
Les Flonflons Du Bal
Les Mots D'amour
Fallait-il?
La Foule
Tiens V'la Un Marin
Le Droit D'aimer
A Quoi Ca Sert L'amour?
L'accordeoniste

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Compilation of Edith Piaf.......2007-03-09

Such a pleasure to hear so many songs that Ms. Piaf made famous especially, "Milord", "La Vie En Rose", and "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien". A great compilation! I only wish a word booklet had been included, but you can't have everything. Ms. Piaf's voice is more than enough!

Eternelle.......2007-02-17

The songs are wonderful, Edith Piaf has a beautiful voice. The songs are sung in French, a masterpiece.

Mesmerizing and enchanting..........2002-03-26

I love this collection. It has all of my favorite songs of Edith Piaf. This one is truly a classic. You won't be dissatisfied.

The definitive single CD.......2002-02-11

EMI did a nice job of remastering these tracks, so that they are cleaner and more dynamic than ever before. This is significant since there is so much Piaf product out there from second-generation tapes/old records/etc. Including the most well-known of Piaf's songs this, then, has become the definitive single CD of her work. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Beverly Sills - The Best
Beverly Sills' highs are breathtaking!
THE 2005 OPERA CD OF THE YEAR
EMI Does It Again: Beverly Sills - A Tribute
Glad To Be The First Review- Beverly Sills Treasury Of Arias

The Very Best of Beverly Sills

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Great Recordings
Art of Beverly
Beverly Sills: Made in America
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)
Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato

ASIN: B0006VYELE
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Una Voce Poco Fa - Sherrill Milnes
Dunque Io Son - Sherrill Milnes
Contro Un Cor - Sherrill Milnes
Ah, Qual Colpo Inaspetatto! - Sherrill Milnes
E Il Sol Dell'anima... Addio! Speranza Ed Anima - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Gualtier Malde... Caro Nome - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Tutte Le Feste Al Tempio... Compiuto Pur Quanto... Si, Vendetta - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
V'ho Ingannato... Lassu In Cielo - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere... So Anch'io La Virtu Magica - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Pronta Io Son... Vado, Corro - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Via, Caro Sposino - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Tornami A Dir Che M'ami - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
La Morale In Tutto Questo - Ambrosian Opera Chorus

Tracks:

Vilia - Beverly Sills
Ah! Je Suis Seule... Dis-Moi Que Je Suis Belle - Beverly Sills
Cielo! Che Diverro?... Si, ferite... Dal Soggiorno... Ah! Che Spiegar - Beverly Sills
Libiamo Ne' Lieti Calici - John Alldis Choir
Un Di Felice, Eterea - John Alldis Choir
E Strano... Ah, Fors'e Lui... Follie! Follie!... Sempre Libera - John Alldis Choir
Pura Siccome Un Angelo... Ah! Dite Alla Giovine - John Alldis Choir
Che Fai? - John Alldis Choir
Addio Del Passato - John Alldis Choir
Parigi, O Cara - John Alldis Choir

Amazon.com

Beverly Sills hardly needs an introduction. She sang on the radio as a child and on the operatic stage as a teenager; her meteoric international career was launched by appearances in several virtually unknown bel canto operas at the New York City Opera. This compilation of arias and ensembles from some of her signature roles, recorded in the 1970s, with splendid partners like Nicolai Gedda, Alfredo Kraus, and Sherrill Milnes, displays her unique vocal and dramatic artistry at its peak. Her voice, effortlessly produced over an enormous range, is bright, pure, infinitely variable in color, inflection and intensity. Her intonation is impeccable even in huge leaps, and her breath is endless. The coloratura roulades are like strings of perfect, luminous pearls, clearly articulated in seamless legato. But this stunning technique (whose only flaw is a sometimes wide, wobbly vibrato) is never used for show; every note has life and expression, serving the music and the dramatic situation. Indeed, her characters are flesh-and-blood human beings, whose thoughts, emotions and interactions, from inwardness to ecstasy, from lamentation to overflowing joy, she projects with riveting concentration. Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville is a charming, mischievous minx who succumbs to delighted tenderness; Pamira's great scene from his Siege of Corinth shows clearly why her Metropolitan Opera debut in that role was a sensation. In Verdi's Rigoletto, Gilda's hopeful innocence turns into hopeless despair: she dies, palpably, on a floating, celestial pianissimo. In his La traviata, Violetta's initial cool, hesitant restraint gradually melts as she opens herself (and her voice) to Alfredo's ardor and the bliss of love. The vocal balance in their final duet is uncanny; its tremulous tenderness in the shadow of death breaks the heart, as does her duet with Germont. Massenet's Thais is sensuous; Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Lehár's The Merry Widow provide comic relief. --Edith Eisler

Album Description

Details TBA. EMI. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Beverly Sills - The Best.......2007-04-01

What a voice. No coloratura can compare, and she makes it seem so easy.

Beverly Sills' highs are breathtaking!.......2006-09-18

Adio del Passato is incredible! Beverly's high, floating coloratura is no less than ethereal which takes you to another world. Her voice has given me so much joy that it is hard to say one recording is better than another because I love her Mozart album equally with her Bellini/Donizetti. It is so wonderful to have these recordings captured on CD! Enjoy!

THE 2005 OPERA CD OF THE YEAR.......2006-08-19

THIS CD WAS THE BEST OPERA CD ISSUED LAST YEAR, AND HAS CAUGHT THE WORLD'S EAR IN NO TIME. I WAS BUSY WRITING IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL, WHILE THE STATEOWNED FM RADIOSTATION, DEDICATED TO CULTURE, WAS SOFTLY PLAYING OPERA ARIAS IN THE BACKGROUND. SUDDENLY I HEARD THE MOST FANTASTIC RENDERING OF "SEMPRE LIBERA" FROM "LA TRAVIATA". I GOT UP, SAT BY THE RADIO AND WAITED TO KNOW WHO WAS SINGING... THEN GOT BACK TO THE COMPUTER TO ORDER THIS CD FROM AMAZON! INCREDIBLE: ONLY 17 BUCKS FOR THIS, WHILE QUITE A BIT OF TRASH IS SOLD FOR 30.40 AND MORE...
A LADY FRIEND ONCE TOLD ME SHE COULD NOT LISTEN TO THE DUET IN "MADAMA BUTTERFLY" WITH MIRELLA FRENI AND LUCIANO PAVAROTTI (RECORDED IN 1974, BY VON KARAJAN) WITHOUT CRYING. WELL, YOU CANNOT LISTEN TO SILLS IN "LA TRAVIATA" DRY-EYED, NO MATTER WHO THE TENOR IS. SHE PROJECTS THE SAME DRAMATIC FEELING OF "LA DIVINA" CALLAS WITHOUT THOSE SHRIEKED HIGHNOTES; SHE OFFERS THE SAME COLORATURA VOCAL GYMNASTICS AS "LA STUPENDA" SUTHERLAND BUT WITH WARMTH... WHEN BEVERLY SANG, AS IN EVERYTHING ELSE SHE DID, SHE ALWAYS GAVE HER UTMOST. SHE WAS "LA GENEROSA" TO BE SURE.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE READING WHAT OTHERS THINK.
ORDER THIS CD NOW AND MARVEL AT HOW THIS GREAT AMERICAN LADY, IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS, ALSO COULD SING!

EMI Does It Again: Beverly Sills - A Tribute.......2005-07-22

EMI's "Very Best Of" series are perfect introductions to operatic singers of the 20th century. Once you hear these artist tribute albums (much like The Singers series) you will get hooked on the singer and seek out their full-length studio recordings. Beverly Sills was the first truly famous American opera star. One may argue that she was not, that she was merely a continued tradition of American divas such as Mary Garden and Lily Pons and which still continues today with Renee Fleming, Elizabeth Futral and Susan Graham. Beverly was raised in New York City, which is still her home, and which is the home of the New York City Opera and the Met, opera houses which rocketed her to fame. Her first success (not featured in this recording...UH WHY ?) was Cleopatra of Handel's Julius Caesar, a performance she sang opposite the illustrious baritone Norman Treigle. Those performances were legendary because coincidentally at the same time the Met was opening its new theatre and season with what became a disastrous Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra starring Leontyne Price in an overblown, big-budget, epic fiasco. The great roles that followed the 1965 Cleopatra were Manon, Queen Elizabeth I in Roberto Deveraux, Maria Stuarda and Anna Bolena in the Donizetti Tudor Queen operas, Pamira in The Siege of Corinth (which were Sill's La Scala and belated Met debut. None of the Queens are featured in this recording, though its supposedly the Very Best Of. An aria from Rossini's Siege of Corinth is featured here however. What we are treated to however are fine lyric roles- Beverly Sills shone brightly and acted convincingly as Gilda in Rigoletto (the final scene is featured here) as Violetta in La Traviata, Thais, The Merry Widow (the beautiful Vilja is featured here)and the ingenue role of Norina in Don Pasquale is also showcased here. To each of these roles, Beverly Sills delivered an authenticity and dramatic interpretation, not ot mention beautiful, sweet tone. I love her pianissimos, her high notes, her chest register. It was the voice of Beverly Sills who first hooked me into opera. For a recording that should showcase her best work, Manon is not featured nor any of her prized French heroines- Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment and the heroines in Tales of Hoffman. Also not in here is the role that was her first success- the Broadway opera Ballad of Baby Doe. Even as such, the arias here are gorgeous. The Barber of Seville is in here and as Rosina she is playful and charming. Sills was a modern singer, with a voice that was beautiful but willing to sacrifice beauty for the sake of dramatic content. When Sills was once asked what she thought of the supposed rivalry with Joan Sutherland (which was never real and only gossip from partisan fans) Beverly said something to this effect -Joan and I are apples and oranges in our take on opera, we are Picasso and Monet. She would do anything for the effect of beauty and tone, I'd sacrifice beauty for the sake of dramatic text. Even as such, I see no ugliness to any of the roles here. All of them are beautiful to hear, full of rich floating celestial tones. It would have been nice to hear the roles that did call for Sills to step up the tense drama - Norma, will her recording ever be reissued by EMI ? Also, few people know that Beverly Sills sung role most would consider dangerous for her voice (though she sang them long before her career even took off)- Aida and Carmen!!

Glad To Be The First Review- Beverly Sills Treasury Of Arias.......2005-04-29

At last EMI's "The Very Best Of" series has issued some of the finer recorded documented arias of the incomparable soprano Beverly Sills. Fans of this down-to-earth, warm patron of music and the most unique lyric-coloratura-dramatic soprano, will be in Heaven. Sure, this is only some of the arias in only a small number of the many operas Sills performed. To be truthful, this is not what I'd personally regard as the best of Beverly Sills. Other albums of hers do use greater vocal masterpieces she sang- the best being "The Singers" Series, and another EMI edition called The Art of Beverly Sills Volume 2 and then there's the rare and brilliant "Sillsiana". Nevertheless, this album has its charm and appeal. Beverly Sills sings arias from Rossini's Barber of Seville, Verdi's Rigoletto and Traviata. This recording seems to highlight mostly her mastership of the bel canto repertoire and Verdi. Gilda and Violetta were roles she sang with supreme dramatic integrity and sweetness and purity of vocal line. Yet, it is hardly "the best of". Where are scenes from the masterful interpretations of Donizetti, truly Sills strongest suit- Lucia Di Lammermoor, Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereaux, where is Sills' Manon, which even she hails as her best ? And when will her recorded Norma ever see the light of day ? Sills also excelled in the French repertoire- Faust, Thais, La Fille Du Regiment, The Tales of Hoffman and she was an incredible Queen Shemakha in Korsakov's Coq D'Or. True, Sills had a light, girlish, delicate voice, bright and small, but this worked in her favor in tragic roles. Dramatically, she could get into character as passionately and convincingly as Maria Callas. When she could darken her voice and use her chest voice for dramatic effect it was often thrilling. This is the latest recording in a number of recordings that are coming out, further promoting a great singer of the past. Beverly Sills. She was the working man's soprano. She worked hard to get to the top. She was the reigning singer of the NYC Opera where she starred in such great operas as Handel's Giulio Ceare Sills as Cleopatra (also not on this recording) and Tales of Hoffman singing opposite the great but underrated bass Norman Treigle. Sills is a wonderful human being and she has a beautiful voice that I cannot get out of my mind. She will always be the greatest to me. She got me hooked into opera.

Average customer rating:

review of amazon orders
Matthew Hit the Nail on the Head
Piaf Tonight!
The sad and tragical nosthalgie !
not as good as i thought it would be

Edith Piaf: 30th Anniversaire
Edith Piaf
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

French Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf
Edith Piaf: Her Greatest Recordings 1935-1943
Eternelle: The Best Of
Aznavour: Ses Plus Grands Succes
La Vie en Rose: La Mome

ASIN: B000002TMF
Release Date: 1994-04-05

Tracks:

La Vie En Rose
J'm'en Fous Pas Mal
Les Trois Cloches
Les Amants De Paris
Bal Dans Ma Rue
Plus Bleu Que Tes Yeux
Hymne A L'amour
Jezebel
Padam Padam
Hymn To Love
Bravo Pour Le Clown
Johnny, Tu N'es Pas Un Ange
La Goualante Du Pauvre Jean
Le 'Ca Ira'
L'accordeoniste
La Vie En Rose (En Anglais)
C'est A Hambourg
L'homme A La Moto
Les Amants D'un Jour
Autumn Leaves
Dans Les Prisons De Nantes
Pour Moi Toute Seule
Il Y Avait

Tracks:

La Foule
Mon Manege A Moi (Tu Me Fais Tourner La Tete)
Fais Comme Si
Je Sais Comment
Milord
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Les Flonflons Du Bal
Le Vieux Piano
Mon Vieux Lucien
Mon Dieu (En Anglais)
Sous Le Ciel De Paris
Les Amants
A Quoi Ca Sert L'amour
Une Valse
Emporte-Moi
L'homme De Berlin
Legende (Inedit)
Un Dimanche A Londres (Inedit)
A L'enseigne De La Fille Sans Coeur
La Valse De L'amour
Les Mots De L'amour

Amazon.com essential recording

Abandoned as a baby and raised in a brothel, Piaf was dicovered singing in the streets of Paris by a club owner, who started her 30-year career during which time she became France's best-loved and best-known songstress, with major hits from beginning to end. At times singing in front of the band with no microphone, her powerful voice and emotional delivery was a striking contrast to her diminutive size. Nicknamed "the Little Sparrow," Piaf was plagued by controversy, from implications in a clubowner's death to multiple affairs (including Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour), drugs, and alcohol. Her torchy cabaret and dramatically theatrical songs eventually won her global recognition. This two-CD set covers highlights of her career up to her death in 1963, many of which are now standards. Described in France as "the greatest figure in the history of song," her voice still rings with a passion for life, something that eventually consumed her. --Derek Rath

Customer Reviews:

review of amazon orders.......2007-05-07

While Im happy with the products i purchased, all of them arrived damaged..The cd covers were all broken. i think the packaging needs to be much better and safer for international mail.

Matthew Hit the Nail on the Head.......2006-10-02

Matthew hit the nail on the head when he wrote:

"This two CD set is highly recommended for Piaf fans (as if they didn't know that already), fans of French classic vocals and fans of international music. Thank goodness Edith Piaf shared her talents with us while she lived amongst us--fans of the arts are infinitely better off because of Piaf's substantial contributions to the arts."

The Piaf legend will live forever and should. I, too, recommend the Carnegie two-cd set. It's enthralling from start to end.

Piaf, Garland and Minnelli...the world will never see women performers like these again.

Great reveiw, Matthew!

Piaf Tonight!.......2006-10-02

This two CD set is not merely a magnificent sampling of Edith Piaf's songs; it is a celebration of her career as one of the greatest female singers the world has ever known or ever will know. The songs include many of her beloved songs recorded by Piaf between 1946 and 1963.

These wonderful French classics by Piaf include "La Vie En Rose;" "Les Trois Cloches;" "Hymne À L'amour;" "Jezebel;" "Padam Padam;" "Autumn Leaves" sung in English; "Milord;" "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien;" and "Les Amants De Paris." There are, of course, many more wonderful songs--all with beautiful musical arrangements--on this two CD set. There are even two unedited songs that show how Piaf worked on a song before it was polished: "Légende" and "Un Dimanche À Londres."

While almost all of the remastering is excellent, a few songs were not done to completion. For example, "Hymne À L'amour" on the first CD is obviously simply recorded from an old 78 rpm record complete with surface noise and scratches; and "L'homme De Berlin" sounds as if someone was holding tissues in front of the microphone in order to create a muffled reproduction of the recording. However, this is a minor disappointment because the rest of the package is so perfect.

The liner notes offer an excellent essay about Piaf's life written in both English and French. There are several photos of Edith Piaf and two of them are colorized for effect. The liner notes also provide songs credits and the year each song was recorded.

Piaf recorded much, much more than these two CDs could ever hope to cover simply because her career spanned so many years; if you like this set I strongly recommend other Piaf CD recordings including her performances at Carnegie Hall in 1956 and 1957. This two CD set is really best viewed as either a thorough introduction to Piaf or as a very good retrospective of her career including most of her greatest songs.

This two CD set is highly recommended for Piaf fans (as if they didn't know that already), fans of French classic vocals and fans of international music. Thank goodness Edith Piaf shared her talents with us while she lived amongst us--fans of the arts are infinitely better off because of Piaf's substantial contributions to the arts.

The sad and tragical nosthalgie !.......2004-09-04

There are lives who would seem destined to burn in themselves to reach the sincere expression the hard rapport to express and moreover to feel the song and make of their special repertoire his inspiration source .
Halliday , Edith Piaf , Maria Callas ; three different styles but a common cause the loneliness , the unability to be really loved besides her mythical sphere .
In the case of Piaf the pain was so close to her that I really think Piaf adopted as his partner and she faced that awful truth . After the Marcel Chardin death you feel this twist of fate and the sense of the emptiness in every one of her themes .
La foule , Hymn a l'amour or amants d 'un jour for instance are the best proof of this sadness who seems to fly far beyond the melody and become in a permament leit motive .
Edith Piaf will be always have a very special place in the soul of all those who love without being loved , who have loved , those who still love and specially for those who consider that they just can not love anymore.

not as good as i thought it would be.......2003-01-13

I am going to be the only dissenter here. The choice of songs is excellent, and this is why i bought the CD.

However, I think that several of the selected songs must be early versions which were then fine tuned by E. Piaf over the years. I have listened to other CDs and vinyl record where renditions such as Jezebel, and La Foule where much more forceful and on a higher emotional level.

Tracks:

Son Vergin Vezzosa - Paul Plishka
Eccomi... Oh! Quante Volte
Mira, O Norma
Santo Di Patria... Allor Che I Forti Corrono... Da Te Questo
Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore - Nicolai Gedda
Che M'apporti? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Quel Sangue Versato Al Cielo S'innalza - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Vorrei Spiegarvi, Oh Dio, K.418
Amor, Op.68 No.5

Tracks:

Martern Aller Arten
E Strano! E Strano!
Ah, Fors'e Lui
Follie! Follie!
Sempre Libera
Ces Murs Silencieux - Pardonnez-moi, Dieu De Toute Puissance - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Toi! Vous! - Oui! Je Fus Cruelle Et Coupable! - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
N'est-ce Plus Ma Main? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Robert, Toi Que J'aime
Tu Ne Chanteras Plus?
Chere Enfant Que J'appele
Meine, Lippen, Die Kusen So Heiss
Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein
Always Through The Changing

Customer Reviews:

RIP, BEVERLY SILLS 1929-2007.......2007-07-03

The great American diva's passing was announced today.

This wonderful CD set is a perfect compilation of her art as can be found anywhere. Her finest roles and performances are captured here, most of them derived from the Westminster/Audio Treasury recordings from her prime. Listening to them again demonstrates to me why she was so special, and such an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.

Brava Sills!.......2007-02-02

A very nice compilation of Sillsiana. The different cuts on this CD provide a nice illustration of her work. Let me briefly describe my response to a sampling of the works on this CD:

Bellini, I Puritani, "Son vergin vezzosa." Wonderful. Sutherland owns this--but so does Beverly Sills. Contemporary sopranos such as Netrebko and Gruberova have also sung this on their respective CDs, and while their product is nice, it simply does not compare. Sills is remarkably agile with her voice; the trills are well done; she cleanly hits high notes; the overall effect can only be described as wonderful.

Bellini, Norma, "Mira, o Norma". This is smoothly sung and very melodic. The technique that she exhibits does not overwhelm the music.

Rosini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, "Contro un cor che accende amore." Again, her agile voice is well deployed. The florid singing is well done.

Donizetti, Roberto Devereaux, "Che m'apporti." Her clean, light voice matches well with this aria. Smoothly sung. Her "Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza," which follows, is well done. High notes cleanly hit, a smooth line.

Verdi, La Traviata, "E strano. . . .Sempre libera." Again, what agility! In "Sempre libera," she reveals a rich voice and, again, wonderful agility. This is an animated version of one of Verdi's showcase pieces.

Lehar, Giudetta. "Meine Lippen." A lot of fun! This is smoothly sung.

In the final analysis, this is a nice potpourri of Beverly Sills' repertoire. Those not familiar with her work will find this a nice entree to her oeuvre; those familiar with her will find this a good compilation.

Sills fits my bill.......2006-03-13

This recording is another in an all too small CD collection of Sills recordings. I eagerly await more.

The Great American Soprano.......2005-10-01

This is a great collecition featuring arias from the Classical and Romantic periods. Fabulous!!!!!

My Favorite Woman.......2005-08-05

I would have to say that when I first heard Beverly Sills sing, I was entranced. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I became angry at any rustling around me, because I was afraid I would miss one note. It was so addictive....that is what she is....addictive! A c.d. will never properly capture her style. She is an amazing leader in opera, taking it into a new frontier and I believe this c.d. showcases that.

Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...

Average customer rating:

The End of the Big Voice?
Fla Gator Lady
20 Great Tenor Arias
Plesantly surprised...
Absolutely Agree About Corelli

Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Famous Opera Duets
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The #1 Opera Album
The Best of Italian Opera
The Ultimate Puccini Collection

ASIN: B000007OTX
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Carmen Bizet: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
Luisa Miller: O! fede negar potessi .. Quando le sere al placido
La Traviata: Lunge da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti
Martha: M'appari
Giordano: Amor ti vieta
L'Africaine: Mi batte il cuor .. O paradiso
La Favorita: Favorita del re . . . Spirto gentil
Werther: 'Pourquoi me reveiller'
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: 'Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein'
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: O Dieu! De quelle ivresse
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Pagliacci: Recitar! ... Vesti la giubba
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira
Aida: Se quel guerrier .. Celeste Aida
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Turandot: Nessun dorma

Customer Reviews:

The End of the Big Voice?.......2007-04-16

This CD, which is truly fine overall, reminds me of Marilyn Horne's lament that we have probably seen the end of the big voice and it makes me sad. I agree with the reviewer who refers to "microphonies". And more justice could be done to Bjorling's voice with a better transfer. But at some point, music becomes a matter of taste and I prefers singers who have the instrument and the support and the training, whether formal or not, to just let fly and take a chance on making a mistake. Domingo can be wonderful and so can his musicianship but he tends to be so stiff. I have to wonder at the virulence and asperity with which some people go after Pavarotti. It's true that late in his career he made some questionable recordings but the answer to that is simple: don't buy them. At his best, he belongs for all time in the top echelon of tenors. I love this CD and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys great (big) voices.

Fla Gator Lady.......2007-01-12

Highly recommend this CD with these beloved arias of the greatest tenors in opera. I have owned this CD for a couple of years and purchased another for a friend who always requests that I play it ... perfect for listening in the car, dinner, bridge games, relaxation ... just so perfect. You won't be disappointed in this one.

20 Great Tenor Arias.......2007-01-09

A great disc,combination of the greatest tenors of the 20th century and some of the most beautiful music ever written in any century,a must addition to any opera lovers collection.

Plesantly surprised..........2006-01-14

I don't remember how I found this CD the other day surfing through the "Amazon" such as it is, but I did. I listened to a few clips provided & on the strength of that, I purchased this CD.

First it is a great buy. A booklet with pictures of each tenor, a small bio, the year recorded and TRANSLATIONS of each aria are provided. This is really nice. It seems more & more that translations are being left out. Being a former opera singer, I may know most of the words, but sometimes it's just nice to read along (sometimes it's just nice to listen too).

Being on the Decca label, there is admittedly quite a few Pavarotti selections. Out of 20 selections, he has 6 of them. But I love Pavarotti, so this is no problem for me. These are all early recordings & his voice is magnificent! Being a singer, I still marvel at his ability to sing "All'armi!" on a high D and still say the 2nd syllable "mi" on such a note! WOW. There is also of course his very sweet, impassioned and lyrical turn as Rodolfo in "La Boheme" as well as the lesser known (although I still have it on casette) "La Favorita" which has a particularly high tessitura.

Also featured are a young Plácido Domingo singing a VERY nice "Flower song/ La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Carmen. He usually sounds too pushed for me on the top notes (as one might expect from a Pavarotti fan, I like free top notes) but in this recording he is pretty darn fabulous. He also sings an aria from "Tales of Hoffman/Les Contes d'Hoffman" and I have always felt that he, like Neil Schicoff, were well suited to this role.

Lamentably there are only one selection each from Carreras, Correlli, Monaco, Aragall & Kollo. Especial kudos to the young recording they feature for Aragall. He had a very free and nice high tenor well suited to Verdi. Of course as his career went forward with the natural darkening of his voice and the "heavier" roles, he did start to develop a wobble. But this recording is before that. His top, his phrasing are all beautifully done in his featured aria from "La Traviata."
Mario del Monaco's "E lucevan le stelle" is hauntingly beautiful and has such a wonderful pianissimo in it that it makes you just want to gasp for beauty's sake. I now know every tenor I've heard sing this aria was trying to emulate what he did.

This is a great CD because it does bring together on one CD some of the greatest singers of the 20th/21st century. Bergonzi, di Stefano, Björling, in addition to the previously mentioned artists is quite an impressive collection. I'm sure there's only one of each for Carreras, Aragall (I believe they are formerly EMI/Angel artists) and perhaps some of the others because they are "imported" from another label. There's so much Pavarotti on this CD because he IS a Decca artist.

A highly recommended CD, affordable, not the usually obscure and unpolished artists that are sometimes found on compilations. Plus acutal linear notes and translations. Nicely done, Decca!!!

Absolutely Agree About Corelli.......2005-05-27

Franco Corelli's "Nessun Dorma" is still the best of them all - clear, passionate, and exciting. (And those final two notes...! Gives me chills just to think of it.) I was fortunate enough to see him live in both "Turandot" and "Romeo and Juliet" a year before his retirement, and he was still a Calaf and a Romeo to die for... as, of course, Liu and Juliet did! As it is, I tend to buy compilations depending on how much Corelli they include - though Bjorling is a strong second, and I have happy memories of Domingo. Long live the Golden Age of Operatic Tenors!

Edith Piaf: Her Greatest Recordings 1935-1943

Average customer rating:

Edith Piaf: Both Recordings
Edith Piaf
A Good Second Piaf
casual music listener
Pleasantly surprised

Edith Piaf: Her Greatest Recordings 1935-1943
Edith Piaf
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf
Edith Piaf: 30th Anniversaire
Aznavour: Ses Plus Grands Succes
Eternelle: The Best Of
La Vie en Rose: La Mome

ASIN: B000001HIM
Release Date: 1995-07-18

Tracks:

Mon Legionnaire
Un Coin Tout Bleu
Mon Coeur Est Au Coin D'Une Rue
Le Grand Voyage Du Pauvre Negre
Ballade De Mr. Browning
C'Etait Une Histoire D'Amour
On Danse Surma Ma Chanson
De L'Autre Cote De La Rue
C'Est Toi Le Plus Fort
Fais-Mois Valser
Paris-Mediterranee
Mon Apero
Le Fanion De La Legion
Mon Amant De La Coloniale
Entre St. Ouen Clingancourt
L'Etranger
C'Etait Un Jour De Fete
Les Momes De La Cloche
Elle Frequentait La Rue Pigalle
C'Est Lui Que Mon Coeur A Choisi
L'Accordianiste

Customer Reviews:

Edith Piaf: Both Recordings.......2007-05-17

Edith Piaf: 30th AnniversaireI bought both of these recordings for my husband. It was one of the better presents I ever got for him. He is throughly enjoying both of them.

Edith Piaf.......2007-02-17

What a delight to hear Edith Piaf's lovely voice! Lovely songs, and it is well done.

A Good Second Piaf.......2005-10-01

Once she has won your heart, you will want this collection to hear how she developed as a performer -- and came to be a great symbol of France in the 20th Century

casual music listener.......2005-09-10

Adds depth to a music collection; sound quality of old recording makes it interesting

Pleasantly surprised.......2005-08-12

Having heard a song by Edith Piaf while watching the movie "Saving Private Ryan" and being captivated by the sound of her voice, I decided to venture into a completely new direction in my listening library. I must admit that I have not been able to take this CD out of any player that happens to be around me! Even though I have no idea of the lyrics, Ms. Piaf has the ability to draw you in and make you feel like you understand exactly what she is saying. She is joyful, tragic, coy, sad, dramatic, and ultimately she leaves me with the feeling of her devotion to her art and her time in history.

Average customer rating:

nothing special
Awesome!!!
best coffee music
French Cafe
comme ci, comme ça

French Cafe
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Putumayo World Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Putumayo Presents: Paris
Putumayo Presents: Italian Café
C'est L'amour: Romantic French Classics
The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf
Something's Gotta Give

ASIN: B0000DBJDB
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

Fibre De Verre - Paris Combo
Marilou Sous La Neige - Serge Gainsbourg
Si La Photo Est Bonne - Barbara
Juste Quelau'un De Bien - Enso Enso
Je M'Suis Fait Tout Petit - Georges Brassens
Elaeudanla Teiteia - Jane Birkin
La Mer Opale - Coralie Clement
Ondule - Mathieu Boogaerts
Un Jour Comme Un Autre - Brigitte Bardot
On N'a Pas Besoin - Paris Combo
Mal O Mains - Sanseverino
En Douce - Baguette Quartette
La Fee Clochette - Polo

Product Description

Legends of French chanson join exquisite new voices for an enchanting musical sojourn to the cafes of Paris. Paris Combo Fibre de Verre Serge Gainsbourg Marilou Sous La Neige Barbara Si la Photo est Bonne Enzo Enzo Juste Quelqu'un de Bie

Amazon.com

Although far from definitive (no Edith Piaf in sight!), this enchanting compilation delivers a perfect aural snapshot of what spending a late summer afternoon in a French cafe actually feels like. The supreme elegance and understated approach that lie at the core of these 13 tracks will delight fans of sophisticated pop. As is the case with previous Putumayo releases, the sequencing is seamless, combining the endearingly old-fashioned flavor of George Brassens with the iconoclastic romanticism of George Gainsbourg and the sultry whispers of a youthful Brigitte Bardot. Better yet, the disc spends some valuable time introducing listeners to a new generation of French musicians who have embraced the traditional chanson format while incorporating fresh elements into the mix. Try the light-as-a-feather caress of female vocalist Enzo Enzo, the sweet playfulness of the electronica-informed Mathieu Boogaerts, and the irrepressible optimism of Paris Combo--a jazzy quintet that represents the French cafe ambiance at its cosmopolitan best. --Ernesto Lechner

Customer Reviews:

nothing special.......2007-06-26

This cd didn't do much for me...there's only a couple songs on the entire cd that i enjoy...i skip through the rest of them (they are just goofy).

Awesome!!!.......2007-04-11

I am a high school French teacher and it is REALLY hard to find French music that doesn't make the kids groan. When I first listened to this cd I loved it, but I didn't think THEY would since our tastes in music are sometimes not real similar! Quelle surprise!!! They loved it as much as I did - some have even asked me where to purchase it. I have played it so many times that I am now ordering a back-up copy to keep here at school.
This is French music at its finest!!

best coffee music.......2007-03-20

I love sitting in a cafe and remembering when I went to Europe. This CD gives me the exact feel when I stayed in Paris. I love this cd. I play this cd all the time when I want to relax to mellow tunes.

French Cafe.......2006-11-29

I love this CD and it is one of my favorite French CD's (I own many). Putumayo does such a great job of putting together wonderful compelations from different artists. If you are looking for something you will be able to enjoy during a nice dinner at home, a relaxing car ride or as some easy listening background music, this is a great CD to get. I speak French on an intermediate level, and I've enjoyed trying to figure out what the songs are about. My husband, on the other hand, speaks no French at all, but also enjoys this CD as much as I do. Kind of strange as his regular favorites CD's include anything by U2, The Killers, Cold Play and the like. With that said, I guess French Cafe will appeal to anyone! Additionally, the new Paris Cafe, also by Putumayo, is just as popular in my house!

comme ci, comme ça.......2006-11-09

Je n'aime que la moitié des chansons. I only like half the songs and hit fast forward a lot when I try to listen to this disc. Putumayo could have done better.

Average customer rating:

Pretty darn good
The Opera #1 Opera Album
Excellent assortment
Great Selections
Terrific !

The #1 Opera Album
Giacomo Puccini , Giuseppe Verdi , Léo Delibes , Georges Bizet , Umberto Giordano , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Richard Wagner , Gioachino Rossini , Alfredo Catalani , Jacques Offenbach , Ruggiero Leoncavallo , Charles Gounod , Gaetano Donizetti , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Richard Bonynge , Herbert von Karajan , Alberto Erede , Lamberto Gardelli , Giuseppe Patane , John Mauceri , Zubin Mehta , Charles Dutoit , Gyorgy Fischer , Riccardo Chailly , Istvan Kertesz , Leone Magiera , Evelino Pido , Gianandrea Gavazzeni , Renée Fleming , Cecilia Bartoli , Luciano Pavarotti , Jussi Bjorling , and Renata Tebaldi
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Famous Opera Duets
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Best of Italian Opera
The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!
Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...

ASIN: B000059RXO
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Carmen: Act 1: Prld - LPO/Sir Georg Solti
La Traviata: Brindisi: Libiamo, Ne'lieti Calici - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Luciano Pavarotti
Lakme: Flower Duet: Dome Epais Le Jasmin - Joan Sutherland/Jane Berbie
Fedora: Amor Ti Vieta - Jussi Bjorling
Carmen: Habanera: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - Tatiana Troyanos/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis
Nabucco: Chor Of The Hebrew Slaves: Va Pensiero - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hills
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Dove Sono - Kiri Te Kanawa
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Lohengrin: Bridal Chor: Treulich Gefuhrt Ziehet Dahin - Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Walter Hagen-Groll
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Renata Tebaldi
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Leo Nucci
La Wally: Ebben?... Ne Andro Lontana - Angela Gheorghiu
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chor - Wiener Staatsopernchor/Norbert Balatsch
Carmen: Flower Song: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Placido Domingo
Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Barcarolle: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'Amour - Joan Sutherland/Huguette Tourangeau/Chor De La Radio Suisse Romande, Pro Arte De Lausanne Et Du...
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Placido Domingo
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di - Mirella Freni
Les Pecheurs De Perles: C'est Toi... Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Gregory Cross/Gino Quilico

Tracks:

Die Walkure: The Ride Of The Valkyries - Wiener Phil/Solti
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete - Cecilia Bartoli
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: O Soave Fanciulla - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti/Roland Panerai
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chor: Vedi! Le Fosche - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hillis
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai - Jose Carreras
Don Giovanni: La Ci Darem La Mano - Lucia Popp/Tom Krause
Mattinata - Andrea Bocelli
Faust: Soldiers' Chor - Ambrosian Opr Chor/John McCarthy
L'elisir D'amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Roberto Alagna
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! - Montserrat Caballe
Don Giovanni: Champagne Aria: Finch'han Dal Vino - Bryn Terfel
Cosi Fan Tutte: Trio: Soave Sia Il Vento - Renee Fleming/Anne Sofie Von Otter/Michele Pertusi
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
Tosca: Vissi D'arte - Kiri Te Kanawa
Carmen: Toreador Song - Jose Van Dam/Tatiana Troyanos/Norma Burrowes/Jane Berbie/Thomas Allen/Pierre Thau/John Alldis...
Madama Butterfly: Love Duet: Vogliatemi Bene - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo - Nat PO/Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Rusalka: O Silver Moon - Renee Fleming
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi - Angela Gheorghiu
Turandot: Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis

Amazon.com

The labels that are now gathered under the Universal Classics umbrella have a pretty impressive scorecard in the area of classical compilations. We've seen The Greatest Opera Show on Earth, The Yellow Guide: Classical Music, Best of the Millennium, and now there's The No. 1 Opera Album. But that's no surprise, since Universal has some of the finest interpreters in its catalogue to draw from. This two-CD set (at the price of one), for example, brings together the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti, Herbert von Karajan, and many more. Yet the other key to a successful compilation is canny anthologizing, and here again, you have a nice selection to give you a smattering of opera's heavyweights from the Italian, German, and French repertory (there's even a step outside the standard framework with an aria from Dvorák's lovely Rusalka). Ranging from 1959 to 1997, the choices from back catalogue will doubtless be the entry ticket for many into this grandest of the arts. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

Pretty darn good.......2007-07-04

This CD set has a lot of familiar music on it, so if you're a newbie, you might want to try starting with this. There are some great pieces on the first CD. I usually don't even make it to the second.

The Opera #1 Opera Album.......2007-06-07

The music is wonderful. The production is terrible!! The sound fades in and out and is very scratchy in some places.

Excellent assortment.......2007-05-12

I'm not a big opera fan but I wanted to expose an assorted selection for my kids. This was perfect since it included several recognizable selections.

Great Selections.......2007-03-31

This Cd, has the very best of Opera
covering mainly from the classcal
to the to the romantic periods, a most
memorable selection here is Leo Nucci
in a lagendary performance of Rossini's
"Largo al Factotum" from "Il Barbiere di Seviglia"
also Andrea Bocelli in his performance of Leoncavallo's
memorable "Matinatta" here in an orchestrated version.
Indeed some of opera's most loved arias are in this recording
various conductors, orchestras, and soloists. All in their
very best. Indeed a five-star recording...

Terrific !.......2007-01-10

A diverse album to give you a sprinkle of the various types of 'opera'. Every note is pure and lovely, I listen to it all the time ! Highly recommended for anyone just getting into opera. :}

Average customer rating:

Clarity.....
Subtly beautiful.

Keren Ann
Keren Ann
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Reminder
Not Going Anywhere
Nolita
New Moon
Volta

ASIN: B000KZRO1I
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

It's All a Lie
Lay Your Head Down
In Your Back
The Harder Ships Of the World
It Ain't No Crime
Where No Endings End
Liberty
Between The Flatland And the Caspian Sea
Caspia

Amazon.com

The fifth album from the Paris-and-New-York-based chanteuse is mesmerizing and beautiful all the way through. Unlike with, say, Mazzy Star or even Feist, Keren Ann shows that she can rise above the slyly sensual signing style to deliver actual croons. From the deliberately breathless vocal delivery to her own smartly minimalist and subtly layered production work, Keren Ann is the singer's finest work to date. Her voice remains the focal point, but intriguing instrumental choices dot the album, from the twisted, distorted guitars on "It Ain't No Crime" to the lovely flutes of "Harder Ships of the World." Just listen to the slowly-percolating "Lay Your Head Down," the album's first single. That song begins as an addictive combination of sparse guitar, hand claps, and crooning to gently accrue bluesy harmonica and guitar licks before drifting away in a layered wash of strings and Carl Orff-ish vocal flourishes. It sounds modern and from the more rarefied aspects of pop's past at the same time. You watch: Keren Ann just may prove to be Blue Note's smartest signing since that Norah Jones person. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

5th studio album from Keren Ann (author, composer, singer) Album produced by Keren Ann, mixed by Joe Barresi (Queens of The Stone Age, Alanis Morissette, Tool). emi. 2007.

Customer Reviews:

Clarity............2007-05-11

So, after several listens to this album, I kept thinking, where have I heard this before?
Obviously, I have'nt heard it before but one singer/songwriter from the past that I dearly love became apparent; Dagmar Krause/Slapp Happy.
They are very different but in some strange way it's as if Keren has channeled that brittle beauty that Dagmar is/was so good at.
I'll listen to it many more times over the coming months to see how it holds up.
Could possibly become a classic....

Subtly beautiful........2007-05-09

Critically-acclaimed singer / songwriter Keren Ann Zeidel returns with her fifth album. Often favourably compared to Françoise Hardy, Nico, Serge Gainsbourg, Mazzy Star, Rufus Wainright and Suzanne Vega, Keren Ann is a truly special and engaging artist, one whose work evolves and grows, often with every listen.
"Keren Ann" is the follow up to 2004's Nolita, which was greeted with rave reviews around the globe proclaiming Keren Ann's voice "as alluring as that of Astrid Gilberto and with an emotional languor that would have done Chet Baker proud".
The new self-titled album has been produced by Keren Ann and mixed by Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Alanis Morissette).
I was a little nervous about this new one, since Nolita was not an excellent album in my opinion.
Pretty much immediately after starting it, the new album sounded so stunningly beautiful and different.
It was like a city of ice slowly melting as the sun sinks sending rays of warming glow over the ice melting it filling the land with sparkles. So that was a little ridiculous for a comparison beteen the new album and the previous, but it is so clean and twinkly, the sound is crystalline even.
Her vocals are nearly whispery soft, parts of the album are nearly spoken because of her delicate voice. Even though they are so light and airy, and there is something so aged and sexy about it. Without a doubt, they are the focus of the album.
The instrumentation is merely there to compliment the mood of her voice, it's so wonderfully melded together. There are actually many instruments being used, but so softly it gives a dream like illusion to the music.
Most of the self-produced tracks burns slowly, but intricate details add sparkle: Hand claps open "Lay Your Head Down", and tinkling piano closes "In Your Back".
Towards the end she even utilized a choir without having it be overpowering to her dainty songs. The only song that nearly fell out of this mood was the fifth song "It Ain't No Crime", which features a crunchy guitar sound, and it is somehow subtilely forceful but still quite jewel toned.
The album is entirely in English which is rather different for Keren Ann, but I hope it gains her a wider audience for she surely is talented and has a lot to offer if only people were willing to listen
Highlights include also "Lay Your Head Down", which is propelled by handclaps, harmonica, and a mix of strings
Don't miss Keren Ann on tour later on this year.

Music Track:

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