Music

Average customer rating:

Wonderful, but not my first choice
THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever...
Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Franz Joseph Haydn: The Creation
Mendelssohn - Elijah / Terfel, Fleming, Bardon, Ainsley, Fulgoni, Paul Daniel
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem]

ASIN: B0002XV31A
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Good at first...
Unique and hard to describe
A bit of electronic poetry
Great dark-wave stuff!
Diary of dreams

One of 18 Angels
Diary of Dreams
Manufacturer: Metropolis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Moments of Bloom
Bird Without Wings
Panik Manifesto
Telemetry of a Fallen Angel
Zerospace

ASIN: B00004R8Q0
Release Date: 2000-03-29

Tracks:

Babylon
ButterFly:Dance!
Mankind
Winter Souls
No-body Left To Blame
Chemicals
Now This Is Human
Colorblind
People Watcher
Darker
Dead Souls Dreaming

Product Description

HORIZONS (HACKETT,STEVE)

Customer Reviews:

Good at first..........2004-12-11

Well, I am a Huge DOD fan, don't get me wrong, but this recording just did'nt quite do it for me. With my first hearing of this record, I was amazed, and by the time the first track was finished, I felt tears of JOY in my eyes. It was absolute beauty! But my second time, it seemed to be a little less than what I had last remembered.

I felt shattered the next dozen times I popped it into my CD player. Adrian Hates and his band are a team of very talented musicians I literally worship! But this album was just mediocre once I really gave it a good listen to.

Tracks like Babylon, Butterly: Dance! and Dead Souls Screaming are major highlights on the album, but unfortunately the only ones too. Chemicals and a few other songs like to that are tiresom and repetative with screeching electronic "hormonies" I just cannot stand!

Try buying a used copy of this CD instead so you save the money. One of 18 Angels just gets older and older the more I play it.

Unique and hard to describe.......2004-05-28

I initially bought the Succubus club cd since I was looking to find a new taste in music. I also had been into Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing game and was looking for some background music to listen to while we played. I listened to the bands and studied closer onto this band. I bought this cd and was astounded. The cd is perfect for what I needed as ambience, and it's just great all around. Very dark, hard to understand the lyrics, a lot of techno, and the voices are unforgettable. My first cd of this band and definitely not my last!

A bit of electronic poetry.......2004-02-13

I do have weird tastes sometimes, maybe that is why I like this album. How to describe it? Darkwave keyboard as if you were listening a horror film blend with techno on which the singer does not really sing but recitate poems like a dead guy.

Favorite songs: "Chemicals", "Mankind", "Darker".

It is pretty unusual.

Great dark-wave stuff!.......2003-03-25

This German band manage to combine darkness, beauty, and depth with intricate and innovative song structures. The perfect blend of orchestral/synthetic music with foreboding introspective lyrics.A must have for any dark-wave fan!

Diary of dreams.......2002-12-25

Diary of dreams is god of mixing(in my opinion asfar as i know). His voice is perfect for the music.The musics a mix of a lot of goth and industrial techno and dance...I also reccomend Gridlock for his mixing and voice.

Average customer rating:

An interesting Bliss collection

Piano Quartet
Bliss , and Chamber Domaine
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000063TST
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Tracks:

Piano Quartet in A minor: Poco adagio e espressivo
Piano Quartet in A minor: Intermezzo: Tempo di Mazurka
Piano Quartet in A minor: Allegro furioso
Bliss (A One Step) for piano
The Rout Trot for piano
Four Songs: A Christmas Carol
Four Songs: Sea Love
Four Songs: Vocalise
Four Songs: The Mad Woman of Punnet's Town
Triptych for piano: Meditation: Andante tranquillo
Triptych for piano: Dramatic recitative
Triptych for piano: Capriccio
Angels Of The Mind: Worry About Money
Angels Of The Mind: Lenten Flowers
Angels Of The Mind: Harvest
Angels Of The Mind: Seed
Angels Of The Mind: In The Beck
Angels Of The Mind: Storm
Angels Of The Mind: Nocturne

Customer Reviews:

An interesting Bliss collection.......2002-09-25

Like Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Arthur Bliss was half American and even married an American woman but was nevertheless the quintessential English composer. He was Master of the Queen's Musick and had a public style not a mile away from Elgar's. However, much of his music was intimate and small-scale and it is this aspect of his work which is represented on this disc: four early and two late pieces.

The piano quartet (1915) was suppressed by Bliss after the First World War and is recorded here for the first time. It is a very beautiful work and it brought to my mind the glorious piano quartet of Herbert Howells (written at about the same time) though without the rich string harmonies. Both composers were heavily influenced by Vaughan Williams and the opening is pure RVW. Although nothing like the mature Bliss, this quartet is a joy from beginning to end.

The two piano pieces, 'Bliss' and The Rout Trot are short, witty trifles in ragtime style, and date from 1922 and 1927 respectively. The second just peters out, which I presume is how it was written!

The Four Songs are a group, not a cycle. In the first, 'A Christmas Carol', the soprano is accompanied by the violin and piano. 'Sea Love' is for soprano and violin only, the instrumental line being passionate with much double-stopping, recalling Vaughan Williams' 'Along the Field' cycle. Next, there is a wordless vocalise (with violin) and finally the suitably manic 'The mad woman of Punnet's town' (violin and piano).

Bliss was a virtuoso pianist yet he wrote very little for his own instrument. There is the big piano concerto and the solitary piano sonata. In his eighties, he wrote the Triptych (1971). This is marvellous work, composed in a lean style. 'Meditation' is gravely beautiful and Dramatic Recitative alternates loud outbursts with more contemplative passages. The final Capriccio makes for a witty and fast conclusion.

Bliss greatly admired the distinguished English poet, Kathleen Raine, and had collaborated with her to produce the Golden Cantata. She writes mystical nature poetry which has affinities with that of William Blake. In 'Angels of the Mind' for soprano and piano (1969), he sets seven of her poems. This is not an easy cycle to get to grips with as the words, rich in imagery but difficult to fully comprehend, must bring problems in their setting to music. For me, it falls into the 'needs repeated hearings' category.

The performances by Chamber Domaine are good but I found the voice of Helen Meyerhoff unsympathetic. It is rather harsh with a wide vibrato and some uncertainty in intonation at times. The recording is also good but there is a rather strange balance in the first set of songs. The violin sounds distant, the piano much closer with the soprano somewhere in the middle. The insert notes are excellent and include the texts of the songs.

Music:

Music