Songs From The Mountain (Includes Book)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Songs from the Mountain is an album of passionate restraint, befitting the Appalachian heritage it celebrates and the novel that inspired the collection. The story--which may itself pass into folk legend--is that fiddler Dirk Powell and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist extraordinaire Tim O'Brien were so taken with Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain that they decided to do a companion CD with banjoist John Herrmann. The result is a superior collection of traditional tunes that echo the book's imagery and action--from songs of rebellion and revelry such as "The Drunkard's Hiccups" to the keen longing embodied in "Wayfarin' Stranger" and "The Blackest Crow." The liner notes capitalize on the music's links to the novel and vice versa. But this CD's intimacy and immediacy will transport even those unfamiliar with Frazier's debut. --Kerry Fried

Songs From The Mountain (Includes Book),O'Brien,Powell,Herman,Howdy Skies,Bluegrass,Country,Country & Western,Pop
Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
  • Terrific sound recordings!
  • Truly Classic!
Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006JTG5
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

  1. Omie Wise - Doug Wallin
  2. Sugar Baby - Dock Boggs
  3. I Am a Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow - Old Regular Baptists
  4. Sixteen Tons - George Davis
  5. John Henry - Lesley Riddle
  6. Lost Indian - Marion Sumner
  7. Southbound - Doc and Merle Watson
  8. High on a Mountain - Ola Belle Reed
  9. Coal Creek March - Pete Steele
  10. Coal Miner Blues - Hazel Dickens/Alice Gerrard
  11. Railroad Blues - Sam McGee
  12. Cuckoo Bird - Clarence Ashley
  13. Conversation with Death (Oh Death) - Berzilla Wallin
  14. Lone Prairie - Wade Ward
  15. Rain and Snow - Dillard Chandler
  16. Mole in the Ground - Bascom Lamar Lundsford
  17. Moonshiner - Roscoe Holcomb
  18. Wildwood Flower - Kilby Snow
  19. Barbry Ellen - Jean Ritchie
  20. Daniel Prayed - Watson, Price and Howard
  21. Wreck of the Number Nine - Pop Stoneman
  22. Red Jacket Mine Explosion - The Phipps Family
  23. Kingdom Come - Norman Edmonds
  24. Amazing Grace - Horton Barker

Album Description

Riding the wave of the renewed interest in traditional American music, Classic Mountain Songs From Smithsonian Folkways Recordings showcases a handful of the greatest mountain ballads as performed by some of the most influential folk singers and songwriters of the 20th century. This collection features many classic performances from a wide variety of regional instrumental and song styles. These diverse styles and songs types from the mountain communities of North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee include old-time fiddle and banjo pieces, early bluegrass, and traditional ballads, with a special emphasis on Appalachian vocal traditions. Doc and Merle Watson, Roscoe Holcomb, Clarence Ashley, and Dock Boggs are just a few of the revered roots artists who appear on this stellar compilation. This is an essential album for both old and new fans of American mountain music. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways.......2007-07-15

I love Appalachian Folk Music and this CD included most of the best. It was true blue original recording of this music.

5 out of 5 stars Terrific sound recordings!.......2006-11-07

Great recordings of a wide variety of songs. Entertaining, great to just listen to, or to learn music from. Nice variety of classic sounds.

5 out of 5 stars Truly Classic!.......2003-02-14

The spate of worthy compilations riding on the coattails of O Brother, Where Art Thou? continues with Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways, 25 tracks of serious bluegrass untarnished by rock, pop or other corrupting influences. Recorded between 1956 and 1992, it includes three numbers from what's purportedly the first bluegrass LP ever, Folkways'American Banjo: Three-Finger And Scruggs Style. Dashing mandolin runs by Earl Taylor (and his Stoney Mountain Boys) and bluegrass patriarch Bill Monroe (with Peter Rowan) open and close this crisp disc while Ralph Stanley, singing with older brother Carter, offers clawhammer banjo picking.

Many of the performers - Red Allen, Doc Watson and Hazel Dickens, for example - grew up with the music. The Harley Allen-Mike Lilly Band (Harley being Red's son) shows how the genre's trademark tight harmonies can turn smooth (in an Osborne Brothers style) rather than sharp, without sacrificing the essence of true bluegrass. The New Lost City Ramblers' The Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake as well as The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover's Neath That Cold Grey Tomb Of Stone evince mountain music's darkness, but then a wildfire fiddle breakdown such as David and Billy Ray Johnson's Grey Eagle comes along to show its fun side. It's a well-balanced set of early bluegrass highlights.
Songs From the Mountain
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Love This Mountain Music!
  • Another Great CD By Tim O'Brien
  • BACK TO OUR MOTHER THE MOUNTAIN
  • Disappointed
  • Wonderful music
Songs From the Mountain
Tim O'Brien , John Herrmann , and Dirk Powell
Manufacturer: Sugarhill [Country]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Cold Mountain
  2. Songcatcher II: The Tradition That Inspired the Movie
  3. Songcatcher: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
  4. Back Roads to Cold Mountain
  5. Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways

ASIN: B000068TJ4
Release Date: 2002-07-09

Tracks:

  1. Mountain Air/Washington's March/Bonaparte's Retreat
  2. Cluck Old Hen
  3. Raleigh And Spencer
  4. The Blackest Crow
  5. Stobrod's Tune
  6. When I Die I'll Live Again
  7. The Drunkard's Hiccups (Jack Of Diamonds)
  8. Backstep Cindy
  9. Wayfarin' Stranger
  10. Skillet Good And Greasy
  11. Mole In The Ground
  12. Claire Dechutes
  13. Cherokee Trail/Glory In The Meeting House
  14. Bow Down
  15. Lonesome John
  16. Fair Margaret And Sweet William
  17. Hard Times
  18. Angel Band

Amazon.com

Songs from the Mountain is an album of passionate restraint, befitting the Appalachian heritage it celebrates and the novel that inspired the collection. The story--which may itself pass into folk legend--is that fiddler Dirk Powell and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist extraordinaire Tim O'Brien were so taken with Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain that they decided to do a companion CD with banjoist John Herrmann. The result is a superior collection of traditional tunes that echo the book's imagery and action--from songs of rebellion and revelry such as "The Drunkard's Hiccups" to the keen longing embodied in "Wayfarin' Stranger" and "The Blackest Crow." The liner notes capitalize on the music's links to the novel and vice versa. But this CD's intimacy and immediacy will transport even those unfamiliar with Frazier's debut. --Kerry Fried

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Love This Mountain Music!.......2007-06-20

I am from the Appalachian foothills in eastern Kentucky, and love the mountains. The music on this CD reminds of music I heard while growing up in a small mining camp in the 1950s. The music is simple, raw, and emotional. It is the kind that you might have heard performed by a family or friends gathered on the porch at the end of a hard week's work. My favorite tunes are The Blackest Crow, Angel Band, When I Die I'll Live Again, Wayfarin' Stranger, and Bow Down. (My least favorite is Fair Margaret.) Several good instrumentals on here, as well.

5 out of 5 stars Another Great CD By Tim O'Brien.......2007-05-05

This is a collection of old-time Appalachian/Mountain ballads. You will not find a bluegrass cut on this project. Tim O'Brien is an awesome performer of traditional music. I have seen him several times in concert. All songs are out-standing, and the two gospel numbers will bring shivers down your spine. (Especially Wayfaring Stranger-As close to true Appalachian singing that you will get-that high lonesome sound.)

4 out of 5 stars BACK TO OUR MOTHER THE MOUNTAIN.......2006-06-19

Since my youth I have had an ear for roots music, whether I was conscious of that fact or not. The original of that interest first centered on the blues, then early rock and roll and later, with the folk revival of the early 1960's, folk music. I have often wondered about the source of this interest. I am, and have always been a city boy, and an Eastern city boy at that. Nevertheless, over time I have come to appreciate many more forms of roots music than in my youth. The subject of the following review is an example.

This is music that was performed, and meant to be performed for a live audience on Saturday night after a week's hard work, or early in the morning looking out over the mountain at nature's handiwork, or at any time to evoke the loneliness of the mountains and the hardness of life. And the music brings to life all those sentiments. Certainly this is music to entertain in a time before radio.

A note on subject matter- The bulk of the songs concern home, hearth lovesickness and religion as might be expected from mountain people. And that is okay. The following is something on the order of a discalimer I feel a need to mention. This reviewer, although not a religious man, can appreciate the simple, fundamentalist but very personal religion evoked here. Not to romanticize the simple rural folk of the past but I do not believe that the religious sentiments expressed here are the same as those of religious fundamentalists today.

2 out of 5 stars Disappointed.......2006-05-30


I looked forward to this album as a number of my favorite songs were on it but I was disappointed that songs like "Hard Times" and "Lady Margaret" were not sung all the way to the end. Both left off about two thirds of the way through the song. I mean if you aren't going to sing the complete song, why bother?

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful music.......2005-11-03

Wonderful music and extraordinary musicianship. Beautiful harmonies, make-ya-wanna-dance tunes, make-ya-wanna-harmonize along songs. Old songs beautifully rendered in voice and instruments. I have a lot of bluegrass and "traditional/roots" music and this is one of my favorites. Highly recommend
Songs From Black Mountain
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Who is this, it's not the Live I know
  • Unsuccessfully Revisiting Themes Of The Past!
  • Brilliant!
  • good but different
  • Not great, but still satisfying.
Songs From Black Mountain
Live
Manufacturer: Epic / Red Ink
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000ELJAZG
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

  1. The River
  2. Mystery
  3. Get Ready
  4. Show
  5. Wings
  6. Sofia
  7. Love Shines (A Song For My Daughters About God)
  8. Where Do We Go From Here?
  9. Home
  10. All I Need
  11. You Are Not Alone
  12. Night of Nights

Amazon.com

Live is continuing to grow into their ambitions, as "Love Shines (A Song for My Daughters About God)" indicates, but they remain invigorated on their seventh studio recording. They deserve some credit for that as they've been at this rock thing for awhile now, forming in 1988 and releasing debut Mental Jewelry in 1991. Although there's nothing as epic here as 1994's fist-pumping anthem "I Alone," Songs from the Black Mountain still reaches for the skies--or at least the back row of the arena. Frequently taken to task for their idealism and "preachiness," the Pennsylvania quartet isn't likely to convert any non-believers this time around. Then again, the very qualities that some find precious and silly, like brow-crinkling seriousness, strike others as passionate and spiritual. Live aren't taking any risks on this outing, unless the pro-soldier "Home" is considered a risk, but nor are they phoning it in. Well, not exactly. As always, Ed Kowalczyk sings it like he means it, but his songwriting relies too heavily on clichés and the occasional space-filling "Ooo baby" ("the River") and "Oh, yeah" ("Where Do We Go from Here?"). Rather, Live has produced a solid, respectable effort, which neither advances nor jeopardizes their cause. Can you say "holding pattern"? --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Who is this, it's not the Live I know.......2007-06-27

When I saw this album on Amazon I wondered why I hadn't heard it on any of the radio stations that usually play Live. So I bought it and found out why. This album is crap. About 4 years ago Ed found God. I personally think that's great but it's had a horrible impact on his music. This album is some wierd cross between adult contemporary and christian rock. Both are fine, they just aren't my thing. It's really sad because Live really used to bring it. Now, well...I'd tell you to see for yourself but don't bother.

2 out of 5 stars Unsuccessfully Revisiting Themes Of The Past!.......2007-06-24

15 years after their debut and 10 years after the peak of their popularity, Live's seventh studio album entitled "Songs From Black Mountain" was released on June 6, 2006. The quartet changed their label and abandoned the formula that earned them popularity for a more quiet and less ambitious approach. Though songwriter Ed Kowalczyk revisits themes such as the futility of war, spiritual pursuits and the love of his daughters, this time around, he is unsucessful in his attempt in creating anything substantial. Although it is only natural for a band such as Live to mature and adopt a low-key approach, "Songs From Black Mountain" is a stale release both lyrically and musically. This has resulted in the weakest U.S. sales in Live's career. For a true representation of Live's potential, please see the following albums: "Throwing Copper," "Secret Samadhi," "The Distance To Here" and "Birds Of Pray." Below, please find the rating for each song individually:

The River - 8/10

Mystery - 7/10

Get Ready - 5/10

Show - 5/10

Wings - 5/10

Sofia - 2/10

Love Shines (A Song For My Daughters About God) - 7/10

Where Do We Go From Here? - 5/10

Home - 6/10

All I Need - 5/10

You Are Not Alone - 5/10

Night Of Nights - 7/10

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant!.......2007-05-04

I live in Europe and cannot always keep up with bands that are primarily popular in the United States, but this time I heard "The River" on an Internet radio station, loved it, and started to look into the band. "Live" is a really sucky name for a group which anyone wants to find on Google, but that's beside the point. The music is phenomenal, and I particularly enjoy the voice of lead singer Ed Kowalczyk. To me he sounds a lot like another one of my all-time favorite singers, the country singer Chris Cagle. The songs on this album are poppish, yes, but they tell stories and are beautifully orchestrated. Love it, love it, loooooooooooove it!

5 out of 5 stars good but different.......2007-03-28

different from previous stuff. not as much rock but still good if you like LIVE.

3 out of 5 stars Not great, but still satisfying........2007-03-07

I've loved Live ever since "Throwing Copper" came out, and although their best days are obviously well behind them, they're still putting out decent material on the whole. This, their newest album, continues in the more straight-ahead pop rock fashion of "Birds of Pray", and doesn't really offer anything new, but still manages to be pretty enjoyable for what it is.

The two singles, "Mystery" and "The River", are both rousing anthemic tunes, and "Get Ready" and "All I Need" are excellent melodic rock. "Love Shines" is kind of cheesy, but still very catchy, and although writing a song for your children (and about God, no less) is totally un-rock and roll, it's still a nice gesture. The rest of the album, for the most part, is just kinda there, but luckily it ends strong with "Night of Nights", which I think is easily one of the best songs they've done in years. With its haunting melodies, tasty time changes, and killer drumming, it's just a great ending to a mostly so-so album. It even sort of sounds like it could be an outtake from "Secret Samadhi".

So anyway, this album probably won't win over too many new fans (go with the older stuff instead), but for those who've already loved the band for years, it probably won't disappoint. Roughly half the album is pretty solid material, so that's not bad (and "Night of Nights" is almost worth the purchase by itself). Also, while the band's studio material may not be what it used to be, in concert they're still as great as ever. I saw them for the third time a few months ago, and they were absolutely amazing. So definitely go see them at all costs, if you get the chance. They don't call them "Live" for nothing. Plus, hearing some of this material live really increased my appreciation for this album (although unfortunately, they didn't do "Night of Nights").

So yeah, in conclusion, this isn't so bad. Just don't expect "Throwing Copper", and you're bound to find some worth.
György Ligeti Edition 2: A Cappella Choral Works - London Sinfonietta Voices
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Surprising Variety in Modern A Capepella Choral works
  • Mostly unlistenable....
  • a handful of great Ligeti works.
  • brilliant choral music
  • Exquisite use of the voice
György Ligeti Edition 2: A Cappella Choral Works - London Sinfonietta Voices

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029OX
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

  1. A Cappella Choral Works: Night
  2. A Cappella Choral Works: Morning
  3. A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 1
  4. A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 2
  5. A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 3
  6. A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 4
  7. A Cappella Choral Works: Solitude
  8. A Cappella Choral Works: Two Canons 1
  9. A Cappella Choral Works: Two Canons 2
  10. A Cappella Choral Works: Kings of Bethlehem
  11. A Cappella Choral Works: The Fugitive
  12. A Cappella Choral Works: Lux aeterna
  13. A Cappella Choral Works: Wedding Song
  14. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 1
  15. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 2
  16. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 3
  17. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 4
  18. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 1
  19. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 2
  20. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 3
  21. A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 4
  22. A Cappella Choral Works: Widow Papai
  23. A Cappella Choral Works: Three phantasies after Hrlin 1
  24. A Cappella Choral Works: Three phantasies after Hrlin 2
  25. A Cappella Choral Works: Three phantasies after Hrlin 3
  26. A Cappella Choral Works: Hungarian Etudes 1
  27. A Cappella Choral Works: Hungarian Etudes 2
  28. A Cappella Choral Works: Hungarian Etudes 3
  29. A Cappella Choral Works: Heigh, Youth! 1
  30. A Cappella Choral Works: Heigh, Youth! 2
  31. A Cappella Choral Works: Easter
  32. A Cappella Choral Works: Hortobagy 1
  33. A Cappella Choral Works: Hortobagy 2
  34. A Cappella Choral Works: Hortobagy 3
  35. A Cappella Choral Works: From a high mountain rock
  36. A Cappella Choral Works: Double-Dance from Kallo 1
  37. A Cappella Choral Works: Double-Dance from Kallo 2

Amazon.com essential recording

A vast audience received its first exposure to the music of György Ligeti through Stanley Kubrick's use of his haunting "Lux Aeterna" (despite the composer's lack of consent) in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. This collection--part of Sony's invaluable Ligeti edition--places "Lux aeterna" in the context of Ligeti's other a cappella choral works, which together provide an overview of the evolving phases of one of the 20th century's most intriguing composers. In his booklet notes to the disc, Ligeti recalls the influence of Bartók and Kodály on his early folkloric compositions, from arrangements of traditional material to free, polyrhythmically inflected inventions on Hungarian folk texts, a format that allowed him some degree of experimental freedom from the strictures of "socialist realism" before he fled the Hungarian Communist regime. The breakthrough "Lux aeterna" is a classic example of Ligeti's trademark technique of "micropolyphony," enveloping the listener in mesmerizingly dense textures of cloudlike harmonies. From Ligeti's late period comes a triptych of "Hölderlin Phantasies." Their 16-voice polyphony transcends the simplistic distinction between tonality and atonality to explore "new kinds of half diatonic, half chromatic harmonies." The resulting sound world of fragmentary, dislocated epiphanies mirrors the unfathomable richness of the great visionary poet to uncanny effect. Throughout, the acoustical balance and conviction of the London Sinfonietta Voices give vivid shape to Ligeti's genius. -Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Surprising Variety in Modern A Capepella Choral works.......2006-08-24

This 'A Cappella Choral Works', the second volume in a collection of Gyorgy Ligeti compositions contains one of the pieces of music which contributed to making '2001, A Space Odyessy' such a profoundly interesting film. This piece, 'Lux aeterna' which is the textbook example of 'SciFi' music, is very different from many of the other pieces on this recording. In fact, one is really impressed by the wide variety of styles, where you have some peasant songs which sound a lot like sea chantys and other pieces which are definitely liturgical. One can certainly thank Stanley Kubrick for bringing Ligeti to our attention.

2 out of 5 stars Mostly unlistenable...........2006-08-23

Not even good for background music/noise as the voices get really loud in certain parts and almost silent.

I bought this CD and am returning it. It's just more & more of the sameness throughout the whole CD.

I realize that Ligeti is avant garde but I heard that if you like Gregorian chant (which I do) this CD is similar. I don't think it is. It's very disquieting and full of tension (great, if that's the mood you're looking for).

5 out of 5 stars a handful of great Ligeti works........2004-09-06

As a compilation, musically speaking, Edition 2 is probably my least favorite of the Sony Ligeti Edition collection. Many of the pieces come from traditional Hungarian sources, conceived while Ligeti was still in his early years. They are pretty, but also pretty straightforward and conventional, and other than their simple pleasantness and occasionally yummy dissonances, they aren't really mindblowing like the best Ligeti. They are often very beautiful though. However, Edition 2 DOES feature one of the most harrowing, apocalyptic compositions of 20th century Western music, _Lux aeterna_. The profound tension in the quiet web of micropolyphonic voices is just devastating. Also great are the other later pieces, _Drei Phantasien nach Friedrich Holderlin_, three wild polyphony pieces from German literature, and _Magyar Etudok_, three very complex Hungarian etudes for 16 voices. Those pieces are all outstanding but honestly I think everything I've heard by Ligeti is worth hearing. Check out Ligeti edition 4 for more vocal works, some of which are the best of Ligeti's works.

5 out of 5 stars brilliant choral music.......2003-07-21

This cd is beautiful to listen to.From Ejszaka to Kallai Ketto
is brilliant. Ligeti choral works is the first cd have got choral music on it and i love it.Now im going to get the other two cds in the ligeti edition.
(the vocal works & le grand marabre)

5 out of 5 stars Exquisite use of the voice.......2002-07-11

Bringing Ligeti's works to a wider public was one of the great services Stanley Kubrick performed for the world when Lux aeterna was included in the soundtrack for 2001: a Space Odyssey.

This album is a collection of a cappella choral works and which highlights Ligeti's great talent and skill in the use of the voice as a musical instrument. He, together with Yoko Ono, have excelled in this field though from different, sometimes conflicting directions.

When I listen to this I revel in it's glory. The sounds are ethereal and atmospheric, ghostly and angelic in a way that no-one but the composer can make them sound. I never want those sounds to end and in a way it is like having a sort of dependence.

I could go on and on and on about this but I had better stop. This is one essentila component of anyone's classical music collection yet it really defies categorisation. This is timeless, awesome music, not just for a generation but for a world. Lest Zeus strike me with a thunderbolt, these voices are sweeter and more angelic than the voices of the angels themselves.

Exquiiste. Words are insufficient to describe such beauty.
The Essential Leontyne Price: Spirituals, Hymns & Sacred Songs
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • The Price Club
  • A living legend
  • not your daddy's old timey spiritual
  • Immaculate Vocals of Leontyne Price
  • Great Gospel Stuff
The Essential Leontyne Price: Spirituals, Hymns & Sacred Songs

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection
  2. Leontyne Price Christmas Songs Chants de Noel.Weihnachtslieden Wiener Philharmoniker Herbert Von Karajan
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  4. Spirituals in Concert
  5. Spirituals

ASIN: B000003FWE
Release Date: 1997-01-14

Tracks:

  1. Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit - Various Artists
  2. Let Us Break Bread Together On Our Knees - Various Artists
  3. His Name So Sweet - Various Artists
  4. 'Roun' About The Mountain - Various Artists
  5. Swing Low , Sweet Chariot - Various Artists
  6. Sit Down, Servant - Various Artists
  7. Were You There - Various Artists
  8. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands - Various Artists
  9. Deep River - Various Artists
  10. Honor! Honor! - Various Artists
  11. My Soul's Been Anchored In De Lord - Various Artists
  12. On Ma Journey - Various Artists
  13. A City Called Heaven - Various Artists
  14. Ride On, King Jesus - Various Artists
  15. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Various Artists
  16. Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass - Various Artists
  17. Sweet Little Jesus Boy - Various Artists
  18. There Is A Balm In Gilead - Various Artists
  19. Let Us Cheer The Weary Traveler - Various Artists
  20. Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit - Various Artists
  21. My Way Is Cloudy - Various Artists
  22. Nobody Knows The Touble I've Seen - Various Artists
  23. I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray - Various Artists

Tracks:

  1. Holy, Holy, Holy - Leontyne Price
  2. Lead, Kindly Light - Leontyne Price
  3. Blessed Assurance - Leontyne Price
  4. Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
  5. What A Friend We Have In Jesus - Leontyne Price
  6. Amazing Grace - Leontyne Price
  7. The Lord's Prayer - Leontyne Price
  8. Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior - Leontyne Price
  9. The Church's One Foundation - Leontyne Price
  10. Bless This House - Leontyne Price
  11. I Need Thee Every Hour - Leontyne Price
  12. Schlesische Volkslieder: Fairest Lord Jesus - Leontyne Price
  13. I Wonder As I Wander - Leontyne Price
  14. Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
  15. Porgy And Bess: Summertime - Leontyne Price
  16. America The Beautiful - Leontyne Price
  17. Lift Ev'ry Voice And Sing - Leontyne Price
  18. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - Leontyne Price
  19. Battle Hymn Of The Republic - Leontyne Price

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Price Club.......2005-04-28

"I am here," said Leontyne Price when interviewed as she opened the new Metropolitan Opera with Samuel Barber's underrated ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, "and you will know that I am the best and will hear me. The color of my skin or the kink of my hair or the spread of my mouth has nothing to do with what you are listening to." Back in the 1960s Price was one of the greatest divas in all of opera, and it wasn't just her voice but her magnificent stage presence, combined with her social activism. All of the above come into play in this collection of secular songs and ditties, some of them traditional plantation chanties and others, art songs and a scattering of pop music. And some of them, like Gershwin's "Summertime," cross the ever-permeable boundaries between Broadway and classical. These recordings were made at different times in Price's career, and her voice, while always angelic, has different shadings and reaches a different range of timbre in each separate recording date, but there is no question that, as time goes by, she is able to impart a richness of life experience noticeably absent from some of her earlier work.

"Ave Maria" sounds heavenly no matter which way you slice it, and as for "I Wonder As I Wander," it brings tears to your eyes. If you have a heart that's beating you will be moved by this rendition. "Ein feste Burg" is pretty strong, but Price seems more comfortable with the traditional spirituals, though perhaps it is the slightly off-kilter sounds of the Ambrosian Singers (what a name) who back her up on many of these tracks, that detract slightly from the experience. Compare "Lead Kindly Light" for a clear sense of what constitutes authority vs. what is a wee bit overproduced. If you had this compilation, and perhaps one of Leontyne Price's Christmas albums, you could attain nirvana any time you wanted to, just flip a switch and close your eyes, let her lift you up on wings of song.

5 out of 5 stars A living legend.......2005-03-10

Leontyne Price (still alive) and already passing into immortality amongst vocal artists, both classical and popular. Leontyne Price stands at the pinnacle of her classical art, but those who only know her work in La Forza del destino or the Verdi Requiem are in for a heart rending treat with this album where Leontyne Price goes home to her roots in Mississippi and gives an unabashed account of the classic spirituals she sang as a young woman. Like John Mc Cormacks rendering of Irish songs there is a personal longing and devotion expressed here that reveals a side of the artist not known in the bulk of their "classical" repetoire. A sense of going home like Citizen Kane's rosebud, or as Dorothy Gale observes at the end of the Wizard of Oz "everything I could ever have wanted was right in my own backyard "

1 out of 5 stars not your daddy's old timey spiritual.......2004-06-23

Agreed this is a good cd for a beautiful voice, but this is not, repeat not, for someone who wants to hear that old-timey religious fervor that you think of when you've been to a Black Baptist hand-clapping, standing, swaying, and singing service.

5 out of 5 stars Immaculate Vocals of Leontyne Price.......2003-12-31

IMMACULATE, SUPERB vocal range and style! There's no other words that can complement Miss Leontyne Price's vocal arrangements. Miss Price's voice is strong, and shrills very nicely to the instruments played on many songs listed on this double CD which is a joy to treasure; every song listed are songs I was raised to hearing and singing. Miss Price is the reason why many of these songs remain in popularity and presently used. Miss Leontyne Price has been incredible in many of her past performances. This is my fourth CD of Miss Price and I am glad to own this particular CD forever and ever. Many thanks to the executors who found this remarkable album and upgraded it to a CD format! **Angi**

4 out of 5 stars Great Gospel Stuff.......2001-04-12

This is a great CD. The only problem I have with it is that on some of the selections there is a boy's choir screaming in the background, and this takes away (a bit) from her performance. That said, her best selections are those that are either unaccompanied or those where her voice is not buried. Songs that strike me are - His Name So Sweet, He's Got The Whole World, Were You There, I Wonder as I Wander, Lift Every Voice and Sing, and my all time favourite Summertime. Enough said.
Stories Of Schumann And Grieg
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Stories Of Schumann And Grieg

    Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000001KCV
    Release Date: 1995-04-16

    Tracks:

    1. Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 97: 'Rhenish' - Lebhaft
    2. Andante And Variations In B-Flat Major
    3. Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
    4. Toccata In C Major, Op. 7
    5. Kreisleriana, Op. 16
    6. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Allegro Vivace
    7. Carnaval, Op. 9
    8. 'Dedication', Op. 25/1
    9. Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120: Introduction - Vivace
    10. Papilons, Op. 2
    11. Op. 25-3: 'The Nut Tree'
    12. Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 97: 'Rhenish' - Lebhaft-Schneller
    13. Piano Quintet In E-flat Major, Op. 44: Allegro ma non troppo
    14. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54: Allegro affettuoso
    15. Carnaval, Op. 9: Waltz
    16. Album For The Young, Op. 68: The Merry Farmer
    17. Scenes From Childhood, Op. 15: Dreams
    18. Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 129: Nicht au schnell
    19. Symphony No. 3 In E-flat Major, Op. 97: 'Rhenish' - Feierlich
    20. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No 1
    21. Lyric Suite, Op. 54-2: Norwegian Rustic Dance
    22. Op. 12 No. 4: Elf Dance
    23. Op. 35, No. 1: Norwegian Dances
    24. Elegiac Melodies
    25. Op. 64, No. 4: Symphonic Dances
    26. Op. 35, No. 2: Norwegian Dances
    27. Op. 5-3: 'I Love Thee'
    28. Op. 43, No. 1: Butterfly
    29. Op. 65, No. 6: Wedding Day At Troldhaugen
    30. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No. 3: Anitra's Dance
    31. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55, No. 4: Solveig's Song
    32. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No. 4: In The Hall Of The Mountain King
    33. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: Allegro moderato; Allegro marcato
    34. Holberg Suite, Op. 40: Prelude: Allegro vivace
    35. Lyric Suite, Op. 54, No. 3: Dance Of The Dwarfs
    36. Homage To Chopin
    37. Sigurd Jorsalfar Suite, Op. 56, No. 3: Homage March
    38. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: Morning Mood
    39. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: The Death Of Aase
    40. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: Anitra's Dance
    41. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: In The Hall Of The Mountain King
    42. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55: III The Return Of Peer Gynt
    43. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55: IV Solveig's Song
    Idiot's Guide to Classical Music
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • I can name that tune in three notes
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    • Fun Sampler
    • Useful.
    Idiot's Guide to Classical Music

    Manufacturer: RCA
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000003FPT
    Release Date: 1995-02-14

    Tracks:

    1. Adagio
    2. Air on the G String: Air on the G String, Excerpt
    3. Brandenburg Concerto: Third Movement, Excerpt
    4. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Excerpt
    5. Tocatta & Fugue: Excerpt
    6. Adagio for Strings: Excerpt
    7. Synphony No. 5: First Movement, Excerpt
    8. Symphony No. 9: Fourth Movement, Excerpt
    9. Fse: Excerpt
    10. Turkish March: Turkish March, Excerpt
    11. Moonlight Sonata: Excerpt
    12. Symphonie Fantastique: March Ot the Scaffold, Excerpt
    13. Damnation of Faust: Excerpt
    14. Carmen - Habanera: Habanera, Excerpt
    15. Toreador Song [From Carmen]
    16. Minuet: Minuet, Excerpt
    17. Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dance No 17, Excerpt
    18. Hungarian Dance No. 5: No 5, Excerpt
    19. Lullaby: No 4, Lullaby, Excerpt
    20. "Minute" Waltz: Excerpt
    21. Grande Valse Brillante: Excerpt
    22. Marche Fune: Marche Fune
    23. Appalachian Spring: Excerpt
    24. Fanfare for the Common Man: Excerpt
    25. Clair de Lune: Excerpt
    26. Prelude to the Afternoon: Excerpt
    27. Lakm Flower Duet: Flower Duet, Excerpt
    28. Symphony No. 9 "New World": Second Movement, "Going Home" Theme, ...
    29. The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Excerpt
    30. Pomp & Circumstance: Excerpt
    31. El Amor Brujo
    32. Pavane: Excerpt
    33. Rhapsody in Blue: Excerpt
    34. American in Paris: Excerpt
    35. Funeral March of Marionette: Excerpt
    36. Piano Concerto in a Minor: Excerpt
    37. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - Morning: Morning, Excerpt
    38. Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus: Hallelujah Chorus, Excerpt
    39. Water Music - Hornpipe: Hornpipe, Excerpt
    40. Symphony No. 94 "Surprise": Second Movement, Excerpt
    41. The Planets - Mars: Mars, Excerpt
    42. Sabre Dance: Sabre Dance, Excerpt
    43. Pagliacci: Vesti la Giubba, Excerpt
    44. Hungarian Rhapsody
    45. Liebestraum No. 3: No 3, Excerpt
    46. Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo: Intermezzo, Excerpt
    47. Midsummer Night's Dream - Wedding March: Wedding March, Excerpt
    48. Symphony No. 4 "Italian": Fourth Movement, Excerpt
    49. Rondeau: No 1, Rondeau
    50. Piano Concerto No. 21: Andante, Excerpt
    51. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: First Movement, Excerpt
    52. The Marriage of Figaro - Overture: Overture, Excerpt
    53. Sonata in A - Rondo Alla Turca: Rondo Alla Turca, Excerpt
    54. Symphony No. 40: First Movement, Excerpt
    55. Night on Bald Mountain: Excerpt
    56. Pictures at an Exhibition - Great Cave of Kiev: Great Gate of ...
    57. Barcarolle: Barcarolle, Excerpt
    58. Orpheus in Hades - Theme II: Excerpt (Theme)
    59. Carmina Burana - O Fortuna: O Fortuna, Excerpt
    60. Canon: Canon, Excerpt
    61. Romeo & Juliet - Montagues & Capulets: Montagues & Capulets, Excerpt
    62. Lt. Kije's Wedding: Lt. Kije's Wedding, Excerpt
    63. Turandot - Nessun Dorma: Nessun Dorma, Excerpt
    64. Piano Concerto No. 2: Second Movement, Excerpt
    65. Symphony No. 2: Third Movement, Opening, Excerpt
    66. Rhapsody on a Theme: Variation 18, Excerpt
    67. Bolero
    68. Flight of the Bumblebee
    69. Concierto de Aranjuez - Adagio: Adagio, Excerpt
    70. The Barber of Seville - Overture: Excerpt
    71. The Barber of Sville - Largo Al Factotum: Largo Al Factotum, Excerpt
    72. William Tell Overture - Theme II: Excerpt
    73. Danse Macabre: Excerpt
    74. Gymnope No. 1
    75. Symphony N0. 8 "Unfinished": Excerpt
    76. Ave Maria: Excerpt
    77. Finlandia [Finale: Finale, Excerpt]
    78. Valse Triste: No 1, Valse Triste, Excerpt
    79. Stars & Stripes Forever: Excerpt
    80. Semper Fidelis: Excerpt
    81. Blue Danube Waltz: Excerpt
    82. Tales from the Vienna Woods: Excerpt
    83. Also Sprach Zarathustra: Fanfare, Excerpt
    84. Firebird - Infernal Dance & Main Theme: Infernal Dance & Main ...
    85. The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers: Waltz of the Flowers, Excerpt
    86. Swan Lake - Waltz: Waltz, Excerpt
    87. Sleeping Beauty -: Waltz, Excerpt
    88. Romeo & Juliet - Theme II: Theme LL, Excerpt
    89. Piano Concerto No. 1 - Opening: Opening, Excerpt
    90. 1812 Overture - Finale: Finale, Excerpt
    91. Fantasia on "Greensleeves": Excerpt
    92. Alda - Grand March: Grand March, Excerpt
    93. Il Trovatore - Anvil Chorus: Anvil Chorus, Excerpt
    94. Requiem - Dies Irae: Dies Irae, Excerpt
    95. Rigoletto - La Donna Mobile: La Donna Mobile, Excerpt
    96. The Four Seasons "Spring" - Allegro: Allegro, Excerpt
    97. The Four Season "Winter" - Largo: Largo, Excerpt
    98. Lohengrin - Bridal Chorus: Bridal Chorus, Excerpt
    99. Die WalkRide of the Valkyries: Ride of the Valkyries, Excerpt

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars I can name that tune in three notes.......2005-02-19

    My family likes to put this disc in on shuffle and play name that tune. I wish they made more discs like this, only with more obscure works.

    5 out of 5 stars A Fabulous CD.......2004-10-14

    The Idiot's Guide to Calssical Music is an awesome Cd for those people who want to have a tiny sample of all the great classical compositions. Track 61 and 63 are my favorite.

    5 out of 5 stars Mega-Sampler! This really does have 99 tracks!.......2002-03-20

    Yes, this CD really does have 99 tracks. How do they do it? Each is about a minuet long. Some are longer, some are shorter, but you get the micro-essential moments of the music.

    If you like burning your own CDs, then this is a great source for intra-track fillers, along the lines of They Might Be Giants' "Apollo 18" album, which has all of those short tracks on the end. The idea is to put your CD player on shuffle, so the short tracks get mixed in with the bona fide songs. The result being a very unusual album.

    The booklet gives an explanation of the track, where you heard it (i.e. the Warner Brother's Cartoons, or on famous films), and where you can get the full piece of music. So it's a mega sampler CD.

    I can honestly say that this CD is a great gift for the friend who has everything.

    5 out of 5 stars Fun Sampler.......2001-11-09

    For the beginner. You will be surprised at how many of the 99 themes you recognize here. It is an easy introduction to classical music. Nice booklet too.

    5 out of 5 stars Useful........1999-03-22

    Take it for what it is, a clever and useful GUIDE to classical music. No, it is NOT an uncut rendition of Beethoven's 9th symphony. It IS a cd that will jog your memory. You have heard many of the tunes presented here, but not always knowing what the work was. This is your chance to catch up with all the great classical music you have been exposed to. Cheap too.
    Ned Rorem: Selected Songs
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Great vocal virtuosity
    • Confuzzled
    • An American Composer of Art Song
    • more German than Rorem
    • delightful art songs
    Ned Rorem: Selected Songs
    Ned Rorem , and Carole Farley
    Manufacturer: Naxos American
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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    1. Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem
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    4. Rorem: Flute Concerto; Violin Concerto
    5. The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 1

    ASIN: B00005QISU
    Release Date: 2001-11-20

    Tracks:

    1. The Waking
    2. Root Cellar
    3. My Papa's Waltz
    4. I Strolled Across An Open Field
    5. Memory
    6. Orchids
    7. The Serpent
    8. Night Crow
    9. Snake
    10. Lilltel Elegy
    11. The Nightingale
    12. Nantucket
    13. Lullaby Of The Woman Of The Mountain
    14. Love In A Life
    15. What If Some Little Pain...
    16. Visits To St. Elizabeth's
    17. Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
    18. Spring
    19. See How They Love Me
    20. Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal
    21. I Am Rose
    22. Ask Me No More
    23. Far-Far-Away
    24. Early In The Morning
    25. Alleluia
    26. Such Beauty As Hurts To Behold
    27. Sally's Smile
    28. Youth, Day, Old Age, And Night
    29. O You Whom I Often And Silently Come
    30. Full Of Life Now
    31. As Adam Early In The Morning
    32. Are You The New Person?

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Great vocal virtuosity.......2005-04-07

    This is a great recording, by two great artists. Carole Farley is the ideal singer for Ned Rorem's songs. She spell out every
    word and every nuance, giving each song and every poem their full character. The songs are a revelation. I recommend this recording without hesitation.
    Christoph (Berlin, Germany)

    3 out of 5 stars Confuzzled.......2004-01-03

    While these song are GREAT...I cannot get over Carole Farley; her voice is so affected (kind of like a sprechstimme; overly dramatic...). I love the fact that Rorem himself is playing the piano, and as a singer, the catalogue of songs is good to have...but cant say I could ever manage getting over Farley's affectation. There are far superior recordings out there.

    5 out of 5 stars An American Composer of Art Song.......2003-04-02

    American popular song, whether standards, show tunes,jazz, blues, or rock, is one of our country's most visible artistic achievements. American classical (or Art) songs are much less known. Ned Rorem (b. 1923) is probably the greatest American composer in this unfamiliar medium. Rorem is sometimes dubbed the "American Schubert."

    This disc features 32 of Ned Rorem's songs for voice and piano. Soprano Carole Farley is the accomplished singer, and Ned Rorem himself plays the piano. The disc is special because it features settings of the works of American poets. The CD begins with 9 settings of poems by the mid-twentieth century poet, Theodore Roethke, and concludes with settings of 5 poems by Walt Whitman. The disc also includes settings of poems by William Carlos Williams, Gertrude Stein, and Paul Goodman, among others. Thus the disc combines in a special way American creative effort in poetry and in music.

    Rorem's songs are declamatory in style. Typically, the voice line delivers the text of the poetry in a sort of chant. The relationship between the voice line and the piano is far from Schubertian. Generally, the piano takes a separate line and accentuates the voice by means of large chords or by runs or by other comments and punctuation on the voice. The texts are well set and the music is effective. There are some unusual harmonies with jazz and blues influences. Rorem's piano accompanyment on this disc gives the recording a sense of authenticity -- we get a good idea of how the composer wants his songs to be conveyed.

    The disc includes excellent program notes and texts of all the songs. Naxos has received deservedly high praise for its "American Classics" series which makes much music written by Americans available on CD at a low price. This disc includes some lovely, little-known songs. It is an excellent introduction to the American art song and to the music of Ned Rorem.

    3 out of 5 stars more German than Rorem.......2002-07-20

    I've been a Rorem fan since hearing a highschool friend perform some of his work in her college recital. His startling, atonal songs were an instant revelation. For years there were few reliable CDs of his vocal work. A scandal considering his reputation rests more on his art songs and chamber music than on his orchestral pieces. This Naxos entry of a wide overview of his best songs is thus quite welcome, due largely to its availability, wide distribution and professional packaging (he's had some shoddy issues before with incorrect liner notes, etc.; the challenge of the low budget).

    I can't call myself an unalloyed fan of soprano Carole Farley however. Her delivery here recalls the speak-singing style of German 12-tone composers (a specialty of hers), and can sound melodramatic, especially when she rushes the more delicate passages.

    I prefer Rorem's softer, more melodious French side, the one that descends from Impressionism and is more warmly emotive. While Farley loses the shading of some of the more fragile songs, she is well-suited to the longer, more forceful pieces. I've heard many readings of "Early in the Morning" (one of Rorems most popular songs) by male and female vocalists, and its tale of wistful nostalgia is muted by Farley's direct approach. However, she nails "My Papa's Waltz," a fractured setting for a Roethke poem about a frightened child forced to dance with a drunken father. Here her acting skills come to the fore, and she perfectly captures the tipsy madness of the song. Rorem can be quite theatrical himself on occasion. She does almost as well with "See How they love me," a ballad with a regular pace that allows her assertive style to breathe.

    At any rate it's great to hear these lovely songs in a recent (2000) recording, accompanied (rather emphatically, but perhaps he's matching his theatrical singer) by Rorem himself.

    The similar Susan Graham album is more to my taste, but this is a more than competent bargain set.

    4 out of 5 stars delightful art songs.......2002-01-02

    rorem's songs are amazing, and naxos has done well
    to group them by poet. the complete settings of roethke
    are particularly compelling and edgey.

    carole farley's voice is lovely, but her phrasing
    and willingness to push her voice seems
    a big departure from the styling of art songs i've
    heard by poulenc and somers.

    this takes some getting used to- at least 3 or 4 complete
    listen-throughs in my case. her voice is almost jazzy,
    kind of like early recordings by holly cole.

    anyway, rorem accompanies her on piano so obviously
    this reading fits with his intent; his playing is also delightful.

    one small quibble- although there are 32 songs, the CD is
    57 minutes- brief by naxos standards.
    Anne Sofie von Otter - Grieg Songs
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • GRIEG APPASSIONATO
    • A warm Spring in Norway
    Anne Sofie von Otter - Grieg Songs
    Edvard Grieg , Anne Sofie von Otter , and Bengt Forsberg
    Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    3. Anne Sofie von Otter - Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben / Forsberg
    4. Anne Sofie von Otter - Wings in the Night (Swedish Songs)
    5. Anne Sofie von Otter - Schubert Lieder (Ave Maria, Im Abendrot, Ständchen, etc.)

    ASIN: B000001GI8
    Release Date: 1993-06-22

    Tracks:

    1. Haugtussa Op. 67: 1. Det syng
    2. Haugtussa Op. 67: 2. Veslem
    3. Haugtussa Op. 67: 3. Blr-Li
    4. Haugtussa Op. 67: 4. M
    5. Haugtussa Op. 67: 5. Elsk
    6. Haugtussa Op. 67: 6. Killingdans
    7. Haugtussa Op. 67: 7. Vond Dag
    8. Haugtussa Op. 67: 8. Ved Gje-Bekken
    9. Seks Sange op. 48: 1. Gruss
    10. Seks Sange op. 48: 2. Dereinst, Gedanke mein
    11. Seks Sange op. 48: 3. Lauf der Welt
    12. Seks Sange op. 48: 4. Die verschwiegene Nachtigall
    13. Seks Sange op. 48: 5. Zur Rosenzeit
    14. Seks Sange op. 48: 6. Ein Traum
    15. Seks Digte af henrik Ibsen op. 25: 2. En svane
    16. Seks Digte af henrik Ibsen op. 25: 4. Med en vandlilje
    17. Fem Digte af John Paulsen op 26: 1. Et h
    18. Tolv Melodier til Digte af Aasmund Olavsson Vinje op. 33: 2. Vn
    19. Digte af Vilhelm Krag op. 60: 3. Mens jeg venter
    20. Barnlige sange op. 61: 3. Lok
    21. Tolv Melodier til Digte af Aasmund Olavsson Vinje op. 33: 5 Langs ei
    22. Romancer op. 39: 1. Fra Monte Pincio
    23. Hjertets Melodier af H. C.Andersen op. 5: 1. To brune ne
    24. Hjertets Melodier af H. C.Andersen op. 5: 3. Jeg elsker Dig
    25. Seks Digte af Holger Drachmann op. 49: 6. Forregn

    Amazon.com

    Grieg's song's were almost all composed for his wife Nina. She was a singing actress with a considerable stage presence, if not a particularly impressive voice. In fact, Nina and Edvard Grieg were very much the Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya of the 19th century, though the style and substance of Grieg's songs' is as different from 1920s Berlin as can be imagined. Haugtussa is Grieg's most important song cycle. It's tells the story of a goat shephard abandoned by her lover. Each of the songs is in simple strophic (verse and refrain) form, but the music has a tremendous range and variety, particularly in the folk-tinged harmony. Anne Sofie von Otter's performance is the outstanding Grieg song recital of our time, period. --David Hurwitz

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars GRIEG APPASSIONATO.......2005-07-18

    A good deal of care and sensitivity has gone into just making the selection of these 25 songs, before we even reach the performances. Some of the songs are fairly light in sentiment and expression, and none is to full German-Lied weight or portentousness, but there is real passion in most of them. What is blessedly absent throughout is the sentimental trifling that Grieg can sometimes be guilty of.

    Von Otter is not one to do things by halves either. As usual she gives the songs everything she's got, which is of course a great deal. Thought has obviously gone into the way she has been recorded too. The acoustic is just faintly suggestive of a cathedral, but a voice like this needs space around it, and I myself support this way of doing things. I simply can't comment on any national or Scandinavian aspects to these readings. In any case I suspect the personal tone of this high-powered singer is a lot more to the point. The song `Spring' on the 18th track of this disc is well known from its orchestral version, but never in the innumerable orchestral renditions, many by Scandinavian orchestras, that I've heard has the climactic phrase of the melody been put over with such power and intensity as it is here. Obviously, the music has to be able to stand up to such an approach, and I find that it comes through with flying colours. The songs are mainly love-lyrics with some associated folk-pastoral numbers in a familiar way. There are some sad moments, particularly when the poor shepherdess loses her love in the 7th song, and the text of the following and final poem in this cycle about the brook must surely recall Schubert's Baches Wiegenlied to everyone, but even it stops short of what happens in that. In general however the tone is one of longing with intermittent joy, and every song seemed to me perfectly well suited to its singer.

    Von Otter's partnership with Forsberg is well and truly established by now and there is a sense of complete understanding between them as we would expect. Forsberg isn't afraid to let his concert grand rip on occasion either, nor would I have wanted him to be. What I would have liked all the same is a little more refinement in his touch. He provides that very nicely indeed in the very last item in the recital. If he had done this more consistently throughout my mind would have been veering off less into tangential thoughts about how Gould might have handled such piano-writing.

    The liner-note is brief but helpful, and full texts of the lyrics (some German, mostly in alternative forms of Norwegian) are provided with English translation.

    5 out of 5 stars A warm Spring in Norway.......2004-06-20

    This is one delicious album. Von Otter has made a wonderful selection of love songs from Grieg. You very seldom hear the Nordic iciness that can be found so often in Grieg's instrumental chamber works. There is beautiful lyrical warmth in these songs written for his wife, springing out of the nature of the lyrics. Flowers explode from the piano accompaniment. The theme of Springtime appears again and again throughout these songs. Von Otter's warm, full voice brings the songs to wonderful life. The recording acoustics have the sound of recital hall instead of a recording studio. But I'm grateful for this. Von Otter's powerful voice singing directly into your ear could be overwhelming. Although the acoustics make Forsberg's piano sound a bit flat. Von Otter and Forsberg sink their teeth into every emotion projected from the lyrics and music, so be prepared for an often unsubtle emotional assault on your sensibilities. The beauty of these neglected songs is brought to life in a vivid way. This album is a treat you can't afford to pass up.
    Chinasong
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A true work of art.
    • Beautiful songs is what we have here.
    • Great CD!!!
    • Excellent Disc.
    Chinasong
    Shanghai Quartet , and Zukerman
    Manufacturer: Delos Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B00007FE3T
    Release Date: 2002-11-26

    Tracks:

    1. Chinasong

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A true work of art........2003-10-06

    Once in a while, one leaves the performance in complete awe and is unable to find the words to laud it to the extent it deserves. The Shanghai Quartet's recent new CD titled "ChinaSong" arranged by its violinist Yi-Wen Jiang was a true work of art.

    Each piece was played to perfection. Classics in the Chinese folk music repertoire, they are recognizable from the first strains of each piece. I am certain the Quartet's performance of these classics evoked compelling emotions in many listeners. It would have been difficult not to have felt something stir within. There is no way I can overstate the brilliance of these showings.

    Shanghai Quartet is technically flawless. However, to me, that accounted for only part of the sheer wonder of its performance. The Quartet distinguishes itself with its sound, which is mellifluous, intimate and at the same time, immensely passionate. It has the rare ability to sound like one whole while retaining the individuality of each performer and his instrument. Four distinct sounds as one, I was completely enthralled.

    5 out of 5 stars Beautiful songs is what we have here........2003-09-18

    For generations we had been taught that the oriental people are fundamentally different from Europeans, so much so that any attempts to understand them or their culture would be futile. In particular, for many of us the words Chinese music still suggest the sounds of someone trying to kill a tomcat in a junkyard with a baseball bat. If this has been your perception, then this disk will come as a very pleasant surprise. It should have been obvious all along that folksongs tend to be folksongs wherever encountered, and the human desire to sing beautiful tunes should be, and is, a universal.

    Beautiful songs is what we have here, and, even with a Chinese pentatonal harmony here and there, it sounds no more strange to modern ears than much European modal folk music (Tracks 2 and 18). The violinist and arranger describes these songs as those he enjoyed hearing as a child, songs that have had deep personal meaning during difficult times. His desire to share this music with a wider audience gives these performances a particular urgency and beauty. Many songs have been transcribed and arranged several times for different instruments before Jiang produced his string quartet version heard here. In some cases arrangement virtually amounts to composition based on fragments and authentic styles (Track 7), yet I read nothing here which suggests that the musical aesthetic has been radically altered to appeal to a foreign audience, and I hear nothing here to suggest that the music has been commercialised.

    5 out of 5 stars Great CD!!!.......2003-06-14

    One of the best Chinese Albums I have ever heared. Smart arrangements, beautiful music played by a world class quartet.

    5 out of 5 stars Excellent Disc........2003-02-05

    ...this is an album by the Shanghai Quartet. All of the folk tunes on it were arranged by one of the two violinists in the group, Yiwen Jiang. The tunes are masterfully arranged, beautifully recorded, and expertly performed by this group of supreme expressive calibur. It's a great disc! ...

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