Souvenirs Souvenirs [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Product Description
The Very First Recordings of his Career Remastered with 20 Tracks, Four Exclusive Tracks and Dvd (Pal Format).

Souvenirs Souvenirs,Johnny Hallyday,Bmg,French,World Music

Average customer rating: awesome Fogelberg is timeless BUY THE REMASTERED VERSION INSTEAD Dan's Best Wysteria question

Souvenirs Dan Fogelberg Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Soft Rock | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Soft Rock | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Home Free Nether Lands Captured Angel Phoenix The Innocent Age ASIN: B000002537 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Part Of The Plan
2. Illinois
3. Changing Horses
4. Better Change
5. Souvenirs
6. The Long Way
7. As The Raven Flies
8. Song From The Half Mountain
9. Morning Sky
10. (Someone's Been) Telling You Stories
11. There's A Place In The World For A Gambler

Customer Reviews:

awesome.......2007-03-09

One of the classics. Joe Walsh on guitar, Don Henley singing back-up vocals--are you kdding. This is an awesome CD.

Fogelberg is timeless.......2006-11-10

There is nothing like classic Fogelberg. It is always relevent and restores the soul.

BUY THE REMASTERED VERSION INSTEAD.......2006-11-03

Just wanted to point out that you should buy the remastered version of this album, which has been released as a twofer with "Homefree", the only albums of his that have been remastered so far. I urge you to support this release instead of buying the old non-remastered versions. It's high time all of Dan's old albums get remastered. After all, this is 2006!

Dan's Best.......2006-04-23

I first heard Dan singing background vocals on the Jackson Browne album "Late for the Sky". I was 16. I went out and bought this album (which I STILL have!!) even though I had never heard it. I had the pleasure of seeing Dan open for the Eagles at the Spectrum in support of this album in Phila, in 1974; I was a junior in high school. They all joined in on "Best of My Love" and it just blew mw away. He had this really interesting piece of cloth on his piano. Few people had heard of him prior to this album. This is by far his BEST album. It is more rock and roll than the rest of his sappy later work in the 80's and a true songwriting gem. I can remember singing "Morning Sky" in my friend's Ford on the way to school. You have to listen to it over and over.. "Someone's Been Tellin' You Stories" had a sly sexual rhyme in it that was not played on radio at that time. The musicianship on this album only serve to enhance the quality of the songwriting. This was the most raw of Dan's albums, and by ar, the most superior. Sadly, Dan is now fighting advanced prostate cancer (check out his website). Let's hope he will make a full recovery and record and tour again soon. This is a must have for anyone who is a fan of any 1970's rock and roll.

Wysteria question.......2005-12-02

Debbie, Wysteria is on Home Free and now it's stuck in MY head! Not that that's a bad thing... Dan Fogelberg music brings back many wonderful memories/feelings for me. Souvenirs is great but if I had to be shipwrecked with only 1 Fogelberg album it would be Phoenix.

Average customer rating: The King of Countrypolitan Souvenirs Vince Gill wonderful High lonesome . . .

Souvenirs Vince Gill Manufacturer: Mca Nashville ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: When Love Finds You These Days I Still Believe in You High Lonesome Sound When I Call Your Name ASIN: B000002OZD Release Date: 1995-11-20

Tracks:

1. Never Alone
2. Never Knew Lonely
3. When I Call Your Name
4. Liza Jane
5. Look At Us
6. Take Your Memory With You
7. Pocket Full Of Gold
8. The Heart Won't Lie
9. Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away
10. I Still Believe In You
11. No Future In The Past
12. Tryin' To Get Over You
13. One More Last Chance
14. I Can't Tell You Why
15. I Will Always Love You

Customer Reviews:

The King of Countrypolitan.......2007-05-01

Vince Gill managed to carve out a long-lasting career in country by bucking the system that established so many country stars in the 90's. He never wore a hat. He rarely jumped to cliches when songwriting, and he always allowed his voice to convey the message of the song. Nowhere is that more emphasized than on "When I Call Your Name." It invokes the sound of timeless country, yet at the same time it utilized the slick production values that was turning Country Music into the dominant force of that decade (think George Strait and Garth Brooks).

The same goes for "I Still Believe in You" and "Look At Us," two of so many heartbreak ballad classics that Gill released on his first three MCA Nashville albums. Like "When I Call Your Name," they were CMA Song of The Year winners, and epitomize the silky smooth delivery that Gill has perfected. It's also why his duets here, with Dolly Parton on "I Will Always Love You" and Reba McEntire on "The Heart Won't Lie" (originally on a McEntire album), find his voice nestling perfectly with his singing partners. He makes feeling sad feel so good.

Gill is also adept at the country shuffle, like on "Liza Jane." Gill himself called this song his attempt at writing an Eric Clapton song ala "Lay Down Sally," and it showcases Gill's superb guitar chops. (Often overlooked next to his singing and songwriting.) Same goes for "Take Your Memory With You."

But the Oklahoma born Gill is still a California Country boy at heart (after all, he started his career with Pure Prairie League), and the moment that highlights that is his cover of "I Can't Tell You Why." His contribution to the tribute album "Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles" brings the Eagles' country sensibilities to the center and surrounds it with Gill's ever-so-sensitive singing, connecting the 90's country boom to its core audience of yuppies for whom the urbanized country called to them like "Hotel California."

Vince Gill's "Souvenirs" remains his best anthology, covering his most fertile period up to 1995. While there are a few more since then, this remains my favorite.

Souvenirs.......2006-12-06

Vince Gill has one the most unique voices in country music. He has a great range and can hit the high notes that few male artists can reach. Even though "Souvenirs" is not a greatest hits CD as such, it contains some of his very best. Included are "Never Knew Lonely", "When I Call Your Name", "Look At Us", "I Still Believe in You", and "Tryin' to Get Over You" which is a sad song with powerful words. Also included are 2 duets with superstar female artists Reba McIntyre and Dolly Parton. Reba joins him on "The Heart Won't Lie" while Dolly joins in with "I Will Always Love You". While not all of his greatest hits are on this CD it is well worth the price. This CD is highly recommended for all county music and Vince Gill fans.

Vince Gill.......2006-11-10

If you are a country music fan then this album is a must. This is the first album of Vince Gill's that i purchased, i've since purchased another three. His music and voice are just so good, that you just want to play it over and over again. This album is money well spent.

wonderful.......2006-11-02

Vince Gill has an amazing voice, and this album showcases it very well. Several of his best songs including "Tryin' to Get Over You," "I Still Believe in You," "Never Knew Lonely," and "Don't Let our Love Start Slippin' Away" and included on this great album. If you are a fan of Mr. Gill, you will love this album. It is a must-own too. I recommend it thoroughly.

High lonesome . . ........2006-06-24

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since this fine anthology of Vince Gill's earliest songs was first released, but it's a classic and sounds as good - even better - today as it did in 1995. Many excellent comments about this album have been made here already, and I'm seconding them with a nod to my favorites on the album:

Vince had a hand in writing most of the songs here, but the one that's the best recording for my money is the smooth-jazz crossover sound of the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why." Next is the wonderful rendering (and redemption after Whitney Houston murdered it) of Dolly Parton's heart-rending "I Will Always Love You." Her voice in a duet with Vince on this song is a perfect match of pure vocalizing.

Vince's high, clear voice seems best suited to songs of loss and yearning, and they comprise the majority of these songs, ranging from the starkly sad "When I Call Your Name" and the aching-sweet "I Still Believe in You." The up-tempo, rollicking "One More Last Chance" seems almost out of place in the company of such heart-felt musical ruminations.

The emotional quality of these songs is reflected in the awesome range of instrumentation, arrangements, and musicianship. There is a bit of honky-tonk, some country rock, and lots of pure country with soul-piercing roots touches. This is just a fine, essential album by a country great.

Average customer rating: Beautiful, beautiful music! A very powerful performance Shock treatment Doesn't quite make it An exuberant blazing Gottchalk interpretation

Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Piano Music Manufacturer: Naxos American ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Galops | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gottschalk | Gottschalk, Louis Moreau | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Gottschalk, Louis Moreau | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gottschalk: A Night in the Tropics A Gottschalk Festival Gottschalk: Piano Music for 2 and 4 hands Piano Music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk: 26 Complete Pieces from Original Editions American Piano Classics ASIN: B00008OP1W Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

1. Le Banjo, Fantaisie Grotesque, Op. 15
2. Bamboula, Danse De Negres, Op. 2
3. Le Bananier, Chanson Negre, Op. 5
4. La Savane, Ballade Creole, Op. 3
5. Tremolo, Grande Etude De Concert, Op. 58
6. La Jota Aragonesa, Caprice Espagnol, Op. 14
7. Manchega, Etude De Concert, Op. 38
8. Souvenirs D'Andalousie, Caprice De Concert Sur La Cana, Op. 22
9. Souvenir De Porto Rico, Marche Des Gibaros, Op. 31
10. L'etincelle, La Scintilla, Op. 20
11. La Gallina, Op. 53
12. Suis-moi!, Caprice, Op. 45
13. Pasquinade, Caprice, Op. 59
14. Tournament Galop
15. The Dying Poet, Meditation
16. The Union, Paraphrase De Concert On The National Airs Star Spangled Banner, Yankee Doodle, And Hail Columbia, Op. 48

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful, beautiful music!.......2007-07-07

Listening to this Gottschalk CD hs been a truly rewarding experience. We listen to it everyday, so I'm sure we will be purchasing more of his music.

A very powerful performance.......2006-12-15

June 7, 2003
This is a very powerful performance by Licad, the first in a long
while. I had a chance to compare her recording with an earlier
recording of Gottschalk's piano works by another (relatively unknown)
pianist, and I must say that the latter recording pales miserably
in comparison to Licad's. Listening to Licad play in this recording,
I can't help but be reminded of Vladimir Horowitz's piano performances
during his heyday. Licad and Horowitz have very similar touch, intensity,
technical prowess and dynamic range. There are 16 piano works works in
this recording, and I must say that all are top caliber performances,
with the possible exception of track #9, Souvenirs de Porto Rico,
Marche de Gibaros, Op.31, where Licad seems to have missed a few
notes and desynchronized the rhythm in a few places. My favorites
are tracks #5 (Tremolo, Grande Etude de Concert), #7 (Manchega,
Etude de Concert), and track #14 (Tournament Galop); in the last
one, you can almost see and hear the horses galloping around the
race track. With the price ... this recording is a genuine steal.
However, I am still waiting to hear Licad play a Liszt, Brahms,
Prokofoiev or Bartok, where I believe we can really hear Horowitz
come alive.

Shock treatment.......2005-04-11

There are plenty of other pianists who have played Gottschalk's music. These include Eugene List, Alan Mandel, John Arpin, Alan Marks, Philip Martin, and my favorite, Michael Lewin.

This disc has a very good selection of Gottschalk's music. Still, I do not always like Licad's interpretations of his works. Nor is her playing especially clean.

Le banjo, an excellent piece, is played too fast. Give this lady a speeding ticket! Bamboula is played unusually slowly, and there are even a couple of presumably intentional minor errors in rhythm in it. I think it is okay to play parts of it slowly, as Licad did, for dramatic effect, but I am not overly impressed by her performance of it.

When we reach another fine piece, La Savane, the intentional errors in rhythm get worse. I have never heard La Savane played like this before, and I don't like it.

Next is Tremolo. I think Licad does a fine job on this one, both technically and interpretively. And I also like her interpretations of Manchega and The Dying Poet.

Souvenir de Porto Rico is perhaps Gottschalk's best work, and it is technically very difficult. This would have been a great opportunity for Licad to show that she can handle the task. But she chose to do otherwise. It is disappointing.

Most of this disc is simply not Gottschalk as it ought to be played. If someone unfamiliar with Gottschalk wanted to listen to a CD with some of Gottschalk's best works on it, I'd normally recommend one with this set of pieces. But I certainly wouldn't recommend this. I'll give it two stars just for Tremolo, and one more for shock value.

Doesn't quite make it.......2003-11-11

Cecile Licad is a fine pianist, but she's not right for this. Maybe she's trying to put too much "Artistry" into these instead of virtuosic fire, although perversely she plays some pieces too fast. This is still quite nice, considering the low price, but don't throw away your old Leonard Pennario LP's.

An exuberant blazing Gottchalk interpretation.......2003-09-19

Ms. Licad's Gottchalk interpretations on her latest CD is a pioneering effort in presenting the essential Gottchalk. She could have opted for the "safe and traditional " molded from other previous interpretations. But on this CD, she has opened a whole new world about the possibilities of Gottchalk's music who typifies the wondrous cultural influences here in the United States. Her performance is riveting, exuberant, blazing,virtuosic and always with a keen individual musicality that manages to always pay homage to what is essentially Gottchalk's. That is a feat in itself. I highly recommend this CD which should be CD of the Year.
Noel

Average customer rating: Best of Janis Ian Souvenirs great but we need more Brilliant but sometimes controversial folk-rock singer Souvenirs - Best of the "Best ofs"

Souvenirs: Best of Janis Ian 1972-1981 Janis Ian Manufacturer: Festival Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Folk | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Between the Lines Folk Is the New Black Breaking Silence Billie's Bones Aftertones ASIN: B0002QPRSM Release Date: 2004-08-23

Tracks:

1. Stars
2. Jesse
3. From Me to You
4. At Seventeen
5. In the Winter
6. Belle of the Blues
7. Love Is Blind
8. Will You Dance?
9. Miracle Row
10. Maria
11. Party Lights
12. Do You Wanna Dance?
13. Silly Habits
14. Other Side of the Sun
15. Fly Too High [From Foxes]
16. Jenny (Iowa Surprise)
17. Mechanical Telephone
18. Passion Play

Album Description

A singer/songwriter both celebrated & decried for her pointed handling of taboo topics, Janis Ian enjoyed one of the more remarkable second acts in music history; after first finding success as a teenager (in the mid-60s), her career slumped, only to ente

Customer Reviews:

Best of Janis Ian.......2007-05-12

I recently heard Janis on a Saturday Night Live Show from 1976 and I bought this CD and have since purchased a second CD of her's. Her lyrics are profound and this lady can sing! I would recommend this CD to everyone.

Souvenirs.......2007-01-03

The title says it all.This is a great Cd of an Artist and time mostly forgotten.

great but we need more.......2006-10-12

tough to give more stars to this collection when it includes only two songs from her finest album: Between the Lines (two great songs but there are at least another three songs that shouldve been included) bottom line this shouldve been a two disc set, whats there is great though

Brilliant but sometimes controversial folk-rock singer.......2005-08-25

Janis Ian began her recording career with a song (Society's child) about an inter-racial relationship and followed up with an album of protest songs. Those recordings are not included on this compilation covering her later recordings, but they can be found separately.

Between 1974 and 1979, Janis recorded four classic albums (Stars, Between the lines, Aftertones, Night rains) from which most of the tracks here are taken. Those albums featured many of the great songs we remember her for including Jesse (a top ten American hit via a Roberta Flack cover), At seventeen (a top five American hit for Janis), Love is blind (a Japanese number one hit), Will you dance (another big Japanese hit), Fly too high (featured on the soundtrack of Foxes and a minor UK hit) and The other side of the sun (another minor UK hit).

Following those albums, Janis diversified into acting and writing but continued to record great music. When Canada legalized single-sex marriages, Janis seized on the opportunity to marry her lesbian partner there in 2003.

Forget all the controversy and just listen to a brilliant folk-rock singer who never achieved the same level of success as Joan Baez, Judy Collins or Joni Mitchell but who certainly deserves to be considered alongside those outstanding singers. If you enjoy their music, give Janis a listen. This compilation provides a great introduction to her music.

Souvenirs - Best of the "Best ofs".......2005-02-11

This really is an excellent "Greatest Hits" collection! It includes the very best from each album and even "Mechanical Telephone" an excellent song from Janis' quirky "Uncle Wonderful" '80's album. I am so glad Janis included "Will You Dance" and "Love is Blind" in this collection. They were huge chart toppers in Japan. The "Up 'til Now" 17 Greatest hits album had to be tailored twice with alternate cuts to cater to Japanese audiences. The only suggestion I could make to improve this album was to add "Restless Eyes", not instead of, but in addition to "Passion Play" which is also an excellent song from that album! Time constraints probably had something to do with that decision. The pictures of Janis are gorgeous too! Buy this CD and you will probably start building a Janis Ian collection!

Average customer rating: Barber: genius; Pollack: great, but not as great as John Browning A variety of emotions Samuel Barber's Piano Music What's the rush? Barber at a bargain

American Classics: Barber: COMPLETE PUBLISHED SOLO PIANO MUSIC Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Barber | Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Intermezzos | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Ballads | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Ballads | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Samuel Barber: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2 Barber: School for Scandal/Symphonies 1 & 2 Barber: Knoxville, Summer of 1915 Barber: Violin Concerto, Op. 14; Souvenirs (Ballet Suite), Op. 28; Serenade for Strings, Op. 1; Music for a Scene from Shelley, Op. 7 Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto ASIN: B00000GV5P Release Date: 1998-12-15

Tracks:

1. Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Allegro energico
2. Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Allegro vivace e leggiero
3. Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Adagio mesto
4. Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Fuga: Allegro con spirito
5. Excursions, Op 20: Un poco allegro
6. Excursions, Op 20: In Slow Blues Tempo
7. Excursions, Op 20: Allegretto
8. Excursions, Op 20: Allegro molto
9. Nocturne, Op 33: Moderato
10. Three Sketches: Lovesong: Tempo di valse: Allegretto
11. Three Sketches: To My Steinway (To No.220601): Adagio
12. Three Sketches: Minuet: Tempo di minuetto
13. Interlude I ('For Jeanne'): Adagio, ma non troppo
14. Ballade, Op 46: Restless
15. Souvenirs, Op 28: Waltz: tempo di valse, Allegro con brio
16. Souvenirs, Op 28: Schottische: tempo si Schottische, Allegro ma non troppo
17. Souvenirs, Op 28: Pas de deux: Adagio
18. Souvenirs, Op 28: Two-Step: Allegro molto
19. Souvenirs, Op 28: Hesitation Tango: Con moto
20. Souvenirs, Op 28: Galop: Allegro molto

Customer Reviews:

Barber: genius; Pollack: great, but not as great as John Browning.......2007-05-29

This CD includes a mini biography of the composer and a short description of each piece, which is always a plus. I am still amazed he wrote those 3 sketches at such a young age! Barber's music is always lyrical, even when it sounds a-tonal. While John Browning is the most popular interpreter of Barber's music, Pollack also does a wonderful job. The only problem I have is his playing of the Nocturne, op. 33, because he plays it very heavily and too fast, much unlike a nocturne should be.

A variety of emotions.......2006-11-16

This CD collects all the published piano music of Samuel Barber, including the highly regarded masterwork SONATA, OP.26. The SONATA, in four movements, goes from the severe in the first movement to the openly joyous in the second; the third movement builds slowly to a mighty grumbling before just as slowly resigning itself to a quiet resolve. The final movement is all energy, requiring great technical prowess, which pianist Daniel Pollack has. It's an excellent performance.

Some of the other pieces, though less demanding, are most enjoyable. The four EXCURSIONS explore "regional idioms," including boogie-woogie, the blues, and country roots (this last is delightful). The four SOUVENIRS show Barber at his most humorous: the Waltz is laugh-out-loud charming, and the Hesitation Tango is just that - and very compelling. This is an excellent CD all around, from the varied and intelligent music of Barber to the assured, lyrical interpretations by Pollack. Highly recommended.

Samuel Barber's Piano Music.......2003-11-26

Samuel Barber's(1910 --1981) music is lyrical, romantic, and accessible. But his music still manages to be challenging. As is the case with many American composers, Barber tried to develop an American voice by combining art music with American themes derived from jazz and American popular culture. Again, Barber wrote in an accessible way using sophisticated 20th century compositional techniques.

Although he did not compose a great deal of music for solo piano, much of what Barber did write is outstanding. This disc on the budget-priced Naxos label includes all of Barber's published solo piano music performed by Daniel Pollack. Pollack knows and plays this music well indeed. He performed Barber's piano sonata at the First International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in 1958. The CD includes detailed, insightful liner notes by Victor and Marina Ledin.

Barber's piano sonata op 26 (1946) is the highlight of this disc and is a work that has become an important part of the piano repertory. The work is in four movements, and in it Barber uses an expansive musical vocabulary which includes serial composition. The work is romantic and virtuosic and immediately appealing. Vladimir Horowitz championed this music and it has been recorded many times.

The sonata opens with a two-note falling figure with the second note heavily accented that becomes the basis for the opening allegro movement. Throughout the first movement, loud, virtuosic passages alternate with quieter sections, with feathery piano writing in the instrument's high register. The two-note figure is prominent at the end of the movement with a shift in accent to the first note of the pair. The second movement is a short, light scherzo which picks up on the quieter portions of the first movement. The third movement, an adagio, is spare and minimalist. It rises to a large climax before the music falls away pensively over a walking bass. The last movement is a fugue which begins rapidly and quickly develops to a frenzied, cataclysmic conclusion.

The other extended works on this CD are two piano suites. The first suite, "Excursions" Op. 20 (1942-1944) was also championed by Horowitz. It consists of four movements based upon American jazz and popular song. The first movement features a syncopated theme with repeated notes over a boogie-woogie theme in the bass. The second movemement develops as a blues, with a slow-drag theme that becomes more prominent as the movement progresses. It reminded me of a Gershwin piano prelude. The third movement consists of a lyrical, rippling theme in a moderate tempo which undergoes brief variations. The final movement is a foot-stomping barn dance. The movement reminded me of a conservative Charles Ives.

The other suite in this collection is titled "Souvenirs", op 28 (1951-1952) It consists of six short dance movements. (Barber used it for a ballet.) I loved this piece. It is deliberately anachronistic in character and is a throw-back to a hotel-style elegance just before WW I. In listening to this suite, I tried to think of the tone it intended to convey. Some people find this music light and frivolus while others find it ironic. I heard it as loving, but detached and a bit distant. Barber is trying deliberately to recreate a musical experience in an idiom that is no longer his. I think the tone is affectionate, with the music played straight (rather than satirically), but with a distinct feeling of looking back. Thus the title, "Souvenirs".

There are a number of short pieces on this CD including three sketches dating from Barber's 13th year. I enjoyed the Nocturne which is highly chromatic (op. 33) and the late Ballade, Op. 46 among these short works.

This disc is part of the Naxos "American Classics" series. It will allow the listener to get to know some great works of 20th century American piano music.

What's the rush?.......2003-10-22

I can't tell if the overly fast tempi on much of this recording is so all the works could be jammed onto one CD, or if Mr. Pollack was dared to see how fast he could go. To be fair, he starts the Sonata at the metronome marking in the score (which some performers do not) but he doesn't keep it there. He pulls back tremendously in the second theme, then rushes through much of the closing theme so quickly as if to suggest that hearing the notes is not the important part. I'm impressed at how fast he can play certain parts (and the scherzo), but what honestly is the point? Passages in the development and coda are reduced to a blurry mash. Along with this he punches many notes (first and third movements), especially in the base, that have no need for added emphasis. Barber provided enough angularity to this piece that just playing it gets the message - and the music - across. The fourth movement, I will concede, is as admirable as any other performance.
The rest of the works on the CD fare better - in areas where a change in tempo might be tasteful, Mr. Pollack seems invariably to push ahead but it doesn't sabotage anything as badly as the Sonata.
Despite the tempting price, a newcomer to Barber's piano output would do better to buy John Browning's recording and come back to this one later for a different viewpoint.

Barber at a bargain.......2001-09-10

Daniel Pollack has a special relationship to this music. He premiered Samuel Barber's Piano Sonata in the Soviet Union, and played it to wildly enthusiastic acclaim during the 1958 Tschaikovsky competition. That was the year Cliburn took the Gold medal, but Pollack was also a winner, and was very well received.

I am very familiar with the Sonata. I performed it at my senior piano recital in college. I also had the pleasure of playing most of the Sonata for Daniel Pollack when I competed in a college-based piano competition. It was a special pleasure for me to learn how intimately he knows this piece. Pollack plays the Sonata with tremendous energy, brilliance and passion. The recorded sound of this Naxos CD is bright and a little too resonant for my taste. Still, the performance is thoroughly exciting, sometimes to the point of being overwhelmingly powerful (for example, at the end of the fugue).

I own eleven recordings of the Barber Piano Sonata on CD or LP. Although Pollack's is not my first choice, his playing is so exciting and powerful that I regard his performance as special and worth having. My favorites are Cliburn and Horowitz. My other recordings include Garrick Ohlsson, Willis Deloney, two by John Browning, Leo McCawley, Earl Wild, Peter Lawson and Ruth Laredo. It would be difficult to rank these performances, as they all have something special to commend them. Pollack's passion and abandon stand out in this group.

The other Barber works are less familiar to me, and so I am less able to comment on them. They seem beautifully played and, again, only hampered a little by the overly resonant sound.

If one is looking for a single disc of Barber's piano music, this one would be hard to beat, especially at its budget price.

Average customer rating:

Fauré: Four Hand Piano Music Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Fantasies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Fantasies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: French Piano Duets Dvorák: Four-Hand Piano Music Vol.2 Fauré: Orchestral Music Mendelssohn: Complete Works for Piano 4 Hands The Best of Fauré ASIN: B00004SYFR Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

1. Souvenirs De Bayreuth: I
2. Souvenirs De Bayreuth: II
3. Souvenirs De Bayreuth: III
4. Souvenirs De Bayreuth: IV
5. Souvenirs De Bayreuth: V
6. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: I. Capriccio
7. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: II. Fant
8. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: III. Fugue in a
9. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: IV. Adagietto
10. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: V. Improvisation
11. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: VI. Fugue in e
12. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: VII. Allegresse
13. Huit Pieces Breves, Op.84: VIII. Nocturne No.8
14. Masques Et Bergamasques, Op.112: Ov
15. Masques Et Bergamasques, Op.112: Menuet
16. Masques Et Bergamasques, Op.112: Gavotte
17. Masques Et Bergamasques, Op.112: Pastorale
18. Allegro Symphonique, Op.68 (From Ste, Op.20)
19. Dolly Ste, Op.56: Berceuse
20. Dolly Ste, Op.56: Mi-a-ou
21. Dolly Ste, Op.56: Le Jardin De Dolly
22. Dolly Ste, Op.56: Kitty Valse
23. Dolly Ste, Op.56: Tendresse
24. Dolly Ste, Op.56: Le Pas Espagnol

Average customer rating: What an awful album Outstanding Prine Lite Audio paradise Mellow Prine

Souvenirs John Prine Manufacturer: Oh Boy ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Fair & Square Bruised Orange Sweet Revenge John Prine Diamonds in the Rough ASIN: B00004YR4C Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

1. Souvenirs
2. Fish And Whistle
3. Far From Me
4. Angel From Montgomery
5. Donald & Lydia
6. Christmas In Prison
7. Storm Windows
8. Grandpa Was A Carpenter
9. The Late John Garfield Blues
10. Blue Umbrella
11. Six O' Clock News
12. People Puttin' People Down
13. Sam Stone
14. Please Don't Bury Me
15. Hello In There

Amazon.com

When John Prine wrote and recorded the likes of "Hello in There," "Angel from Montgomery," and "Souvenirs" in the early '70s, he came across like a Social Security recipient in a young man's body. As he revisits those tunes and more favorites from his salad days, the wisdom Prine possessed as a twentysomething troubadour seems all the more remarkable. The raison d'être for Souvenirs may be rather prosaic. Prine rerecorded 15 early classics so that he could own master recordings of a bunch of songs from his first three albums, as well as a few stragglers from the late '70s and early '80s. But the flatteringly spare arrangements and Prine's wizened delivery only add weight to these heavy-hearted folk tunes. "It took me years to get those souvenirs / And I don't know how they slipped away from me," Prine sings on the title track, a remnant from 1972's Diamonds in the Rough. Well, John, they didn't slip away at all; they're still shining like gems under a layer of dust. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

What an awful album.......2007-02-04

Even as a die hard John Prine fan, I've been disappointed with his efforts over the last 10 years. When Souvenirs came out, I thought it was redundant. Anybody can re-record their own stuff. I was afraid I'd think it a pale comparison of the original recordings. Boy was I right! I bought this album finally, to finish off my collection and what a stinker it is. Most of the selections have already been revisited on Live on Tour - where they were excellent. Even though it can be fun and interesting to hear the artist play the same song a little differently, Souvenirs doesn't do it for me.

Outstanding .......2005-04-18

Here's a CD both for Prine fans and for the uninitiated. For fans you get fifteen of his finest songs recorded anew in quiet, almost acoustic arrangements that only enhance the intimate stories he tells of misfit lovers, forgotten seniors and broken war vets. For people who've been missing out on Prine all these thirty odd years, Souvenirs is a perfect introduction and incentive to dive more fully into a great observer and teller of human stories. Best: Souvenirs, Angel from Montgomery, Donald and Lydia, and Grandpa Was a Carpenter. But on this CD the best is only slightly better than the excellent rest.

Prine Lite.......2004-12-26

John Prine's albums are usually "warts and all" affairs, and that's one of his charms. But Souvenirs is different, this is an older, wiser, more mellow Prine singing here. He's smoothed out the rough edges, making his material more accessible.

This CD would be a great introduction to John's music for those who are not that familiar with his work. It features many of his best songs, with simple arrangements, performed in a laid back style. I think all Prine fans should buy Souvenirs for their friends, then they might understand why we love this man's music so much.

Audio paradise.......2004-11-02

I don't recall ever hearing more beautiful acoustic guitar picking than on the title track. Wonderful, revealing new versions of his most beautiful songs. I found the new renditions moving and eye-opening, particularly on Souvenirs and Six O'Clock News, but they're all gems. An essential addition to any John Prine collection.

Mellow Prine.......2003-04-22

If you are a John Prine fan, you will have to have this one.
It's all of John's best songs recorded in a bit slower beat, with better production and instrumentation than the original recordings. Usually, I don't care for re-recorded former songs, but this is a definite exception. If you've heard the originals, you will love these. They reveal John's growth
as a performer. These songs deserved this touch up.
Thanks John.

Average customer rating: Two very worthwhile Barber revivals John Browning's Barber Concerto is First Rate! Valuable for Barber devotees Breathtakingly beautiful symphony, performance matches! Barber enthusiasts, here you go.

Samuel Barber: Symphony No. 1/Piano Concerto/Souvenirs Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Barber | Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music St. Louis Symphony Orchestra | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: American Masters: Barber, Harris, Schuman Copland the Modernist Dukas: Symphony in C; La Peri; Sorcerer's Apprentice Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Capricorn Concerto ASIN: B000003F3J Release Date: 1991-05-10

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 1, Op. 9: Allegro ma non troppo
2. Symphony No. 1, Op. 9: Allegro molto
3. Symphony No. 1, Op. 9: Andante tranquillo
4. Symphony No. 1, Op. 9: Con moto Passacaglia
5. Piano Concerto, Op. 38: Allegro appassionato
6. Piano Concerto, Op. 38: Canzone: Moderato
7. Piano Concerto, Op. 38: Allegro molto
8. Souvenirs, Op. 28: Waltz
9. Souvenirs, Op. 28: Schottische
10. Souvenirs, Op. 28: Pas de deux
11. Souvenirs, Op. 28: Two-Step
12. Souvenirs, Op. 28: Hesitation-Tango
13. Souvenirs, Op. 28: Galop

Amazon.com

Both major works on this release are rarely performed and rarely recorded--but they shouldn't be. The First Symphony can stand right beside Aaron Copland's Third Symphony and Roy Harris's Third Symphony. In fact, Barber's has more complications than either of the other works, but is structurally and tonally their equal. The Piano Concerto was itself premiered by John Browning, who had considerable input on the work, along with a last-minute suggestion in the final movement from the great Vladimir Horowitz that allowed a human being to actually play it. It's no cakewalk and should have more currency than it does. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Two very worthwhile Barber revivals.......2006-06-13

Leonard Slatkin was the house conductor of American music in the Eighties for both EMI and RCA. Along iwth his premiere recording of the Corigliano Sym. #1, this revival of two major Barber works was Slatkin's finest hour. American symphonies around WW II rested on the shoulders of serious-minded composers now rarely played (Walter Piston, William Schuman, David Diamond, Roy Harris), and in that less-than-towering landscape the Barber First sounded confident, propulsive, optimistic, and full of song. What could be better? The work was played everywhere and recorded by no less than Bruno Walter.

If its idiom now seems dated, I don't think it matters much. The work's original strengths are still present, particularly Barber's haunting aria for oboe in the slow movement. This composer was never one for structure, but at 21 min. the symphony has no time to wander and makes a great first impression. Slatkin's reading is engaging and has the benefit of gorgeous sonics from BMG.

The Piano Concerto, at half an hour, does wander too much, and at times when no ideas occur to him, Barber thorws in fingering frills and pointless ornamentation. John Browning, the dedicatee, was at his height when he premiered the work in 1962. Since then his career has waned. I can't tell why given how beautifully he plays here, with both power and lyricism. Barber ventures a shade more into modernism, with clashing dissonances between piano and orchestra, and the effect is more bracing than the symphny. the high point of the concerto is the slow movement, where the melody and its devlopment are quite mysteriously woven. It's a shame that the piano concerto couldn't be ten minutes shorter, because it is otherwise a piece that draws you in.

John Browning's Barber Concerto is First Rate!.......2001-03-28

To have John Browning's interpretation (the concerto was written for him) on digital format is a priceless treasure. Samuel Barber was a devoted fan of Browning, and it would seem that Browning had an incomprehensible understanding of Barber's music. This collaberation makes for an exciting recording of an incredibly complex piece of music! The performance of the Symphony is straightforward and uncomplicated, though it lacks the luster of the Concerto performance. Overall, 5 stars!

Valuable for Barber devotees.......2000-06-14

Barber's Symphony No. 1 is an early yet mature work of unrelenting seriousness, melodic richness and genuine power. Though not entirely free of cliche, this is a very heart-felt and satisfying 21-minute work, in four loosely connected movements.

The Piano Concerto strikes me as being less inspired, more of a work to admire than to love. Certainly Barber doesn't lavish the same lyrical affection on the piano that he did on the violin or the cello in his respective concerti for those instruments; by design, the piano concerto does not exploit the piano as a vehicle for showy display. For me, the angular motif introduced by the piano at the beginning of the first movement wears out its welcome, so often it is repeated. The second movement is more lyrical, more like the Barber of "Adagio for Strings" vintage. The third movement is high-energy and percussive with a skillful interplay between soloist and orchestra.

The encore is Souvenirs, an incidental work of "pure nostalgia" for piano duet. Slatkin joins Browning at the piano here and they make the music sound completely improvisatory, like they're making it up as they go along. It's a delightfully lightweight but inventively melodic suite.

All in all, this is a disc that Barber enthusiasts will want. With good sound and performances, it can certainly be recommended to a broader range of collectors as well.

Breathtakingly beautiful symphony, performance matches!.......2000-01-27

The Piano Concerto is well done, with excellent contributions from all parties. If you are expecting something like Barber's Violin Concerto played on the piano, you will be disappointed; however, if you approach the work without any preconceptions, you stand to be greatly rewarded.

Souvenirs isn't my favorite Barber, but it is well played by Browning and Slatkin at the keyboard.

However, the disc offers quite a find to me, and that is the performance of the symphony. Barber's composition is thrilling and gripping in both I and II, while III and IV (note that it is a one mov't work divided into four parts)have Barber's trademarks of lyricism and power. I and II are appropriately executed by the performers, while III is especially beautiful, with a wonderful solo oboe and a hushed string accompaniment reminiscient of Dvorak's Sym. 9, mov't II (also the same vein as the similarly-scored slow mov't of Barber's Violin Concerto? Same idea!), with an overwhelming transition to IV, a Passacaglia that makes you believe in the form. Slatkin and St. Louis leave simple professionalism behind to reach a transcendence in playing and interpretation of this work that is stunning. The contribution of the solo oboe in III is remarkable, as is the responsiveness of each player/section to the music, playing like chamber musicians. The transition to III is not only emotionally overwhelming, but packed with goosebumps and a tear. Their performance of IV convinces you that the tear was not shed in vain, and the more should be coming! (Okay, maybe that's over the top, but this music and performance really move me!). While charges of pedestrian interpretation and matter-of-fact, too brisk tempi can be sometimes levelled against Slatkin, here is hardly the case. Slatkin has the music unfold oganically, with perfectly-timed climaxes. I don't know how else to say it, but such advocacy for Barber is immensely gratifying. The performances are perserved in excellent sound, with the quality work done again by J. D. Sachs and W. Hoekstra.

Barber enthusiasts, here you go........1999-12-04

John Browning, for whom the concerto was written brings Barber's imprimatur to this recording, along with great energy and sensitivity. The last two movements are ethereal and exhilirating, respectively. This piece displays some of the thorny modernity for which Barber is not so well known. The Symphony, an earlier composition, is also performed with great power by the orchestra under Slatkin's direction. If Brahms can be seen as the heir to Beethoven, combining Romantic sentiment with classical rigor, Barber picks up this thread in this symphony, a one movement (with four sections) piece built with great economy around a single theme. The finale, a passcaglia, recalls Brahms' fourth symphony. The slow movement is trademark Barber lyricism, while the scherzo is a bit spikier and quite exciting. Slatkin is becoming a premiere interpreter of American music and the more I hear, the more I'm impressed with him. For anyone who wants to get a little more in-depth than the Adagio and the Violin concerto, this is an excellent place to start.

Average customer rating: The greatest CD I've bought in years Least approachable of Hamelin's Alkan, yet still magnificent Please listen to the OTHER tracks in this CD as well. A Maturity that is Everlasting! Marc-Andre Hamelin does it again!

Alkan: Symphony for solo piano Marc-Andre Hamelin Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Hamelin, Marc-André | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Alkan: Grande sonate 'Les quatre âges', Sonatine, Le festin d'Esope Marc-André Hamelin Live at Wigmore Hall Alkan: 12 Études, Op. 39 Alkan: Piano Works; Ronald Smith Charles-Valentin Alkan: Concerto For Solo Piano ASIN: B00005JJ3N Release Date: 2001-07-10

Tracks:

1. Sym, Op.39 Nos.4-7: Allegro
2. Sym, Op.39 Nos.4-7: Marche Funebre: Andantino
3. Sym, Op.39 Nos.4-7: Menuet
4. Sym, Op.39 Nos.4-7: Finale: Presto
5. Salut, Cendre Du Pauvre!, Op.45
6. Alleluia, Op.25
7. Super Flumina Babylonis, Op.52 (Paraphrase Du Psaume 137)
8. Souvenirs: Trois Morceaux Dans Le Genre Pathetique, Op.25: Aime-moit
9. Souvenirs: Trois Morceaux Dans Le Genre Pathetique, Op.25: Le Vent
10. Souvenirs: Trois Morceaux Dans Le Genre Pathetique, Op.25: Morte

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Alkan's one of music's originals, a relatively neglected composer valued for his highly original, often visionary keyboard works accessible only to the most skilled virtuosos. Marc-André Hamelin certainly fills that bill and almost outdoes himself on this disc, playing with breathtaking virtuosity and imaginative insight. The Symphony for solo piano is just a four-movement work of symphonic scope and color. The opening Allegro is a tightly structured drama, followed by a Mahlerian funeral march, a vigorous scherzo, and a final blistering Presto dispatched by Hamelin with almost supernatural ease. The Symphony was part of an even bigger work, the Opus 39 Études, whose 12 pieces include Alkan's best music. The three brief pieces that follow have strong attractions, deep spirituality prime among them. The final three pieces from his early Opus 15 set exemplify Alkan the Romantic. Again, Hamelin makes light of their technical difficulties, while shaping them sensitively. Notable are Le vent, where the right-hand runs make you hear the whistling wind and Morte, another powerful funeral march. Vivid sound captures Hamelin's nuanced playing, helping to make this disc a must-have for pianophiles. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

The greatest CD I've bought in years.......2006-04-25

Ask most classical music fans about Charles-Valentin Alkan and they'll most likely have no clue what to say. I always assumed, after seeing his name in various books, that he was either an obscure opera composer or a twentieth century atonal experimenter. This mindset changed when I happened to come across this CD on the Hyperion website. I learned who Alkan really was, and being the Lisztian and Chopinite I am, I bought this instantly without even listening to a sample track. This has been the most fortunate gamble I've ever taken; the other passionate and eloquent reviews here pretty much confirm that I was right to plunge myself into Alkan.

For those new to Alkan, this is probably the best place to start. Although, after my own first hearing of this CD, I immediately ordered every Alkan CD on the Naxos label and found the Op. 35 Etudes an essential showcase for Alkan's unbelievable genius. It's hard to believe that this obscure hermit who lived next to Chopin was composing such original and extraordinary music. A beginner to Alkan's music might sense a fusion between the styles of Chopin and Liszt, with a spice of Schumann and a tinge of Rachmaninov, if that's possible. Alkan possesses all the faculties for creating gorgeous and beautiful melodies; indeed, he holds his own with Chopin in that area. But Alkan's renowned for composing demonic works with monstrous technical passages that stretch the limits of the piano. While this reputation tends to overshadow his musicality and Beethovenian depth of expression, Alkan is frankly successful with writing tour-de-force compositions. He does it better than Liszt himself, as exemplified by the menacing crashes of the Symphony for Solo Piano and the violent coda of Morte from the Op. 15.

The Symphony for Solo Piano is a masterpiece in my book. I've heard countless large-scale piano works and I must say nothing has ever made such an impression on me as this portion of the Op. 39. With Classical structure and Romantic furor, the work rivals any contemporary Sonata from Chopin, Schumann or even Brahms for that matter. To quote Francois Luguenot, "The structure of the piece is as perfect, and its proportions as harmonious, as those of a movement in a symphony by Mendelssohn, but the whole is dominated by a deeply passionate mood." Indeed, whether in the brooding first Allegro movement, the satirically gloomy funeral march, or the tempestuous Menuet, one can easily see that this work is a monumental tapestry of music. There is a comforting but mind-blowing range of expression in this masterpiece. If devilish torrents of pianism appeal to you, I guarantee the Finale, a "ride in hell" as Raymond Lewenthal aptly said, will tingle your spine and keep the blood pumping.

After listening to this recording dozens of times, I'm convinced the highlight of the CD is actually the Souvenirs: Trois Morceaux dans le genre pathetique Op. 15. Although harshly criticized by Schumann, I've never heard better works of their kind, whether from Chopin, Liszt, Henselt, or Rubinstein. This Op. 15 is a trinity of towering, gushing Romantic piano compositions. The first, Aime-moi, is astonishing in its scope, expressive ideas, and utter transcendence. Hamelin reveals a breathtaking degree of interpretative clairvoyance here. Even more tremendous is the simple but profound "Le vent," a heart-wrenching and melancholy excursion that defies the sonorities of the piano. To quote Liszt, "'Le vent' is the most Romantic of the three...One can almost hear the rain trickling down the oak trees' trunks, and, in great reverence, one can listen to the tune which floats above all these subdued murmurings, like the song of the lover or the poet as he looks upon Nature's sorrow yet without feeling that sadness in himself because he holds in his heart the gentle glow of a memory or a hope." Concluding this trio of jewels, Morte explores a dark abyss of sound, generating a level of pathos and fury unlike anything I've heard. The sinister "Dies Irae" opening leads to a lamenting and morbid development, replete with beautifully somber phrases and violent outbursts. Morte's underlying dark beauty and intensity shares a plateau with Beethoven's own Funeral Marches, in my view.

The three pieces that separate the Symphony for Solo Piano and the Op. 15 are equally impressive, as well. "Salut, cendre du pauvre!" is satisfyingly enchanting, dark, and pensive. Likewise, the "Super flumina Babylonis" proves to be just as engrossing, with memorable and intelligent ideas. Some other reviewers have spoken unkindly towards the glorious "Alleluia," but I don't believe it's as superficial as some have labeled it: Alkan's sense of replicating the organ's textures into the piano's registers, and the sheer majestic effect of a chorus, are all inherent in this brief but ecstatic work.

Bottom line: Those with an affinity for Liszt and Romantic piano will almost automatically love this music. The impact of hearing this magnificent but neglected music is like that of discovering fire by accident. It's one of the best CD's I've purchased in years; the performance of the extraordinary and god-like pianist, Marc-Andre Hamelin, is a triumph. I implore the reader to buy this right now and discover the stupendous music of Alkan.

Least approachable of Hamelin's Alkan, yet still magnificent.......2004-09-18

Hamelin continues his recording of Alkan's magnificent op 39 with numbers 4-7: The Symphony for Solo Piano. The collection also features somber pieces such as, Salut cendre du pauvre op 45, Super flumina Babylonis op 52, and the fantastic Trois Morceaux dans le genre Pathetique Op 15. Again, Hamelin's stays loyal to Alkan's vision and his technique speaks for itself.

The Symphony is tonally perfect. With Hamelin, you really do get the feeling you are listening to a symphony. The structure and execution of the Allegro is impeccable, and surpasses all others. Hamelin playing allows the listener to hear the great contrasts of emotions in the Marche Funèbre, and Menuet (pieces that anticipate Mahler and Bruckner respectively). The Finale, called "Ride in Hell" by Raymond Lewenthal is exactly that with Hamelin. The fact that Hamelin holds back until about 2:05 makes the climax of this piece even more spectacular.

Salut Cendre du Pauvre, and Super Flumina Babylonis are both gloomy pieces that are played with maturity and a great deal of control. While not as grand as the other works on the CD, they are still very interesting. Hamelin's technique do not make these pieces dull at all. Alleluia is a short piece brimming with joy and energy, but is the most superficial of the bunch.

The Trois Morceaux are remarkably treated. In many Alkan recordings, the listener is weighed down by the technical troubles the pianist experiences, and they are not able to hear the actual music. This is not at all the case with Hamelin's performance; his skill allows Alkan's music to be heard and not simply the performer's technique. The bizarrely named pieces radiate melancholy, gloom, and all the emotion that Chopin and Liszt could express in their music (and more). Hamelin delivers.

This CD is probably the least approachable of Hamelin's Alkan but is also the most profound. It causes one to re-think classical literature as a whole. In Hamelin's performance, we get to hear the profound Alkan as never before.

Please listen to the OTHER tracks in this CD as well........2002-05-28

Even though the highlight of this CD is the Symphony for Solo Piano, I think the supporting tracks are the real reason why I would recommend this CD. They are all titled in very bizarre names, and I'm afraid most listeners would listen to them once and put them away for good. Here's a brief rundown of the supporting tracks:

"Salut, cendre du pauvre" - tough to categorize this work with any other composer. It's not as dramatic as most of the works in this CD. If Beethoven's 6th symphony brought the listener closer to nature, I guess that would be a similar reasoning with this work.

"Alleuia" - short work, the name says it all. The least interesting recording in the CD.

"Super flumina Babylonia" - a very interesting, dramatic work. I somehow find this work similar to a Bach keyboard toccata. It has a very interesting fugue in the middle and I just wished Alkan would've developed it longer considering it goes back to the original slow theme before it really has a chance to take off.

"Aime moi" - This is the highlight of the CD. This work has as much emotional range as any of the great Chopin Ballades. The main theme is one of the most beautiful music that I ever heard. Hamelin really brings a sense of longing to this work. Arthur Rubinstein would've been proud of this recording.

"Le Vent" - Very similar to the effect that Chopin brought to the op. 25 no. 12 etude, also known as the "Ocean Etude." Very interesting, but the main theme doesn't really develop into anything... but neither did Chopin and his work.

"Morte" - Take Chopin's great Polonaise-fantaisie in Aflat-major.... and instead of the dreamlike motif, substitute it with the Dies Irae theme. This is a truly great work and Hamelin does a wonderful job assimilating all the different moments.

A Maturity that is Everlasting!.......2002-04-14

Symphony:

This has to be the finest recording of the Sypmhony ever! Everyone I have spoken to comment on the way Marc-Andre Hamelin plays the Presto Finale - yes sure the speed is amazing and it is faultless throughout, but I think that he plays the first movement Allegro Moderato the best. As the first notes sound, you can hear something extraordinary is about to happen. He plays the first movement with such maturity - he interprets it the way it should be - with passion, fire, sorrow etc. His lyrical lines always lead somewhere and his pedalling is fantastic. The best part though in this movement is the coda - full of agitation, strong fingerwork and careful phrasing make it a wondrous close to the first movement.

Next is the Marche Funebre. I think people under-estimate the difficulty of this piece. It calls for both hands to play and sustain a note with the 5th finger and then the other fingers play staccato chords. Hamelin does this with a wonderful effect and, even though it is a 'Funeral', he always keeps the march pace.

The Minuet (Scherzo): Hamelin pulls this off with EXCELLENT phrasing, accentuation, pedalling and speed. He really makes it sound like a Scherzo (which in actual fact it is). In complete contrast to the Scherzo - the Trio just wants to make you fall asleep - the cantabile playing is unmatched and dreamlike!

Presto Finale: What can I say - "a ride in hell" played with energy provides a fantastic conlcusion to an original work.

The Next Three Pieces:

All not too long and very interesting. One that I must point out though is the Alleluia. Hamelin plays this with a strong, even tone on every chord, which makes it actually sound like a massive choir - the effect is spine-tingling!

Trois Morceaux dans le Genre Pathetique:

Wow,wow,wow! These three pieces have been brought back to life! As Aime-Moi filled my room, I could feel Hamelin's emotions soaring through the BEAUTIFUL melodic lines. Within seconds I was crying! Aime-Moi is definately my favourite piece in this set and is just so delicious! I would buy the CD just for that piece!
Le vent: Immediately you can hear the wind whining through trees and long grasses in Paris (well, in my vision. This is really portrayed perfectly and should definately become popular again!
Morte: The Most mature of the set. Really demading music requring full musical potential and understanding of the music - this piece is definately "obscure in a good way". I love Hamelin's account of this piece - he plays it with such love and care - unmissable!

Summary: Get it now!

Bon apetit!
Gareth Ross

Marc-Andre Hamelin does it again!.......2001-08-19

I knew it was inevitable - Alkan's Symphony for Solo Piano is just Hamelin's repertoire and I pre-ordered this recording as soon as I became aware of its existence. Not surprisingly, this is another classic to add to the Alkan/Hamelin/Hyperion discography.

The only disappointment for me was the fourth movement of the symphony. Not that it's bad or anything, but for me, it just didn't work. I'm usually the last person to complain about Hamelin's well known tendency to make everything sound "too easy", but in this case, it really DOES seem detrimental to the music. I much prefer Gibbons in this movement - he really makes it sound like a ride in hell. Hamelin's lacks some of the passion and drive in the searing Gibbons' account. Hamelin's consistent ultra-clarity and slavery to the beat sort of dullened it for me - and the left hand octaves in the climax section really needed stronger accenting. The first movement however belongs to Hamelin - His performance is more dynamic, intense, and interesting than any other I've heard. Definitive. The second and third movements are both unique and carefully thought out. Everything else on the disc is just as I'd expect from this pianist - standard-setting and definitive. Here's hoping that Hamelin will include at least one of the remaining Op. 39 etudes (Comme le Vent, En Rhythme Molossique, Scherzo Diabolique, and Overture - minus the concerto he's already recorded) on his upcoming encore disc.

Average customer rating: I dont see it. You wont regret it. A journey to be savored every step of the way the gothic triangle Highly atmospheric and highly enjoyable.

Souvenirs The Gathering Manufacturer: The End Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: How to Measure a Planet? If_Then_Else Nighttime Birds Home Accessories: Rarities & B-Sides ASIN: B00008ZZ8P Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

1. These Good People
2. Even The Spirits Are Afraid
3. Broken Glass
4. You Learn About It
5. Souvenirs
6. We Just Stopped Breathing
7. Monsters
8. Golden Grounds
9. Jelena
10. A Life All Mine

Album Description

2003 album for the Dutch symphonic metal act. Produced by Zlaya Hadzich (Sonic Youth, Motorpsycho, Low), it features a guest appearance from Trickster G (Ulver). Ten tracks. The End Records.

Customer Reviews:

I dont see it........2007-03-03

I purchased this album having listened to the song "Broken Glass" (the only good song on the album), and I was kind of shocked when I finally listened to it. I found the whole album to be very boring. There was hardly any variation between the songs, and sometimes I didn't know whether a new song started or if one was still playing. The singer isn't bad, but definitely over-rated I think. She sings very quietly and her voice doesn't have much variation either. I definitely wouldn't buy this album, but everyone else seems to have left great reviews...so maybe I need to give it another listen.

You wont regret it........2006-04-08

This is a great album. Very consistent, takes a few times to get used to the atmosphere, but i think it?s worth it. Anyway a fortunate comeback of the best band ever!

A journey to be savored every step of the way.......2006-01-12

I'm just at a loss for words. Wow...
I found this group from a recommendation on my Amazon friends list. I've never heard any of The Gatherings previous works other than a few songs that are featured on their page on MySpace (which are great songs). I went to a music store near me and was surprised to find that they were listed in the heavy metal section. The songs on MySpace and the clips of Souvenirs on Amazon gave me the impression this group was anything but a heavy metal band, but I was wrong. The music store didn't have Souvenirs, which is the album I was really interested in listening to. Instead, they had Manylion and Nighttime Birds. I liked what I heard from those albums, but they were indeed a lot more `heavy metal' than what I'd heard of Souvenirs so I opted in not buying them. I really wanted my first album by them to be Souvenirs because the sound was a little more in my general taste than their more metal stuff...then once I got a good feel for the Souvenirs album I would start exploring their other stuff.

So I just got Souvenirs and I must say I am blown away. The first song on the album, These Good People, packs a wallop and just immerses and captivates you. The song builds up with this sexy base beat, combined with eerie piano in the background, then the song sort of explodes with the guitars and backup vocals. Anneke Van Giersbergen, the main vocalist, is just truly amazing. There are good singers in this world that are very pleasurable to listen to due to their talent, but they lack that raw emotion that digs its way into your heart. Anneke is an extremely talented singer with amazing range, and then on top of that you hear her emotion in her voice. She sings from her heart and that makes all the difference.

Some of the tracks are a bit grim, starting with These Good People, but some of the songs are lighthearted with a ting of optimism, like You Learn About It. The whole album just takes you on an incredible journey that is to be savored every step of the way. I highly recommend this album and am extremely excited to explore their other works.

the gothic triangle.......2005-06-14

its weird how people get to be so different when it comes to music,and how blind we are to things we dont understand.i rode reviews about this album.some said dont compare it to immature evanescence,and some said dont compare it to talented lacuna coil;but the case is;these three bands are not making the exact subtype style of music ; but it is sure that you can gather them all under one genre ; atmospheric ,dark music.And all of these three bands;no matter how different they are from each other;they all define the limits of the female gothic music. Evanescence;yea not an old and experianced band like the other two;is taking the easy listen part.Lacuna coil takes the "rock" side of the job ; and now ; gathering;
well i can say it is all about atmosphere.

Gathering doesnt have that heavy metal sounds anymore.that's fine cos this album is probably their biggest masterpiece,as you start listening you find yourself lost between all those long,brooding,dark tracks,sometimes soathing but mostly deeply disturbing,(in a good way:))melodies.Many times you'll feel yourself like you have lost your way in some neo-gothic city with sorrow and misery all around.
As the first words of "these good people" starts,you'll find yourself totally isolated from real world.everything will be the same but as you walk through streets with your discman on your ear;everything will look so different,more meaningfull,and dark..
the album has one track that is slightly different then others; "you learn about it" a great track reminding me other gathering songs;amity and saturnine.

The only bad thing i can say about this album is that some tracks have so long insturmental parts as their closure and it sometimes kinda bores you down.

in the end this is a masterpiece;and it should stand in a slelf proudly among evanescence/origin and lacuna coil/comailes.And, you should bless that slelf cos it will be holding the best pieces of female gothic music.

Highly atmospheric and highly enjoyable........2004-12-19

Souvenirs isn't The Gathering's best release, but it's still ranks among the top of the list in my opinion. Seeing as I'm a relative newcomer to The Gathering's music, I have yet to hear everything they've done. So, of course this would be an amazing release. I think most everyone can find at least one thing about this CD that they really like, and for me that's Anneke's voice. It truly stands out among the elite few. This is, like many reviewers before me have stated, very atmospheric. It's extremely soothing and puts you in a transe for hours. The drawback to this CD is that it's kind of meant to be experienced as a whole, as opposed to the popular formula of just putting a few good songs on a CD. This CD is more of a journey through the unknown than just a casual listen, meaning you need to invest time into listening to this, the same goes to all of The Gathering's CDs.

I find it hard to pick just a couple particular tracks that stand out since they all flow together so perfectly. Nonetheless, one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard is on here. That song is You Learn About It. This song consists of a piano and Anneke. Her voice is proudly put on display in this track, and it never sounded better. Monsters is another track that I really love on here. The drums are what caught my ear at first, and then with further listens I found that the lyrics are simply astounding as well. The only track that aggrivates me is the last track, A Life All Mine. If it wasn't for the male vocals, this would be one of my favorite songs. To me, it sounds like the guy should be screaming, not singing. He's got a gruff voice that just doesn't sound right in a calm setting. Don't let that drive you away from purchasing this though, the female vocals in the song more than make up for it.

A couple of the best songs on this CD are You Learn About It, Monsters, and Golden Grounds. As I stated before though, this release seems to be intended to be heard all the way through, so try to make a point to actually sit down and listen to it all. I would reccommend this CD to people who like to be engulfed by music, also to people who are getting into female vocalists.

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