All I Found

From the Label
All I Found, Debbie Davies’ debut Telarc release, is a gutsy, guitar-driven blues tour de force. Honing her chops in the legendary Albert Collins’ band, the Icebreakers, the guitarist/singer/songwriter has been fronting her own powerful blues units over the course of seven critically-acclaimed releases. All I Found, her eighth outing as frontwoman, finds Davies at the top of her game on an album of eleven all-original tracks co-written with longtime songwriting partner Don Costagno.

The backing unit, featuring an all-star cast of Arthur Neilson (second guitar), Bruce Katz (keyboards) and the quintessential blues rhythm section of Noel Neal (bass) and Per Hanson (drums), provides the perfect foundation for Davies’ distinctive and articulate guitar playing and the most emotive vocals of her career.

"Fortunately for me, Shemekia Copeland and her band were taking some down time, and I was able to borrow Arthur Neilson for the project," Davies says in her liner notes. "Arthur is a guitar player’s guitar player. He can do it all, from down and dirty Delta blues to uptown funky R&B. But most important of all, he’s a great guy with a great attitude and he loves to jam."

One of only a few female guitar players with a Fender endorsement, Davies has been nominated seven times for W. C. Handy Awards and won the Handy Award for Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist in 1997.

Davies’ parents were musicians--her father was an arranger and session leader for Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Pearl Bailey--and she grew up playing blues and rock on the West Coast. Attending jam sessions in Los Angeles put her in touch with players such as blues guitarist Coco Montoya. Montoya introduced her to Maggie Mayall--wife of British blues great John Mayall--which led to Davies joining Maggie’s all-woman blues and R&B band, Maggie Mayall & the Cadillacs in 1985.

Montoya also facilitated Davies’ next major career break. Montoya had, at one time, been Albert Collins’ drummer, and he introduced Davies to Collins. Collins asked her to join the Icebreakers in 1988. She toured with Collins for four years, leaving to play lead guitar for Jimmy Buffett’s harmonica man, Fingers Taylor, in 1991. Collins and Davies played together again in 1993 on Debbie’s solo debut for Blind Pig Records, Picture This. Later that year, Collins died of cancer at age 61.

"There will never be another Albert," Davies says of her mentor. "He had such a specific style. What I learned from him is that everything that comes out has to be totally wired to your soul--no matter what. I saw how much Albert could go through on the road--the headaches, the setbacks, the breakdowns--and still reach inside his soul each night and just give."

Davies, one of the top contemporary blues artists on the scene today, injects that same kind of deep, soulful resonance into All I Found. Whether performing live or in the studio, Davies takes Albert Collins’ legacy into a new century. She’s giving the blues everything she’s got.

All I Found,Debbie Davies,Telarc,Blues,Blues-Rock,Contemporary Blues,Electric Blues,Jazz,Modern Electric Blues,Pop

Average customer rating: Fun Show, Average Score Cleverness personified Fantastic Jazz Musical That's FUN!!! Great Jazz-Oriented Score I love it!

City of Angels (1990 Original Broadway Cast) Cy Coleman , David Zippel , James Naughton , and Randy Graff Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Broadway & Vocalists | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: City of Angels Seesaw (1973 Original Broadway Cast) On The Twentieth Century (1978 Original Broadway Cast) Grand Hotel: The Musical - Broadway Cast Recording Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B00000272K Release Date: 1990-02-09

Tracks:

1. Prologue-Theme From City Of Angels
2. Double Talk
3. What You Don't Know About Women
4. You Gotta Look Out For Yourself
5. The Buddy System
6. With Every Breath I Take
7. The Tennis Song
8. Ev'rybody's Gotta Be Somewhere
9. Lost And Found
10. All You Have To Do Is Wait
11. You're Nothing Without Me
12. Stay With Me
13. You Can Always Count On Me
14. Alaura's Theme
15. It Needs Work
16. L.A. Blues
17. With Every Breath I Take-Duet
18. Funny
19. I'm Nothing Without You
20. Epilogue-Theme From City Of Angels
21. Double Talk Walk

Amazon.com

Cy Coleman and David Zippel's City of Angels is a seductive depiction of 1940s Los Angeles, capturing swinging jazz, torchy ballads, witty lyrics, and even a Manhattan Transfer-like Greek chorus (arranged by ManTran guru Yaron Gershovsky). James Naughton and Gregg Edelman star as Stone and Stine, respectively a tough Raymond Chandleresque PI and the writer who dreams up his adventures. Randy Graff plays Stone's long-suffering secretary and Dee Hoty the requisite femme fatale. Loads of atmosphere and tasty songs such as "What You Don't Know About Women," "With Every Breath I Take," "You're Nothing Without Me," and "You Can Always Count on Me" make City of Angels a modern classic. It won 1990 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Leading Actor (Naughton), Featured Actress (Graff), Best Book (Larry Gelbart), and Best Original Score. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Fun Show, Average Score.......2007-02-21

Fun show, ingenuos concept, so-so score, with one exception. The ballad With Every Breath I Take is brilliant. One of Coleman's best pieces.

Cleverness personified.......2006-10-16

A duet between an author and the character he created, each claiming "you're nothing without me," is just one example of how sharp, witty and clever show is, with an unusual score, jazzy and bluesy and very 1940s, and some of the best lyrics I know.

Fantastic Jazz Musical That's FUN!!!.......2006-04-14

City of Angels is an incredibly fun, classy, and jazzy musical that delivers. Stellar vocal performances are provided by the entire cast, particularly the female end. The fact that Randy Graff was the only female from this cast nominated at the Tony Awards that year floors me. Kay McClelland and Rachel York deserved nods for their powerful solos, With Every Breath I Take and Lost Found, alone. These two songs are also the type of sultry, jazz solos that one would expect in the 40's, which is why the show works. The music is completely period with when the show takes place, and that's why I love it. The best tracks are:

3) What You Don't Know About Women
6) With Every Breath I Take (destined to be a classic)
9) Lost and Found (wonderful solo)
10) All You Have To Do Is Wait (FUN! FUN! FUN SONG!!! Hilarious as well)
11) You're Nothing Without Me
13) You Can Always Count On Me (Randy Graff's Tony!)

Great Jazz-Oriented Score.......2005-06-25

1990 Tony winner for Best Musical, "City Of Angels" contains a great score, filled with jazz-oriented melodies & torch songs. Not all the songs are terrific, but most of the score lends itself to repeat listenings. Best tracks include:

Double Talk
What You Don't Know About Women
With Every Breath I Take [beautiful song!]
Lost And Found
You're Nothing Without Me [the show's hit]
You Can Always Count On Me
Funny

Great cast ... great buy!

I love it!.......2005-02-22

This is one of my favorite soundtracks ever! Since I'm going to be working on music for the show, I'm happy that this is the case. It has been in my CD player for a few weeks now, and there's enough variety for it not to get old. But having read through the script makes the lyrics infinitely wittier. Musicals are supposed to rely partially on the lyrics and partially on the script. This show does that perfectly. Without the script, the lyrics are (apparently) lacking. But without the lyrics, the script is missing something. When you put the two pieces together, however, it's really easy to see why this show won a Tony.

Average customer rating: Very pleased Sumptuous and mellow One of the Best Collections of English Madrigals A Delightful Collection of English Madrigal A wide variety

All At Once Well Met: English Madrigals; The King's Singers John Dowland , Thomas Morley , Thomas Weelkes , John Wilbye , William Byrd , John Farmer , and The King's Singers Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Byrd, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Dowland | Dowland, John | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music King's Singers | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Madrigals | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Byrd, William | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dowland, John | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music King's Singers | ( K ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: English and Italian Renaissance Madrigals The King"s Singers: English Renaissance Olde English Madrigals & Folk Songs at Ely Cathedral Madrigal History Tour Annie Laurie ~ Folksongs of the British Isles / Barrueco · The King's Singers ASIN: B000002RPZ Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. English Madrigals: A Little Pretty Bonny Lass
2. English Madrigals: Weep No More, Thou Sorry Boy
3. English Madrigals: Shoot False Love
4. English Madrigals: Now Is The Month Of Maying
5. English Madrigals: Four Arms, Two Necks, One Wreathing
6. English Madrigals: Hark, All Ye Lovely Saints Above
7. English Madrigals: Since Robin Hood
8. English Madrigals: Though Philomela Lost Her Love
9. English Madrigals: O Wretched Man
10. English Madrigals: Weep, O Mine Eyes
11. English Madrigals: The Nightingale, The Organ Of Delight
12. English Madrigals: Come, Sirrah Jack, Ho!
13. English Madrigals: Cruel, Behold My Heavy Ending
14. English Madrigals: Fair Phyllis I Saw Sitting All Alone
15. English Madrigals: Sing We And Chant It
16. English Madrigals: On A Fair Morning
17. English Madrigals: Oft Have I Vowed
18. English Madrigals: Is Love A Boy?
19. English Madrigals: Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
20. English Madrigals: All At Once Well Met
21. English Madrigals: Construe My Meaning
22. English Madrigals: Lord! When I Think
23. English Madrigals: Cruel, Wilt Thou Persever
24. English Madrigals: Fine Knacks For Ladies
25. English Madrigals: Strike It Up, Tabor
26. English Madrigals: I Love, Alas I Love Thee
27. English Madrigals: Farwell, Dear Love
28. English Madrigals: See, See The Shepherd's Queen
29. English Madrigals: Have I Found Her
30. English Madrigals: Lady Your Words Do Spite Me
31. English Madrigals: Were I A King
32. English Madrigals: Come Again
33. English Madrigals: Tan Ta Ra, Cries Mars
34. English Madrigals: Why Should I Love?
35. English Madrigals: This Sweet And Merry Month Of May

Customer Reviews:

Very pleased.......2007-06-10

I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought this CD. True, I could have listened on line before buying but that would have taken the fun out of the purchase. Besides, I really didn't care for the CD the first couple of times I listened but now I really love it. It's not something to listen to all the time but given the right circumstances e.g. a small gathering of friends, it's perfect. If I'd listened to online, I wouldn't have purchased it.

Sumptuous and mellow.......2002-11-28

The six men of the King's Singers present sweet and light-hearted madrigals of such English composers as Morley, Weelkes, Dowland, Wilbye and Byrd. The thirty five selections include "Now is the Month of Maying", "Though Philomela Lost Her Love", "Sing We and Chant It," the celebration of tobacco entitled "Come, Sirrah Jack, Ho!" and a host of other fa-la-la-la-la venues interspersed with wistful laments. I love the rich, sonorous sound of a male vocal ensemble, with countertenors, tenor, baritones and bass, and these six singers do a great job. Occasional instrumental accompaniments by lute and tabor are included, but this group doesn't really need it--I could listen to them for hours all by themselves. Also quite enjoyable, as well as educational, is their earlier release, "The King's Singers' Madrigal History Tour: Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany". For a more risque' take on the vocal music of Renaissance England, you might get a kick out of "The Art of the Bawdy Song" by the Baltimore Consort with the Merry Companions.

One of the Best Collections of English Madrigals.......2002-03-27

Any fan of the King's Singers will regret not having this album in their collection.

This album offers a veritable feast of the choicest English madrigals found on any comparable album. From the obligatory "Now is the Month of Maying" and "Fair Phyllis" to the more obscure "Tan ta ra, cries Mars," there is certainly enough on this album to bring a smile to lovers of Renaissance music - and a spark of recognition to anyone who sang traditional madrigals in high school or university. For serious students of early music, this album comes very highly recommended.

Among the more sonorous offerings on this album, Jones' "Farewell, Dear Love" and Dowland's "Come Again," cannot be ignored. Nor can Bennet's immortal "Weep O mine eyes" be matched more musically than here by the King's Singers.

This album has been played again and again for almost 6 years as both serious listening and background working music. And it has yet to lose its delight.

A Delightful Collection of English Madrigal.......2000-08-16

With 35 tracts to enjoy you're sure to find a couple of favorites. I gave this CD 4 of 5 stars compared to 5 stars for the King's Singers World Madrigal Tour CD. If you prefer all your songs in English, this will be your 5 star CD. Tract 32 "Come again" is my favorite due to the surperb tenor lead and melodic development. Compared to many polyphonic early music styles (1300s-1485), this era (1500-1610) provides many memorable melodies.

A wide variety.......2000-04-28

This is an excellent sampling of English madrigals. This presentation, given by an older roster of the Singers, is a nice introduction to the world of the madrigal, and English madrigals in particular.

Average customer rating: wedding songs

Wedding Collection Manufacturer: Madacy Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Johann Strauss Sr. | Strauss Sr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Wedding Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music ASIN: B000000KGE Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

1. Wedding Chor From 'Lohengrin' - Choir Of Belgrad Nat Opr
2. Matrimonial Benediction in F, Op.9 - Joseph Berger
3. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March - LPO/Alfred Scholz
4. The Beautiful Blue Danube: Waltz Op.314 - Vienna Opr Orch/Carl Michalski
5. Wedding March: Mazurka Op.20a - London Festival Orch/Alberto Lizzio
6. Champagne Polka From 'The Bat' Op.211 - RPO London/Frank Shipway
7. Flower Waltz Op.71a/8 - London Festival Orch/Alberto Lizzio
8. Str Qt Op.13: Menuett in A - Stuttgart CO/Bernhard Guller
9. Radetzky March Op.228 - Vienna Opr Orch/Carl Michalski
10. Menuett in D - Stuttgart CO/Bernhard Guller
11. Emperor Waltz Op.437 - Vienna Opr Orch/Peter Falk
12. Ave Maria - Ernst Riedlinger

Tracks:

1. I Finally Found Someone
2. Power Of Love
3. Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You
4. Unchained Melody
5. Just The Way You Are
6. You Are So Beautiful
7. My Love
8. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
9. You're In My Heart
10. Always
11. Love Is All Around
12. Enless Love

Customer Reviews:

wedding songs.......2005-10-12

I don't think this CD is for weddings....I personaly didn't care for it. It's to circus like music...

Average customer rating: TROUGHIN' IS A HIT SONG!

All I Found Debbie Davies Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Blue Highway Picture This Love the Game New Used Car Loose Tonight ASIN: B0009UC7CK Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

1. Made Right In the USA
2. One More Time
3. Evidence
4. All I Found
5. Troughin'
6. I Won't Be Your Baby Too Long
7. So What
8. Comfort Zone
9. Every Breath I Take
10. Trying To Keep It Real
11. What Do You See In That Girl

Customer Reviews:

TROUGHIN' IS A HIT SONG!.......2006-04-26

Another excellent CD by THE BEST POP AND BLUES ARTIST OF ALL TIME!! TROUGHIN' is about pigging out, and is very catchy, both in the lyrics and music. COMFORT ZONE is another winner. The rest are the usual stuff: slow bluesy ballards, straight blues, an instrumental, and some R and B. What you expect from Deb. The sound is very good, like you're in the studio. Not much over amplification. If you like progressive blues, pop, and rock, you will love this one.

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

Wagner: The Rhinegold English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) Wagner: The Valkyrie The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) ASIN: B00005B550 Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

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

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

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

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

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Complete Secular Songs (3cd) Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Purcell, Henry | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | 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 General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs of Henry Purcell / King's Consort Sacred Music Complete Purcell: Complete Ayres for the Theatre Dowland - The Collected Works / The Consort of Musicke, Rooley Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys ASIN: B0000DJENT Release Date: 2004-01-13

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You Turn Me On Manufacturer: Zutty Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B0009VD2LO

Product Description

Jill Zutty's third album. Exploring the mainstream genre with similar styles to Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, Michelle Branch, and Matchbox 20. Jill is working with the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), and as an upcoming compilation CD with the National Breast Care Foundation. Her music can be heard in the US as well as overseas.

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German Nightingale Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Flotow | Flotow, Friedrich von | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Erna Sack: Ciribiribin Mado Robin Sings Lakmé ASIN: B0000W3XNY Release Date: 2004-02-17

Tracks:

1. Frstimmen [Waltz]
2. Draussen in Sievering (Wienerlied) [From Die Terin Fanny Elssler]
3. Parla [Waltz]
4. Den Teuren Zu Versinnen
5. Schlaf' Ein, Mein Kind
6. Schlaf' Ein, Mein Blondengelein
7. In Deinen Augen Liegt All Mein Glango]
8. Ich Tre Immer Nur Von Dem Einen [From Ihr Grer
9. Ja, So Ist Sie, Die Dubarry [From Madam Dubarry]
10. Ich Schenk' Mein Herz Nur Dem Allein [From Madam Dubarry]
11. Canzonetta
12. Folletta
13. Southern Rose
14. In the Spring
15. I Give My Heart
16. Now I Have Found You [I Give My Heart]
17. Serenata
18. Villanelle

Average customer rating: Cerquetti's Abigaille Good soloists, mediocre chorus, mono recording Blistering Vocalism Glorious Cerquetti in very good Nabucco Verdi at the most exciting way!

Nabucco [Highlights] Manufacturer: Gala ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Cherubini: Gli Abencerragi Verdi: La Traviata (complete opera live 1955) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Carlo Maria Giulini, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan ASIN: B000001XMU Release Date: 2000-06-06

Tracks:

1. Nabucco: Part One - Introduzione
2. Nabucco: Part One - Recitativo e cavatina
3. Nabucco: Part One - 'D'Egitto la sui lidi'
4. Nabucco: Part One - 'Qual rumore?'
5. Nabucco: Part One - 'Come notte a sol fulgente'
6. Nabucco: Part One - 'Guerrieri e presto il Tempio'
7. Nabucco: Part One - 'Io t'amava!'
8. Nabucco: Part One - Corco - 'Lo vedeste?'
9. Nabucco: Part One - 'Finale ''Viva Nabucco!'
10. Nabucco: Part One - 'Che tenti?'
11. Nabucco: Part One - 'Tremin gl'insani del mio furore'
12. Nabucco: Part One - O vinti'
13. Nabucco: Part One - 'Mio furore'
14. Nabucco: Part Two, Scene One - Scena ed aria
15. Nabucco: Part Two, Scene One - Anch'io dischiuso un giorno'
16. Nabucco: Part Two, Scene One - 'Chi s'avanza'
17. Nabucco: Part Two, Scene One - 'Salgo gia deltrono aurato'
18. Nabucco: Part Three, Scene One - 'Donna,chi sei?'
19. Nabucco: Part Three, Scene One - 'Oh,Di qual'onta aggravasi'
20. Nabucco: Part Three, Scene One - 'Ah, qual suon!'
21. Nabucco: Part Three, Scene One - 'Deh, Perdona'
22. Nabucco: Part Three, Scene Two - Coro e profezia (Introduczione - Introduction)
23. Nabucco: Part Four, Scene One - 'Dio Di Giuda'
24. Nabucco: Part Four, Scene One - 'Porta fatale, or t'apriral!'
25. Nabucco: Part Four, Scene One - 'Cadran, cadranno i perfidi'
26. Nabucco: Part Four, Scene Two - Finale ultimo 'Oh,dischiuso e il firmento'
27. Nabucco: Part Four, Scene Two - 'Ah, torna Ieraello'
28. Nabucco: Part Four, Scene Two - 'Immenso jeovha

Customer Reviews:

Cerquetti's Abigaille.......2003-09-06

First off, it should be known to the potential buyer that these are HIGHLIGHTS only. The mono sound is acceptable. Orchestra and chorus are average at best. The focus clearly is on Anita Cerquetti and her rendition of Abigaille. Even though in the booklet listing of tracks her name is omitted on the last cue point. I never heard this singer live. My first encounter with her voice was the studio GIOCONDA with del Monaco and Simionato and I liked it very much. As Abigaille I find her less convincing. The voice is beautiful and even. But she cannot convey Abigaille's high flying ambitions. She sounds noble most of the time. Never aggressive or infuriated or spiteful or menacing. Her repentance/dying scene is superficial. Which makes me wonder how often Miss Cerquetti may have had the chance to sing this role during her brief career and develop a feeling for it. At times she unexpectedly breaks a phrase to catch her breath, which I find somewhat irritating. And some climax seem "rushed". It's also a bit disappointing to me that the "Salgo gia" cabaletta gets no repeat. Guess such were the customs in those years, even for concert performances. I am pleased with Messrs. Dondi (in the title role) and Trama. Aside from their vocal qualities I find them very much in character. Also the singers of Fenena and Ismaele made me prick up my ears. Taken all in all, it's worthwhile to have this document. It will nicely supplement your studio NABUCCO. It's been a guilty pleasure of mine to compare Anita Cerquetti to Elena Suliotis and Dino Dondi to Tito Gobbi. And I wish that one day the Metropolitan Opera's NABUCCO with Leonie Rysanek under the baton of Thomas Schippers will appear on CD.

Good soloists, mediocre chorus, mono recording.......2002-10-24

The soloists are very good, but the chorus (key in this opera) is not on the same level. "Va Pensiero", the famous chorus piece, is very weakly done. The mono recording is only just adequate, OK for the soloists but flat and dull for stage presence and orchestration.

Blistering Vocalism.......2001-02-23

I first heard this rare pearl over 20 years ago on some faded third-generation cassette. Despite the dim sonics, I was thrilled to hear a diva who could actually negotiate the scorching roulades of Abigaille's music while still sounding like a singer and not some wounded forest creature howling in pain. Apart from Callas' live performance, we've had precious little to celebrate in recorded Abigailles. Sure, Scotto lit a few fires with her EMI pressing, but who wouldn't with a microphone clenched betweeen her teeth and the volume control nailed in place at the top of the control panel? For Heaven's sake, most of the current generation of half-wit dimpled divettes and "sound-enhanced" melody muffins could come off like an Abigaille with the right studio wizards calling the shots.

Cerquetti was the REAL thing. Like Margharita Roberti (listen to her in Christoff's ATTILA recording), Caterina Mancini and Fedora Barbieri, she came from a school of barnstormers who could shake the foundations of San Carlo or La Scala with truly schooled, crafted voices that emanated from the viscera and not the top of the larynx. Cerquetti was one of the Queens of Can Belto, and this new release in great sound is one of the treasures among re-releases of the past decade. I cast aside all conservatory terminology and call this type of performance a ripsnorter for the ages. With Callas, Cerquetti, and Dimitrova on disc, and the rare likes of Linda Roark-Strummer performing the role onstage, the other studio bunnies can turn their attention to gentler repertoire and give the rest of us a break.

Glorious Cerquetti in very good Nabucco.......2000-07-19

With the exception of the famous Hebrew's choir 'Va pensiero', the number of recordings of 'Nabucco' is notably low. One possible reason is the extraordinary vocal demand of the female leading role, King Nabucco's daughter Abigaille. Very few sopranos have succeeded with this difficult role: Maria Callas, Elena Suliotis, Renata Scotto, Ghena Dimitrova (arguably the best). Now we have a live recording of the great Italian soprano Anita Cerquetti, and she is probably so good as Dimitrova. Cerquetti was one of the greatest sopranos of the century, although she had an astonishingly short carreer (she retired at the age of 30!). Most of her (scarce) recordings are live performances, so having any single piece of recording of her extraordinary voice is a real must. This Nabucco was one of the last documents of her operatic carreer, and here she sounds so splendid that it remains a mystery why she decided to give up singing so soon afterwards. The rest of the cast is very good, especially the bass Ugo Trama as the High Priest Zaccaria. Dino Dondi is a good Nabucco, but his interpretation of the title role is not a reference. The orchestra sounds well, and the choir efficiently provides the necessary support. The quality of sound is good for the time (1960). To Summarize: This incredibly low priced recording has an adequate combination of the elements needed for a good Nabucco: A very good choir, an excellent bass (Trama), a good baritone (Dondi) and a star of stars as princess Abigail: the great soprano Anita Cerquetti. Enjoy it!

Verdi at the most exciting way!.......2000-01-05

You have to buy this recording! Cerquetti is our and Verdi's dreams Abigaille! If you really are an opera fan or have any concern about Verdi you need this recording. Go for it!

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The Ultimate Wedding Collection Manufacturer: Madacy Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Johann Strauss Sr. | Strauss Sr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Wedding Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music All Bargain Titles | Easy Listening | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Clint Black - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0009K7RZM Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

1. Wedding Chorus from "Lohengrin"
2. Matrimonial Benediction in F Major, Op. 9 - Joseph Berger
3. Wedding March from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" - London Philharmonic Orchestra
4. Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 314 - Vienna Opera Orchestra
5. Wedding March, Mazurka, Op. 20a - London Festival Orchestra
6. Champagne Polka from "The Bat, " Op. 211 - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
7. Flower Waltz: Op. 71a/8 - London Festival Orchestra
8. String Quartet, Op. 13, Minuet in a Major - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
9. Radetzky March, Op. 228 - Vienna Opera Orchestra
10. Minuet in D Major - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
11. Emperor Waltz, Op. 437 - Vienna Opera Orchestra
12. Ave Maria - Ernst Riedlinger

Tracks:

1. Moment Like This
2. You and I
3. Unbreakable
4. Forever and for Always
5. All About Loving You
6. Come Away With Me
7. Thank God I Found You
8. Could I Have This Kiss Forever
9. I Believe in a Thing Called Love
10. There You'll Be
11. When I Said I Do
12. If I Didn't Have You [Duet Version]

Pop Music:

1. Altered State
2. Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section
3. Big Swing Face [Live]
4. Bix Beiderbecke, Vol. 1: Singin' the Blues
5. Black Brown & Beige [Extra tracks]
6. Blue Mongol
7. Bob Brookmeyer & Friends [Content/Copy-Protected CD] [Original recording remastered]
8. Body Language
9. Boney's Funky Christmas
10. Brilliant Corners

Pop Music