Shelter Me [Import]

Track Listings

1. Heart Lies

2. People Who Think They Can

3. Shelter Me

4. Lest We Foret

5. Smith St

6. Time To Part

7. Sound The Alarm

8. Stuck

9. The River

10. Spotlight

11. Attention

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Second album full of pop & folk arrangements from the promising Australian group from 1998. 11 tracks. Jarrah.

Tracks:

Deus Meus
Be Thou My Vision
Morning Has Broken
My Love
If I Can Help Somebody
My Forever Friend
Shelter Me
Amazing Grace
To Do Your Will
Hail Glorious St. Patrick
How Deep The Father's Love
Lord Of The Dance
There's No Cross
I'll Walk With God
Salve Regina

From the Label

Sacred marks John McDermott's first recording with the Irish Tenors since rejoining fellow original member Anthony Kearns and Finbar Wright (who actually replaced McDermott in 2000). The Irish Tenors live up to their reputation as "gifted interpreters" with this collection, covering a wide range of spiritual material. Sacred was produced by the Irish Tenors' long-time musical director, Arnie Roth, who has also worked with Charlotte Church, Diana Ross, and Art Garfunkel. The album was produced in Prague at the Rudlofinum and ICN Studios.

More Recommended Titles

Ronan
Ellis Island
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Heritage
Rough Guide to Irish Music
My Life Belongs to You

Customer Reviews:

Beyond words ..........2007-03-22

Having only recently discovered The Irish Tenors, nothing here was a repeat to me. And, even if it was, I can't imagine being disappointed.

If you are open to the idea that music can be a vehicle for a moment of sublime and sacred ecstacy, that may help convey what I find difficult to put into words.

While I live continuously and constantly in Our Father's presence, a music album such as this can certainly heighten the moment with Him.

Magnificent voices, songs and arrangements.......2006-06-17

This is an extraordinary collection. The songs are irresistible, the voices incredibly powerful and filled with appropriate emotion, and the orchestra is very simply great. You'll want to buy this album for others. Simply beautiful. A pure joy.

Not their best album.......2006-02-27

For the most part this is an enjoyable collections of sacred music. However the inclussion of "Lord of the Dance" and other modern tunes are dreary no matter who sings them.

Excellent !!.......2005-10-26

I recently went to a concert to hear The Irish Tenors. They did several songs from this CD and it was great. If you like John McDermott as much I do then you must have this CD. This is a triple good CD with 3 top tenors.

sacred.......2005-10-23

I enjoyed most of the music. My main complaint is the repeated songs from John McDermott's Faithfullness CD. For us fans of John the repeats seem a bit too much. I think there are six reteats.

Average customer rating:

'Shelter Me'; a little slower, but still The Waifs.

Shelter Me
The Waifs
Manufacturer: Compass Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Waifs
Sink Or Swim
A Brief History...
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Vagabond Lullabies

ASIN: B0001MDQIU
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Heart Lies
People Who Think They Can
Shelter Me
Lest We Forget
Smith St
Time To Part
Sound The Alarm
Stuck
The River
Spotlight
Attention
Bonus Track

Customer Reviews:

'Shelter Me'; a little slower, but still The Waifs. .......2004-10-22

For any seasoned fans of The Waifs (or anyone out there with a predilection for folksy girl duets sporting brilliant guitar skills and voices to boot), 'Shelter Me' will be no departure --and no disapointment -- from what you've heard before. The album weighs heavily on The Waifs accoustical appeal. The majority of the songs carry themselves without backbeat or excessive instrumentation -- mostly it's just the girls, their guitars, and the usual, typically wonderful songwriting that comes from Josh Cunningham, the third member of this stellar folk ensemble. The title track 'Shelter Me' is a gorgeous, magnificently charged piece that will leave you reeling, "Take me now where shelter be/ before there's nothing left of me." Vikki's final track 'Spotlight' is a pure gem, emotional and raw but utterly beautiful. 'Attention' finishes the album well with that familliar Waify energy and pulse, almost blue grass, almost country, but totally wonderful.

Average customer rating:

Great Voice
Great CD for unique times!
One of my FAVORITE CDs!
could've been more impressed
This CD is GREAT!

Shelter Me
Nikki Leonti
Manufacturer: Pamplin Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Nikki Leonti
Beauty for Ashes

ASIN: B00000AFGX
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

It'll Be Alright
Everlasting Place
What You Did For Me
Love One Another
Now I Believe In Miracles
Shoelaces
Every Moment
It Will Come To You
Shelter Me
One World

Customer Reviews:

Great Voice.......2005-08-06

Nikki has such a great voice, and her songs are so thoughtful. They aren't just cute little tunes and repetitive lyrics. They have meat to them. I could listen to her sing forever. And, I'm not a teenager. Far from it. But, her fresh, sweet voice just helps me have peace. Keep it up sister!

Great CD for unique times!.......2003-07-02

I first heard the song "It'll Come to You" on a local Christian radio station while on a retreat in Irondale, Ala. I found out who the artist was and purchased her CD. All the songs on it are great; some, including the one mentioned, are potential secular mainstream hits(containing positive messages, which we all need post 9/11). Nikki, where have you gone? We need to hear more from you...

One of my FAVORITE CDs!.......2001-02-04

The first song I heard of hers was on the radio, it was the song It Will Come To You, it was a great song and I wondered who did it. When I got it for Christmas I was so excited that I had that song, but I was amazed when I found that I really liked every single song on the whole CD!! She has so many good songs and if you are sick of the overly roudy stuff, she doesn't have an extreamly loud set of songs. Nikki is a great example to teens and has a lot of great music and great lyrics! I very much reckomend this CD!

could've been more impressed.......2001-01-15

hi. I think that Nikki Leonte's album "Shelter me" is pretty good. I really like her song "Shoelaces" I just thought it was perfect for how most schools are getting to be. I mean almost everyone is trying to run with the crowd, when what they should be doing is getting closer to God. Over all the album would get about 3 and a half stars from me.

This CD is GREAT!.......2000-06-01

I love fast-paced songs, and "It'll Be Alright" and "It Will Come to You" are just that. I could listen to them for days! :) It's just a great album that will have you singing along with every song.

Average customer rating:

Not enough soul.
Best Album Of The Year?
Wonderful voice, wonderful talent
Everybody else is an also-ran...
all these reviews are right

Shelter Me
Richard Page
Manufacturer: Blue Thumb
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Go on
Meanwhile
I Wear the Face
The Best of Mr. Mister
Future Street

ASIN: B0000001PI
Release Date: 1996-10-22

Tracks:

The Best Thing
My Oxygen
Even The Pain
Shelter Me
Let Me Down Easy
A Simple Life
Dependence
Just To Love You
If All Else Fails
Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away

Customer Reviews:

Not enough soul........2007-02-09

If you were a fan of Mr. Mister, then you ain't gonna find that type of music on this album.

The opening track is okay; thereafter, the compositions go downhill into syrupland. A great pity as Richard Page has a pleasant voice, but oh dear - how awful those LA session players are. Starched underpants (shorts) and received concepts of music.

Within the Mr. Mister ensemble, the players had an edge, especially, the very underrated Steve Farris - guitar player. There is none of his haunting background licks found on this album, though he does appear on the final track - a kind of washed out version of a Stevie Wonder composition celebrating how wonderful life could be as we all drive off in Masseratis.

If you loved Mr. Mister - as I did, then give this album a miss. Stay with the wonderful memories of their three/four? Albums. In preference to purchasing this CD - Buy their last album - Go On, a truly terrific album full of soulful metaphysical ditties. The Richard Page voice/whine lent itself better to that type of musical action.

There is no doubting that Richard Page has considerable talent and many reviewers share his vision on life. But this album does not connect with me. I cannot find any truth in repetitive cliché love songs about sweet FA. Richard Page is much, much better than this.

Over produced pap such as Shelter Me places Richard Page into the Donald Fagen navel-contemplating genre.

Best Album Of The Year?.......2006-02-14

Simply put, this recording was the best acoustic pop album of 1996. Highly acclaimed, but completely under the radar of the general public, this recording very well could be the finest collection in Richard Page's career (Pages, Mr. Mister, Third Matinee) and features some of the best written songs in anyone's catalogue. Filled with great acoustic grooves, great songwriting and superb musical performances, this recording fulfills every acoustic pop lover's dream.

The highlights are far too numerous to mention, but make sure you sample "Just To Love You", "The Best Thing" and Page's fantastic cover of Stevie Wonder's "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away" - they will give you a great taste of this collection. The saddest thing to consider in listening and falling in love with this CD, however, is that Page has since abandoned his solo career after his label so poorly supported this superior work. You will long for more, but will only be able to go backward in time to have your need met...and that will serve only somewhat satisfactory (try Third Matinee before succumbing to the Mr. Mister CD's).

By the way...if you can locate the limited acoustic EP version of this CD, you will not regret it and will be regarded in many circles as a blessed soul.

Wonderful voice, wonderful talent.......2006-02-08

The emotion, the soaring, comforting music, it's the whole package. Now I just wich he'd do some more.

Everybody else is an also-ran..........2006-01-03

... in the singer-songwriter universe. I have a long listener history with Page, as Pages (both the band and the eponymous 1981 album) are among my all-time favorites. This album is a natural flow from the last Pages disc (and a blessed skip over the Mr. Mister and Third Matinee era), with signature grooves and aching lyrics. Listen to "The Best Thing" and try to hold back the tear. Now, consider the authoritative rumor that he wrote it about his dying mother, to whom the album is dedicated, and see if you don't burst into sobs.

What the heck is wrong with the American music-listening public that Richard Page wallows in obscurity while Ashlee Simpson lipsyncs her way to fame and fortune? A question for another day, perhaps, but one that will pester you while you listen to this flawless, evocative lost gem. Get a copy while you still can. And get a copy of "Pages", too, while you are at it.

all these reviews are right.......2005-08-08

take a look at all the 4 and 5 star reviews on this unknown gem. . . really one of the most soulful and musical songwriter albums ....this has a deepness to the overall musicality that just sits perfectly for this music. shame it never received more acclaim than these reviews here.

Boy George's Taboo (2002 Original London Cast)

Average customer rating:

Jolly Good!
Bravo Boy George!
holy crapper!
A Very Pleasant Surprise
No words to describe this

Boy George's Taboo (2002 Original London Cast)
Boy George , and Euan Morton
Manufacturer: First Night (Red)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Taboo (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
U Can Never Be 2 Straight
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B0001I2BQW
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Tracks:

Ode To Attention Seekers
Safe In The City
Freak
Stranger In This World
Genocide Peroxide
I'll Hve You All
Love Is A Question Mark
Shelter
Pretty Lies
Guttersnipe
Talk Amoungst Yourself
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
Touched By The Hand of Cool
Everything Taboo
Petrified
I See Through You
Independent Woman
Ich Bin Kunst
Out Of Fashion
IL Adore
Pie In The Sky

Amazon.com

Boy George's musical-theater debut has been unfairly maligned. Set in the glamorously decadent London nightlife of the early 1980s, the show is unquestionably hampered by a weak book. But Boy George's original score (which is credited to his actual birth name of George O'Dowd) boasts several strong pop songs and generously spread-out tour-de-force numbers among a handful of performers. The plot follows the rise to fame of Boy George (impeccably channeled by Euan Morton) and his interaction with lovers and hangers-on, friends and foes. One of the most striking characters is Australian-born performance artist Leigh Bowery, confusingly played by Boy George and Matt Lucas, who took turns during the London run and who both appear on this cast album (George sings "Everything Taboo," for instance, but Lucas gets the striking, Cabaret-like "Ich Bin Kunst"). Confused yet? Well, that's Taboofor you. But never mind the plot: There's plenty of cool, theatrical tunes on this CD, which is more than you can say about most contemporary shows. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Jolly Good!.......2006-06-16

Boy George may be to blame for the failure of his musical in the United States, though he would rather fault Rosie O'Donnell. Still, critics praised him for his lyrical skills here. There are catchy songs with various gay themes here. I enjoyed it though I've never seen the musical. I think musical fanatics will appreciate having this piece in their collection.

Bravo Boy George!.......2004-05-26

Don't hate me, but I saw the Broadway production five times including closing night. I'm still unclear why this tremendous production did not catch on, it was truly amazing. It's the first time that I've seen a Broadway show more than once. I received my Broadway CD today, as I ordered it the day after the show closed - I understand that it will be available in July, 2004, hopefully sooner in time for the Tonys. The soundtrack CD is absolutely brilliant, completely capturing the fire and energy of the live production. My favorites from the show are still my favorites here, especially Euan Morton's haunting Stranger In This World and his beautiful Pretty Lies; Liz McCartney's unbelievable take on Talk Amongst Yourselves; Guttersnipe (so funny and cute live); I See Through You; Raul Esparza's heartbreaking Petrified plus the opener Freak; Out Of Fashion and the finale, Come In From The Outside. My fingers are crossed that the Tony's are generous to this show and hope Rosie O'Donnell keeps her promise for a return for this show! Get a copy, you won't regret it, even if you are not a Boy George fan, his lyrics and beautiful melodies are his best ever - everything here is eons above so many Broadway shows that run for years. I guess I'll just keep wondering why mass audiences didn't get it, although the show did receive a standing ovation every performance.

holy crapper!.......2004-05-18

well first off, being a huge boy george fan... i was interested in his musical... i bought this cd... and i must admit most of the songs are written well and are catchy.... the most touching song is STRANGER IN THIS WORLD... euan morton's voice is soothing and the lyrics are sad and beautiful... and i recommend this album to all boy fans... although this is the london recording.... (as i patiently wait for the broadway score)... this album is good.... although george only sings on one song its still being rotated in my stereo.... get this album now....

A Very Pleasant Surprise.......2004-04-23

I did not see the Broadway Musical, but I am curious why it failed. I bought the cd just out of curiosity and absolutely love it. The songs are witty and the ballads are especially beautiful. I would highly recommend this cd.

No words to describe this.......2004-04-12

My review is going to be short and i'll get right to the point. Buy the soundtrack. The singers are beyond anything you've ever heard before. Euan Morton, be still my heart. His voice is mesmerizing. The song STRANGER IN THIS WORLD will leave you breathless. Just listen to it and you'll be transfixed, I know I was and am everytime.

Average customer rating:

Gimme Shelter

Gimme Shelter + 8 Bonus Tracks
The Rolling Stones
Manufacturer: CD Maxium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Now! + 9 Bonus Tracks
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12 x 5 + 14 Bonus Tracks
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ASIN: B000KDC2L2

Product Description

This is a special edition Russian import cd. It has all 12 tracks from the original album plus an additional 8 bonus tracks (17 songs total). Please see the above photo of the back cover for a list of songs. There is also a mini-poster included with this cd.

Customer Reviews:

Gimme Shelter.......2007-05-07

You know at beginning of The Departed as the credits roll, Gimme Shelter is played, but you know what?
It's not on the soundtrack CD!
Buy this instead - it is definitive Stones at their best and of course features Gimme Shelter, one of their all time greats - yet underestimated!

Average customer rating:

A Rose By Any Other Name...
"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!
Free at last!
I Love This Recording
The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

ASIN: B00005B550
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......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 Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-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

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.

Shelter Me
Average customer rating:
Shelter Me
Lukie D
Manufacturer: Penitentiary
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GCG5RO
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

Shelter Me
Never Knew
You Sang To Me
You Don't Care
Blaming Me
Why Should I
Walk Away
Eyes On You
Take Your Things And Go
Kindness
My Type Of Lady
The First Time
We Can
Lady In The House
All Night
Baby

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Romance! Music! Comedy! And ELLEN FOLEY!

Shelter (1997 Studio Cast)
Nancy Ford , Gretchen Cryer , and Ellen Foley
Manufacturer: Original Cast Record
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Broadway & Vocalists | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Now Is the Time for All Good Men (1967 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000004CST
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Tune Up
The Last Days Of Isaac
A Transparent Crystal Moment
My Most Important Moments Go By
Love, You Came To Me
My Most Important Moments( Reprise)
Woman On The Run
Changing
Welcom To The New World
Woke Up To Day
It's Hard To Care
Mary Margaret's House In The Country
Sleep My Baby
I Bring Him Sea Shells
She's My Girl
Like A River
Too Many Women In My Life
Goodbye Plastic Flowers
Sleep My Baby ( Reprise)
Goin' Home With My Children

Customer Reviews:

Romance! Music! Comedy! And ELLEN FOLEY!.......2000-02-02

Live stage shows are an art form much overlooked in America; so finding this CD was a wonderful surprise, as it allowed me to enjoy something I wouldn't otherwise ever have a chance to see: a play starring my favorite actress, ELLEN FOLEY! I've always been more impressed with her acting (NIGHT COURT) than her singing (BAT OUT OF HELL) and this CD contains more of her presence and personality than any record I've heard her on! It's mainly the story of a woman who has 2 encounters with a man who, while he comes across as optimistic and uplifting on the surface, is really a self-destructive personality with problems of his OWN! (I could probably relate because I've met the type!) Highly entertaining; highly recommended! (Now if only someone would reissue her solo album, NIGHTOUT; or get her to do a new album... we can hope, right?)

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Dennis O'Neill: Great Operatic Arias

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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ASIN: B000023Z7Q
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Turandot: Calaf's Aria
Luisa Miller: Rodolfo's Aria
The Lombards At The First Crusade: Oronte's Cavatina
The Force Of Destiny: Alvaro's Recitative And Romance
The Force Of Destiny: Alvaro's Recitative And Romance
A Masked Ball: Gustavus's And Amelia's Duet
A Masked Ball: Gustavus's And Amelia's Duet
A Masked Ball: Gustavus's And Amelia's Duet
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
The Force Of Destiny: Don Carlo's And Alvaro's Duet
The Force Of Destiny: Don Carlo's And Alvaro's Duet
The Maid Of Arles: Federico's Lament
Manon: Des Grieux's Dream Song
The African Maid: Vasco's Recitative And Aria
Manon Lescaut: Des Grieux's Aria
Turandot: Calaf's Aria
Fedora: Count Loris Ipanov's Aria
The Pearl Fishers: Nadir's and Zurga's Duet

Amazon.com

Dennis O'Neill is a wonderfully sensitive, intelligent singer--a tenor who varies his tone and delivery for each character. He also sings the music as written, with every dynamic shading in place. Yes, he manages high B-flats pianissimo without resorting to falsetto, and he also rises somewhat heroically to heavier moments. But there's a rub. The loud, high notes are a bit nasty--a slight wobble comes into the voice and a sense of strain is more than noticeable. His exquisite, piano beginning of "O paradiso" ("Oh land of dreams") from L'Africaine is only a sad memory when you hear the vaguely bawled high notes throughout. His "Reve" from Manon is lovely in its sustained peacefulness, and while he's very exciting in the big Act II duet from Ballo (with soprano Susan Bullock as a fine Amelia), there are always those unfortunate "big" notes to reckon with. Perhaps that's why the gorgeous Pearl Fishers duet, with baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore, ends the program so successfully. The soft notes are more prominent than the troublesome forte ones. Perhaps this is being too picky--O'Neill is a worthy singer, he makes these arias and scenes palatable in translation (even Alvaro's music from Forza is believable), and artistry like this is a pleasure to come across. --Robert Levine

Music Album:

Music Album

1. Heart Lies
2. People Who Think They Can
3. Shelter Me
4. Lest We Foret
5. Smith St
6. Time To Part
7. Sound The Alarm
8. Stuck
9. The River
10. Spotlight
11. Attention

Ronan	Ellis Island	The Irish Tenors
Heritage	Rough Guide to Irish Music	My Life Belongs to You