Caccini, Giulio

Average customer rating:

Wonderful melodies
Hayley Westenra - Odyssey
Very soothing
very good pop singer voice
Voice & level head deserve high marks

Odyssey
Hayley Westenra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Celtic Treasure
Hayley Westenra - Live From New Zealand
Lisa
Celtic Woman - A New Journey: Live at Slane Castle, Ireland
Walking in the Air

ASIN: B000AXWHPI
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

Prayer
Both Sides Now
Never Saw Blue
Dell' Amore Non Si Sa
What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)
May It Be
Quanta Qualia
You Are Water
She Moves Through the Fair
My Heart Belongs To You - Hayley Westenra
Ave Maria
I Say Grace

Album Description

Hayley Westenra's new album Odyssey was always going to be a different proposition to Pure, the record-breaking 2003 collection which marked her international debut. A lot has happened to the young New Zealander over the past two or three years--and those changes are clearly reflected by a record which encapsulates her growth from a budding teenage prodigy into a mature young woman.

</p>Now, at 18, Hayley is ready to show the world how much she has grown up, both as an artist and as an individual. Fans of Pure will be pleasantly surprised by her new album. Her wonderful voice retains its crystal-clear purity, but Westenra's singing is now richer and more rounded than before. Touring the world and singing in some of its greatest concert venues, such as the Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, and Carnegie Hall, has worked wonders for her confidence. Suitably emboldened, she has embraced an even wider range of musical styles including classical, hymns, folk and pop.

</p>"I was happy with Pure at the time, but I've moved on so much," says Hayley. "It's really exciting to have something new out there for people to listen to. I wanted to make a record that represented me as a person. And I think I've improved as a vocalist."

</p>Variety is certainly one of the keywords with Hayley's new album. When she first entered a recording studio in New Zealand as a 12-year-old, Westenra restricted herself to classical pieces and show tunes. Now, in addition to impressive takes on classical works, Hayley uses her new album to perform an inspired cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and has arranged and written much of the material. "I like to push myself, and I'm now confident enough to try different things. I have been much more involved behind the scenes with this album--I wanted to put my individual stamp on each song."

</p>With her career stretching out promisingly before her, Hayley is also keen to continue experimenting. She is still primarily a classical crossover artist but she also wants to keep broadening those musical horizons. Three years after her international debut CD, Hayley Westenra is still pure: she exudes pure quality and she remains pure class--but her musical journey continues with her new album Odyssey.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful melodies.......2007-06-08

This is a wonderful CD with beautiful melodies. Hayley Westenra has a very pure voice and sings right on key. The melodies are very relaxing and the musical settings are well arranged.

Hayley Westenra - Odyssey.......2007-06-08

Pure, crystalline, angelic voice. Gorgeously produced. "Prayer" is stunning. "Both Sides Now" wonderful. The rest is good but not her best song selection. When I first heard this girl on the "Celtic Woman" tour I was totally blown away. None of her CDs will disappoint!

Very soothing.......2007-05-14

Hayley Westenra's Odyssey is a very beautiful CD. If you switch on your walkman and listen to the CD's tracks non-stop, you'll soon feel like you're flying in Heaven. It's very soothing and heavenly. It calms you down, without causing you to feel lonely or sad because you're listening to it in solitary, like other vocal or classical songs do sometimes.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested. Quanta Qualia and Ave Maria are my most favourite tracks. Quanta Qualia is pure magic! I really feel as if I'm flying in Heaven when I listen to it.

very good pop singer voice.......2007-05-13

the selections were tasteful and varied. the singer has a very good pop singer voice. i would have liked some voice variation between songs. all were sung in exactly the same style. good singing but without tonal variation the disk tends to be bland. i hope that as she gets more exposure she will vary her voice to make the songs stand out individually instead of letting them blend into one song on the disc. i would rate this 5 stars except for that major fault.

Voice & level head deserve high marks .......2007-04-20

Not only has Hayley Westenra's voice remained "pure", but her good sense and sensibilty has stayed intact when so many similar young performers have gone over the deep end with extreme behavior and disreputable remarks. On this CD Miss Westernra covers a number of songs in her own special style, such as excellent versions of "Prayer", "May It Be" and "Both Sides Now". I hope to hear her renditions of more such tunes, old and new. I would like to hear her sing songs like "Yesterday", "I Still Believe in Love" and All I Know. She has a way with her soaring vocals that never lets the listener down.

Donnie Darko - Original Soundtrack & Score

Average customer rating:

Donnie Darko UK Import : BUY IT!!!
Mad World - the one you are looking for
It took 'em long enough, but it was worth the wait!
Donhnie Darko Import Soundtrack well done
good stuff

Donnie Darko - Original Soundtrack & Score

Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Donnie Darko - The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Donnie Darko Book
Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears
Donnie Darko (Score)
Mad World

ASIN: B0002XMF2G
Release Date: 2004-10-11

Tracks:

Never Tear Us Apart
Head Over Heals
Under the Milky Way
Lucid Memory
Lucid Assembly
Ave Maria
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Show Me, Pt. 1
Notorious
Stay
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Killing Moon
Mad World
Did You Know Him?

Tracks:

Carpathian Ridge
Tangent Universe
Artifact & Living
Middlesex Times
Manipulated Living
Philosophy of Time Travel
Liquid Spear Waltz
Gretchen Ross
Burn It to the Ground
Slipping Away
Rosie Darko
Cellar Door
Ensurance Trap
Waltz in the 4th Dimention
Time Travel
Did You Know Him?
Mad World
Mad World [Alternate Mix][*]

Album Description

UK only double-disc features many tracks unavailable on the US version. Sanctuary. 2004.

Album Details

2004 UK Two CD Reissue of Soundtrack to the Cult Film that Includes the Origianl Score plus Additional Tracks that were in the Original Film but were Left off the USA Single CD Version. 80's Bands Including Duran Duran, Inxs, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division and Tears for Fears Now Complete this New Package

Customer Reviews:

Donnie Darko UK Import : BUY IT!!!.......2007-05-12

Just bought this 2 CD import item. Was it costly? Sure: approx. $25. BUT, given that I nearly paid $20 for the US version which DOES NOT include the first CD, it was well worth it.
Delivery: SURPRISINGLY SUPER-FAST by USPS (it only took two or three days standard shipping)
Condition: Still wrapped in plastic.
Music: *tee hee* If you watched the movie, then you know what the music will sound like: it's the movie soundtrack (you know, the awesome soundtrack that both reminds the viewer of the 80's and also creates a haunting backdrop for the movie's themes). Typically here in the US that means only one or two of the good songs and the rest is the score. The UK version? ALL of the good songs and the entire score (that's why it's 2 discs).
Bad part? Not offered in US retail stores (i.e. you can only buy this online or in an Import CD store.

Mad World - the one you are looking for.......2007-01-19

It's here, two versions of Mad World by Michael Andrews, lovely piano intro and Neil Young type vocals. Buy it!

It took 'em long enough, but it was worth the wait!.......2006-11-06

My friends and I have been waiting for this for years--finally, the real 80's music soundtrack for Donnie Darko, arguably one of the best soundtracks out there!

Probably the only negative comment I have is that they included the music from the motivational videos, something that I could have done without.

Thank you for putting this soundtrack out!!

Donhnie Darko Import Soundtrack well done.......2006-08-24

The import edition of the Donnie Darko soundtrack is two discs. One is the actual pop songs, and some classical works, which are all very good and includes the remake of Tears for Fears "Mad World." The second disc is the instrumental score, with two versions of "Mad World," included as well. The instrumental score is very dark and omenous, and the two disc set is a nice collectible piece of music that I highly reccommend. The price is a bit high, at over $30, but if you are any type of a fan of the movie, or a soundtrack collector, this album is for you.

good stuff.......2006-08-10

i wish i could have bought just disc one... because disc two is mostly the instrumental stuff, which is excellent, but i don't really plan on listening to it over and over. disc one is good, although there are a few songs i skip through.

Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung

Average customer rating:

Beautiful music
Andrea Bocelli-Sacred Arias
An "experience" of sacred arias more than "listening" of sacred arias
amazing talent
Perfect arias for the perfect voice

Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung
George Frideric Handel , Giulio Caccini , Charles Gounod , Franz Schubert , Cesar Franck , Gioachino Rossini , Giuseppe Verdi , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Richard Wagner , Pietro Mascagni , Louis Niedermeyer , Franz Xaver Gruber , John Francis Wade , Jean-Paul Lecot , Myung-Whun Chung , and Andrea Bocelli
Manufacturer: Philips
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Romanza
Andrea Bocelli - Amore
Sogno
Cieli di Toscana
Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria

ASIN: B00002ND9N
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Caccini/Mercurio: Ave Maria
Mascagni: Sancta Maria
Gounod: Ave Maria
Schubert: Ave Maria
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Rossini: Cuius animam
Verdi: Ingemisco
Mozart: Ave verum
Wagner: Der Engel
Handel: Ombra mai fu
Niedermeyer: Pieta signore
Rossini: Dominus Deus
Schubert/Mercurio: Mille Cherubini in coro
Gruber/Mercurio: Silent Night
Wade: Adeste Fideles
Gloria a te, Cristo Ges

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias, the release of which coincides with the first English-language biography of the singer. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful music.......2007-01-12

This is my second copy of this CD, I burned the first one out!!
Andrea Bocelli has a very gorgeous voice that is a gift from above. His voice is not affected or braggadoccio but naturally magnificent. I could and do start my day listening to this spiritually uplifting CD almost everyday. It is a wonderful way to get off to a pleasant peaceful start, but also a nice way to come home in the evening if you have a CD player in your car. I highly recommend it to all.

Andrea Bocelli-Sacred Arias.......2006-08-25

Excellent listening. Voice quality and tone is superb. Brings tears to my eyes when I envision listening to this in a church setting.

An "experience" of sacred arias more than "listening" of sacred arias.......2006-04-28

I bought this CD's special edition with DVD, and I am impressed by bocelli's singing in this album. I have heard many voices singing sacred songs, and christmas songs, but very few singers can achieve the "sacred atmosphere" that bocelli devotes when he sings. He may not have a "strong" voice as opera singers, but I think singing these sacred songs, devoting the "sacred atmosphere" to the audience is much more important, the voice actually is just a tool that helps a singer to achieve the result. For real, I have heard some CD by some chorus that perform sacred arias, but they did not move me as much as this CD does, mostly not even close. Personally I like "O come all ye faithful", "silent night", all "ave maria"'s, "domine deus", "cujus animam" the most. When I listen Bocelli's singing I focus on what he tries to devote in singing more than his voice color, because in terms of voice color he surely cant be compared with pavarotti or domingo, so why compares? The way of listening him and listening real opera singers is different man. But the reason I gave only this CD four stars is that I have heard several sacred arias from this album performed by his voice teacher, the legendary tenor Franco Corelli. I tried not to compare both...but I cant, not because Bocelli sings bad, he is already excellent, just Corelli is TOO excellent that cant be described by human language (well I think even Pavarotti is not even close to Franco Corelli, but this is just my opinion). Anyway if you want to "experience" the true beauty of sacred arias, this CD is highly recommended. And this is also a very good sacred aria album for beginning listeners who want to broaden their musical taste to sacred arias.

amazing talent.......2006-03-25

worth the price the songs are breathtaking and talent is indescribable

Perfect arias for the perfect voice.......2006-03-04

These are just terrific. How does Andrea acheive the range he does, and the power he has, without sounding too heavy or too light? His voice sounds like the perfect voice for these perfect arias.

I have noticed one concern with the CD. I have heard several clicks scattered here and there in the songs -- but the CD is clean and I feel confident it is not the machine. Has anyone else noticed this?

Cecilia Bartoli - If You Love Me (Se tu m'ami ), 18th-Century Italian Songs

Average customer rating:

useful
Cecilia Bartoli at her best.
Great companion to Schirmer's 24 Italian Arias book
Great Bartoli, but not her best Italian songs
Beautiful and useful CD

Cecilia Bartoli - If You Love Me (Se tu m'ami ), 18th-Century Italian Songs
Alessandro Scarlatti , Antonio Caldara , Antonio Lotti , Antonio Cesti , Giovanni Paisiello , Anonymous , Benedetto Marcello , Giuseppe Giordani , Giulio Caccini , Alessandro Parisotti , Pietro Francesco Cavalli , Antonio Vivaldi , Giacomo Carissimi , Cecilia Bartoli , and György Fischer
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski
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24 Italian Songs and Arias - Medium High Voice (Book/CD): Medium High Voice - Book/CD
Cecilia Bartoli - Mozart Arias

ASIN: B00000420F
Release Date: 1992-10-13

Tracks:

Gia, Il Sole dal Gange
Son tutta duolo
Se Florindo e fedele
O cessate di piagarmi
Spesso vibra per suo gioco
Caro mio ben
Pur dicesti, O bocca bella
Intorno all'idol mio
Nel cor piu non mi sento
Il mio ben quando verra
O leggiadri occhi belli
Quella fiamma che m'accende
Selve amiche
Sebben, crudele
Tu ch'hai le penne, amore
Se tu m'ami
Chi vuol la zingarella
Amarilli
Delizie contente
Sposa son disprezzata
Vittoria, vittoria!

Amazon.com

The 17th-century Italian art song repertory traditionally reserved for novice singers is given new life via Bartoli's artistry. With impeccable diction and evocative phrasing, she captures every innuendo of these simple, but passionate, pieces. No two repetitive phrases are alike; she chisels every line into a landscape of interpretive magnificence. Scarlatti's simple "O Cessate di Piagarmi" becomes a testament of innocent pain and plaintiveness. Giordano's "Caro Mio Ben" is transformed into a tender cry for love. All embellishments are imaginative and well executed. Accompaniment by György Fischer is equally appealing, sensitive and precise. Every singer questing for the art of singing should study these. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

useful.......2007-04-11

I feel like recommending this compilation to neophites wanting to listen to some old arias to learn if they like this genre and to singing students:
Ms Bartoli's voice is not beautiful, nor perfect when heard live, but her technique sounds perfectly good on record. Here and there her voice gets harsh, flat, losing brilliance and warmth, but most of the time one can concentrate on the accurate rendering of these old and beautiful arias.

She wisely decided to follow the letter of Parisotti's score, therefore meeting the need of all singing students of having a reference for their study. The agility is outstanding but pronunciation and expression, as well as the perfect gusto in presenting the phrases, are what make this compilation worthwhile. Not a word goes wasted or neglected but her being Italian and her sensitivity manage to avoid overkill.

One could wish she would publish compilations of single authors of the xvi and xvii centuries, edited according to philological criteria or else other compilations of the dated but still useful Parisotti edition.

Cecilia Bartoli at her best........2007-03-06

A great singer is one who dedicates singing to the text itself instead to himself/herself.
This is achieved 100% by Ms. Bartoli in this earlier album of hers. The recordings here cannot be termed otherwise than 'immaculate'. The very opening song 'Gia sole dal gange' is a display of Bartoli's unique timbre in its full beauty - glorious, rich and full. Many singers could tackle the range of this song, mezzos or sopranos, but who could pull it off in the manner as Ms. Bartoli? Credit to the one who picked this as the opening song of this fantastic album.
The songs following come in different styles and moods, all given full authentic interpretations by the singer. Compare the 'Vittoria, vittoria mio core' to 'Intorno al'idol mio' or 'Amarilli, mio bella' the vast contrast of mood, brought out equally well. The songs' requirement of versatility of interpretation is fully catered for.
I hate it when people say that this is a learners' album accompanying the 24 Italian Songs edited by one publisher. Such remarks could barely do justice to Ms. Bartoli's superb artistry, though admittedly, this CD would be an invaluable one for THAT purpose. What about the songs NOT included in the 24 Italian songs?

Great companion to Schirmer's 24 Italian Arias book.......2007-02-21

Cecilia Bartoli beautifully demonstrates many of the songs in Schirmer's 24 Italian Songs & Arias Of The 17th & 18th Centuries, which is widely recognized as an intermediate collection of Italian repitoire.

Great Bartoli, but not her best Italian songs.......2006-06-15

'The Impatient Lover' sung by Cecilia Bartoli is a collection of 18th and 19th century songs in Italian which were written by the predominantly German composers, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and Hayden. Oddly, this is very seriously a better, or at least a more enjoyable collection, to my ear, than the 'If you Love Me' collection of Italian songs written by Italians, including Scarlatti, Caldera, and Vivaldi. And, neither collection of Italian songs is as interesting as Mme. Bartoli's collection of French love songs, 'Chant D'Amore'. All are done on London, but with three different accompaniests. I think the French material is just better than the Italian.

Beautiful and useful CD.......2006-03-22

I used this CD as accompaniment and inspiration for a voice class. It's very useful and Cecilia Bartoli sounds amazing.

Average customer rating:

STILL THE BEST OF HER ALBUMS
We are reviewing his talent, not his toughts
Charlotte's Debut
The Best from Charlotte Church that You Will Ever Hear!
Charlotte church is the best

Voice of an Angel

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Charlotte Church
Enchantment
Dream a Dream
Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Our Favorite Things

ASIN: B00000I9CF
Release Date: 1999-03-16

Tracks:

Pie Jesu
Panis Angelicus
In Trutina
The Lord's Prayer
Jerusalem
Ave Maria
Psalm 23
I Vow To Thee, My Country
Danny Boy
My Lagan Love
Suo-Gan
A Lullaby
Amazing Grace
Three Welsh Bird Songs: Y Gylfinir/The Curlew
Three Welsh Bird Songs: Tylluanod/Owls
Three Welsh Bird Songs: Mae Hiraeth Yn Y Mor/There's Longing In The Sea
When At Night I Go To Sleep

Amazon.com

Those leery and weary of tasteless crossover need not shudder at the sight of this disc, which has sold over half a million copies in Europe. There's none of the softcore kiddie porn that came with Vanessa-Mae or the heavily packaged faux romanticism of Andrea Bocelli. (That of course doesn't necessarily mean that you'll want Voice of an Angel.) This 12-year-old Welsh soprano is so uncloyingly cute and has such an appealing personality (with just enough touch of cheek) that you'd almost rather have her as a dinner guest than on your CD player. Her small, attractive, sometimes unstable but always sincere soprano perhaps went to the top of the British charts because it clicks into the boy-soprano choir tradition so prevalent there, especially since many of the selections are sacred items such as "The Lord's Prayer" and "Ave Maria." And Church may pick up some fans thanks to the tail end of Celtic chic, with the Welsh folk songs and the rendition of "Danny Boy." But this promises to be yet another short-lived media phenomenon, rather than the beginning of a lengthy career. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

STILL THE BEST OF HER ALBUMS.......2007-05-03

This is the first of Charlotte Church's recordings, recorded back when she was still a normal, unspoiled 12-year-old Welsh girl. I first fell in love with her voice when I heard her singing "I Vow Thee My Country" on the radio about 8 years ago, and was blown away to find out that she was only 12 years of age!

I bought the CD shortly after that and have listened to it a bazillion times. Just recently, I decided to pull it out again and found myself enjoying it just as much now as I did then. She was probably in her best vocal form in this CD, before her voice became "overtrained," and eventually, ruined by her "Crazy Chick" habits.

Among the standouts -- besides "I Vow Thee My Country" -- are "Amazing Grace," "Ave Maria," "3 Welsh Bird Songs," "My Lagan Love," "Suo-Gan," "A Lullaby" and, of course, her signature song, "Pie Jesu." At the time, I thought she had the potential of becoming one of the greatest sopranos of all time once she reached adulthood. Sadly, this has not been the case, and her latest album, "Tissues and Issues," is a reflection of how far she has fallen both vocally and in her personal life.

If you buy only one Charlotte Church album, this would definitely be it.

We are reviewing his talent, not his toughts.......2007-04-25

This CD is excellent, I can't believe N Arey put one star because of this issue.
What a shame.

Charlotte's Debut.......2007-04-03

This is just a beautiful album -- beautiful, beautiful music. The first time I listened to it, I didn't like it very much. I was coming off a coffee rush with a splitting headache and it made me wince every time she hit a high note, but over the past few days it's really grown on me, and I like most of the songs on the CD. I was suprised by which songs really touched me the most. I'm a Christian, so I expected to like sacred songs such as The Lord's Prayer and Amazing Grace the best, but I find that I Vow To Thee My Country and Jerusalem stand out to me the most. (I'm moved to all but tears by the former). Danny Boy and Panis Angelicus are also remarkably well done. The Welsh Bird Songs are boring -- but at least the album has a strong finish with "When at Night I Go to Sleep". Charlotte did a great job. Beautiful music from a gifted little girl.

The Best from Charlotte Church that You Will Ever Hear!.......2006-11-28

This CD is simply amazing! I can honestly tell you that this is the best from Charlotte Church that you will ever hear! Her voice in this stage in her career is so mezmerizing and well-trained! Soon after her second album, which was self-titled, her voice began to deteriorate, probably because of her constant smoking and drinking. Now, we've reached a low point in Charlotte's career, in which she has now been donned the "Crazy Chick", and her latest CD, entitled TISSUES and ISSUES, is a major flop. More recently, Charlote mocked the Catholic Church, calling the Pope a "Nazi". She currently has her own television show, and in one episode, Church pretended to be a nun, and got "high" on Communion Waffers that were stamped with a smiley face, which resembles the drug ecstacy. She also broke open a statue to find Communion Wine, and placed her gum on a model of the baby Jesus. Honestly, you cannot find blame with the 12-year old Charlotte, for I'm sure that she never would do such an offensive thing! (My best advice for getting back at her is not buying her new album).

Anyways, back to the album. Charlotte's first four tracks are amazing! "Pie Jesu" was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, originally for his wife, Sarah Brightman. I prefer Charlotte's version of Sarah's because Charlotte's voice does not show too much vibrato. If you listen to Sarah's version with Paul Miles Kingston, the boy soprano, from THE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER COLLECTION VOL.1, you'll hear the difference! "Panis Angelicus" is amazing, and Church even sang it to the Pope! (Not the recent Pope, but the Late Pope John Paul the II). The third track, "In Trutina" - which means "In Balance", is from Bizet's Carmen, which is beautiful. Compared to Brightman's version, Charlotte has much less vibrato. "The Lord's Prayer" is simply beautiful! Jerusalem is also a magnificent work. "Ave Maria" is amazing, with soaring vocals. I don't prefer this version of "Ave Maria" because it's "Ave Maria, Ave Maria, Ave Maria" over and over again. I much prefer the "Ave Maria" by Schubert, which Brightman sings very well. However, this version is still in my favorites. "Psalm 23" is beautiful! "I Vow to Thee, My Country" is a sort of dragged-out piece, but I still enjoy listening to it. I don't prefer it because the song stays in the same key and the same notes are sung all the time! The next piece is "Danny Boy", which is OK. To me, it seems as though Charlotte and the orchestra are always out of sync, but I'm not sure. Plus, this piece is in minor! I'm not too happy about that. "My Lagan Love" is a beautiful piece, with clear vocals and lyrics. "Suo-Gan" is an awesome piece. In fact, a choir that I was once enrolled in sang this song, although it was in English. "Amazing Grace" speeks its title, which is AMAZING! The next three tracks are from "Three Welsh Bird Songs". They're in a foreign language, and I have no clue what they say, but they are wonderful all the same. The last piece, "When At Night I Go to Sleep" is beautiful, but I find it too short!

Overall, this album is great. Besides a few tracks that aren't my favorite, I'm sure that any loyal Charlotte Church fan will buy this CD and will stick it in his/her collection. Please - boycott against TISSUES and ISSUES - It isn't the greatest album anyways, with drawn-out yuckie ballads and too-hyped up pop tunes.

Charlotte, I hope you can read this! I loved you when you were a Classical singer, but now, I can't stand to look at your music! God gave you a gift, Charlotte, and you kicked Him in the face! Just remember this when your record sales for TISSUES and ISSUES flop!

Charlotte church is the best.......2006-08-14

This is the beginning of Charlotte Church. It came out like in '99. I was so amazed by her voice that I had to go and get the cd. Wow, her voice is amazing and always will be in my opinion. Even, though she has a pop album out I still like it. Also plan on buying it too. There are so many good songs on the cd. It's hard to choose because her voice is angelic. For some people who think she has a kind of boy/girl voice- don't know what their talking about. Listen closely the next time you play it. I'm starting out in singing opera and Charlotte is my role model. There is no voice like her yet, even Hayley Westerna, who also has a beautiful voice...can't be in Charlotte Church's shoes. Hopefully, she'll go back to her classical music or just do both.

Average customer rating:

really like it

Cello Adagios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0001WU1QK
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

Carnival Of The Animals - Bruno Canino
Vocalise, Op.34 No.14 - Lynn Harrell
Thais - Julian Lloyd Webber
Adagio - Janos Starker
Apres Un Reve - Bruno Canino
Adagio - Julian Lloyd Webber
Ave Maria - Julian Lloyd Webber
Adagio - Julian Lloyd Webber
Traumerei (Dreaming) - Bruno Canino
Notturno: Andante - Julian Lloyd Webber
Sicilienne - Bruno Canino
An Die Musik, D547 - Bruno Canino
Reverie - Julian Lloyd Webber
Prayer - Bruno Canino
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana - Bruno Canino
Salut D'amour, Op.12 - Bruno Canino
Valse Sentimentale, Op.15 No.6 - Samuel Sanders
Kol Nidrei, Op.47 - Julian Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Air (Air On A G String) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Clair De Lune - Julian Lloyd Webber
Elegie, Op.24 - Jullian Lloyd Webber
Andante - Heinrich Schiff
Romance In D Minor, Op.62 - Julian Lloyd Webber
Beau Soir - Bruno Canino
Sicilienne, Op.78 - Bruno Canino
Panis Angelicus - Julian Lloyd Webber
Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2 - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cantabile - Samuel Sanders
Liebesleid - Samuel Sanders
Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Janos Starker
Bereuse - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cantilena - Julian Lloyd Webber
Melodie, Op.20 No.1 - Julian Lloyd Webber

Customer Reviews:

really like it.......2007-03-05

This is the first classical cd I have ever bought. The two-disc album was a great price. I really love the performance of Lynn Harrell. I like the collection of Adagios because they are perfect to fall asleep to or study to.

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]

Average customer rating:

A spiritual experience

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]
Andrea Bocelli , Giulio Caccini , Cesar Franck , Charles Gounod , Franz Xaver Gruber , George Frideric Handel , Jean-Paul Lecot , Eric Levi , Steven Mercurio , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Louis Niedermeyer , Gioachino Rossini , Franz Schubert , Giuseppe Verdi , John Francis Wade , Richard Wagner , Myung-Whun Chung , and Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra Rome
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000CE9VO
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Sancta Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Panis Angelicus - Norbert Balatsch
Cujus Animam
Ingemisco
Ave Verum Corpus
Der Engel
Frondi Tenere... Ombra Mai Fu
Pieta, Signore - Norbert Balatsch
Domine Deus
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Norbert Balatsch
Silent Night
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) - Norbert Balatsch
Gloria A Te, Cristo Gesu (The Hymn Of The Great Jubilee)
Agnus Dei
I Believe

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. This new special edition includes two bonus tracks on a CD enhanced with a picture gallery as well as a full-length DVD of Bocelli in concert filmed at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. --Thomas May

Album Description

Special Edition includes enhanced CD with bonus tracks and concert DVD.

Customer Reviews:

A spiritual experience.......2003-11-27

The DVD is the full 77 minute concert with two featurettes previously released alone. The CD is the full 72 minute concert previously released alone, except that two bonus tracks have been added. The audio quality of each one is quite good. (If you have a Dolby Digital stereo, then you must go into the setup menu on the DVD to select Dolby Digital sound. The default music track is the stereo 2.0 sound.) The video quality of the DVD is astonishing.

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Vocalise
Melancholy Rose
L'Heure Exquise
O Del Mio Dolce Ardor
Charmed By A Rose
In The City
Get Off My Land
Dite Oime
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5
Maria's Dream (Instrumental)
Bonus Track

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking.......2006-12-17

I bought this CD before it was even well-known, though I wonder how many people even know about it right now. This is truly a gem of a find. The fusion of electronica and opera is amazing and the vocals are haunting and beautiful. I have had several friends listen to this CD and all of them fall in love with it, just like I did when I first heard it. I have since bought Operatica: Shine and the more recent Operatica: Christmas Classics and I can truly say I am just as pleased with both follow-up albums. I listen to a variety of music and have a large collection, and this is one of my favourite CDs! Bravo to the creators, composers, vocalist(s) and artists that brought this compilation together.

operatica "o".......2005-09-19

I have this album and think it is unusually beautiful, innovative, a woman with a lovely voice.

Why is she not mentioned or given the credit she deserves, it would appear she is some kind of a secret!

Maureen O'Flynn is only mentioned in the booklet of credits in the jewel case itself, why?
Enter her name in the search in CDNOW and it comes up blank! Why?

First few songs are good, the rest are???.......2004-02-13

First few songs are good, but the rest of the album is no good!

This is the pits. . . the absolute pits.......2003-08-23

Maureen O'Flynn is a perfectly good singer, but whoever thought this "marriage" of opera and pop was a good idea is the same guy that thinks John Tesh is a great composer. People have simply stopped listening seriously to music, and it is a real shame. This recording is for the scrap heap. The accompaniment is cheesier than a big wedge of provolone. There isn't a single live musician in the studio with this young lady. The people who think this is good music are the same ones that aren't bothered by the prospect of a canned sound track in a Broadway show or the "pop stylings" of Charlotte Church. Go out and find some REAL MUSIC, people! It's there if you look. As the great American composer Charles Ives wrote: "Open your ears!"

Adding To My List Of Vices: A Continuation.......2003-05-05

When coupling sounds from two opposing polarities into one another and blending them into the perfect texturization of harmonics, one has to have a few things that fit nicely together in order to succeed. One has to first have a musical stylization that works when placed into an arena that isn't normally associated with its feel, making sure that the seams that could be ripe for the picking aren't taken advantage of. Next, one has to make sure that the voice behind the work, if there is a vocal combination in the work at all, is something that will work smoothly and will not let the vehicle of sense assailment down. Otherwise, the end result is painful and the art, it is merely noise. This is especially true when one is trying to fit a glove on the hand that isn't accustomed to wearing it, making certain that the fit is right and that the end result isn't too rudimentary because something was overlooked.

With Operatica: "O" Volume 1, the components come together fabulously and the seams don't really show at all except on the rarest of occasions (two songs out of eleven by my count, and perhaps that's more beat than anything), throwing a mixture of motions into a vocally moving ocean that would, on many occasions, be seen as items that wouldn't fit together. Here, the beautiful voice of Maureen O'Flynn mixes the operatic sounds I had never truly experienced into a sea of electronic beats, ambient rhythms, speaking pianos, and other vessels to compose the perfect structure. This takes a classical form and introduces it to a world that paints new scenes that couldn't have been painted otherwise, letting its audience ingest a spectrum of thoughts that they wouldn't intake normally. I, myself, was stunned to find that I was instantly addicted to the release, listening to it over and over again and wondering where Opera had been all of my life. Honestly, being a child of electronic music that drifts into heavier organisms of feeling, I never thought I would ever think such thoughts.

Tracks:

Kaddisch
Laudate Dominum
Ave Maria
Amazing Grace
Breit' Uber Mein Haupt
L'assedio Di Corinto: L' Ora Fatal S'appressa... Guisto Ciel !
Pie Jesu
Der Vierjahrige Posten: Gott! hore Meine Stimme!
Sanctus
Maria Stuarda: Preghiera Di Maria
Lacrimosa
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Take Care Of This House - Sumi Jo/Phil Chor Koln/Susan Graham
Nun's Chor/Casanova: Laura's Song
Gigi: Say A Prayer For me Tonight
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

Amazon.com

This program seems designed primarily to display soprano Sumi Jo's fabulous singing and famous stylistic eclecticism. However, it also exhibits an admirable religious inclusiveness, encompassing expressions of faith from the Latin liturgy to Negro spirituals; there is even a Richard Strauss song that is essentially a paean to love. An incongruous note is struck by a nun's song from an operetta by Benatzky that is a corny Viennese waltz and by a soundtracklike arrangement of a 16th-century Ave Maria. Ranging from Mozart to Broadway, this musical mix is held together by Sumi Jo's ravishingly beautiful, pure, warm voice and the way she can color and inflect it, and by her mastery of every style (though not every language; her German in particular is unintelligible). Her intonation is impeccable, her breath control incredible. Jo's top notes soar triumphantly, and she can sustain them indefinitely, with enough power left to make a crescendo at the end. Highlights include Ravel's "Kaddisch," which sends shivers down the spine; arias from operas by Rossini and Donizetti; and arias from sacred works by Gounod and Fauré. Of two spirituals, the second one is simpler and more convincing. The accompanying forces are excellent; James Conlon doubles as pianist when not conducting. Susan Graham also makes an appearance in the moving invocation "Take Care of This House" from Bernstein's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Nice Voice.......2007-05-06

Sumi Jo has a beautiful voice but her renditions of Motherless Child and Amazing Grace were not impressive at all. The vibrato was too uncontrollable. The Ave Maria was so,so. I did not hear the richeness others have declared in their assesments. Don't get me wrong, the instrument is quite beautiful but only in some selected selections.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-17

"Music and poetry emerge from man's desire to give thanks, to praise and to pray to his gods. One of the magical powers of the human voice is that it can fly, on the wings of songs (a la Mendelssohn) to heaven and appear to be in direct communication with God." Therefore, it is no surprise that prayer is omnipresent throughout the history of music. Sumi Jo has chosen an excellent representation of songs including most styles and periods which include : Baroque (Caccini)-Classical (Mozart)-Contemporary (Preisner)-Romantic Opera (Rossini,Donizetti)-German 'Singspiel'(Schubert)-Lieder (Richard Strauss)-French church music (Gounod ,Faure)-traditional music (spiritual)-Jewish melodies (Ravel)-Viennese operetta (Johann Strauss) and the American musical (Bernstein).

Sumi Jo, born in Korea,is a much sought after coloratura soprano, having triumphed on stage, and in recitals all over the world. Not being fond of coloraturas, I make an exception for her voice, because of its depth along with the very high register. She shows a great deal of sensitivity to all of her varied selections on this disc, and each delivery is a 'gem' unto itself.

I must personally comment on those works that I particularly enjoy. Hearing her sing Mozart's 'Laudate Dominum' was a real treat; it doesn't matter how often one hears that lovely piece, just like all of his music, it 'wears' well. The 'Pie Jesu' was absolutely stunning as Sumi Jo sang it, and it is a pleasure for me to hear the selection from "GIGI" by Lerner & Loewe; not being a great broadway fan, I have always liked that specific musical. I think because it was well-done when I saw it years and years ago.

This disc is abolutely totally enjoyable. There is something for all musical tastes, and the conductor/pianist James Conlon does a great job pulling it together!!!!!

Sumi Jo- coloratura supreme.......2006-04-09

One word: Lacrimosa. It haunts you and will stay with you long after you hear it. I actually forced several if my coworkers to listen to it many of which are not opera fans and even they could not argue the beauty of it. One of my coworkers was actual on the verge of tears by the end of the song.

The rest of the album is enchanting as well as breath taking. I am a harsh critic when it comes to singers so I do not give those compliments very often, nor am I easily moved by singers but Sumi Jo has certainly done that with this album.

My only complaint is that I would have liked to hear her take of "Ave Maria" by Schubert which, while recorded many times over, would complimented her voice perfectly due to it's simplicity. "Sing low sweet chariot" would have been another great one to hear but as far as spirtuals are concerned I was very happy with her acepella version of "Amazing Grace." I was never a huge fan of "Amazing Grace" since it's been done a thousand times over but she brought such seetness and emotion to it. Of course I am kind of biased becuase I offically hate the "belting" version of this song and that's how it's usually done. It's nice to hear a simple, straight forward version.

My last comment is that it's nice to hear Sumi Jo sing less operatic pieces considering most opera singers are rarely bold enough to sing anything other than classical pieces, excluding Renee Fleming of recent.

Prayerful and beautiful.......2005-11-14

It is a refreshing change to have a collection of arias on a CD with a title that actually bears some relevance to the contents. This is indeed a prayerful collection. That means, of course, that you have to be in the appropriately contemplative mood in order to appreciate it.

Another nice change is that the orchestral accompaniment enhances the singing rather than just tagging along as an afterthought, which often seems to be the case. It is fitting that James Conlon gets equal billing here. This is splendid singing to splendid music.

Sumi Jo is comfortable in any language and in a broad range of styles. I was uncertain how she would tackle songs like Amazing Grace and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. I need not have worried. In the latter she reveals a soulfulness that fits the lyrics perfectly.

The only track not worthy of this collection is Bernstein's Take Care of This House. I suppose, as it is a prayer, it was an obvious song to include, and Jo sings it very well, but it is just a very poor song. That still leaves 14 excellent tracks that, if you are a lover of good singing, you will want in your collection.

A spectalce of voice and vocalization.......2004-12-29

I bought this used from an Amazon.com dealer and it came with a cutout on the left side of the CD box. Can this specacular CD possibly have gone out of print by Christmas 2004? If so we have lost one of the benchmark recordings of this splendid artist.

Never is there a weak moment in this incredibly beautiful collection of classical bleeding chunks and spirituals. I don't think you'll confuse Sumi for your favorite spiritual singer in "Amazing Grace" and "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child" but she is magnificent singing the complete and incomplete tunes elsewhere on the CD by famous classical composers including Mozart, Richard Strauss, Rossini, Schubert and Donizetti, to name some of them.

She is in wonderful voice and fresh-faced for the Loewe-Lerner "Say a prayer for me tonight" and does an equally nice job with Susan Graham accompanying Leonard Bernstein's "Take care of this house" from "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue". I'm not much for this kind of music -- I bought this exclusively for her rendition of Mozart's "Laudate Dominum" -- but it adds a dimension to the concert that brings it into the realm of popular Broadway tunes.

This is a wonderful concert of familiar and not so familiar songs from a singer whose voice is eloquent, beautiful and rich, with significant range and span from PPP to FFF. Sumi Jo controls her voice well throughout the concert, giving everyone something to think about regardelss of musical preference. This might have been improved if she'd included a Beatles tune -- maybe "Elenor Rigby" or "Yesterday" -- accompanied by the orchestra and James Conlon's direction. But it stands with any similar collection by any singer as it is.

Average customer rating:

A Gem

Teatro Lirico

Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Nuove Musiche
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Intimate Voices

ASIN: B000E0LB9U
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Tracks:

Adagio
Improvisation I
Amarilli, Mia Bella
Adaggio
Folia Variations
Improvisation II
Sonata Seconda Detta La Desperata
Sonata Di Chittarra, E Violino, Con Il Suo Basso Continuo
Sarabanda
Aria Della Fulia Variata (Con Parti Variate)
Suite
Arpeggiata A Mio Modo

Album Description

Teatro Lirico is the ECM leader debut of American lutenist Stephen Stubbs. The album features a diverse and multifaceted early music program connecting historically informed performance with improvisation. It offers a traditional early music instrumentation with four highly informed and accomplished early music interpreters: Milos Valent - violin, viola, Maxine Eilander - Spanish and Italian harps, Erin Headley - viola da gamba, lirone and Stephen Stubbs - baroque guitar, chitarrone. The immediately appealing sets of Italian "La Folia" variations, both virtuosic and grand, are interspersed with stylistically assured improvisations on the "Folia" bass line. Originating in Portugal and Spain and later known in France as "folies d'espagne," the "Folia" variations over characteristic chord patterns started as mere dance accompaniments and harmonic basis for song, but in the early 17th century developed into a musical form allowing the musicians, especially the guitarists, to display their virtuosity. In the recording process with ECM producer Manfred Eicher, the improvisational element came more to the fore not only in the typical baroque way of ornamenting and embellishing given melodies and chords, but as spontaneous and highly individual sets of new variations over the "Folia" bass line.

Customer Reviews:

A Gem.......2006-09-11

Neither the title nor the cover art give away the fact that this new CD contains some extremely beautiful and subtle music in the renaissance and early baroque style. With four stringed instruments, Stephen Stubbs and Teatro Lirico have a surprising fullness of sound and a lovely style. I bought this CD for its interpretations of the traditional dance "La Folia", and I was not disappointed. The second track, entitled "Improvisation I", is the best set of Folia variations I have ever heard, with great respect paid to the tradition of this great theme, but with many touches that are pleasing to the modern ear. There are three other tracks of Folia variations, and many other pieces as well, all of which are superb.

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Music Composers

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