Cara Sposa [CD-single] [Import]

1. Reminder

2. A Love Affair With Distance

3. One Mistake

4. The Way They Walk

Cara Sposa,Kisschasy,Below Par,Rock

Average customer rating: A truly amazing artist About time I said how good this recording is! a voice teacher and early music fan Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come David Daniels: La voz del barroco.

Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels David Daniels , George Frideric Handel , Roger Norrington , and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Daniels, David | ( D ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sento Amor; David Daniels; David Daniels - Serenade Handel: Oratorio Arias Stephanie Blythe - Handel & Bach Arias / David Daniels · Ensemble Orchestral de Paris · John Nelson Rinaldo ASIN: B00000FDND Release Date: 1998-12-01

Tracks:

1. Serse: Recitativo accompagnato Frondi tenere
2. Serse: Larghetto Ombra mai fu
3. Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Va tacito e nasacosto
4. Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Al lampo dell' armi
5. Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Recitativo accompagnato Dall' ondoso periglio
6. Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Aure, deh, per pieta
7. Tamerlano: Aria A dispetto
8. Ariodante: Recitativo E vivo anora
9. Ariodante: Aria Scherza infida
10. Giulio Cesare in Egito: Aria Cara speme
11. Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria L'angue offeso
12. Rodelinda: Sinfonia Pompe vane di morte
13. Rodelinda: Largo Dove sei?
14. Rodelinda: Aria Vivi, tiranno
15. Rinaldo: Largo Cara sposa, amante cara
16. Rinaldo: Aria Venti, turbini

Amazon.com

David Daniels seems to be the current leader of the opera world's March of the Falsettos--and with good reason: he's one of the first countertenors with enough beef in his voice to sound convincing in the heroic castrato roles of Handel's operas. His first solo disc is a collection of arias from just those roles--and an impressive debut it is. Daniels has the solid coloratura technique a Handel singer needs and a quick, narrow vibrato that can blend with Baroque instruments without alienating traditional opera buffs. (In fact, he sometimes sounds surprisingly like Marilyn Horne, one of his coaches.) Best of all, he has a musicality and dramatic sense that save the laments and slow serenades from dullness and the bravura showpieces from empty virtuoso display. The performances aren't flawless: Norrington's tempos are occasionally too quick for comfort (Daniels's and the listener's), and Daniels's vibrato sometimes spreads unattractively at the top of his range. He's at his best in the low alto roles that Handel wrote for the great castrato Il Senesino, such as the title roles in Giulio Cesare and Orlando. Let's hope we get to hear him in complete recordings of these operas soon. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

A truly amazing artist.......2007-06-21

David Daniels is one of the finest singers alive. I heard him recently in the Met's Julius Caesar and was overwhelmed with his performance. He not only has a truly beautiful voice, he is a complete artist, both emotionally and technically. This recording does him justice, and the music is some of Handel's finest. We are very lucky to have Mr. Daniels.

About time I said how good this recording is!.......2006-10-02

I've had this CD for a few years now and it is one that I often play. David Daniels is a great singer and his interpretations of Handel's arias are sublime. He is one of the best countertenors currently working in the world and he has few peers - Andreas Scholl, Bian Asawa, Derek Lee Ragin, Daniel Taylor, Robin Blaze, Lawrence Zazzo, Philippe Jaroussky, Gérard Lesne, Bejun Mehta and, of course, James Bowman are his only serious rivals.

This collection is well selected and it includes popular arias as well as a few less well known ones.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is in magnificent form and Sir Roger Norrington gets magic from the various sections of the orchestra - particularly the Baroque bassoons in "Scherza infida".

This album is both a showcase for the singer and the orchestra. It is vastly superior to most Handel opera aria collections.

I unreservedly recommend this superb disc to all music lovers.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-06-24

David Daniels has devised this program so that it provided a view of Handel at the most significant stages in his London career as an opera composer. With his spectacular debut in England with 'Rinaldo'(1711), he established his ability to compose for the stage, and immediately followed it with 3 masterpieces: 'Tamerlano' and 'Guilio Cesare in Egitto', both from 1724, and 'Rodelinda' the next year. The unique 'Serse' (1738)is from the twilight of his operatic career, while 'Ariodante' shows a time when Handel and his London company was having difficulty competing with the rival Opera of the Nobility sponsored by the Prince of Wales.
Handel's greatest contribution to operatic history is his ability to rise above the sterertypical in his characters, endowing them with a total humanity by allowing them to experience the entire emotional gamut throught a variety of arias and recitatives. Moreover, David Daniels , being one of the finest interpreters of Handel is aware of the need not to be so blinded by the purity of the musical line as to forget what he is singing about. In fact, Handel often shaped the melodic line according to the degree a particular word was to be stressed. Handel was very aware of new devlopments, and styles and attitudes of his time, without ever betraying his own musical personality.
To my mind, Daniels is the consummate Handelian singer, and it is probably this music that he performs best! His delivery is highly dramatic as it should be, his diction absolutely flawless, his tone quality strong and sonorous; in short he is one good singer! It is indeed a very fine disc, not only because of the line-up but also because all arias are sung extremely well by him. I found myself focusing on his selection from "Serse": "Ombra mai fu". He sings this so much more emotionally and endows it with his own unique style. It's so well-done!!! My other favorite is from "Rinaldo": Venti,turbini". This displays his very skillful vocal technique in addition to his excellent diction. I really think he is the leading AMERICAN countertenor.

Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come.......2004-08-10

It is hard to imagine that there could be a finer recital disc of Handel's arias than this one reflecting the exquisite taste and powerful talent of David Daniels...unless of course, you count his splendid follow-up disc of Handel's lesser known oratorio arias released in 2002 (also strongly recommended). But the focus in this 1998 release is the rich music within six of Handel's best-known operas. Now nearly six years after its release, this recording not only holds up beautifully as an introduction to his prodigious talent, but also demonstrates his keen sense of adventure when his voice was at its most pure and unfettered.

Daniels' coloratura technique is amazingly seasoned even at this point of his career, and he approaches each aria in a singular fashion with that incredibly flexible legato that is literally breathtaking. Compare the impressive runs he employs on his rendition of "A dispitto" from "Tamerlano" to his seductive and sonorous tones on "Aure, deh, per pietà" from "Giulio Cesare in Egritto", and you get an idea of the range of emotion and technique of which Daniels is capable. Listening to the two arias from "Rodelinda" will make you recognize how over the course of twelve minutes, he has shown the two distinct sides of Bertarido - the mournful, dejected husband who goes unrecognized in "Pompe van di morte...Dove Sei?" and his enemy's savior at the end with "Vivi, tiranno".

The two arias from "Rinaldo", are also beautifully performed. Six years later, one can appreciate these versions within the context of Daniels' career, as he later recorded the title role in the famous 2000 recital recording of the opera with Cecilia Bartoli and yet again in the 2001 David Alden staging of the opera captured recently on DVD. I recommend getting your hands on all three and comparing the performances, as all are wonderful but quite different. Personally I think his voice ripened to just the right timbre in the Alden-staged version, especially during the opera's centerpiece, "Cara sposa, amante cara". Of all the stellar selections, it is really difficult to pick just one as a favorite, but his version of "E vivo ancora....Scherza infida" from "Ariodante" is especially moving in the way he sings of his plight in being humiliated by an unfaithful woman. Written for a castrato named Carestini in 1735, it is a sublime piece made all the more moving by the warm, round tones Daniels brings to it.

Sir Roger Norrington and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment provide able accompaniment on period instruments, never intrusive or jarring to the ears. It is easy to tell from this recording why Daniels received so much hype for bringing the countertenor voice to the mainstream and why his career has been so meteoric since the release of this disc. Now you can see that it was more than hype...David Daniels is the real thing.

David Daniels: La voz del barroco........2003-10-26

Para los amantes del barroco en su estado puro es esencial tener este cd en el cual el gran contratenor DAVID DANIELS repasa las arias mas celebres de las operas de George Friederich Haendel. Daniels impone una voz bella, muy femenina, homogenea en todo el registro, sin problemas en los agudos, y que enamora nada mas oirla. Ademas canta las arias con un extraordinario sentimiento. ROGER NORRINGHTON dirige a la ORQUESTA DEL SIGLO DE LAS LUCES (que suena magnificamente con sus instrumentos originales) con gran conocimiento del estilo barroco, lo que termina de hacer de este disco una pieza fundamental para los amantes de la opera barroca, que afortunadamente son cada vez mas.

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set) Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Trio Sonatas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | 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 Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Oboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Recorder | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set) Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set] Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set] ASIN: B00062FLI8 Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating: An Interesting Performance Just beautiful The Fame Of Farinelli The Fame Of Farinelli Music From The Movie Farnielli: Otherwordly Arias

Farinelli Manufacturer: Travelling ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Hasse | Hasse, Johann Adolf | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Pergolesi | Pergolesi, Gio Battista | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Porpora, Nicolo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Rousset, Christophe | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Arias for Farinelli Farinelli The World of the Castrati: The History of an Extraordinary Operatic Phenomenon Moreschi - The Last Castrato Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski ASIN: B000025T4I Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

1. Son Qual Nave Ch'agitata: Air De Arbace
2. Alto Giove: Air D'Acio
3. Se Al Labbro Mio Non Credi: Instrumental
4. Ombra Fedele Anch'io: Air De Dario
5. Artaserse: Ouverture
6. Lascia Ch'io Pianga: Air De Almirena
7. Cara Sposa: Air De Rinaldo
8. Rinaldo: Ouverture
9. Generoso Risuegliati O Core: Air De Poro
10. Salve Regina
11. Alto Giove: Instrumental

Customer Reviews:

An Interesting Performance.......2007-06-14

This performance electronically blends the voices of a soprano and a counter tenor in an attempt to create a voice that might be like that of the famous castrato Farinelli, reputedly to have had a voice of great power and range. Technically it is successful, you certainly would not know it was a composite voice unless you were told. And musically, too, it is quite satisfying. But I must question if it were realy necessary, listen to Mezzo Soprano Vivica Genaux's CD, Arias for Farinelli, her performance is dazzling, with far more expression and fire than you get with the composite, a far more satisfying performance. Please try to hear it.

Just beautiful.......2004-06-24

I really don't know much of opera, but everytime when I listen to this album, i get goosebums. It's just so beautiful. Try it in your car with full volume. it will blow your mind away.

The Fame Of Farinelli.......2004-05-15

This album features music and operatic arias from the film Farinelli. The movie was a highly dramatized and untrue account of the life of Farinelli, the stage name of Carlo Broschi, the greatest castrato singer of all time. The castrati were castrated before puberty so as to preserve their soprano range and maintain awesome lung power of the male voice. In the film, Stefano Dionisi lip synched but the voices that were used were a combination in synthesizer of the tenor Derek Lee Regin and the soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska. Their voices, though distinctly male and female, sounded very alike and director Gerard Corbiau decided to creatively edit their voices. The music is sublime. These obscure and rare Baroque classics are not performed today, not even in Europe. So many of the libretti have been lost in time and even with the libretti and music available, the castrati voice can never again be heard and much of the Baroque type of singing is difficult for most singers to undertake. Nowadays, the singers that come close to castrati are highly developed falsetto-singing countertenors or mezzo-sopranos with coloratura like Cecilia Bartoli or Vivica Genoux. On this album, we hear unique and rare composers, like Farinelli's brother Riccardo Broschi, and his operas. The aria "Son Qual Nave Agitata" and the more impressive "Ombra Fidele" are exquisite, full of lyrical grandeur and coloratura gymnastics. The rest are arias from long forgotten operas and even religious works for the Roman Catholic Church, like Palestrina, who thought the castrati voice was the closest thing to God. It's a great album to have if you are a fan of Farinelli and the msuic of his day.

The Fame Of Farinelli.......2004-05-15

This album contains music from the 1995 foreign film Farinelli. The film dealt with the life of Carlo Broschi, otherwise known by his stage name Farinelli. He was the great castrato singer who dazzled audiences with his amazing bravura and vocal virtuosity. He was supposedly able to hold a long note in a single minute. In the movie the actor Stefano Dionisi was lip-synching to the creative synthesized combination of tenor Derek Lee Ragin and soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska. This blending of male and female voices is what the castrati voice must have been like.

The album is chalk-full of rare Baroque treasures. Although the music of Handel was prominent in the film, there is nothing by Handel here which is suprising because Handel wrote mostly for castrati voice. The composer Riccardo Broschi, Farinelli's brother, wrote many operas and specific arias for his voice alone. Here, we get the sublime lyrical aria "Son Qual Nave Agitata" from the opera Idaspe and the more impressive "Ombra Fedele Anchio" which is full of hair-raising coloratura gymnastics. The beauty and rarity of these arias alone is worth getting the album. The instrumental music, perfectly Baroque in structure, includes the Overture to Artaserses. The other vocal music even has a spiritually uplifting work by Palestrina who wrote vocal music in religious contexts for the Roman Catholic Church and who believed the castrati voice was the most divinely inspired voice and closest to God. This album is worth getting if you are a fan of the movie, a fan of the Baroque period and a fan of Farinelli in particular.

Music From The Movie Farnielli: Otherwordly Arias.......2004-05-14

This album contains music and operatic arias used in the film Farinelli, about the dramatic life of the famous castrato opera legend of the Baroque period. The creative editing and synthesizing blended the voices of the male tenor Derek Lee Ragin and the female soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska. This combination of male and female, which sounds like the singing voice of a hermaphrodite, is probably what the voice of Farinelli sounded like. It was an absolute fetish in Baroque Italy of the 1600's. Castrati were the highest paid singers, enjoyed the fame equal to today's legends of rock (and that included groupies) and lived in luxury in the courts of European royalty. Farinelli was the most famous and the greatest of these singers. His voice was like nothing on earth. The male part of his voice enabled him to hold his breath for long periods of times in awesome displays of lung powers, usually demonstrated in the legato phrasing and long, sustained notes. His female voice was the real fire, though, especially impressing audiences with the roulades and high-flying coloratura acrobatics.

Farinelli the movie was dramatized to make the life of Carlo Broschi, Farinelli's real name, seem more interesting. But the music is sublime that any fan of opera, with a particular fascination for Baroque opera, will enjoy this cd album immensely. The composers offered here are obscure and their operas are long forgotten. Handel, a big name in the period, composed many arias for Farinelli and other castrati, but the film and this album feature several composers who are lesser known and whose operas have disappeared forever. These lavish operas were always associated with myth and fantasy. Gods and goddesses, Muses, military heroes and noble virtue was usually the theme. Orpheus was the darling of this period and many operas were made about his myth. All the instrumental and vocal music on here is sublime and real gems of the Baroque period. Especially noteworthy is Ombra Fidele from the opera Idaspe, composed by Farinelli's brother Ricardo Broschi. Also real treasures are Artaserses, Rinaldo and even a religious piece by Palestrina. This is a great buy for opera lovers.

Average customer rating: GREAT TENOR!

The Very Best of Alfredo Kraus Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | 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 Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Kraus, Alfredo | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Paris Symphony Orchestra | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Bellini, Vincenzo | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Donizetti, Gaetano | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Gounod, Charles | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Massenet, Jules | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Puccini, Giacomo | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Vocal Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | U to Z | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Very Best of Nicolai Gedda The Very Best of Franco Corelli The Very Best of Giuseppe di Stefano The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli The Very Best of Jon Vickers ASIN: B0006VYEJ6 Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

1. Un'Aura Amorosa - Philharmonia Orchestra
2. In Qual Fiero Contrasto... Tradito, Schernito - Philharmonia Orchestra
3. A Te, O Cara - Montserrat Caballe
4. Son Gia Lontani
5. Vieni Fra Queste Braccia - Montserrat Caballe
6. Una Furtiva Lagrima
7. Povero Ernesto!...Cerchero Lontana Terra...E Se Fia Che Ad Altro Oggetto
8. Com' E Gentil
9. Tornami A Dir
10. Qui Di Sposa...Verranno A Te - Edita Gruberova
11. Tombe Degli Avi Miei...Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
12. Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'Ali
13. Un Di Felice
14. Lunge Da Lei...De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti...Oh, Mio Rimorso

Tracks:

1. Questa O Quella
2. E Il Sol Dell'anima
3. Ella Mi Fu Rapita!...Parmi Veder Le Lagrime
4. La Donna E Mobile
5. Un Di, Se Ben Rammentomi...Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Sherrill Milnes
6. Che Gelida Manina
7. O Soave Fanciulla - Sherrill Milnes
8. In Un Coupe?...O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni - Sherrill Milnes
9. Amis, La Matinee Est Belle (Barcarolle)
10. En Fermant Les Yeux
11. Je Suis Seul...Ah! Fuyez, Douce Image
12. Toute Mon Ame Est La! Pourquoi Me Reveiller
13. Ange Adorable
14. L'Amour, L'Amour...Ah! Leve-Toi, Soleil!
15. Quel Trouble Inconnu Me Penetre...Salut! Demeure Chaste Et Pure
16. Ah! Mes Amis...Por Mon Ame

Customer Reviews:

GREAT TENOR!.......2006-12-23

I really enjoy this tenor and the CD!

Average customer rating: Never More Beautiful Have I Heard . . .

Love Duets Handel , Leblanc , Taylor , and Ensemble Arion Manufacturer: Atma Classique ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Handel: Sacred Arias Lamento Sandrine Piau - Handel Opera Seria ASIN: B000087D76 Release Date: 2003-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Never More Beautiful Have I Heard . . ........2006-06-14

These songs are among the most beautiful ever crafted; songs that lay bare the truest truism and the one for which we most often dearly wish to be true: there is love, a perfect love, a perfect expressed love . . . and here it is: the songs of George Friederic Handel presented to us by Suzie LeBlanc and Stephen Stubbs.

Oblique and loath as you are to sounds more than a week past their date of release or interrupted from your Jane's Addiction listening by this, you will be caught by the heart the very moment Suzie LeBlanc begins to tease down the tears from heaven. Suzie LeBlanc - the one to whom I would point to confess the true creative genius of our heavenly father - is very well matched with Stephen Stubbs, whose voice rises and falls and plays about the soavemente curlings of Suzie LeBlanc with the nearest perfection I can name.

"Io t'abbraccio" will do as it promises; you will feel the embrace and you will never feel anything so perfect again in you lifetime. This CD is a masterpiece, and the songs are as fresh at this very moment as they were nearly 300 years before today.

Average customer rating: Madame fait la grosse voix... I am contralto, hear me roar! What Bravura Arias! Contralto/Coloratura--An Amazing Voice! A Great Singer! From the San Francisco Chronicle

Ewa Podles - Handel Arias from Rinaldo & Orlando George Frideric Handel , Constantine Orbelian , Ewa Podles , and Moscow Chamber Orchestra Manufacturer: Delos Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Podles, Ewa | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Ewa Podles - Rossini Arias for Contralto Ewa Podles · Russian Arias Rossini - Tancredi / Podles, Jo, Olsen, Spagnoli, di Micco, Lendi, Zedda Ewa Podles - Rossini Gala Ewa Podles - Airs célèbres (Famous Arias) ASIN: B000056T8X Release Date: 2001-01-16

Customer Reviews:

Madame fait la grosse voix... .......2005-09-25

Bon, tant qu'à faire, il faut le dire tout de suite : Ewa Podles a une voix somptueuse. Un rien engorgée, mais somptueuse. Son aigu est renversant, son grave ne l'est pas moins (quand elle ne s'évertue pas à dépasser le fa grave). Ce qui la rend incournable chez Rossini, encore que son allure de Baba Yaga conviendrait mieux au personnage de Ulrica dans le Bal Masqué qu'à Isabelle dans l'Italienne à Alger... Mais chez Handel, est-ce bien le propos que de rouler sans cesse des mécaniques, et gromeler des graves de baryton à tout va ? Et les variations, piquées sans scrupule à Marilyn Horne pour la plupart des airs... Est-ce bien honnête ? Elle remercie d'ailleurs un célèbre claveciniste pour l'avoir aidée dans la composition des da capos, ce qui est très gentil de sa part... Un bon disque en somme, surtout si vous aimez les belles et bonnes voix bien grassouillettes, mais dans ces mêmes airs nous avons eu droit a des interprétations un peu plus habitées.

I am contralto, hear me roar!.......2004-12-28

This disc of arias from two of Handel's finest operas is a good introduction to Ewa Podles, heir apparant to the Marilyn Horne throne. It highlights both her strengths and weaknesses.

On the plus side: a formidable coloratura technique, good breath control, comfort above the staff, and no thin/pinched notes.

On the minus side: a voice that is rather soft-grained (which makes her sound plush in Rossini, but doesn't really do Handel justice), occasional pitch problems, a lack of incisiveness, and lack of mellifluousness in some of the slower passages (especially in the Orlando arias).

In the CD booklet, Podles is qouted as desiring a "flesh and blood" interpretation of these arias. For sure, these are not simpering, fussy renditions. However, her choice of delivery and ornamentation sometimes runs afoul. In the opening aria, the well-known Venti, Turbini from Rinaldo, Podles attacks the coloratura runs that give countertenor David Daniels so much trouble (all he can do is bluster through them.) Unfortunately, she ends the aria by leaping ackwardly into a rather ugly-sounding low note that is held "in alt" for a several seconds.

Ogni Indugio suffers a similar fate. For all that she lavishes it with wonderful phrasing, pacing, and emotion, she ruins it with another ugly low note that sounds like it was sung by an orc from Lord of the Rings.

Fans of Handel will warm to Podles' bravura, or not. If you like knock-your-socks-off delivery from a powerhouse contralto, you will relish Il Tricerbero Umiliato, from Rinaldo, as well as Cielo, Se Tu Il Consenti, from Orlando. Especially the latter, which is as tempestous as you can possibly imagine. However, if you fancy something more restrained and conventional, well, pick your favorite countertenor.

As for Orbelien's conducting, you will also warm to it, or not. This isn't finely-nuanced playing on period instruments. However, he conducts with lots of heart, and the orchestra is never anemic-sounding.

Despite the occasional laspse in technique or taste, I really recommend this collection of arias to all lovers of baroque opera.

What Bravura Arias!.......2002-12-02

This recording eclipses Haendelian recordings by other singers, even the earlier recordings of Ms. Podles herself. I'm taken by her timbre and command, and of course her incredible vocal range. Ms. Podles is now definitely more of a "Rinaldo" than "Rosina", a Baroque warrior rahter than a crafty Rossian maiden.

Her virile military mannerism on this CD is remarkable. The coloratura comes from her is fraught with masculine prowess. The baritone-like quality in Ms. Podles's lower register reminds one of no other but the legendary contralto, Marian Anderson.

Only slightly to my disappointment, Ms. Podles' approache to the ending cadenzas is in manner rather off my personal taste; it seems to be more Rossinian perhaps - frequently in some high note. This is truly justified for one who wishes to display her amazing range - so full and substancial. This makes countertenors seem somewhat crippled and on crutches.

Ms. Podles' interpretation of Haendelian operatic arias is irrefutably tour de force and most tasteful of our time, no matter how authentically Baroque one finds it.

Do not miss this one.

Contralto/Coloratura--An Amazing Voice! A Great Singer!.......2002-04-08

Anyone who heard Ewa Podles at Carnegie Hall with Orbellian and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra last year in this repertoire has to be as puzzled as I am about her absence from the Met's roster. As is evident in this excellent recording, Podles singing is always on the edge--it will bring you to attention! Recalling the live concert, some of the arias (Venti turbini, Or la Tromba) bring me to my feet, applauding. Equally exciting is Podles's Rossini CD.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.......2001-10-15

Alan Ullrich of the San Francisco Chronicle (10-17-01): Classic. Ewa Podles' Oct. 21 Hertz Hall recital should be one of the prime vocal attractions of the fall season. The Polish artist is that extremely rare phenomenon -- a genuine contralto of luxuriant tone and bottomless resources. Yet this is not one of those British "Land of Hope and Glory" oratorio-type voices but a true bel canto expert. It's hard even to imagine a voice of this weight scaling the heights and depth of Handel and Rossini coloratura with such nonchalance... Los Angeles-based Delos is focusing on Eastern European singers these days, with fascinating results. The company taped the Handel program at Skywalker Sound last year, concurrent with the Opera House recital given by these musicians. Every cut -- 18 in all -- testifies to Podles' incredible agility, seamless breath control and almost terrifying authority. She's the best reason for not casting these title parts with countertenors.

Average customer rating: Great listening. Nice selection. There is two type of mezzo... A Mezzo for the Ages Larmore can certainly fly!

Jennifer Larmore - Where Shall I Fly Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , George Frideric Handel , Lausanne Chamber Orchestra , Jesus Lopez-Cobos , and Jennifer Larmore Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Larmore, Jennifer | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Larmore, Jennifer | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Call Me Mister Amore Per Rossini Mozart Arias Russian Album ASIN: B000000SP5 Release Date: 1995-10-03

Tracks:

1. La finta semplice: 'Che scompiglio, che flagello'
2. Le nozze di Figaro: 'Voi che sapete'
3. La Clemenza di Tito: 'Deh per questo istante solo'
4. Serse: 'Ombra mai fu'
5. Hercules: 'Where Shall I Fly'
6. Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: 'Gia dagli occhi'
7. La finta giardiniera: 'Va pure ad altri in braccio'
8. Ariodante: 'Dopo notte'
9. Semele: 'Hence, Iris, hence away'
10. Rinaldo: 'Cara sposa'
11. Cosi fan tutte: 'Ah, scostati...'Smanie implacabili'
12. La Clemenza di Tito: 'Parto, ma tu ben mio'

Customer Reviews:

Great listening. Nice selection........2006-07-13

'Where Shall I Fly' by contemporary mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore is a big surprise when you first listen to it, as one wonders how such big sounds come from such a petite looking lady who'se face is on the cover. The title comes from the name of a Handel aria from the opera Hercules. This is one of the two English language arias on the CD, the other being from Handel's 'Semele'. All other arias from both Handel and Mozart are in Italian, the most familiar being 'Voi che sapete' from Mozart's 'Le nozze di Figaro'.

As an amateur listener to classical music, I suspect Ms. Larmore is not as highly ranked (Jim Furyk to Renee Fleming's Tiger Woods)as some other mezzos, but this particular collection is makes very nice listening, at least as enjoyable as Ms. Fleming's take on Mozart.

There is two type of mezzo..........2002-04-18

Today,it's a time of mezzo.Bartoli,Otter,etc.Larmore is
one of the most exellent,of course.
On this Hendel arias,she plays male roles.I think it is
very suitable for her.Probably these roles were played by
castratos.Castoratos need storong and radiant voice,which
Larmore has!I prefer her male roles.She will open new windows
of baroque operas.What she impresses us is not a coquetry.
She belongs to another type of mezzo.

A Mezzo for the Ages.......1999-12-05

Having heard all the great mezzos of the past 40 years, many of them (Baker, Cossotto, Horne, von Stade, Valentini-Terrani) in person, I can attest that Jennifer Larmore is one of the greatest. Though her voice is not always stunningly beautiful and her technique not completely polished, there is no question that her COMBINATION of voice, technique and interpretive nuance is unsurpassed in the modern era. Agnes Baltsa may be more honeyed of voice, for instance, but she lacks the sheer excitement and joie-de-vivre that Larmore brings to her singing. In these Baroque and Classical numbers, she also displays a deft sense of style fully apropos to the music at hand. She is truly a mezzo for the ages.

Larmore can certainly fly!.......1998-11-09

This recording albeit less colorful than her more recent stuff shows the promise that she has delivered to all of us. She is truly a blessing with her mezzo-soprano and her richness is unparalleled by few that I know of.

Average customer rating: Remarkable double set for a master voice The Finest Collection of German Lieder

Very Best of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Very Best of Christa Ludwig Schubert: Lieder Winterreise The Very Best of Victoria de los Angeles An die Musik [2 CD & DVD Limited Edition] ASIN: B000083GON Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

1. Die Schone Mullerin
2. Whoin?
3. Halt!
4. Danksagung An Den Bach
5. Ungeduld
6. Das Lied Im Grunen
7. Der Tod Und Das Madchen
8. Heidenroslein
9. Die Forelle
10. Standchen
11. Du Bist Die Ruh'
12. Erlkonig/Winterreise
13. Gute Nacht
14. Die Post
15. Von Ewiger Liebe
16. Die Mainacht
17. Wiegenlied
18. Auch Klein Dinge
19. Fussreise
20. Gebet
21. Der Gartner
22. Lebewohl
23. Morgen!
24. Freundiche Vision
25. Mit Deinen Blauen Augen
26. Des Antonius Von Padua Fischpredigt

Tracks:

1. Grosser Herr, O Starker Kong
2. Erleucht' Auch Meine Finstre Sinnen
3. Cara Sposa, Amante Cara
4. Die Frist Ist Um
5. Leb' Wohl
6. Il Balen Del Suo Sorriso (II Travatore, Act III)
7. Cortigiani, Vil Razza Dannata!
8. Per Me Giunto E Il Di Supremo
9. Alzati!...Eri Tu
10. Vanne...Credo In Un Dio Crudel
11. Era La Notte...Si, Pel Ciel

Customer Reviews:

Remarkable double set for a master voice.......2007-03-25

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is not only one of the most remarkable opera singers but probably the best performer of german lieder ever, and this double set of EMI's The Very Best series is it a vivid proof of it. His noble singing, impressive characterizations and powerful understanding of music is clearly portrayed here.
There is only one thing missing for perfection: Fischer-Dieskau's marvelous performance of Mozart music, absent in this set, but you can find high peaks: Schubert's Das Wandern, Die Forelle (always one of my favorite lieder), Brahms'Wiegenlied, Wagner's Die Frist ist um (chilling) and Verdi's Eri tu (sour mix of rage and sorrow).

The Finest Collection of German Lieder.......2005-01-15

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is the master when it comes to German song. He is the king when it comes to Lied (song) interpretation by any German composer from Gluck to Schubert to Wolf. Sure, people may prefer Fritz Wunderlich or newer greats like Thomas Quasthoff, but everybody must first hear Fischer-Dieskau's take on the song.

I received this CD as a Christmas gift, and was very excited to hear the quality of all the performances. Fischer-Dieskau's specialty is his Schubert Lieder, and his renditions are all fantastic-my favorites are Track 1, Die Schoene Mullerin, with its catchy accompaniment, Staendchen (Track 10), the serenade, and Du bist die Ruh (Track 11). Of course Erlking is a fan favorite, and FD's interpretation is fantastic.

Many people try to describe Fischer-Dieskau's style of interpretation and I find it quite difficult to explain. He has the ability to sing with a feeling of spontaneity, as if he is thinking and feeling the lyrics off the cuff, and yet technically each song is perfect, as if there is complete attention to detail.

The second CD contains excerpts from some of FD's opera/oratorio career, and some of the tracks are quite impressive. I personally prefer James Morris singing Wotan's Abschied by Wagner, but FD's version is extremely moving. FD is a bigger fish in the Lieder world than he is in the opera world, however (if the Lieder world is actually big enough to be a world--maybe just a region).

My take is that anybody who loves Fischer-Dieskau, German Lieder, or just good singing in general will be impressed and happy to own such a CD. I'm not familiar with all of FD's recordings (check it out, there are a lot) to know if these tracks really are HIS BEST, or if there are any glaring omissions, but I think everything on this CD is top-drawer.

How fortunate we are that a man like Fischer-Dieskau came along during the era of recorded sound. This CD is fantastic, and all music-lovers will approve.

Average customer rating: Excellent product and service! A must if you love Mozart Opera Great CD but beware! A MUST-BUY treasure trove!

Mozart: The Concert Arias Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Te Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Bargain Box Sets | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Mozart: Lieder; Notturni Mozart: Der Schauspieldirektor [Germany] Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature Motezuma Mozart Arias ASIN: B0000042GL Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

1. K272: 'Ah, lo previdi!...Ah, t'invola,'
2. K583: 'Vado, ma dove? oh Dei!'
3. K79: 'Oh, temerario Arbace!...Per quel paterno amplesso'
4. K582: 'Chi sa, ch sa, qual sia'
5. K490: 'Non piu. Tutto ascoltai..Non temer'
6. K528: 'Bella mia fiamma, addio!...'
7. K383: 'Nehmt meinen Dank, ihr holden Gonner!'
8. K580: 'Schon lacht der holde Fruhling'
9. K78: 'Per pieta, bell'idol mio'
10. K369: 'Misera, dove son?...Ah! non son io che parlo'
11. K579: 'Un moto di gioia'

Tracks:

1. K496a: 'Basta, vincesti...Ah, non lasciarmi'
2. K578: 'Alma grande e nobil core'
3. K374: 'A questo seno deh vieni...Or che il cielo a me ti rende'
4. K83: 'Se tutti i mali miei'
5. K217: 'Voi avete un cor fedele'
6. 255: Ombra felice!...lo ti lascio
7. K77: 'Misero me!...Misero pargoletto'
8. K577: 'Giunse alfin il momento...Al desio di chi t'adora'
9. K82: 'Se ardire e speranza'

Tracks:

1. K23: Conservati fedele
2. K505: Ch'io mi scordi di te?... Non temer amato bene
3. K88: Fra cento affanni
4. K74b: Non curo l'affetto
5. K294: Ah! spiegarti, oh Dio
6. K119: Der Liebe himmlisches Gefuhl
7. K294 (Version 1): Alcandro, lo confesso... Non so d'onde viene
8. K294 (Version 2): Non so d'onde viene
9. K538: Ah se in ciel, benigne stelle

Tracks:

1. K368: Ma che vi fece, o stelle... Sperai vicino il lido
2. K416: Mia speranza adorata!... Ah non sai qual pena sia
3. K418: Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!
4. K419: No, che non sei capace
5. K70: A Berenice... Sol nascente
6. K316: Popoli di Tessaglia!... lo non chiedo, eterni Dei
7. K21: Va, dal furor portata
8. K209: Si mostra la sorte
9. K210: Con ossequio, con rispetto
10. K431: Misero! O sogno... Aura, che intorno spiri

Tracks:

1. K368: Clarice cara mia sposa
2. K416: Se al labbro mio non credi
3. K418: Or che il dover... Tali e cotanti sono
4. K419: Per pieta, non ricercate
5. K433: Manner suchen stets zu naschen (Warnung)
6. K539: Ich mochte wohl der Kaiser sein!
7. K513: Mentre ti lascio, oh figlia
8. K432: Cosi dunque tradisci... Aspri rimorsi atroci
9. K541: Un bacio di mano
10. K512: Alcandro, lo confesso... Non so d'onde viene
11. K584: Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo
12. K612: Per questa bella mano

Customer Reviews:

Excellent product and service!.......2005-09-11

Love the product and received it record time overseas. Thank you!

A must if you love Mozart Opera.......2002-04-06

The LA Reviewer said it all and I totally agree. The sound is wonderful and singing top notch. A great discovery and a must for any opera collector. Mozart gets better the more you listen to his opera compositions - the set contains many of the outstanding arias not always done in concert but which are lovely and some rediscoveries. Also, our recent loss of Winbergh makes this a buy as we don't have alot of recordings of his beautiful tenor voice. This set features him on 4 arias and his Mozart singing is truly outstanding. This set of 5 CD's a great value and highly recommended.

Great CD but beware!.......2002-02-24

This has to be the ultimate compendium of these undeservedly neglected arias. Many of the arias themselves rival the most glorious moments in the operas, and some of them, particularly the high soprano arias, are highly-charged vocal stuntfests that have to be heard to be believed.

This set has much to recommend it but does have one major technical flaw. Every copy that I have heard (and that is several) has a skip near the end of Track 10 of Disc 1. It seems to be part of the master and many listeners will be able to live with it, but I do wish that producers would take the time to fix a defect like this for such a significant musical document. Purists beware!

A MUST-BUY treasure trove!.......1999-09-04

Can't get enough of sublime Mozartian aria music? This complete compilation of concert arias should be part of every Mozart lover's collection, especially as a supplement to better known opera arias. There are gems among the concert collection that challenge even the loveliest of Mozart's better known operatic work. I can't say this is the only version of the concert arias ever to buy... the more versions I hear, the more I love the different interpretations. But if you're only going to sample one set, this could be the winner. The singers represented are masters of the Mozart craft; one virtuoso piece after another - for five discs, each over an hour long! The arrangement of voices, mostly soprano (since they sing the originally castrati arias as well), is also wonderful; no one sound is heard for too long before a very different one takes its place to give a contrasting flavor. And they're all in top form: Kiri Te Kanawa with her trademark creamy mildness is followed by Edita Gruberova's agile, silver-haunted coloratura. Teresa Berganza, whom I usually link with mezzo roles, is a tour de force of golden warmth; her Ch'io mi scordi de te? on disc 3 (piano accompaniment originally played by Mozart himself) is magnificent and deserves special note. Krisztina Laki and Elfriede Hobarth were lesser known to me; both are quite fine, although Laki's crystal sweetness is stronger and more pitch-perfect than Hobarth's, particularly in the highest notes of some mind-boggling musical phrases. The final 1.5 discs are handed to the men; Gosta Winbergh sings the tenor arias with heroic beauty and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Fernando Corena as the bass-baritones are simply the richly toned legends one would expect. A very nice booklet with notes, lyrics and translations to each aria is included. It's a marvelous set; one of my favorite discoveries.

Average customer rating: More from the beautiful voice of this countertenor Wonderful, thank you; but please, no more Handel recitals, okay? Dreadful Senesino Another Superb Concept for a Recital something to tide Scholl fans over

Arias for Senesino Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Albinoni | Albinoni, Tomaso | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Porpora, Nicolo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Alessandro Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Alessandro | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Scholl, Andreas | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski Andreas Scholl - Kantate Handel - Rodelinda / Antonacci, Scholl, Streit, Chiummo, Winter, Stefanowicz, Christie, Glyndebourne Opera The Voice Andreas Scholl - Ombra mai fu ~ Handel Arias from Giulio Cesare, Admeto, Radamisto, Rodelinda, Serse, Alcina ASIN: B000A79NL0 Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

1. Bel Contento
2. Recitativo Accompagnato: Pompe Vane Di Morte!
3. Dove Sei?
4. Stelle Ingrate
5. Selvagge Amenita
6. Discordi Pensier
7. Del Ciel Sui Giri
8. Fosti Caro [
9. Recitativo Accompagnato: Dall'ondoso Periglio
10. Aure, Deh, Per Pieta
11. Al Lampo Dell' Armi
12. Cara Sposa
13. Va' Per Le Vene Il Sangue

Album Details

Senesino, the Voice that Inspired Handel's Greatest Operas Showpiece Arias by Handel, Lotti, Albinoni, Porpora and Scarlatti. One of the Truly Outstanding Voices of Today, Star Countertenor Andreas Scholl Celebrates One of the 18th Century's Greatest Vocal Superstars - the Remarkable Male Alto Known as Senesino. Senesino's Place in History was Secured by his Extraordinary Association with Handel, who after Travelling to Dresden to Hear Him, Brought Him to London to Join his Italian Opera Company - Where He was Greatly Celebrated by the Public, and Much Admired by the Ladies. Inspired by this Unique Singer, Handel Wrote for Him a Dazzling Succession of Operatic Roles which Showcased the Beauty and Power of his Extraordinary Vocal Personality. Scholl's Exquisite Voice, Beloved of Critics and Audiences, Pure, Penetrating, Virtuosic and Deeply Characterful, is a Remarkable Match for the Voice of Senesino.

Customer Reviews:

More from the beautiful voice of this countertenor.......2007-03-20

Theres something very choir-boy-esque about the former choirboy Andreas Scholl. He tends to look appealingly nerdy on most of his album covers, rather like Clark Kent I suppose, but all that goes out of the window when you listen to his voice.

I'm not particularly knowledgeable about classical music, I tend to just listen to stuff I like and ignore most of opera which is too, well, operatic and 'warbly' for me. However, Andreas Scholl's album 'Arias For Senesino' gives an opportunity to hear some of these arias, originally written for the famous castrato Senesino, in a plain and sweet style.

For those who like a lot of vibrato and dynamism in their singers, Andreas Scholl isn't for them. However for people like me who like to listen to pure, sweet sounds without too much distracting other stuff, this album works just fine. I know other reviewers have commented that his treatment of Handel is too dull but I found the whole album very enjoyable. I particularly liked the Dove Sei from Rodelinda (what can I say, I'm new to this stuff, and I love that song; I know it's been done to death but it's still great); there were a couple of tracks that were a bit too lively for my taste although no doubt displaying Scholl's real mastery of singing. This is an album that I know I will listen to multiple times and the more I listen the more intrigued I get by the countertenor voice - somehow a bit eerie when you listen to it, but wonderful too. I recommend this album.

Wonderful, thank you; but please, no more Handel recitals, okay?.......2006-08-27

This is an excellent recording of the well known and unknown repertoire of the alto castrato, Senesino. It is a marvellous recording and the singing is magnificent.

Andreas Scholl is still my favourite countertenor and he is in great voice on this recording. The singing is, as always, detailed, subtle, beautiful, stylish, informed and very moving. The 'Cara Sposa' here is a highlight - only David Daniels' impassioned interpretation on his complete recording of Rinaldo can hold a torch to Scholl's. I guess that "Cara sposa" is fast becoming to countertenors what "Casta Diva" is to sopranos?

I like this CD and I know that it is one I am going to listen to a lot in future. However, I already have many interpretations of the Handel arias on other discs by other singers. Scholl's recording is absolutely first class, don't get me wrong, but I just don't want to spend any more money on recitals of Handel arias. I would much rather a singer like Andreas Scholl took a leaf out of Cecilia Bartoli's book (she's another Decca artist, BTW) and record some more interesting unknown repertoire. There must be thousands of wonderful male alto arias in operas by Johann Joseph Fux, Alessandro Scarlatti, Antonio Caldara, Antonio Vivaldi and many, many others gathering dust on library shelves!

I can not and will not buy another recital disc of Handel opera arias - this is well and truly my last, ever!

However, this is a bloody good disc! Andreas Scholl is a living treasure, that's for sure.

Dreadful Senesino.......2006-03-26

First of all,Decca engineers insist on to differentiate "their" Scholl's voice from that more sweet,resounding previous Harmonia Mundi cd's like Bach Cantatas Solo,English Folksongs and so on where it was a pleasure to hear this singer.Even orchestra Bizantina could be better recorded;maybe Milano Auditorium hasn't fine acoustics.However,the same happens on "Heroes" and "Banquett".In this Senesino combo just here,Scholl's voice sounds rough and unpleasant,the top of his range excessive and satured.Second of all,in my opinion,opera isn't his confort zone for good.I believe that as a chorister boy,he grew up in that german musical territory singing sacred music by Buxtehude,Bach,where he did his best on recording.In this cd,I heard his worse;a rugged vocalization plentiful in ha-ha-ha,absolutely abusive that seems dreadful to me("Al lampo dell'armi" for instance),his vocal colours sounding like croacks sometimes,incongruous and dramatically unfruitful attempt to perform repertoire previously recorded by himself like it was a new,fresh one("Dove sei","Aure,deh,...").I'm sorry;I know Scholl fans are very zealous on their idol but I have heard much better Senesinos by Derek Lee Ragin,Daniels,Minter,Gall and so on.

Another Superb Concept for a Recital.......2006-02-18

Andreas Scholl has become one of the top stars in opera and concert stage and is probably the best known of the growing cadre of countertenors. He is well represented in the recorded repertoire and yet he continues to find platforms for exploring the music written for this particular voice.

In this fine recital Scholl elects to sing the arias written for the famous countertenor Senesino, a favorite singer of Handel and the one for whom many of the countertenor roles were written. In top form (which is to say in stunning vocal estate and exceptionally fine technique) Scholl offers arias from Handel's operas 'Flavio, Rè di Longobardi', 'Rodelinda, regina de' Langobardi', 'Giulio Cesare in Egitto', and 'Rinaldo' along with Tomaso Albinoni's operas 'Astarto'and 'Engelberta', Scarlatti's 'Carlo re d'Allemagna', with arias by Lotti and Nicola Porpora. It is a splendid display of style and bravura. Scholl is ably accompanied by the Byzantine Academy conducted by Ottavio Dantone.

Though some will contest a few of the choices of arias included here, Scholl's sensitive programming is another aspect of his devotion to his art. This is a major album full of riches. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, February 06

something to tide Scholl fans over.......2006-01-12

There are certainly some Scholl recordings that I anticipate. I'd love to see him record another Handel oratorio with McCreesh, a full-length Handel or Vivaldi opera, a recital of Vivaldi operatic arias, among others. Are you listening, Decca?

The last Scholl recital, Arcadia, featured arias by lesser-known baroque composers. This time around, it seems that Decca wanted a recital that had broader appeal, hence the idea of a Senesino tribute.

The recital begins with two Handel arias, the first being Bel Contento. This is the Scholl we all know and love, his voice as lovely as the springtime. His ravishing tonal beauty is in abundance, and the Accademica Bizantina provides wonderful support.

After such a nice introduction, Scholl coasts through Pompe Vane / Dove Sei?, undoing some of his faultless technique through some rather bland, white-voiced singing. To hear the full potential of this aria, we must turn to Marilyn Horne's interpretation. If you have the chance, listen to her exquisite, fluttering recording of the aria, so different from the go-for-broke Marilyn to whom we are so accustomed.

Scholl is undoubtedly more excited at the prospect of capturing the non-Handel arias. For this reason, he really catches fire in Stelle Ingrate. One of Scholl's greatest vocal qualities is his peerless staccato trill, and Stelle Ingrate is the perfect vehicle to wow us with. We also get more of a sense of his vocal heft. Thankfully, we have a block of five non-Handel arias that are infinitely better for his voice. My other favorite is Del Ciel Sui Giri. The extended introduction is a fascinating blend of horns and strings, showcasing Accademica Bizantina's talents. In the aria proper, Scholl treats us to some amazing, rapid passagework in the repeat of the A part. This is, hands down, the reason I adore Scholl so much.

Scholl revisits Handel with Dall'ondoso Periglio / Aure, Deh, Per Pieta. His delivery of the recitative is more dramatic than before, especially on phrases such as, "Voi dite che io son morto!" Also, he uses a lower register, to thrilling effect. Unfortunately, he confounds us in the aria section. Attempting to sound more dramatic, his fits of excitement keep yielding to that all-purpose beauty that seems to plague him in Handel. In all fairness, this is still Scholl, but it frustrating to hear him hint at dramatic prowess, without taking the plunge.

Al Lampo Dell'Armi is taken at a lightening-quick pace. This would not work on stage, but in the confines of a recital, it becomes a vanity piece for which to showcase again his almighty staccato trill. It beguiles you to hear Scholl unfazed, even at such quick tempi. The purists will cry foul; I, for one, do not think of baroque music as a sacred cow. A little experimentation now and then, in the hands of such a gifted singer, is not a bad thing.

Unfortunately, this bit of bravura is followed by the clunker of the whole set, Cara Sposa. Granted, many great artists have recorded well-known arias that were not suited for their voice, against better judgement. I think of Maria Callas singing the bolero from I Vespri Siciliani, Birgit Nilsson singing O Don Fatale, or Joan Sutherland singing the Queen of the Night's first aria. Such recordings are for the fans only. I, for one, cannot suspend disbelief, where Scholl and Cara Sposa are concerned. In fact, I have yet to listen to the whole of the aria. It doesn't help matters that the PI support is so cautious and polite. Gimme Marilyn Horne, folks!

Thankfully, that woefully misguided interpretation is followed by the melancholy Va Per Le Vene Il Sangue. Again, we are given evidence of how divine Scholl can be when an aria inspires him.

Rock Music:

1. Chain Reaction
2. Collection [Import]
3. Continuance [Import]
4. Damage [Import]
5. Dance With Me
6. Dino Valente
7. Dino Valente [Import]
8. Don't Tell the Band [DualDisc]
9. Downtown Tonight [Import]
10. Eastworld [Enhanced]

Rock Music