Ancient Voices from Within

AOL SPA GUIDE, spas.about.com, June 1, 2001
#8, Best Spa Music

Product Description
A reverential hush begins as the elders representing Native American, South American and pre-columbian origins speak. Their voices converse through wood and clay sending one into a state of deep relaxation. From this deep well of regeneration, the spirit is renewed as the listener is prepared to release stress and anxiety. Reports are this CD is highly effective for insomnia and meditation. Maria used over 12 different native american, south american and pre-columbian flutes for this recording.60 minutes.

Ancient Voices from Within

Ancient Voices from Within,Maria Kostelas

Average customer rating: Fine reissue of a classic set

Purcell: Theatre Music Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Purcell, Henry | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Purcell, Henry | Composers | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Hogwood, Christopher | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Purcell, Henry | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Cantatas for Solo Countertenor Purcell: The Fairy Queen Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll Monteverdi - Madrigali guerrieri ed amorosi / Concerto Köln, Jacobs Lute Music, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0001Y4JHA Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Fine reissue of a classic set.......2006-05-24

Think about the stupidest, most formulaic Hollywood movies you can think of: cheesy action pictures, fluffy, unfunny comedies, big but stiff epics. Now imagine that one of the greatest living composers was working in Hollywood, turning out astonishing, hauntingly beautiful and stirring musical scores for these throwaway movies. That's what you get with this set: music Henry Purcell composed for some two dozen often utterly forgettable plays (trust me--I've read a number of them!) Occasionally, when he teams up with a playwright worthy of his stature, such as John Dryden, Aphra Behn, or William Congreve, the results are even better, but for the most part you can enjoy the music here without knowing anything about the original plays.

This set originally appeared as separate LPs in the 70s and 80s, and has been long out of print. That's a pity, since Purcell spent a good deal of his short professional life in the theatre, either writing the incidental music contained on these CDs, or the music for his larger works, the semi-operas (King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, and the like). Almost all of these works are enjoyable gems; certainly, they represent a pinnacle of English 17th century music. Purcell had a genius for spinning musical gold out of the most leaden lyrics (check out his Odes and Welcome Songs on Hyperion if you don't believe me), and he does the same with the song texts in these plays.

Hogwood and the AAM offer clean, listenable performances, and the sound on these old analog discs has been cleaned up and brightened--although they were pretty good, even in the late 70s. As with most Hogwood, emotional extremes are kept to a minimum, so the "otherworldly" nature of late 17th century music, so often emphasised in more recent Baroque performances, doesn't come across here. It would be interesting to see what a group like The King's Consort would do with this music, but this set fills the major gap in the Purcell canon quite nicely.

My only beef with the reissue, as with many reissues, is that the liner notes are rather thin for a 6-cd set--the lyrics to the songs, for example, are especially missed. Still, it's a worthwhile set, and a must for fans of Purcell, English Baroque music, or anyone who just wants to experience a taste of the last days of the Restoration stage.

Average customer rating:

Ancient Voices from Within: Flutes of the World Maria Kostelas Manufacturer: Flutes of the World ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: One Heart: Healing native and classical flute melodies for stress reduction, relaxation, meditation A Time for Peace: Flutes of the World Detaching the World Vol. 1 - Ambient Music for Massage/Relaxation/Meditation ASIN: B0007YA2IY Release Date: 2005-03-04

Tracks:

1. Ancient Voices from Within
2. Council of Ancients
3. The Gift of the Singing Stick

Product Description

A reverential hush begins as the elders representing Native American, South American and pre-columbian origins speak. Their voices converse through wood and clay sending one into a state of deep relaxation. From this deep well of regeneration, the spirit is renewed as the listener is prepared to release stress and anxiety. Reports are this CD is highly effective for insomnia and meditation. Maria used over 12 different native american, south american and pre-columbian flutes for this recording. 60 minutes.

Average customer rating: MUSIC TO DREAM BY...

Ancient Voices from Within ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B000069IDW Release Date: 2002-06-11

Tracks:

1. Ancient Voices from Within
2. Council of Ancients
3. The Gift of the Singing Stick

Album Description

A reverential hush begins as the elders representing Native American, South American and pre-columbian origins speak. Their voices converse through wood and clay sending one into a state of deep relaxation. From this deep well of regeneration, the spirit is renewed as the listener is prepared to release stress and anxiety. Reports are this CD is highly effective for insomnia and meditation. Maria used over 12 different native american, south american and pre-columbian flutes for this recording.60 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

MUSIC TO DREAM BY..........2003-07-08

I own this CD along with other recordings by Maria.
Her flute melodies capture the listener and transport them to a serene and beautiful place. Melodies that evoke feelings from deep within and allow you to feel peaceful in a way that no other music can so easily do.I have heard many of Maria's compositions however "Ancient Voices from Within" truly surpasses any CD I have ever used to help cleanse and heal the human spirit.
HIKO-International Pianist/Composer

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