![see this through & leave [import]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005UD3O.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Did You Miss Me? | |||
| 2. Film-Maker | |||
| 3. Panzer Attack | |||
| 4. Who Needs Enemies? | |||
| 5. Amber | |||
| 6. Digital Observations | |||
| 7. Let's Kill Music | |||
| 8. 555-4823 | |||
| 9. Been Training Dogs | |||
| 10. Lake | |||
|
See all 11 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Devil Walks in the Sand | |||
| 2. Way Out West | |||
| 3. I'll Still Write | |||
| 4. Panzer Attack [Live] | |||
| 5. Let's Kill Music [Live] | |||
| 6. Let's Kill Music [Video] | |||
| 7. Film-Maker [Video] | |||
| 8. Been Training Dogs [Video] | |||
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese edition of the British indie act's 2002 debut album includes the bonus track 'Safe Enough Distance'.
Then there is that other sort of debut album. The disorientating one. The ones that are great too but initially do leave you lost, if slightly in awe. Think Public Enemy. Or Jeff Buckley.
The Cooper Temple Clause debut belongs defiantly to the latter category and is initially perplexing as you try to get a handle on it. So then you forget about trying to lazily find comparable songs or bands and just let the music wash over you.
The opener, ' Did You Miss Me ?', builds from dreamy soundscapes to the thrash-out ending which sets the tone for much of what follows.
This is post - Doves, post - Radiohead, post - EVERYTHING...
At times anthemic, at times blissed out and mellow, at times flailing and screaming; this is music you simply can't put a handle on.
' Film Maker ' is all angular, anxious guitar and finally a scream into the night which leads into the bass-driven melodic...attack of ' Panzer Attack '.
My personal favourites are ' Digital Observations ' and ' Let's Kill Music ' which demands that you " mean a single word you say...".
And then ' Been Training Dogs ' reverts to the thrashy menace after the comedown chill of ' 555 - 4823 '.
As usual, I've rambled on a bit when really I could just have nicked the enthusiasm of one of my friends when he stated :
" This is the future of music ! "
Well, okay. But The Cooper Temple Clause really is a rubbish name for a band, isn't it...
None of that tuning up, barking, la-la's or other cacophonous sounds here.
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 Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-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
A particular stand-out on this recording is the Wotan. His timbre, diction, and delivery perfectly embody the troubled god who tries desperately, and in vain, to keep the world under his control. His angst and wrath are utterly convincing.
This classic LP remastered in pristine sound with tender torch tunes rendered "close to the microphone" by one of the 1950s most popular singing icons. Recorded in London at the famous Abbey Road studios with those lush, sweeping Acquaviva arrangements. Joni's most divine moment! (Tacked on to the original album are 6 tracks, also with the 100 Strings orchestra, of songs from her Jimmy McHugh tribute LP.)
Japanese edition of the British indie act's 2002 debut album includes the bonus track 'Safe Enough Distance'.
See This Through and Leave,The Cooper Temple Clause,Bmg,Alternative Pop/Rock,Indie Rock,Noise-Rock,Post-Rock/Experimental,Rock,Rock/Pop
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Boy George's Taboo (2002 Original London Cast)
Boy George , and Euan Morton Manufacturer: First Night (Red) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Musicals
| Broadway & Vocalists
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ASIN: B0001I2BQW Release Date: 2004-03-23 |
Tracks:
- Ode To Attention Seekers
- Safe In The City
- Freak
- Stranger In This World
- Genocide Peroxide
- I'll Hve You All
- Love Is A Question Mark
- Shelter
- Pretty Lies
- Guttersnipe
- Talk Amoungst Yourself
- Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
- Touched By The Hand of Cool
- Everything Taboo
- Petrified
- I See Through You
- Independent Woman
- Ich Bin Kunst
- Out Of Fashion
- IL Adore
- Pie In The Sky
Amazon.com
Boy George's musical-theater debut has been unfairly maligned. Set in the glamorously decadent London nightlife of the early 1980s, the show is unquestionably hampered by a weak book. But Boy George's original score (which is credited to his actual birth name of George O'Dowd) boasts several strong pop songs and generously spread-out tour-de-force numbers among a handful of performers. The plot follows the rise to fame of Boy George (impeccably channeled by Euan Morton) and his interaction with lovers and hangers-on, friends and foes. One of the most striking characters is Australian-born performance artist Leigh Bowery, confusingly played by Boy George and Matt Lucas, who took turns during the London run and who both appear on this cast album (George sings "Everything Taboo," for instance, but Lucas gets the striking, Cabaret-like "Ich Bin Kunst"). Confused yet? Well, that's Taboofor you. But never mind the plot: There's plenty of cool, theatrical tunes on this CD, which is more than you can say about most contemporary shows. --Elisabeth VincentelliCustomer Reviews:
Jolly Good!.......2006-06-16
Bravo Boy George!.......2004-05-26
holy crapper!.......2004-05-18
A Very Pleasant Surprise.......2004-04-23
No words to describe this.......2004-04-12
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See This Through and Leave
The Cooper Temple Clause Manufacturer: Bmg/RCA Records Label ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
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Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
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Noise
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ASIN: B000063DS4 Release Date: 2002-04-22 |
Tracks:
- Did You Miss Me?
- Film-Maker
- Panzer Attack
- Who Needs Enemies?
- Amber
- Digital Observations
- Let's Kill Music
- 555-4823
- Been Training Dogs
- The Lake
- Murder Song
Album Description
International edition of the British indie act's 2002 debut album. Tipped by NME as one of the most promising bands for 2002. 11 tracks in all including the singles, 'Who Needs Enemies' & 'Let's Kill Music'.Customer Reviews:
TCTC 1st album: underlying roadmap to "Kick Up The Fire".......2004-02-21
"See This Through and Leave" (11 tracks, 55 min.) is jam-packed. It starts off with the electronic-flavored space-rocking "Did You Miss Me"? (think Hawkwind updated for the 21st century), but from there goes straight into "Film-Maker", one of the 5 singles from the album, a hard rocker, followed by the even harder charging "Panzer Attack" and "Who Needs Enemies" (both also a single). "Let's Kill Music" is the TCTC 2001 single that put the band on the UK music map. "555-4823" is great electronic noodling, along the same lines of Radiohead's "Kid A". "Murder Song" is the epic 9 min. blow-out closing track.
So I rate this album "only" 4 stars simply because, while great, it is not as good as the "Kick Up the Fire" album. Did I mention that was my favorite album of 2003? If you like indy, adventurous, quality music, by all means check out TCTC
4 stars is an unjust opinion of this album.......2003-07-15
Post - Everything.......2002-12-30
Then there is that other sort of debut album. The disorientating one. The ones that are great too but initially do leave you lost, if slightly in awe. Think Public Enemy. Or Jeff Buckley.
The Cooper Temple Clause debut belongs defiantly to the latter category and is initially perplexing as you try to get a handle on it. So then you forget about trying to lazily find comparable songs or bands and just let the music wash over you.
The opener, ' Did You Miss Me ?', builds from dreamy soundscapes to the thrash-out ending which sets the tone for much of what follows.
This is post - Doves, post - Radiohead, post - EVERYTHING...
At times anthemic, at times blissed out and mellow, at times flailing and screaming; this is music you simply can't put a handle on.
' Film Maker ' is all angular, anxious guitar and finally a scream into the night which leads into the bass-driven melodic...attack of ' Panzer Attack '.
My personal favourites are ' Digital Observations ' and ' Let's Kill Music ' which demands that you " mean a single word you say...".
And then ' Been Training Dogs ' reverts to the thrashy menace after the comedown chill of ' 555 - 4823 '.
As usual, I've rambled on a bit when really I could just have nicked the enthusiasm of one of my friends when he stated :
" This is the future of music ! "
Well, okay. But The Cooper Temple Clause really is a rubbish name for a band, isn't it...
Average customer rating: 
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Holst, Vaughan Williams: Choral Music
Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Holst
| Holst, Gustav
| ( H )
| Featured Composers, A-Z
| Classical
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Vaughan Williams, Ralph
| ( V )
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| Sacred & Religious
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ASIN: B000000AYD Release Date: 1996-02-20 |
Tracks:
- Five English Folk Songs: The Dark-eyed Sailor
- Five English Folk Songs: The Springtime of the Year
- Five English Folk Songs: Just as the Tide was Flowing
- Five English Folk Songs: The Lover's Ghost
- Five English Folk Songs: Wassail Song
- Ave Maria
- Valiant for Truth
- O vos omnes
- The Evening-watch, Op. 43, No. 1
- O Taste and See
- The Souls of the Righteous
- This have I done for my true love, Op. 34, No. 1
- Nunc dimittis
- Sing me the men, Op. 43, No. 2
- Three Shakespeare Songs: Full Fathom Five
- Three Shakespeare Songs: The Cloud-capp'd Towers
- Three Shakespeare Songs: Over Hill, over Dale
- Four Part-Songs: O lady, leave that silken thread
- Four Part-Songs: Soft and gently
- Four Part-Songs: Autumn is old, The
- Four Part-Songs: Winter and the birds
- The Turtle Dove
Amazon.com
This beautifully performed collection of part songs includes so many gems that space permits only brief discussion of a few. The Five English Folk Songs, settings of melodies collected by Vaughan Williams before World War I, are justly a favorite of choruses throughout the English-speaking world, as is Holst's setting of the Cornish carol "This Have I Done for My True Love." Both composers loved poetry and, in setting it, did some of their most evocative work, such as Holst's austere "Evening Watch" and the mesmerizing "Full Fathom Five" from Vaughan Williams's Three Shakespeare Songs. Among the few sacred works included here are the picks of this litter: Vaughan Williams's simple, graceful Communion motet "O Taste and See," and Holst's luscious "Ave Maria" for eight women's voices. --Matthew Westphal
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Shall We Gather - American Hymns and Spirituals
Manufacturer: Albany Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Christian & Gospel
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Live Recordings
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ASIN: B00005QK6L Release Date: 2001-09-25 |
Tracks:
- Libert Hall (Lord, In Thy Presence)
- Rise, Shine, For Thy Light Is A-Comin'
- Welwyn (O Brother Man)
- Pisgah (The Lord's My Shepherd)
- Poor Rosy
- I've Just Come From The Fountain
- Let Us Cheer The Weary Traveler
- Nettleton (Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing)
- Wondrous Love (What Wondrous Love Is This)
- Gospel Train
- Shining Shore (My Days Are Gliding By Swiftly)
- More Love
- In Mercy, Lord (In Mercy, Lord, Incline Thine Ear)
- Beautiful River (Shall We Gather At The River)
- Some Of These Days
- The Old Ship Of Zion
- St. Peter (In Christ There Is No East Or West)
- Missionary Chant (Awake, Our Souls)
- Old Ship Of Zion (What Ship Is This?)
- Inching Along
- Watchman (Watchman, Tell Us Of The Night)
- Hurry, On My Weary Soul
- Morning Trumpet (O When Shall I See Jesus)
- He's A Mighty Good Leader
- Hold On
- Resignation (My Shepherd Will Supply My Need)
- We Shall Walk Through The Valley
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-05-09
None of that tuning up, barking, la-la's or other cacophonous sounds here.
Brilliant.......2003-09-22
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A.E. Housman: A Shropshire Lad, Complete in verse and song
Alan Bates , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , and Graham Johnson Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Baroque Dance Suites
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ASIN: B00005S85Q Release Date: 2001-12-11 |
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Wagner: The Valkyrie
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ASIN: B00004YU6Z Release Date: 2000-11-28 |
Tracks:
- Act I: Prld - English Nat Opr Orch/Reginald Goodall
- Act I, Scene 1: The Storm Drove Me Here - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 1: This House And This Wife - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 1: Evil Fortune's Never Far From Me - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 2: There He Lay, Feeble And Faint - Margaret Curphey/Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 2: Through Field And Forest - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 2: Friedmund No One Could Call Me - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 2: The Neidings Raided Again - Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 2: So The Norn Who Dealt You This Fate - Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 2: I Know A Troublesome Race - Clifford Grant
- Act I, Scene 3: A Sword Was Pledged By My Father - Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 3: Are You Awake? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 3: My Husband's Kinsmen - Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 3: Yes, Loveliest Bride - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 3: Winter Storms Have Vanished (Siegmund's Spring Song) - Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 3: You Are The Spring - Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 3: Oh Sweetest Enchantment - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
- Act I, Scene 3: The Stream Has Shown My Reflected Face - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund Call Me, And Siegmund Am I! - Alberto Remedios
- Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund, The Walsung, Here You See! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Tracks:
- Act II, Scene 1: Go Bridle Your Horse, Warrior Maid! - Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Brunnhilde's Battle Cry) - Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 1: The Usual Storm, The Usual Strife - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
- Act II, Scene 1: Pretend That You Don't Understand! - Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 1: Now It's Come To Pass! - Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 1: So This Is The End Of The Gods And Their Glory - Ann Howard
- Act II, Scene 1: You Never Learn What I Would Teach You - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
- Act II, Scene 1: What Must I Do? - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
- Act II, Scene 1: Hiaha! Hiaha! Hoyotoho! - Rita Hunter/Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: Fricka Has Won The Fight - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: When Youth's Delightful Pleasures Had Waned - Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: She Refused To Reveal More About It - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 2: There's More To Tell - Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: Yet One Can Accomplish What I May Not - Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: But The Walsung, Siegmund - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: Then Siegmund Must Fall In His Fight? - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act II, Scene 2: I Give You My Blessing, Nibelung Son! - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 2: No, Have Mercy - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Tracks:
- Act II, Scene 2: So I Obey His Command - Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 3: Rest Here For A While; Stay By My Side! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
- Act II, Scene 3: Away! Away! - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
- Act II, Scene 3: Where Are You, Siegmund? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
- Act II, Scene 4: Siegmund! Look At Me! (Announcement Of Death) - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
- Act II, Scene 4: And If I Come - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 4: Then Greet For Me Walhall - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 4: Woe! Woe! Sister And Bride - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 4: Two Lives Now Lie In Your Power - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
- Act II, Scene 5: Charms Of Sleep Are Sent To Still - Alberto Remedios
- Act II, Scene 5: I Hear Your Call - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
- Act II, Scene 5: Wehwalt! Wehwalt! - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Tracks:
- Act III, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Ride Of The Valkyries) - Katie Clark/Anne Evans/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Shelagh Squires/Anne Conoley
- Act III, Scene 1: Shield Me And Help - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
- Act III, Scene 1: Hear While I Tell You - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
- Act III, Scene 1: Pray Suffer No Sorrow For Me - Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne...
- Act III, Scene 1: Fly Him Swiftly, Away To The East! - Rita Hunter
- Act III, Scene 1: O Radiant Wonder! (Parting Salute) - Margaret Curphey
- Act III, Scene 1: Stay, Brunnhild! - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
- Act III, Scene 2: Where Is Brunnhild? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
- Act III, Scene 2: Weak-Spirited, Womanish Brood! - Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 2: Here I Am, Father - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 2: No More Will You Ride From Walhall - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
- Act III, Scene 2: Did You Not Hear What I Decreed? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
- Act III, Scene 3: Was It So Shameful - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: I Know So Little - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: You, Who This Love Into My Heart Revealed - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: You Indulged Your Love - Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: Unworthy Of You This Foolish Maid - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: You Fathered A Glorious Race - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: In Long, Deep Sleep - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
- Act III, Scene 3: Farewell, My Valiant, Glorious Child! (Wotan's Farewell) - Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: These Eyes So Warm And So Bright - Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: Loge, Hear! Come At My Call! - Norman Bailey
- Act III, Scene 3: Magic Fire Music - Norman Bailey
Customer Reviews:
"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me.".......2007-06-12
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 Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-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
Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative.......2005-05-03
Absolutely Breathtaking!.......2002-09-13
During the course of my research on 'The Goodall Ring' most of the praised seemed to heighten around 'Siegfried,' which is my absolute favorite of the cycle. That also helped to seal the deal. As the critics said, 'Siegfried' under Goodall is excellent, but not as monumental as Solti's reading, which IMHO is the greatest recording of 'Siegfried.'
The set that stands out, to me, in 'The Goodall Ring' is this recording; The Valkyrie. It is absolutely breathtaking. Not only is it my favorite of this set, it is my favorite Valkyrie recording period (I am very familiar with Boehm's, Solti's, Karajan's, Furthwanglers, Levines, and others). Alberto Remedios (Siegmund here and Siegfried in the last two operas) is truly magnificant. It is the best Siegmund I have heard on disc (and his Siegfried rivals Windgassen). Coupled with Margaret Curphey (Sieglinde), you get the most beautiful and moving duo I have heard on record. The duet in Act I is simply glorious. You also get the bonus of Norman Bailey's triumphant Wotan (and Wanderer too). He has such command and prescene. He sounds like a God. Throw in Rita Hunter, who holds her own as Brunnhilde, Goodall's miraculous conducting, and excellent playing by the orchestra and it all adds up to a stunning recording.
I can only say that in a way it's a shame this set is in English. Were it not, I believe Goodall's 'Ring' would be one of the most talked about, popular, and sought after complete recordings of the cycle. I can only say that I am so happy that I finally opened up to opera recorded in a different language than written.
I have fallen completely in love with Goodall's entire cycle. And, I have fallen in love with 'The Ring' all over again.
A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring........2001-08-30
A particular stand-out on this recording is the Wotan. His timbre, diction, and delivery perfectly embody the troubled god who tries desperately, and in vain, to keep the world under his control. His angst and wrath are utterly convincing.
The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible.......2001-01-30
Goodall's sense of music drama is lush, and takes some getting used to after the crash-and-burn Solti set, but after a time or two it seems just right. Goodall is not always slower than the rest, either; for example, the famous Ride of the Valkyries that begins Act III is quicker than Solti's surprisingly slow and heavy account. It is the most exciting that I have heard--and I have heard quite a few--but it is not so fast that the power is lost in favor of urgency.
This is not an urgent Die Walkure, and it is all the better for it. Goodall takes the time to actually tell the story, and is sensitive to the drama's needs over what could be called convention. For example, Wotan's Farewell doesn't thunder out after Brunnhilde's final declamation, like in so many recordings; rather, Goodall's interpretation is more dreamy, mysterious, and appropriately trance-like, in keeping with the action on stage.
I own the complete Solti Ring, but I must say I will be the first in line to get each new installment of this remarakable Ring as soon they hit the shelves. If you are new to Wagner, and are willing to make the plunge into a complete Ring, then start with this one and see if you want to continue. This recording is definitely one of the great Rings, and the superb translation will open up the work in ways that following the libretto just won't. I promise that you won't be able to put this one away easily. Get it!
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ASIN: B00006B1L5 Release Date: 2003-02-11 |
Tracks:
- My Heart Tells Me
- Imagination
- All Through The Day
- Too Young
- It Never Entered My Mind
- Body And Soul
- I Can Dream, Can't I?
- Hi-Lilli, Hi-Lo
- But Beautiful
- Wait And See
- It Could Happen To You
- Maybe You'll Be There
- I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night
- Let's Get Lost
- I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
- I'm In The Mood For Love
- You're A Sweetheart
- How Blue The Night
Product Description
1. My Heart Tells Me
2. Imagination
3. All Through The Day
4. Too Young
5. It Never Entered My Mind
6. Body And Soul
7. I Can Dream, Can't I
8. Hi-Lili Hi-Lo
9. But Beautiful
10. Wait And See
11. It Could Happen To You
12. Maybe You'll Be There
13. I'm In The Mood For Love
14. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
15. Let's Get Lost
16. I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night
17. You're A Sweetheart
18. How Blue The Night
Format: CD
Customer Reviews:
Great Album, but No Vocal Fireworks.......2005-09-20
Great Standards!!.......2003-02-15
Joni James at Abbey Road!.......2002-07-23
This classic LP remastered in pristine sound with tender torch tunes rendered "close to the microphone" by one of the 1950s most popular singing icons. Recorded in London at the famous Abbey Road studios with those lush, sweeping Acquaviva arrangements. Joni's most divine moment! (Tacked on to the original album are 6 tracks, also with the 100 Strings orchestra, of songs from her Jimmy McHugh tribute LP.)
Average customer rating:
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See This Through and Leave
Cooper Temple Clause Manufacturer: Bmg/Morning ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
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Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
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Noise
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ASIN: B00005Y0R6 Release Date: 2002-02-14 |
Tracks:
- Did You Miss Me?
- Film-Maker
- Panzer Attack
- Who Needs Enemies?
- Amber
- Digital Observations
- Let's Kill Music
- 555-4823
- Been Training Dogs
- The Lake
- Murder Song
Album Description
UK limited edition of the British indie act's highly anticipated 2002 debut album. Tipped by NME as one of the most promising bands for 2002. Includes special limited bonus disc with five tracks, 'Devil Walks In The Sand', 'Way Out West', 'I'll Still Write', 'Panzer Attack' (Live) & 'Let's Kill Music' (Live).Album Details
Debut Album from British Iconoclasts of Rock. The Ctc Dont So Much Kill Music as to Deconstruct and Reanimate It, Like Dr. Frankenstein Stitching Together Limbs of Every Conceivable Genre Onto a Twitching Post-rock Torso. At Times, They Sound Like a Sinister Oasis Covering Portishead and There Are Shades of Many Others Before them from Pink Floyd to the Pixies to Spiritualized to Cheap Trick to Even Led Zeppelin Or Hawkwind. They Are Patently Unfashionable, Dousing Themselves in Patchouli in a Sea of Calvin Klein.Customer Reviews:
five stars for five songs.......2004-04-18
Excellent Debut Album.......2004-02-21
"See This Through and Leave" (11 tracks, 55 min.) is jam-packed. It starts off with the electronic-flavored space-rocking "Did You Miss Me"? (think Hawkwind updated for the 21st century), but from there goes straight into "Film-Maker", one of the 5 singles from the album, a hard rocker, followed by the even harder charging "Panzer Attack" and "Who Needs Enemies" (both also a single). "Let's Kill Music" is the TCTC 2001 single that put the band on the UK music map. "555-4823" is great electronic noodling, along the same lines of Radiohead's "Kid A". "Been Training Dogs" is another single.
This limited edition comes with a second CD, containing 5 songs (23 min.), including several excellent B-sides (stand-out is "Devil Walks in the Sand") and live versions of "Panzer Attack" and "Let's Kill Music". In addition it also has the videos for the "Let's Kill Music", "Film-Maker" and "Been Training Dogs" singles, just great.
So I rate this album "only" 4 stars simply because, while great, it is not as good as the "Kick Up the Fire" album. Did I meantion that was my favorite album of 2003? If you like indy, adventurous, quality music, by all means check out TCTC!
Great First Album.......2004-01-09
![Die Zauberflöte [Highlights]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21KATKXVGEL.jpg)
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Die Zauberflöte [Highlights]
Manufacturer: Gala ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
| Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
| ( M )
| Featured Composers, A-Z
| Classical
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4-for-3 Classical
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ASIN: B000006O27 Release Date: 2000-06-06 |
Tracks:
- Act I. Intro: 'Help! Help, Or I Am Lost' - Fritz Wunderlich/Corry Van Beckum/Cora Canne-Meijer/Annie Delorie
- Act I: 'Where Am I?' - Fritz Wunderlich
- Act I: 'The Birdcatcher, That's Me' - Jan Derksen
- Act I: 'Hey There!...What's That?' - Fritz Wunderlich/Jan Derksen/Corry Van Beckum/Cora Canne-Meijer/Annie Delorie
- Act I. Aria: 'This Portrait Is Enchantingly Beautiful' - Fritz Wunderlich
- Act I. Qnt: 'Hm, hm, hm...!' - Jan Derksen/Fritz Wunderlich/Corry Van Beckum/Cora Canne-Meijer/Annie Delorie
- Act I. Duet: 'In Men Who Feel Love' - Maria Van Dongen/Jan Derksen
- Act I. Finale: 'This Path Leads To Your Goal' - Fritz Wunderlich
- Act I: 'Let These Boys' Words Of Wisdom' - Fritz Wunderlich
- Act I: 'Bold Stranger, Where Do You Wish To Go?' - Albert Van Haasteren/Fritz Wunderlich
- Act I: 'How Powerful Your Magic Sound Is' - Fritz Wunderlich
- Act II. Qnt: 'What? What? What?' - Corry Van Beckum/Cora Canne-Meijer/Annie Delorie/Jan Derksen/Fritz Wunderlich
- Act II. Trio: 'Am I To See You No More, My Dear One?' - Maria Van Dongen/Albert Van Haasteren/Fritz Wunderlich
- Act II: 'Tamino! Tamino! Will You Then Utterly Abandon Me?' - Jan Derksen/Jan Waaijer
- Act II. Aria: 'A Girl Or A Little Wife' - Jan Derksen
- Act II. Finale: 'Whoever Walks Along This Path So Full Of Troubles' - Fritz Wunderlich/Maria Van Dongen
- Act II. 'We Have Walked Through Flames' - Maria Van Dongen/Fritz Wunderlich
- Act II. 'Papagena, Papagena, Papagena!' - Jan Derksen
Rock Music:
- Shaggs
- She's My Lovely/That Unmistakable Sound
- Show Me Everything [Import]
- Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence [Import]
- Split Ep [Import]
- Stan the Man [Import]
- Stay Where You Are [CD-single] [Import]
- Superwolf [Import]
- Taking Up Serpents [Explicit Lyrics]
- The Eyes of the Beacon Street Union/The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens [Import]
