Hearth & Fire

Track Listings

1. Open That Can

2. The Loyal Lover

3. I'm Losing All the Weight I Gained After Losing You

4. La Laine de Mouton

5. Cotton Mill Blues

6. Let Me See Your Papers

7. Hal-An-Tow

8. Jimmy Whalen

9. Gridlock

10. Two Sisters

11. Frobisher Bay

12. Waiting to Go

13. Rivers of Texas

14. Hearth & Fire

Editorial Reviews
Joanne Davis, New York Pinewoods Folk Music Club newsletter, May 1998
Surely among the most beautiful folk voices being heard today.

Gordon Bok
I like very much the ways you use your voice - hope it's as much fun as it sounds.

Album Description
A varied collection of songs new and old. Many are traditional folk songs, like Jimmy Whalen and The Loyal Lover, both about women forsaken by their lovers. Two Sisters is a ballad of sibling rivalry and murder. Some are humorous, like Dick McCormack's I'm Losing All the Weight I Gained After Losing You, or Anne Price's own Waiting to Go (about those long lines at intermission). Annette Kirk's Let Me See Your Papers suggests a solution to the perils of modern dating. Hal-an-Tow is a jaunty English traditional song celebrating the end of winter. The title song, Hearth & Fire, is Gordon Bok's song of the comfort of friendship on a cold winter night. Anne's Gridlock is about those New York traffic jams, and has a catchy chorus. Frobisher Bay by James Gordon of the Canadian group Tamarack tells the tale of a whaling ship trapped in the ice in the Arctic Circle. La Laine de Mouton is a French Canadian song about the shearing, spinning and weaving of wool. Open That Can is Nancy White's modern version of the cumulative folk song about feeding others. Rivers Of Texas is another good singable chorus song.

Hearth & Fire

Tracks:

Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life! - Richard Crooks
Gypsy Love Song - CHARLES KULLMAN
Romany Life - Jeanette MacDonald
March Of The Toys - Victor Young & His Concert Orchestra
Kiss Me Again - Florence Easton
(The Day Is Done...) Moonbeams - Richard Crooks
Italian Street Song - Florence George/The Max Terr Choristers
I'm Falling In Love With Someone - CHARLES KULLMAN
'Neath The Southern Moon - Nelson Eddy
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! - Nelson Eddy
Paul's Address: (My Commander As Envoy Bids Me Come...) No Country Can My Own Outvie - John McCormack
I List The Trill In Golden Throat - Alma Gluck/Charles Schuetz
The Cricket On The Earth - Christie MacDonald/Reginald Werrenrath/Howard Ratty
Sweethearts - Richard Tauber
To Land Of My Own Romance - John McHugh
When You're Away - Richard Tauber
Neapolitan Love Song - Richard Crooks
Ireland, My Sireland (When Shall I Again See Ireland?) - John McCormick/Dominic Melillo
Eileen Alannah Ashthore - John McCormick/Dominic Melillo
Thine Alone - CHARLES KULLMAN
A Kiss In The Dark - Amelita Galli-Curci
Indian Summer - Richard Tauber
Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life! - Jeanette Macdonald/Nelson Eddy

Customer Reviews:

Some old favourites, and some unfamiliar, enjoyable voices and songs.......2007-03-11

This compilation has the usual songs that immediately bring the name of composer Victor Herbert to mind - Ah, sweet mystery of life, I'm falling in love with someone and Tramp, tramp, tramp - with such well known voices as those of Macdonald, Eddy and the famous tenors, Richard Crooks, Richard Tauber and Charles Kullmann.

Perhaps of greater interest to many listeners will be the relatively seldom heard artists, such as John McHugh, Florence Easton and Florence George. All three have very pleasant voices and aural personalities.

It is a somewhat mixed delight to hear Amelita Galli-Curci, John McCormack, Alma Gluck and Richard Werrenrath in recordings from the acoustic era. My personal favourite from that group is Galli-Cutci's charming version of A kiss in the dark.

Altogether, a well chosen mixture of the familiar and the out of the way, carefully and well re-recorded.

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT!!!

Tales Around the Hearth
Heather Forest
Manufacturer: A Gentle Wind
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sing Me A Story
Whoo's There?: A Bedtime Shadow Book
The Magic Tree House: Books 1-8 (Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House Series (New York, N.Y.).)
Frog and Toad CD Audio Collection

ASIN: B00000JPEO
Release Date: 1999-02-15

Tracks:

The Mitten
Rabbit's Hole
House on the Hill
Try Try Again
The Lion and the Mouse
The Turnip
The Town and Country Mouse
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
The Crow and the Pitcher
The Grandfather Clock
The Cap My Mother Made for me

Album Description

These are refreshing new versions of stories your family knows and loves. Settle down comfortably and sing along with the simple values of hearth, home and helping hands as favorite stories like The Mitten, The Lion and the Mouse and The Boy Who Cried Wolf are retold in a gentle musical style. Heather's use of positive themes and satisfying conclusions makes this recording a family favorite. "Tales Around the Hearth" includes Aesop's fables and tales from Russia, Sweden, Norway & Africa as well as a few Heather Forest originals. Positive themes etc Ages 3-8.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT!!!.......1999-07-25

I let my children listen to this all the time. My son just adores the stories and songs. Her voice is just incerdible.

Great Movie Scores: The Films of Steven Spielberg

Average customer rating:

Great Movie Scores and Great Music!!!
Possibly better than the original recordings.
A Must for People who can't afford all these soundtracks

Great Movie Scores: The Films of Steven Spielberg

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
The Great Fantasy Adventure Album
Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
The Big Picture
Beautiful Hollywood

ASIN: B00000HYH8
Release Date: 1999-01-26

Tracks:

Sugarland Express: Main Title
Jaws: Theme
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Main Theme
1941: March
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: The Raiders' March
Poltergeist: Carol Anne's Theme
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Bicycle Chase
Twilight Zone: The Movie: End Title
Indiana Jones Of The Temple Of Doom: Parade of the Slave Children
The Color Purple: Finale
Empire Of The Sun: Toy Planes, Home and Hearth
Indiana Jones Of The Last Crusade: Escape From Venice
Always: Dorinda Solo Flight
Hook: Main Themes
Jurassic Park: Main Themes
Schindler's List: Main Theme
The Lost World: Theme
Amistad: The Long Road Home to Justice
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn To The Fallen

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie Scores and Great Music!!!.......2007-07-14

I love movie theme music, especially action movies. The music on this CD is exactly like the music I heard in the theater. Wonderfully scored and mastered. You will love it!!!!

Possibly better than the original recordings........2005-01-16

Let me start by saying that this is a great CD. If you have lowered your expectations at the sight of seeing "Pops Orchestra" on the cover, I beg you to reconsider. This isn't some thrown-together congregation of neophyte musicians, this is a glorious symphonic sound. I will go as far to say that most of the performed tracks on this CD are better than the original movie recordings. Also, Telarc, as I am learning more and more, seems to have mastered the art of recording and mastering the orchestra, as the quality of this CD is stellar, not to mention in surround sound!! This CD should be owned by anyone who is a fan of the symphonic film score.

A Must for People who can't afford all these soundtracks.......2000-06-26

I have to say I was a little skeptical about a Cd that claimed to have all these great soundtracks on one CD. After listening to it though i was amazed at how close it was to actually having each sound track. I was thankful that I had not bought all of these soundtracks. This is a must have.

Average customer rating:

The Healing Flute
Werner John
Manufacturer: Hearth Island Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music
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Cedar Song

ASIN: B000BP31KK
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Product Description

Soothing, healing sounds of the Native American flute by a fine musician and craftsman!

Old Hearth: Welsh Music on Triple Harp to Fire the Soul

Average customer rating:

A Masterpiece of Harpestry
Not To Be Missed!!!!
Lovely music great record

Old Hearth: Welsh Music on Triple Harp to Fire the Soul
Robin Huw Bowen
Manufacturer: Marquis Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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Traditional Songs of Wales
Harp Music of Wales
The Rough Guide to the Music of Wales
Telyn Berseiniol Fy Ngwlad (The Sweet Harp of My Land)
Land of My Fathers: 100 Great Welsh Choir Favourites

ASIN: B00004RD4C
Release Date: 2000-03-14

Tracks:

Old Hearth/Ystwyth's Flow
The Queen's Marsh
The Gentleness Of Montgomeryshire
The Day
David Of The White Rock/The Baron's Barn
Hiraeth/The Grey Window-Pane
The Thread Of Life
Sailing Home
The Bells Of The Old Country
Farewell To The Days Of My Youth

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece of Harpestry.......2003-01-20

For the most part, I might call this album rather good, but not great. However, one track brings the album to a higher level: Y Llinyn Arian/The Thread of Life. This has to be one of the most amazing pieces of music I've ever heard. The melancholy passages at the beginning and the end and the light-hearted dance in the middle provide a wonderful contrast and perfect symmetry. This track alone makes the album worth the purchase.

Not To Be Missed!!!!.......2002-01-23

Perhaps you've listened to performances on the pedal/symphonic harp or the folk harp, but if you've never heard the Welsh triple harp, you have a wonderful surprise awaiting you with this CD. Robin Huw Bowen's playing is spectacular - the only thing better is being at one of his live performances. The tracks that are my personal favorites include The Day, The Thread of Life, The Bells of the Old Country, and Farewell to the Days of my Youth. So put your feet up, close your eyes, and release the cares of the day as this lovely music washes over you.

Lovely music great record.......2001-06-26

I am fairly new in Celtic (should it, really, be Keltic?), music I found the playing magnificent. The warmth he gets from his intrument the sonority are really great. Songs in themselves are very attractive. As a beginer, I do not see what better introduction to this wonderful world, there could be.

Average customer rating:

Cedar Song

Manufacturer: Hearth Island Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

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The Healing Flute

ASIN: B000056EW0
Release Date: 1996-01-01

Tracks:

Gathering
Calm
Longing
Woodlands
Brave
Ancestors
Ocarinas
Serenade
Canon
Luna
Loons

Album Description

Cedar Song features Werner John, woodwind player par excellence and carver of Native American flutes, in his own compositions for Native flute. This is beautiful, moving music--some with flutes alone, some with flute, gentle keyboard and drum. Even people who have many Native flute albums count this among their favorites! (digital, 49 minutes)

Average customer rating:

A great introduction to a great pioneer

Mountain Hearth & Home
Jean Ritchie
Manufacturer: Rhino Handmade
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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

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Ballads from Her Appalachian Family Tradition

ASIN: B0002LQUO2
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

O Love Is Teasin'
Jubilee
Black Is the Color
Short Life of Trouble
One Morning in May
One Morning in May [Version Two]
Old Virginny
Skin and Bones
My Boy Willie
Hush Little Baby
Gypsum Davy
Cuckoo
O Johnnie's on the Water
Little Cory
Keep Your Garden Clean
Cedar Swamp
Nottamun Town
Hangman Song
O Sister Phoebe
False Sir John
Dulcimer Pieces: Shady Grove/Old King Cole/Skip to My Lou
Bachelor's Hall
Little Devils
Klly Kranky
Jemmy Taylor-O
Old Woman and Pig
Goin' to Boston
One More Mile
Golden Ring Around the Susan Girl
Let the Sun Shine Down On Me
L and N Don't Stop Here Anymore
Movin' On Down the River
With Kitty I'll Go
One I Love
Wild Horses
Blue Diamond Mines
Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction to a great pioneer.......2004-09-30

Jean Ritchie's story has an almost mythic quality about it.
Raised in Appalachian Kentucky, she got her college degree and
moved to New York to help in the inner-city. There folks discovered her knowledge of the folk songs and mountain dulcimer music with which she was raised. She's often been credited with being the person who brought the mountain dulcimer to the attention of the broader public.

This collection of songs chooses a broad selection, commencing from her very first album to her later work. The songs here emphasize vocals, not dulcimer, so that is not a "Hendrix of the dulcimer" approach to this music. The spare, two and four track productions have an enchanting "live" quality, and Ms. Ritchie's voice has an appealing sincerity.

This CD is a very worthwhile introduction to her work. I highly recommend.

Mackenzie: Twelfth Night Overture Op40; Coriolanus Op61

Average customer rating:

Fair pastries...at best

Mackenzie: Twelfth Night Overture Op40; Coriolanus Op61

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mackenzie: Violin Concerto / Pibroch Suite

ASIN: B000002ZVD
Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

The Cricket On The Hearth, Op. 62: Overture
Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Act II, Scene 5, 'By My Life, This Is My Lady's Hand!'
Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Act II, Scene 5, 'Why, Thou Hast Put Him In Such A Dream...'
Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Act II, Scene 3, 'Slhall We Rouse The Night-Owl In A Catch...?'
Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Act I, Scene 1, 'O, She That Hath A Heart Of That Fine Frame...'
Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Act IV, Scene 2, 'Fool, There Was Never Man So Notoriously Abus'd'
Twelfth Night, Op. 40: Act V, Scene 1, 'I'll Be Reveng'd On The Whole Pack Of You'
Benedictus, Op.37 No.3
Burns - Second Scottish Rhapsody, Op. 24: Scots! Wha Hae Wi' Wallace Bled. . .
Burns - Second Scottish Rhapsody, Op. 24: 'She's Faire And Fause. . .'
Burns - Second Scottish Rhapsody, Op. 24: 'I Coft A Stane O' Haslock Woo'. . .'
Coriolanus, Op. 61 - Incidental Music: Prelude: Allegro moderato e marcato
Coriolanus, Op. 61 - Incidental Music: Marche funebre: Andante
Coriolanus, Op. 61 - Incidental Music: Enr'acte - Voces populi: Allegro moderato, molto marcato

Customer Reviews:

Fair pastries...at best.......2003-02-22

I thought I'd give Mackenzie another chance after having reviewed a piano concerto of his in its coupling with Tovey's Piano Concerto on another Hyperion disc. I find The Overture to the Cricket on the Hearth to be sprightly and tuneful, but after that, I'm simply unable to get much involved in this composer's other works offered herein. In some places, The Twelfth Night episodes remind me of very early Dvorak, but these and Mackenzie's other works provide limited satisfaction because they seem to be confined to a limited range of expression in terms of variety, maturity and depth. In short, they are lacking in real substance. I'll acknowledge that the composer may have just intended these to be of lighter fare, but despite this I'm not too moved. There are moments of charm and excitement, and Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Scottish Symphony offer very fine playing. Sound reproduction is excellent too. Nevertheless, I'm ultimately left unsatisfied. My feeling is that all of the composer's pieces on this disc should have been placed under the title, "Generic Folk Song Suite". For background listening...maybe. For continued, serious listening...well...

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Average customer rating:

Goodall's Siegfried
"Do you know what Wotan wills?"
Slow and steady wins the race
Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!
Better than you might think....

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Rhinegold
Wagner: The Valkyrie
Wagner: Siegfried
Wagner: Die Walküre

ASIN: B000056KNC
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Act I.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act I., Scene 1: Wearisome Labour! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Hoiho! Hoiho! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Well, There Are The Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: A Whimpering Babe - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Much You've Taught To Me, Mime - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: I Found Once in The Wood - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act I., Scene 1: And Now These Fragments - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: He Storms Away! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: Hail There, Worthy Smith! - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: I Sit By Your Hearth - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: What You Needed To Know - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: The Fragments! The Sword! - Gregory Dempsey/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act I., Scene 3: Accursed Light! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Hey There! You Idler! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Have You Not Felt Within The Woods - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act I., Scene 3: Give Me These Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Notung! Notung! Sword Of My Need! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Hoho! Hoho! Hohi! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act II.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act II., Scene 1: In Gloomy Night By Fafner's Cave I Wait - Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: To Neidhohl By Night I Have Come - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: Not My Plan! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: Fafner! Fafner! You Dragon, Wake! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud/Clifford Grant
Act II., Scene 1: Now, Alberich! That Plan Failed! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 2: We Go No Further! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: So He's No Father Of Mine - Alberto Remedios

Tracks:

Act II., Scene 2: Could I But Know - Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: See My Mother - Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: Ha Ha! At Last With My Call - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant
Act II., Scene 2: Who Are You, Youthful Hero - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: The Dead Can Tell No Tidings - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
Act II., Scene 3: Hehe! Sly And Slippery Knave - Derek Hammond-Stroud/Gregory Dempsey
Act II., Scene 3: Tarnhelm And Ring, Here They Are - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London/Gregory Dempsey
Act II., Scene 3: Be Welcome, Siegfried! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 3: You Lie There Too, Mighty Dragon - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
Act III.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act III., Scene 1: Waken, Wala! Wala! Awake! - Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 1: Strong Is Your Call - Anne Collins/Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 1: You Unwise One, Learn What I Will - Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 2: I See That Siegfried's Near - Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act III., Scene 2: My Woodbird Fluttered Away - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: Young Man, Hear Me - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: Child, If You Knew Who I Am - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: With His Spear in Splinters - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Here in The Sunlight - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Come, My Sword! - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Hail, Bright Sunlight! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Siegfried! Siegfried! Glorious Hero! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: And There Is Grane, My Sacred Horse - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Oh! I Cared Always - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios

Customer Reviews:

Goodall's Siegfried.......2007-06-22

This is completely worth it. Other reviews aptly pointed out everything good, and this *is* good--brilliant. Alberto Remedios is the best Siegfried I've ever heard, and Rita Hunter is a stunning and convincing Brunnhilde. If I could give this more than five stars, I would.

"Do you know what Wotan wills?".......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Levine, Janowski, Goodall, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: everything is slower than adagio moderato. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act One Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Bohm's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are found in this Ring. I can hear harps in Flight of the Valkyries! The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Levine: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm. Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Two exceptions, though: Robert Schunk doesn't sound heroic enough, and Jessye Norman for Levine's Ring doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. I don't know Levine should've chose Kollo when he recorded his Ring.

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent mime. He is equal to Schreier when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on in the Ring.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Still, it's satisfactory, and his "Ihrem ende eilen sie zu" gives great foreshadowing.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt depends only on imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, and Windgassen only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Schreier. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings (maybe not in Swarowsky's version). Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm and Goodall. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the calculated Janowski, the relaxed Levine, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

Sir Georg Solti: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Herbert von Karajan: Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

-Wolfgang Sawllisch: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sawallisch, Bayerischer Staatsoper

Slow and steady wins the race.......2007-02-07

Yes, we all know that Reginal Goodall's Wagner is VERY deliberate (read slow) at times. When I heard the late Rita Hunter singing in Sydney in the 80s, I asked her about working with Maestro Goodall, she said he was one of the most thorough and demanding conductor's you could wish to work with.

For me, this whole cycle is desert island material because the English translation is just superb. Fine singing and marvellous playing from the ENO orchestra.

Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!.......2005-05-03

As good as his die Walkure is, Goodall's Siegfried is even better. For me this is the most difficult opera of the entire Ring and Goodall pulls it off with honors indeed. Remedios is a wonder! Wish we had had him in the Met Ring Cycles of the past decade. Hunter again is a wonder with beauty and strength of tone. Once more I enjoy Bailey. I found That Alan Blyth in Gramophone 5/01 and I seem to appreciate him. It would seem that Goodall gives this opera all the wonderful performance it needs. Not an easy show to pull off. This recording absolutely belongs in any Wagnerian's collection. Had I been at this live performance, I definitely would not have fallen asleep and would have regretted its coming to its inevitable end. And the orchestra rises to the occasion splendidly. From Siegfried's climb to Brunhilde's rock until the end of the duet, the orchestral playing is rich, very moving bordering on the monumental just because it is live and thus more of a risk than a studio recording. Hunter is nothing short of stunning. The duet alone makes the recording a must have. Too bad artists are not fully appreciated until we no longer have them around to enjoy. Thank God this is on CD to be enjoyed at the listener's command.

Better than you might think...........2002-03-17

I had to think more than twice before purchasing this recording, especially since it isnt at a budget price, but I dont regret having done so. Wagner's original German language opera sung in English might seem more like a novelty recording (or a horrifying experience to hardcore Wagner fans) than a serious approach to the music, but surprisingly it works (for the most part). For the listener who doesn't speak and understand German this is a great way to understand Wagner's opera, as the connection between text and drama is made clearer--though I sometimes wish the singers diction and pronunciation were a bit clearer--but hey, its still opera and a complete English only libretto is included (along with a scene by scene summary of the drama, a summary of the preceding two operas, and an essay and photos of this particular project). Overall the orchestra and conducting is up to par and the sound is clear, balanced, and spacious, the only annoying thing being the audience clapping after the end of each act--its a live 1975 recording. While this is no substitute for the original in German, think of it as a great resource ... to understanding Wagner's opera cycle for listeners without the time or inclination to learn German.

Average customer rating:

No drums at The Hearth
An Amazing Achievement

The Hearth
Cecil Taylor With Tristan Honsinger & Evan Parker
Manufacturer: FMP
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Leaf Palm Hand
Toward the Margins
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Jazz Advance

ASIN: B00000JONW
Release Date: 1999-05-06

Tracks:

Hearth

Customer Reviews:

No drums at The Hearth.......2006-01-15

Recorded during Cecil's now famous Berlin residence in 1988 for the "Total Music Meeting," this date features a trio with some unusual instrumentation: CT on piano, Evan Parker on tenor sax, and Tristan Honsinger on cello. The concert consists of just over an hour of music on a single track entitled, "The Hearth."

Perhaps because of the lack of a drummer, CT is rather more restrained, leaving behind the sledge and jackhammer this time around. In fact, the music begins without CT at the piano at all -- first there's some bowing from Honsinger and then Parker joins in for a dialogue of staccato bursts and undulating rhythms. CT's in the background clapping and emitting his usual gutteral vocalisms before he sits down at the Bosendorfer at the 8 minute mark, at which point Parker recedes so that CT and Honsinger take up the conversation, feeling each other out with gentle exchanges and a few punctuated outbursts. Soon enough though, all three enter the fray, and things get busy with a definite a sense of the musicians playing together, weaving melodies in and around each other with a kind of ebb and flow. There are times when things start to get dense, in particular when Parker's tenor gets more bombastic, but these moments are for the most part short-lived, and before long things recede, with Parker sitting out from time to time. I tend to like CT's groups when they include bowed bass or cello, and here Honsinger draws out a gentler side of CT, while jousting well when Parker's blowing. Again, perhaps because there's no rhythm section, there are times when all of the players seem to take on this role, with CT playing at a more steady, propulsive rate throughout and sometimes growling beneath it all, Parker playing mostly abbreviated phrases in succession rather than long drawn out passages, and Honsinger at times bouncing the bow off the cello strings and near the end even rapping on the body of his cello at bit. After the 40-minute mark, CT and Honsinger spread things out in an almost ethereal duet, before Parker rejoins for one more jam. The last few minutes have CT away from the keys and singing his poetics somewhere on stage, with the remaining sidemen softly petering out.

And so, this fascinating date is instantly distinguishable from anything else in the CT discography, and one in which Cecil emphasizes a softer touch, making the date as a whole seem a bit more melodic and harmonious than some of his other outings. As such, "The Hearth" is certainly worth adding to your CT collection. If you're looking for more fire between CT and Evan Parker, you'll want to hear "Nailed" -- if you're captivated by the cello interplay, check out "Algonquin" with Matt Maneri on violin.

An Amazing Achievement.......2000-09-17

In July 1988, Cecil Taylor recorded ten (!) albums while performing live at a festival celebrating his music in Berlin. The discs include the classics "Pleistozaen Mit Wasser" with Derek Bailey, "Spots, Circles And Fantasy" with Han Bennink, "Remembrance" with Louis Moholo, "Leaf Palm Hand" with Tony Oxley, and this title, "The Hearth" with saxophonist Evan Parker and cellist Tristan Honsinger. These discs are only available as imports on the FMP label. They may be a bit expensive, but for fans of avant-garde jazz and European improvised music, they are must purchases. All of the discs feature extended compositions, and some are over an hour in length, so you do get a lot of music for the $21 price tag. "The Hearth" is easily one of the best of these ten recordings for several reasons. First, while most of these discs are duo recordings, this title features a trio, making the collective improvisation all the more challenging and rewarding. Second, while Taylor seems at ease playing with percussionists or drummers, it is much more difficult to carry on an hour long improvisational dialogue with a saxophonist and cellist. Finally, I have always enjoyed the way Taylor plays with a string instrument, particularly Ramsey Ammeen's violin, and his duet moments with Honsinger are truly memorable. In all, these recordings represent an amazing achievement in the history of jazz.

Music Album:

Music Album

1. Open That Can
2. The Loyal Lover
3. I'm Losing All the Weight I Gained After Losing You
4. La Laine de Mouton
5. Cotton Mill Blues
6. Let Me See Your Papers
7. Hal-An-Tow
8. Jimmy Whalen
9. Gridlock
10. Two Sisters
11. Frobisher Bay
12. Waiting to Go
13. Rivers of Texas
14. Hearth & Fire