What My Heart Don't Know [Import]

What My Heart Don't Know [Import]

ASIN: B00005J8XL

Track Listings

1. What My Heart Don't Know

2. If I Didn't Call It Love

3. She's the Girl

4. That's When I'll Stop Lovin' You

5. Any Man With Half a Heart

6. Nothin' Like a Dream

7. What Would I Do Without You - Colin Amey,

8. I Like Where This Is Goin'

9. Mr. Right (Where I Used to Be)

10. I Could Fall in a Minute

11. I'm Dyin' Here

12. Might as Well Have Been a Train

13. Beer Wages and Champagne Taste

Tracks:

Give My Regards To Broadway- Joel Grey
Swanee- Al Jolson
When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody- John Steel
My Man- Fanny Brice
Fascinating Rhythm- Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire
If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)- 78rpm Version Eddie Cantor
Someone To Watch Over Me- Gertrude Lawrence
Bill- 78 rpm Version Helen Morgan
Ol' Man River- Paul Robeson
Ain't Misbehavin'- Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
Ten Cents A Dance- Ruth Etting
Body And Soul- Libby Holman
Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Bing Crosby
Night And Day- Fred Astaire
Heat Wave- Ethel Waters
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- Tamara
You're The Top- Ethel Merman
Summertime- Anne Brown
September Song- Walter Huston
My Heart Belongs To Daddy- Mary Martin
It Never Entered My Mind- Shirley Ross
Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered- Vivienne Segal
Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning- Irving Berlin
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'- Alfred Drake

Tracks:

New York, New York- Cris Alexander,Adolph Green,John Reardon
If I Loved You- John Raitt,Jan Clayton
Come Rain Or Come Shine- Ruby Hill,Harold Nicholas
There's No Business Like Show Business- Ensemble
How Are Things In Glocca Morra? From "Finian's Rainbow"- Ella Logan
Once In Love With Amy- Ray Bolger
Wunderbar- Alfred Drake,Patricia Morison
Some Enchanted Evening- Ezio Pinza
Lost In The Stars- Todd Duncan
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend- Carol Channing
Luck Be A Lady- Robert Alda,Guys
Getting To Know You- Gertrude Lawrence
Who Cares?- Jack Carson,Betty Oakes
Stranger In Paradise- from " Kismet" Doretta Morrow,Richard Kiley
Ballad Of Mack The Knife- Gerald Price
Hey There- from "The Pajama Game" John Raitt
Whatever Lola Wants- Gwen Verdon
I Could Have Danced All Night- Julie Andrews
Standing On The Corner- from "The Most Happy Fella, 1956" Shorty Long,John Henson,Alan Gilbert
The Party's Over- Judy Holliday
Glitter And Be Gay- Barbara Cook
Tonight- Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence

Tracks:

Seventy-Six Trombones- Robert Preston
I Enjoy Being A Girl- from "Flower Drum Song, 1958" Pat Suzuki
Everything's Coming Up Roses- Ethel Merman
My Favorite Things- from "The Sound Of Music" Mary Martin
Put On A Happy Face- from "Bye Bye Birdie" Dick Van Dyke
Try To Remember- Jerry Orbach
Camelot- from "Camelot" Richard Burton
Love Makes The World Go 'Round- Anna Maria Alberghetti
I Believe In You- Robert Morse And Co.
The Sweetest Sounds- Diahann Carroll,Richard Kiley
Comedy Tonight- Zero Mostel
What Kind Of Fool Am I?- Anthony Newley
As Long As He Needs Me- Georgia Brown
Hello, Dolly!- Carol Channing,Cast
People- Barbra Streisand
Anyone Can Whistle- from "Anyone Can Whistle" Lee Remick
If I Were A Rich Man- Zero Mostel
Night Song- Sammy Davis, Jr.
The Impossible Dream- Richard Kiley
If My Friends Could See Me Now- Gwen Verdon
Open a New Window- from Mame Voice

Tracks:

Willkommen- from "Cabaret" Joel Grey
Let The Sunshine In- James Rado,Lynn Kellogg,Melba Moore,Cast
I'll Never Fall In Love Again- Jill O'Hara,Jerry Orbach
The Ladies Who Lunch- from "Company" Elaine Stritch
Tea For Two- Roger Rathburn,Susan Watson
I'm Still Here- Yvonne De Carlo
I Don't Know How To Love Him- Yvonne Elliman
We Go Together- Adrienne Barbeau,Barry Bostwick,Walter Bobbie,Cast
Corner Of The Sky- John Rubinstein
Send In The Clowns- Glynis Johns
Ease On Down The Road- Stephanie Mills,Tiger Haynes,Ted Ross,Hinton
One- from "A Chorus Line" Cast
All That Jazz- Chita Rivera,Ensemble
Tomorrow- Andrea Mcardle
Don't Cry For Me Argentina- Patti Lupone
Come Follow The Band
Lullaby Of Broadway- Jerry Orbach
And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going- Jennifer Holliday
The Bells Of St. Sebastian- Raul Julia

Tracks:

Memory- Betty Buckley
I Am What I Am- George Hearn
Move On- Bernadette Peters,Mandy Patinkin
Do You Hear The People Sing?- Michael Maguire,Cast
The Music Of The Night- Michael Crawford
You're Nothing Without Me- James Naughton,Gregg Edelman
The American Dream- Jonathan Pryce,Cast
Doctor Jazz- Gregory Hines,Company
With One Look- Glenn Close
On Broadway- Adrian Bailey,Frederick B. Owens,Ken Ard,Victor Trent Cook
Le Jazz Hot- Julie Andrews,Ensemble
Seasons Of Love-
Hakuna Matata- Max Casella,Tom Alan Robbins,Scott Irby-Ranniar,Jason Raize
I Wanna Be A Producer- Matthew Broderick,Ensemble
Dancing Queen- Louise Plowright,Jenny Galloway
Good Morning Baltimore- Marissa Jaret Winokur
Movin' Out- Michael Cavanaugh,Band
I Go To Rio- Hugh Jackman,Company
Defying Gravity- Kristin Chenoweth,Idina Menzel

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous for any Broadway-lover.......2007-01-30

Packs into 5 CD's a sampling of Broadway tunes from the 20's thru (almost) today, mostly from original cast recordings. Includes not just well-known hits, but also some lesser-known gems. Sound quality is first rate, booklet is informative too. Have given this as a gift to several friends with rave reviews.

Top Shelf.......2007-01-04

This is THE definitive collection of Broadway hits. I have other collections, and none of them measure up. A great deal of care was obviously taken in compiling and presenting this box set. It covers a lot of ground, starting with some long-forgotten but still very enjoyable hits from the days of yore, and finishing with present-day favorites. To the best of my knowledge, the recordings are by those who made them famous. You won't be disappointed.

TERRIFIC CD'S.......2006-03-23

THESE BROADWAY MUSICALS CD'S ARE A BROADWAY LOVERS DREAM. WITH EACH SONG, MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK. BOTH THE FAMILIAR AND THE FORGOTTEN SONGS ARE A TRUE LISTENING PLEASURE. IF YOU LIKE BROADWAY, YOU'LL LOVE THIS SET.

Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs .......2005-06-14

This Collection was perfectly made it has almost all the most famous Broadway songs on this 5 cd set. The Music is great and has Broadways greatest treasures like "Memory""People""With One Look""Give my regards Too Broadway" just to name a few of this numerous cd set with over 100 songs. This is a great buy if you like musicals or The music of Broadway

Great Compilation!.......2005-01-17

If you are a fan of the Broadway Musicals, this is a collection that you should purchase. Since I got the 5 disc set I've enjoyed listening to it. The majority of the songs are done by the original singers. The collection is priceless considering that you will have over 100 songs from popular musicals since the beginning of Broadway

Average customer rating:

I waited for this for five years
Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE!
ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS
SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!
A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
Evita (Original London Cast)
Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Masterpiece (Collector's Edition) (Bonus CD)

ASIN: B00005R5UJ
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

Oh What A Circus - David Essex
Memory - Betty Buckley
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
With One Look - Petula Clark
You Must Love Me - Madonna
The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
No Matter What - Boyzone
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
Try It And See - Rita Pavone
Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
Disillusion Me - Gary Band
The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
Magdalena - Tony Christie
Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.

Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!

(Not) Your Standard Spike Jones Collection

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Great set of wartime rarities
Cure for the Blues
Standard Transcription Collection

(Not) Your Standard Spike Jones Collection
Spike Jones
Manufacturer: Collector's Choice
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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Contemporary Comedy | Comedy | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Strictly for Music Lovers
Spike Jones - Greatest Hits
Fonk
Spiked!: The Music of Spike Jones
The Spike Jones Story

ASIN: B00007JR3K
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Album Description

Holiday blues comin' on? Well, put a spike in `em! Here's the zaniest, wildest and just plain sickest Collectors' Choice Music exclusive yet—79 tracks from Spike Jones and his City Slickers! These represent Spike's complete Standard Transcription sides, but these tunes are anything but standard; Mr. Jones brought his full bag of tricks for these non-commercial recordings (made in Hollywood during the early `40s). Add to that the fact that most of these have never been on CD or even LP, and any lover of Spike's mayhem-filled mixture of laughs and hot licks is going to flip over this set! Notes and great pictures accompany this 3-CD walk on the wacky side from the greatest novelty band of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Great set of wartime rarities.......2003-05-14

Spike Jones was the king of the novelty song performers, with hits like "Der Fuehrer's Face" and the parody version of "Sheik of Araby" becoming huge hits during World War II. This is a swell 3-CD set, gathering a full eighty-one of Jones' best tracks from his 1940s heyday, drawn from an extensive archive of radio broadcasts made for the Standard Transcription service. The tightness of his City Slickers band is amply demonstrated in these manic, kookily orchestrated performances. Toots, squonks, blatts and bleats whiz by at lightning speed, as one daffy song after another will delight devoted fans. Amazingly, Jones had the unusual, almost unique ability to perform a repertoire almost entirely made up of comedic material, and yet still be quite listenable and engaging. His jazz chops were hardly in question, and from time to time Jones would dash off a non-novelty ballad or two, just to give the rubes something to think about. Of course, just as often he would perform a song that *sounded* like a straight ballad, but would turn out to be another goof. (One great example of this is the sultry "Serenade To A Jerk," sung in slinky, burlesque tones by Myrtle Horwin.) This collection may seem a little overwhelming, but like his studio recordings, these radio performances have a certain brilliance and joie de vivre about them that will leave you enchanted. Definitely worth checking out!

Cure for the Blues.......2003-04-25

Here's the zaniest, wildest and just plain sickest Collectors' Choice Music exclusive yet-79 tracks from Spike Jones and his City Slickers! These represent Spike's complete Standard Transcription sides, but these tunes are anything but standard; Mr. Jones brought his full bag of tricks for these non-commercial recordings (made in Hollywood during the early `40s). Add to that the fact that most of these have never been on CD or even LP, and any lover of Spike's mayhem-filled mixture of laughs and hot licks is going to flip over this set! Notes and great pictures accompany this 3-CD walk on the wacky side from the greatest novelty band of all time.

Standard Transcription Collection.......2003-04-12

This collection has remastered material from the large stack of Standard Transcription discs from the early 1940's. There are many songs not recorded on RCA, many on the theme of wartime ("48 Reasons Why"), and the quality is excellent. The packaging is threadbare but this is an essential CD package for true music lovers.

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Broadway: America's Music 1935-2005

Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
The Warmth of the Sun
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
White Nights

ASIN: B000B8I93Q
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'
Summertime
I Could Write a Book
It Never Entered My Mind
I Can Cook Too
Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please
If I Loved You
My Heart Belongs to Daddy
Thou Swell
I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen
There's No Business Like Show Business
South American Way

Tracks:

Shall We Dance
Ohio
Luck Be a Lady
Mack the Knife
There's a Small Hotel
Once in Love with Amy
Yodel Blues
Lazy Afternoon
There Must Be Somethin' Better Than Love
You're Just in Love
Now Is the Time

Tracks:

Impossible Dream
Love Makes the World Go 'Round
Try to Remember
Put on a Happy Face
I Say Hello
Happiness
She Loves Me
What Kind of Fool Am I?
Shy
Consider Yourself
Poor Little Person

Tracks:

Magic to Do
They're Playing My Song
I Don't Know How to Love Him
I Won't Send Roses
Good Morning Starshine
Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
Hard Candy Christmas
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
Won't You Charleston with Me?
Applause

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera
Memory
On My Own
Muddy Water
How Could I Ever Know
American Dream
I Know Him So Well
Dr. Jazz
Me and My Girl
Suddenly Seymour

Tracks:

Mamma Mia!
Popular
Seasons of Love
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think
Whatever Lola Wants
Crazy
How Deep Is Your Love
Stars
People Like Us
I Go to Rio

Average customer rating:

Webber: The Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Broadway & Vocalists | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000J83O
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera
Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You
Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night
Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade
Evita: Don't Cry For Me, Argentina
Evita: High Flying, Adored
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall
Evita: On This NIght Of A Thousand Stars
Evita: Buenos Aires
Evita: Oh What A Circus
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Go, Go, Go, Joseph
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Song Of The King
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Benjamin Calypso
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: One More Angel In Heaven

Tracks:

Cats: The Rum Tum Tugger
Cats: Mr. Mistoffelees
Cats: Memory
Cats: Mungojerrie & Rumpelteazer
Cats: Macavity: The Mystery Cat
Cats: Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat
Starlight Express: Pumping Iron
Starlight Express: Rolling Stock
Starlight Express: Starlight Express
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love
Starlight Express: Uncoupled
Starlight Express: Make Up My Heart
Starlight Express: One Rock n' Roll Too Many
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's All Right
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him
Jesus Christ Superstar: King Herod's Song
Jesus Christ Superstar: Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar: Heaven On Their Minds
Jesus Christ Superstar: Hosanna

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Movietime Scrapbook

Manufacturer: Empress
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00002MMYG
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Tracks:

Anchors Aweigh-(All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings - Kathryn Grayson
Let's Fall In Love-Bread And Butter Woman - Danny Kaye/The Andrews Sisters
Big City-Ok'l Baby Dok'l - Betty Garrett
Golden Earrings-Golden Earring - Jack Fina
If Winter Comes-If Winter Comes - Johnnie Johnston
Road To Rio-You Don't Have To Know The Language - Bing Crosby/The Andrews Sisters
Casbah-It Was Written In The Stars - Art Lund
Anchors Aweigh-The King Who Couldn't Dance/The Worry Song - Gene Kelly
The Kissing Bandit-What's Wrong With Me - Kathryn Grayson
Fun And Fancy Free-Lazy Countryside - Johnnie Johnston
Easter Parade-It Only Happens When I Dance With You - Art Lund
The Kissing Bandit-Love Is Where You Find It - Kathryn Grayson
Hit The Deck-Sometimes I'm Happy - Lena Horne
Going My Way-Swinging On A Star - Bing Crosby
Can't Help Singing-Any Moment Now - Deanna Durbin
Secret Life Of Walter Mitty-Anatole Of Paris - Danny Kaye
Strike Up The Band-Our Love Affair - Judy Garland
Voice Of The Stars - Gracie Fields/Charles Laughton/Leslie Henson/Albert Burdon/Evelyn Laye/Stanley Lupino...
British Film Festival Of 1946-Scene From Notable British Pictures Of The War - Leslie Mitchell/Stanley Holloway/Raymond Huntley/Hugh Burdon/Michael Redgrave/Roasamund John....

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Dennis O'Neill: Great Operatic Arias

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000023Z7Q
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Turandot: Calaf's Aria
Luisa Miller: Rodolfo's Aria
The Lombards At The First Crusade: Oronte's Cavatina
The Force Of Destiny: Alvaro's Recitative And Romance
The Force Of Destiny: Alvaro's Recitative And Romance
A Masked Ball: Gustavus's And Amelia's Duet
A Masked Ball: Gustavus's And Amelia's Duet
A Masked Ball: Gustavus's And Amelia's Duet
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Aria Finale
The Force Of Destiny: Don Carlo's And Alvaro's Duet
The Force Of Destiny: Don Carlo's And Alvaro's Duet
The Maid Of Arles: Federico's Lament
Manon: Des Grieux's Dream Song
The African Maid: Vasco's Recitative And Aria
Manon Lescaut: Des Grieux's Aria
Turandot: Calaf's Aria
Fedora: Count Loris Ipanov's Aria
The Pearl Fishers: Nadir's and Zurga's Duet

Amazon.com

Dennis O'Neill is a wonderfully sensitive, intelligent singer--a tenor who varies his tone and delivery for each character. He also sings the music as written, with every dynamic shading in place. Yes, he manages high B-flats pianissimo without resorting to falsetto, and he also rises somewhat heroically to heavier moments. But there's a rub. The loud, high notes are a bit nasty--a slight wobble comes into the voice and a sense of strain is more than noticeable. His exquisite, piano beginning of "O paradiso" ("Oh land of dreams") from L'Africaine is only a sad memory when you hear the vaguely bawled high notes throughout. His "Reve" from Manon is lovely in its sustained peacefulness, and while he's very exciting in the big Act II duet from Ballo (with soprano Susan Bullock as a fine Amelia), there are always those unfortunate "big" notes to reckon with. Perhaps that's why the gorgeous Pearl Fishers duet, with baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore, ends the program so successfully. The soft notes are more prominent than the troublesome forte ones. Perhaps this is being too picky--O'Neill is a worthy singer, he makes these arias and scenes palatable in translation (even Alvaro's music from Forza is believable), and artistry like this is a pleasure to come across. --Robert Levine

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Greatest Voices of Bolshoi

Manufacturer: Melodiya
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001HDN
Release Date: 1996-11-12

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"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me."
Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative
Absolutely Breathtaking!
A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring.
The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible

Wagner: The Valkyrie

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Rhinegold

ASIN: B00004YU6Z
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Tracks:

Act I: Prld - English Nat Opr Orch/Reginald Goodall
Act I, Scene 1: The Storm Drove Me Here - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 1: This House And This Wife - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 1: Evil Fortune's Never Far From Me - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: There He Lay, Feeble And Faint - Margaret Curphey/Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: Through Field And Forest - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: Friedmund No One Could Call Me - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 2: The Neidings Raided Again - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: So The Norn Who Dealt You This Fate - Clifford Grant/Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 2: I Know A Troublesome Race - Clifford Grant
Act I, Scene 3: A Sword Was Pledged By My Father - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Are You Awake? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: My Husband's Kinsmen - Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Yes, Loveliest Bride - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Winter Storms Have Vanished (Siegmund's Spring Song) - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: You Are The Spring - Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: Oh Sweetest Enchantment - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act I, Scene 3: The Stream Has Shown My Reflected Face - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund Call Me, And Siegmund Am I! - Alberto Remedios
Act I, Scene 3: Siegmund, The Walsung, Here You See! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 1: Go Bridle Your Horse, Warrior Maid! - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Brunnhilde's Battle Cry) - Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 1: The Usual Storm, The Usual Strife - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: Pretend That You Don't Understand! - Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: Now It's Come To Pass! - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 1: So This Is The End Of The Gods And Their Glory - Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: You Never Learn What I Would Teach You - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: What Must I Do? - Norman Bailey/Ann Howard
Act II, Scene 1: Hiaha! Hiaha! Hoyotoho! - Rita Hunter/Ann Howard/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Fricka Has Won The Fight - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: When Youth's Delightful Pleasures Had Waned - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: She Refused To Reveal More About It - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 2: There's More To Tell - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Yet One Can Accomplish What I May Not - Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: But The Walsung, Siegmund - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: Then Siegmund Must Fall In His Fight? - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act II, Scene 2: I Give You My Blessing, Nibelung Son! - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 2: No, Have Mercy - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 2: So I Obey His Command - Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 3: Rest Here For A While; Stay By My Side! - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act II, Scene 3: Away! Away! - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 3: Where Are You, Siegmund? - Margaret Curphey/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 4: Siegmund! Look At Me! (Announcement Of Death) - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 4: And If I Come - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Then Greet For Me Walhall - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Woe! Woe! Sister And Bride - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 4: Two Lives Now Lie In Your Power - Alberto Remedios/Rita Hunter
Act II, Scene 5: Charms Of Sleep Are Sent To Still - Alberto Remedios
Act II, Scene 5: I Hear Your Call - Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey
Act II, Scene 5: Wehwalt! Wehwalt! - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act III, Scene 1: Hoyotoho! Hoyotoho! (Ride Of The Valkyries) - Katie Clark/Anne Evans/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Shelagh Squires/Anne Conoley
Act III, Scene 1: Shield Me And Help - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
Act III, Scene 1: Hear While I Tell You - Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne Evans/Sarah Walker...
Act III, Scene 1: Pray Suffer No Sorrow For Me - Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen Attfield/Anne...
Act III, Scene 1: Fly Him Swiftly, Away To The East! - Rita Hunter
Act III, Scene 1: O Radiant Wonder! (Parting Salute) - Margaret Curphey
Act III, Scene 1: Stay, Brunnhild! - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Where Is Brunnhild? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Weak-Spirited, Womanish Brood! - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 2: Here I Am, Father - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 2: No More Will You Ride From Walhall - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 2: Did You Not Hear What I Decreed? - Norman Bailey/Margaret Curphey/Rita Hunter/Katie Clarke/Anne Conoley/Elizabeth Connell/Helen...
Act III, Scene 3: Was It So Shameful - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: I Know So Little - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You, Who This Love Into My Heart Revealed - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You Indulged Your Love - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Unworthy Of You This Foolish Maid - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: You Fathered A Glorious Race - Rita Hunter/Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: In Long, Deep Sleep - Norman Bailey/Rita Hunter
Act III, Scene 3: Farewell, My Valiant, Glorious Child! (Wotan's Farewell) - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: These Eyes So Warm And So Bright - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Loge, Hear! Come At My Call! - Norman Bailey
Act III, Scene 3: Magic Fire Music - Norman Bailey

Customer Reviews:

"The death-doomed alone are destined to look on me.".......2007-06-12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

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

Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

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

Breathtaking, powerful, accessible, not just an alternative.......2005-05-03

This is one of three Walkure's in my collection: the very underrated Leinsdorf, the thrilling Boehm and this one with Goodall. I believe Goodall is right up there with the best of them. Remedios, Hunter and Bailey sing beautifully and with sufficient drama. I'll go out on a musical limb and say I believe Bailey is one of the finest Wotan's on disc. Many will disagree but I think he has the measure of the role, the power to pull it off and a burnished timber that never becomes coarse under powerful climaxes... Remedios may well be the star of the trilogy along with Hunter and Bailey. His Siegmund is beautifully sung and his Siegfried by the way, is no mean stint either. Would that we had tenors that could sing Siegfried without sounding stretched beyond their limits. I am continually puzzled by the bad reviews that the orchestra playing receives from ARG, Classics Today and a few others. The ENO is not a Concertgebouw or Vienna Philharmonic but I think they play beautifully, a few clinkers notwithstanding. For a live show, they do a pretty d..... good job. THe sound from both orchestra and singers is exceptionally fine. This set belong in your collection if you like Wagner and, Die Walkure, in particular. If I had been at the performance in the 1970's I would have come home very happy, satisfied and richer for the experience.

Absolutely Breathtaking!.......2002-09-13

I had long cringed at the thought of this magnificant masterpiece recorded in English. Even after reading several rave reviews on this cylce that I've read by authoritive Wagnerites and critics, I was still skeptical. Finally, I decided to add Goodall's 'Ring' as my third complete cycle (after Solti & Bohm) for one reason: because it was in English and I felt it would enhance my understand of 'The Ring.' In fact, after achieving that "higher understanding" I was planning on selling this set on Ebay. That was, of course, before I heard this magnificant recording.

During the course of my research on 'The Goodall Ring' most of the praised seemed to heighten around 'Siegfried,' which is my absolute favorite of the cycle. That also helped to seal the deal. As the critics said, 'Siegfried' under Goodall is excellent, but not as monumental as Solti's reading, which IMHO is the greatest recording of 'Siegfried.'

The set that stands out, to me, in 'The Goodall Ring' is this recording; The Valkyrie. It is absolutely breathtaking. Not only is it my favorite of this set, it is my favorite Valkyrie recording period (I am very familiar with Boehm's, Solti's, Karajan's, Furthwanglers, Levines, and others). Alberto Remedios (Siegmund here and Siegfried in the last two operas) is truly magnificant. It is the best Siegmund I have heard on disc (and his Siegfried rivals Windgassen). Coupled with Margaret Curphey (Sieglinde), you get the most beautiful and moving duo I have heard on record. The duet in Act I is simply glorious. You also get the bonus of Norman Bailey's triumphant Wotan (and Wanderer too). He has such command and prescene. He sounds like a God. Throw in Rita Hunter, who holds her own as Brunnhilde, Goodall's miraculous conducting, and excellent playing by the orchestra and it all adds up to a stunning recording.

I can only say that in a way it's a shame this set is in English. Were it not, I believe Goodall's 'Ring' would be one of the most talked about, popular, and sought after complete recordings of the cycle. I can only say that I am so happy that I finally opened up to opera recorded in a different language than written.

I have fallen completely in love with Goodall's entire cycle. And, I have fallen in love with 'The Ring' all over again.

A powerful reading of the most moving opera in the Ring........2001-08-30

This performance of *Die Valkure,* the second and most popular opera in Wagner's Ring Cycle, is musically splendid. Its special significance, however, is that it is sung in English. An English performance of the Ring is perhaps more important than that of any other opera(s), because Wagner's libretti are suffused with his ideas about society, fate, justice, and love. Even if (at times) you need to read along to understand what the singers are saying, *hearing* the lyrics in English is truly stirring in a way that performances in your non-native language cannot match.
A particular stand-out on this recording is the Wotan. His timbre, diction, and delivery perfectly embody the troubled god who tries desperately, and in vain, to keep the world under his control. His angst and wrath are utterly convincing.

The power of Wagner's music drama is now fully accessible.......2001-01-30

I have never been a fan of opera in translation, but I must say that Andrew Porter's rendering of The Ring in English is amazing. He uses modern, not archaic, English, and the word choice is so very earthy and Germanic that the noble yet somewhat severe atmosphere of the Teutonic myths is conveyed perfectly. The sound, in other words, is an elegantly Germanic, and totally appropriate for the music and the Story it tells. It is not true that you can't understand the English anyway, because you can understand if you care to pay any attention at all. The translation is lucid, and so it the marvelous singing that conveys it.

Goodall's sense of music drama is lush, and takes some getting used to after the crash-and-burn Solti set, but after a time or two it seems just right. Goodall is not always slower than the rest, either; for example, the famous Ride of the Valkyries that begins Act III is quicker than Solti's surprisingly slow and heavy account. It is the most exciting that I have heard--and I have heard quite a few--but it is not so fast that the power is lost in favor of urgency.

This is not an urgent Die Walkure, and it is all the better for it. Goodall takes the time to actually tell the story, and is sensitive to the drama's needs over what could be called convention. For example, Wotan's Farewell doesn't thunder out after Brunnhilde's final declamation, like in so many recordings; rather, Goodall's interpretation is more dreamy, mysterious, and appropriately trance-like, in keeping with the action on stage.

I own the complete Solti Ring, but I must say I will be the first in line to get each new installment of this remarakable Ring as soon they hit the shelves. If you are new to Wagner, and are willing to make the plunge into a complete Ring, then start with this one and see if you want to continue. This recording is definitely one of the great Rings, and the superb translation will open up the work in ways that following the libretto just won't. I promise that you won't be able to put this one away easily. Get it!

What My Heart Don't Know
Average customer rating:
What My Heart Don't Know
Amey Colin
Manufacturer: Royalty
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005J8XL
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Tracks:

What My Heart Don't Know
If I Didn't Call It Love
She's the Girl
That's When I'll Stop Lovin' You
Any Man With Half a Heart
Nothin' Like a Dream
What Would I Do Without You - Colin Amey,
I Like Where This Is Goin'
Mr. Right (Where I Used to Be)
I Could Fall in a Minute
I'm Dyin' Here
Might as Well Have Been a Train
Beer Wages and Champagne Taste

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