Still Faithful

Still Faithful

ASIN: B00005MCWF

Track Listings

1. There's Been a Change

2. Love Bigger Than Heaven

3. Forgetfulness Sea

4. Homesick For Home

5. I'm Home At Last

6. Somebody's Got It Uner Control

7. He's Been A Faithful God

8. There Stands The Blood

9. Someday We Shall See Jesus

10. Here I Come

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
This legendary group still has it and as the title says they are STILL FAITHFUL to their calling.

Tracks:

Adeste Fideles
Pueri Concinite
Joy To The World
The First Noel
Deck The Halls
The Little Drummerboy
Hark!The Herald Angels Sing
Tochter Zion (Daughter Zion)
Maria Durch Ein Dornwald Ging (Maria Went Through Teh Thornwoods)
Als Ich Bei Meinen Schafen Wacht' (As I Watch Over My Sheep)
O Heiland Reiss Die Himmel Auf (O Savior Open Your Heavens)
Von Himmel Hoch Komm' Ich Her (From The Heavens Above I Come)
Es Kommt Ein Schiff Geladen (There Comes A Hsip Of Abundance)
Gloria Gloria Gott In Der Hoh (Gloria Gloria God In The Highest)
In Natale Domini
Es Hat Sich Halt Eroffnet
Still Still Still
Stille Nacht Heilige Nacht (Silent Night Holy Night)

Customer Reviews:

As usual...........2002-07-27

As expected, the Vienna Boys Choir would make an excellent Christmas offering, as usual, this is not an disappointment. The production is excellent and the singing is, as usual, the highest quality.

John P. Cutler.......1999-12-31

This is another great CD by the Vienna Boys Choir. I love to listen to it at Christmas, or any other time of the year.I think You'll love it too.

Average customer rating:

Uneven, though heavenly sound
An Outstanding Holiday Recording
I love it
Magnificent
few compare

Christmas with the Academy

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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O Come All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols at King's College, Cambridge
Carols from Trinity
Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity
The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College
A Festival of Carols in Brass

ASIN: B00000418V
Release Date: 1994-11-15

Tracks:

Church Bells: Past Three A Clock
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
In The Bleak Midwinter
Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia
Once In Royal David's City
Sussex Carol
Quelle Est Cette Odeur Agreable?
Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant
L'enfance Du Christ: L'adieu Des Bergers A La Sainte Famille
L'enfance Du Christ: Le Repos De La Sainte Famille
Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen
Stille Nacht
Still, Still, Still
Singt Und Klingt
The Holly And The Ivy
The Three Kings
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Away In A Manger
Christmas Song (Personent Hodie)
In Dulci Jubilo
Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing: Church Bells

Customer Reviews:

Uneven, though heavenly sound.......2005-12-22

I am enjoying this CD, however I must continually adjust the sound level. Some selections are recorded quite low and some are quite loud. I am constantly reaching for the volume.

An Outstanding Holiday Recording.......2005-11-19

In 1994 I worked at a music store where I was considered "the classical music expert." How did I earn this distinguished honor you may ask? Well, I had music lessons as a child, had a somewhat good knowledge of classical music as a hobbyist (I am a die hard opera buff and love the symphonic repertoire too), and I was the oldest sales person in the store. I was in my early thirties but most of the other employees were either in or recent graduates of high school. Since I could answer a few basic questions, I was the expert. I was also the jazz expert, movie sound track expert, easy listening expert, and vocals expert. If my life depended on my expertise of these areas, I wouldn't be writing this review right now, but that's another story.

The manager asked me to select some Christmas CD's for the store and in the catalogue, I saw that there would be a new release by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner's direction. I had not heard the disc and we did not have a sample, but I had a hunch it would be well received and since the store catered to customers who loved good music, I figured that the recording would be well received. I remember when it arrived and we put it on the store stereo. From the church bells at the beginning to the first simple tunes of the disc, I knew this would be a great collection of holiday music. Customers agreed. It received airtime on the local classical station and we could not keep it in stock.

Since that time CHRISTMAS WITH THE ACADEMY has been a staple in my Christmas collection. It has three major strengths. First, the wonderful orchestra and beautiful chorus of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under the direction of founder Sir Neville Marriner. Second, there is a variety of carols and traditional holiday music. We hear tracks we would expect from an English ensemble, but we also hear those wonderful melodies that when performed well add so much to this season. Third would be the overall excellence of this recording. This great ensemble has produced excellent music over the years and this collection is simply another example of its quality.

I loved the recording when it was new, but now it has become a classic. For anyone who loves good holiday music that is performed well and has the spiritual quality that is so much a part of the season, this is a disc you will love.

I love it.......2004-12-15

This is excellent Christmas music. Of the choir Christmas music I have heard, I think this is great because there seems to be such a great balance between the male and female singers. Its exactly how I'd want Christmas carolers to sound. If you like how the music previews sound then you will like this cd.

Magnificent.......2003-11-29

If I could only have one Christmas CD, this would be my choice. The harmonies are exquisite. The instrumentals are beautiful. There are several a cappella sections, which I love. This Christmas concert is a masterpiece. It is one of the few CD's with enough presence to evoke the feeling of "being there". I feel as though I'm sitting in a church, listening to the most wondrous choir.

This 60 minute CD was recorded digitally [DDD], so I had no concern about the quality of remastering. I found the CD audio quality to be very acceptable. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves choral Christmas music.

few compare.......2001-11-23

Few Christmas music CD's can compare to this entry by Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. As the previous reviewer notes, there is nothing startlingly new or insightful about this program--but its sheer excellence sets it apart.

From the opening bells to the shattering conclusion of "Hark! the Herald Angel Sing," the listener encounters the kind of great music Marriner is known for. This stuff is precise though not dry, clean though not clinical. It is like seeing a beautiful painting in perfect clarity after having had it shrouded in a fog for years.

The soul of these songs are clarified by the interpretations they receive here. The joy they proclaim to the world can be palpably felt by the listener. My personal favorites here are: "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing," "Il Est né, le divin enfant," and "Away in a Manger."

You need look no further if you want some great music to listen to and contemplate during this or any other holiday season. This is a great disc.

Album Description

2003 Grammy nominee for Best Choral Performance! An assortment of carols from traditional to modern, in familiar and new arrangements, featuring America's preeminent choral ensemble, which retired in 2004 after a legendary 31 seasons. This album includes a cappella tunes as well as accompaniment for harp, guitar, organ, handbells, and other instruments.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful music for the season.......2007-01-10

Beautiful songs sung with clarity, interpretive artistry and attention to blend. Some of the more particularly lyrical songs (e.g. Zgodava's Out of Oriental Crystal Skies, and Paulus' Sing Hallelu to name two) are not found in more common choral album Christmas repertoires and are a delight to experience for the first time.

Average customer rating:

Great music and an astonishing amount of it!

Christmas Album: Original Masters

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Merry Christmas
Christmas In Vienna: Vienna Boys' Choir
Weihnachten - A German Christmas
Frohe Weihnachten Mit Den
Stille Nacht - A German Christmas

ASIN: B0000AP6HJ
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

Jauchzet, Frohlocket, Auf Preiset Die Tage - RIAS Kammerchor
Alle Jahre Wieder - Rita Streich
Maria Auf Dem Berge - Rita Streich
Ihr Kinderlein Kommet - Rita Streich
Echolied Der Hirten - Rita Streich
O Du Frohliche - Rita Streich
Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen - Rita Streich
Vom Himmel Hoch, O Englein, Kommt - Fritz Wunderlich
Was Soll Das Bedeuten - Fritz Wunderlich
O Freude Uber Freude - Fritz Wunderlich
Ich Steh An Deiner Krippen Hier - Fritz Wunderlich
Gottes Sohn Ist Kommen (Gott, Durch Deine Gute) BWV 600 - Helmut Walcha
Gelobet Seist Du, Jesus Christ BWV 604 - Helmut Walcha
Der Tag, Der Ist So Freudenreich BWV 605 - Helmut Walcha
Vom Himmel Hoch, Da Komm Ich Her BWV 606 - Helmut Walcha
Vom Himmel Karn Der Engel Schar BWV 607 - Helmut Walcha
O Du Frohliche, O Du Selige - Maria Stader
On Christmas Night - Maria Stader
Als Die Welt Verloren - Maria Stader
Maria Durch Ein Dornwald Ging - Maria Stader
Herbei, O Ihr Glaubigen - Maria Stader
Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen - Maria Stader
Marie Et Joseph - Maria Stader
In Dulci Jubilo - Maria Stader
Kommet Ihr Hirten - Maria Stader
Vom Himmel Hoch, Da Komm Ich Her - Maria Stader
Freu Dich, Erd' Und Sternenzelt - Maria Stader
O Jesulein Zart - Maria Stader
D'ou Viens-tu, Belle Bergere - Maria Stader
Ach Du Mein Liebes Jesulein - Maria Stader
Seht, Das Kindlein Weinet - Maria Stader
Kindlein Zart - Maria Stader
Schlaf, Mein Kindlein - Maria Stader
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht - Maria Stader
Denn Es Ist Uns Ein Kind Geboren - Gundula Janowitz
Es Waren Hirten Beisammen Auf Dem Felde - Gundula Janowitz
Ehre Sei Gott In Der Hohe - Gundula Janowitz

Tracks:

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht - Don Kosaken Chor Serge Jaroff
O Du Frohliche, O Du Selige - Don Kosaken Chor Serge Jaroff
O Tannenbaum - Don Kosaken Chor Serge Jaroff
SuBer Die Glocken Nie Klingen - Don Kosaken Chor Serge Jaroff
Vivace - Grave - Allegro - Fritz Neumeyer
Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Fritz Neumeyer
Vivace - Fritz Neumeyer
Allegro - Pastorale Ad Libitum (Largo) - Fritz Neumeyer
Vom Himmel Hoch - Rita Streich
Die Hirten Auf Dem Falde - Rita Streich
Maria Durch Ein Dornwald Ging - Rita Streich
Still, Still, Still - Rita Streich
SuBer Die Glocken - Rita Streich
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht - Rita Streich
In Dulci Jubilo BWV 608 - Helmut Walcha
Lobt Gott, Ihr Christen, Allzugleich BWV 609 - Helmut Walcha
Wir Christenleut' BWV 612 - Helmut Walcha
In Dir Ist Freude BWV 615 - Helmut Walcha
Weihnachtslied Der Hirten - Schlaf Wohl, Du Himmels - Knabe Du - Jorg Demus
Uns Ist Geboren Ein Kindelein - Jorg Demus
Ich Steh An Deiner Krippen Hier - Jorg Demus
1. Christbaum - Irmgard Seefried
2. Die Hirten - Irmgard Seefried
3. Die Konige - Irmgard Seefried
4. Simeon - Irmgard Seefried
5. Christus Der Kinderfreund - Irmgard Seefried
6. Christkind - Irmgard Seefried
Maria Wiegenlied Op. 76, No. 52 -Maria Sitzt Am Rosenhag- - Wolfgang Schneiderhan
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht - GroBes Chorus Und Glocken
O Tannenbaum - GroBes Chorus Und Glocken
Kommet, Ihr Hirten - GroBes Chorus Und Glocken
Leise Rieselt Der Schnee - GroBes Chorus Und Glocken
Vom Himmel Hoch, Da Komm Ich Her - GroBes Chorus Und Glocken

Customer Reviews:

Great music and an astonishing amount of it!.......2006-02-28

The business folks at DG must have a soft spot for Christmas music, probably leftover goodwill from growing up with caroling in the snow. Certainly the German language nations seem to have excelled in producing a wealth of Christmas tunes, jingles, chorales, hymns, and rounds. This compliation is a two CD set of very good to great singers and performers who are quite to the manor born, or maybe I should say manger.
The easy way to decide if two hours of German Xmas gemutlichkeit is for you is simply to listen to the enormous selections on Amazon's sound sampler.

Average customer rating:

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

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Similar Items:

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

ASIN: B00005B550
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

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

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

Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen

James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracks:

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Adam Lay Ybounden
Es Ist Ein 'Ros' Entspurngen
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Gabriel's Message
Magnificat
I Sing Of A Maiden
Still, Still, Still
I Saw A Maiden
Silent Night
Huron Carol
What Is This Lovely Fragrance
Rise Up, Sheperd, And Follow
In The Bleak Mid-Winter
The Three Kings
Carol Of The Children
What Sweeter Music
Hodie Christus Natus Est
The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Personent Hodie
God Is With Us
In Dulci Jubilo
A New Year Carol
We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Ernestine Schumann-Heink: The Victor Recordings, 1911-20

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Ernestine Schumann-Heink: The Victor Recordings, 1911-20

Manufacturer: Romophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000051ZZX
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Janet Baker Sings Scenes from 'Mary Stuart'

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Janet Baker Sings Scenes from 'Mary Stuart'

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005RT18
Release Date: 2002-01-22

Tracks:

Act II (Complete): Why Run So Fast, My Lady? - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): You Murmuring Breezes... - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): What Tumult! Those Voices! - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): In The Peace Of My Gloomy Seclusion - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): Ah! May This Joy Not Deceive Me - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): Long By The World Forsaken - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): All Too Well I Surely Know Her! - Dame Janet Baker
Act II (Complete): What Place Is This Then? - John Tomlinson
Act II (Complete): Report Has Not Failed Me - John Tomlinson
Act II (Complete): Bid Her Welcome - John Tomlinson
Act II (Complete): Dead To Justice, Throne And Kingdom - John Tomlinson
Act II (Complete): Go, Prepare Yourself For Sentence - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 2 (Complete): Elizabeth Will Continue To Mock And Insult Me - Dame Janet Baker
Act III, Scene 2 (Complete): Oh Faithful Talbot! - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 2 (Complete): Once All The Radiant Joys Of Youth - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 2 (Complete): There Still Remains Another Charge - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 2 (Complete): No, I Never Turned From My Saviour - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 2 (Complete): Go, Leave This World Of Grief Behind - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 3: I See You All Once More - Dame Janet Baker
Act III, Scene 3: Oh, Deign To Hear Our Prayer, Merciful Saviour! - Dame Janet Baker
Act III, Scene 3: The Signal - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 3: Death Hovers Near Me, So Take My Pardon - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 3: Leicester Approaches - John Tomlinson
Act III, Scene 3: Though You Once Made A Vow To Protect Me - John Tomlinson

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They Sing Like Angels

In Dulci Jubilo

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Classical Instrumental | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Christmas Carol
James Galway: Wings of Song
Carols from Trinity

ASIN: B000003F3L
Release Date: 1991-08-09

Tracks:

Fantasia On 'In dulci jubilo'
Il est ne , le divin enfant
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Prelude On 'Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen'
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony - Pifa
Kling Glockchen, Klingeling
O Jesulein Suss - O dolce Gesu
Prelude On 'O Jesulein Suss'
Adagio
Ein Kindlein in der Wiegen - Un bimbo nella culla
O Tannenbaum
6 Christmas Pieces
Adeste Fideles - O Come, All Ye Faithful
Ave Maria
Zu Betlehem geboren
Still, Still, Still
Canon
In dulci jubilo
Prelude On 'In dulci jubilo'
O du frohliche - O tu gioioso Natale
Cantata BWV 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Silent Night

Customer Reviews:

They Sing Like Angels.......2001-12-28

The performers include: The Regensburg Cathedral Boys' Choir, the Munich Radio Symphony Orchestra (conducted by John Georgiadis), and the immortal James Galway -- world-famous as "The Man with the Golden Flute". The boys just sing like Angels! Put them all together with a Master Flutist, a full symphony orchestra, and a lot of practice and experience -- and you're BOUND to get a work of art like THIS one!

Rating it: You mean to tell me that I can only give this work a measly five stars? But that doesn't even BEGIN to describe it! If you want to get into the Christmas spirit -- this album would be a PERFECT place to start.

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