Sad Girl

Sad Girl

ASIN: B00005Q6V1

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It would be nice not to have to mention that Amy Allison is the daughter of Mose Allison, who occupies a unique place in American music. The thing about gentleman Mose is, as far back as the 1950s, he sang riotously funny blues and jazz material with a face so straight that audiences often didn't know whether he was laughing with them, at them, or at all. Daughter Amy has a similar difficulty, if that's the right word. She seems to be mocking the whiney, self-pitying aspects of traditional country music by exaggerating them beyond measure, lyrically and vocally, but her sad-eyed Buster Keaton presentation daunts the listener into wondering whether she's being serious, sardonic, or satiric. And the answer is, yes. As the line in the title song states, "It's not just an act, it's a matter of fact." Allison's intelligence is unquestionable. So, too, is her talent. And if, like a plantation manor ghost in her father's Mississippi, she chooses to haunt the one lonely room in country music where humor and genuine angst co-reside, so be it. --Henry Cabot Beck

Sad Girl,Amy Allison,Diesel Only,Alternative Country,Country,Country & Western,Pop

Average customer rating: very enjoyable The showcase for the Spinto soprano Flawed but beautiful

Memories of Love: Russian Romances Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Glinka | Glinka, Mikhail | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000041KT Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

1. Vzoshel na nebo mesyats yasy
2. Ispanskaya pesnya
3. Zhavoronok
4. Ya pomnyu chudnoye mgnovene
5. Bolero
6. Ty skoro menya pozabudesh
7. Kolybelnaya, Op. 16 No. 1
8. To bylo ranneyu vesnoy, Op 38 No. 2
9. Zabyt tak skoro
10. On tak menya lyubil
11. Ya vso eshcho evo lyublyu
12. Yunosha i deva
13. Mne grustno
14. Chesnadtsat let
15. Chto mne do pesen
16. Plenivshis rozoy solovey, Op. 2 No. 2
17. Ployubila ya na pechal svoyu
18. Son, Op. 8 No. 5
19. Siren, Op. 21 No. 5
20. Molitva, Op.8 No. 6
21. Ne ver mne, drug !, Op. 14 No. 7

Customer Reviews:

very enjoyable.......2001-07-19

About this disc, I enjoyed this recital. Gorchakova is one of my favorite soprano. Her voice is suited well to these Russian songs. It's interesting for me to her Russian songs. If you want to hear more Russian songs, try "Songs of Desire" by Olga Bolodina from Philips.

The showcase for the Spinto soprano.......2000-04-25

I feel it is important to note that neither the singing nor accompaniment here is flawed at all, as the reviewer below found. Furthermore, there is no tendency to "go flat". The only thing that came as a surprise to me was inclusion of several numbers written originally for a baritone or even a bass, such as "It Was in Early Spring" or "I Remember the Wonderful Moment." However, they were executed so brilliantly, it made me forget about the specifics and just enjoy Gorchakova's beautiful voice and expressiveness.

Most of you probably got a chance to see the MET's magnificent production of Tchaikovsky's "Pique Dame" with Gorchakova, Domingo, Borodina and Hvorostovsky in leading roles. Aside from Lisa, Gorchakova is also an incredible interpreter of highly demanding role of Elisabetta from Verdi's "Don Carlo" and Leonora from his "La Forza del Destino." I can't wait to hear her "Aida." Amazingly she does not struggle with dramatic Verdian repertoire, even though it lays relatively high for such a voice. And its power allows her to cut through heavy orchestration with ease, preserving flowing, and seemingly endless vocal line with no audible breathing. Philips generously provided us with several phenomenal Russian complete opera recordings featuring Gorchakova's talents: check out "Prince Igor," "The Maid of Pskov," "Iolanta," and "The Fiery Angel," the latter one being a rare jewel and destined to become one of the greatest recorded achievements of all time. Ms. Gorchakova is also a very good actress with a beautiful stage presence and somewhat reserved but passionate delivery. Hearing this CD is essential for Russian romance fans as well as for those who want to hear a true spinto soprano at its full glory, accompanied only by a subtle gentle piano of Larissa Gergieva. I was particularly impressed with a booklet that finally has Cyrillic texts instead of despicable way of spelling Russian words with English letters. There are also good English translations by Philip Taylor that stay true to the texts but also convey their romantic feel. If I could, I would have given this disc ten stars!

Flawed but beautiful.......2000-03-16

Anyway, this album is truly beautiful. Larissa Gergieva, the pianist, is the sister of Valery Gergiev, the director of the Kirov Opera in St. Petersburg. I think possibly some nepotism is happening here, as she is not an ideal accompanist. Still, she supports Gorchakova well, and doesn't detract from the beauty of these pieces.

Average customer rating: Pianoforte Opus 5: Broadway Delight! Music that is great to accompany any quiet project or event.

Pianoforte Opus 5: Broadway Christopher Peacock , Lionel Bart , Leonard Bernstein , George Gershwin , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Eduardo Toldra , Tommy Wolf , and Vincent Youmans Manufacturer: Pure & Simple ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Easy Listening | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Film Music Piano Forte-Opus 3 Pianoforte Opus 6: Finale Pianoforte 4: Love Songs Traveler Oceans ASIN: B000008S3V Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

1. One Hand, One Heart/Somewhere from 'West Side Story'
2. Memory from 'Cats'
3. I Don't Know How To Love Him from 'Jesus Christ Superstar'
4. Sun & Moon /Why God Why from 'Miss Saigon'
5. Think Of Me from 'The Phantom Of The Opera'
6. The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men from 'The Nervous Set'
7. Love Changes Everything from 'Aspects Of Love'
8. Without A Song from 'Great Day'
9. Embraceable You/Summertime from 'Crazy For You And Porgy & Bess'
10. Don't Cry For Me Argentina from 'Evita'
11. Where Is Love from 'Oliver'
12. With One Look from 'Sunset Blvd.'

Customer Reviews:

Pianoforte Opus 5: Broadway Delight!.......2007-03-20

Music that is great to accompany any quiet project or event........1998-09-27

Average customer rating:

The String Quartet Tribute to Elton John Manufacturer: Vitamin Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Film Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: The String Quartet Tribute to Queen The String Quartet Tribute to the Beatles The String Quartet Tribute to the Eagles String Quartet Tribute to Paul McCartney The String Quartet Tribute to Fleetwood Mac ASIN: B0002IQMUW Release Date: 2004-08-03

Tracks:

1. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
2. Bennie And The Jets
3. I'm Still Standing
4. Tiny Dancer
5. Candle In The Wind
6. Little Jeannie
7. Island Girl
8. I Guess That's Why They CAll It The Blues
9. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
10. Your Song
11. Bonus Tracks: The Bitch Is Back
12. Bonus Tracks: Believe
13. Bonus Tracks: Blessed
14. Bonus Tracks: Captain & Me

Product Description

1. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
2. Bennie And The Jets
3. I'm Still Standing
4. Tiny Dancer
5. Candle In The Wind
6. Little Jeannie
7. Island Girl
8. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
9. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
10. Your Song

Bonus Tracks:
11. The Bitch Is Back
12. Believe
13. Blessed
14. Captain And Me (Original Composition)

Format: CD

Average customer rating:

Sad Girl Carol Anderson Manufacturer: Grapevine ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Southern Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Just Loving You William Bell Presents Atlanta Soul - The Peachtree Records Story The Complete Barbara Acklin on Brunswick Records Lost Soul Queen Take the Weight off Me ASIN: B00064JTC0 Release Date: 2006-04-25

Tracks:

1. Sad Girl
2. You Boy
3. We've Got Enough
4. I'm Not Worried
5. You've Got It Coming (What Goes Around, Comes Around)
6. One Man's Woman
7. I Found Love
8. Party People (Come To Life)
9. Holding On
10. Taking My Mind Off Love
11. Master Plan (I Love You, I Do)
12. Come On Over Tonight
13. You Want It
14. Ain't Giving Up
15. I'll Get Off At The Next Stop
16. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog
17. Tomorrow Is Not A Promise

Album Description

Album Description

Average customer rating: Try Listening to Borodin's Songs!

Borodin: Complete Songs and Romances Manufacturer: Delos Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00005B16X Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

1. The Pretty Girl No Longer Loves Me - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Irina Molokina/Yuri Serov
2. Listen To My Song, Little Friend - Marianna Tarassova/Irina Molokina/Yuri Serov
3. The Lovely Fisherwoman - Konstantin Pluzhnikov/Irina Molokina/Yuri Serov
4. Why So Early, O Sunset? - Andrey Slavny/Yuri Serov
5. The Sleeping Princess - Marianna Tarassova/Yuri Serov
6. My Songs Are Poisoned - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
7. The Sea Princess - Marianna Tarassova/Yuri Serov
8. The False Note - Konstantin Pluzhnikov/Yuri Serov
9. The Song Of The Dark Forest - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
10. From My Tears - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
11. The Sea - Konstantin Pluzhnikov/Yuri Serov
12. Pride - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
13. For The Shores Of Thy Far Native Land - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov
14. Those Folk - Andrey Slavny/Yuri Serov
15. The Magic Garden - Marianna Tarassova/Yuri Serov
16. Arabian Melody - Nikolai Okhotnikov/Yuri Serov

Customer Reviews:

Try Listening to Borodin's Songs!.......2003-09-18

An amateur cellist in his time, Borodin included that instrumental accompaniment, along with the piano, in several of his songs. The cellist plays very beautifully and tenderly, adding a gorgeous, haunting touch to these songs. The piano also does a very fine job of bringing out Borodin's rich, exotic harmonies, unlike those of anyone else and influential on later composers, notably Maurice Ravel.

The CD features three different Russian vocalists (a tenor, baritone, and soprano, I believe). They all sing wonderful characterizations, whether they are singing playfully, mournfully, angrily, or flirtatiously. The diction is very good, and the thick, dark, Russian sound is always evident.

Admittedly, the lyrics of many of these songs are cheesy and corny, especially Borodin's own for several of his songs, but they all come of nicely in a musical fashion. The recorded sound is excellent.

I recommend this CD to the dedicated vocalist and/or music listener. It is full of beautiful, rare Russian songs that will provide much listening enjoyment. Also, it helps give us a more complete picture of Borodin, other than his orchestral works, "Prince Igor," and the two string quartets. If you can ever get a hand on Borodin's lesser-known chamber music (string trios, string sextet, piano trio), I recommend them, also!

Average customer rating:

Tiszta forrás (Pure Springs): Hungarian Folk Tunes and Their Arrangements in Works by Bartók and Kodály Manufacturer: Hungaroton ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Kodály, Zoltán | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hungarian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Kodaly: Hungarian Folk Music; Bartok: Hungarian Folksongs Sz64 Csardas Hungarian Gypsy Music ASIN: B00007138S Release Date: 2002-10-29

Average customer rating:

Dargomyzhsky & Cui: Romances (Art Songs - Lieder) Manufacturer: Russian Disc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Cui, César | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000001LNN Release Date: 1994-09-08

Tracks:

1. I'm Sad
2. His Hair Is Light Brown
3. Estrangement
4. I Still Love Him
5. Without Thinking, Without Reason
6. The Garden
7. I'll Tell Nobody
8. The Sierra-Nevada Is Covered With Fog
9. I'm In Love, My Belle
10. I Loved You
11. Lilyeta
12. Christ Has Risen
13. The Night Is Still
14. Tu And Vous
15. The Burnt Letter
16. The Tsarskoy Selo's Statue
17. Yearning
18. If Life Decieves You
19. I Loved You
20. I Touched A Flower
21. The Cloud
22. I Remember One Evening
23. It Was Getting To Dark
24. Why Is It So, My Darling
25. The Lilacs Wither Here
26. My Mischievous Girl
27. A Dream

Average customer rating: Moving traditional music Splendid program, beautifully done! Attention Hardcore Reenactors This is always going to be one of my favorites!

Union & Liberty Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Smith, John Stafford | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Songs of the Civil War The Civil War Collection SOUTHERN SOLDIER: Favorite Camp Songs of the Civil War ASIN: B000001QAA Release Date: 1994-12-21

Tracks:

1. The Battle-Cry Of Freedom
2. The Star-Spangled Banner
3. Uncle Sam's Farm
4. Vaillance Polka Militaire
5. Drums And Trumpets (Or, A Parade In Broadway)
6. Weeping, Sad And Lonely
7. The Columbian Quadrilles
8. The Girl I left Behind Me
9. Beauregard's Retreat From Shilou
10. We Are Coming, Father Abraham
11. Kingdom Coming, (Or, The Year Of Jubilo)
12. Grafted Into The Army
13. The Picture On The Wall
14. Daniel Webster's Funeral March
15. Tenting On The Old Camp-Ground
16. The Battle Hymn Of The Republic

Customer Reviews:

Moving traditional music.......2004-02-05

Splendid program, beautifully done!.......2002-06-01

This is an album which everyone who loves Civil War music,
or who is meeting it here for the first time, will cherish.

Attention Hardcore Reenactors.......2000-09-14

This is always going to be one of my favorites!.......1999-05-08

Average customer rating: a dozen kinds of sadness Wonderful the female jimmie dale gilmore? Amy Allison is Addictive A treat for the ears...

Sad Girl Amy Allison Manufacturer: Diesel Only ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: No Frills Friend Maudlin Years Everything and Nothing Too ASIN: B00005Q6V1 Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

1. Listless And Lonesome
2. One Thing In Mind
3. Sad Girl
4. Everybody Thinks You're An Angel
5. It's Not Wrong
6. Family
7. Shadow Of A Man
8. Sad State Of Affairs
9. Where Did You Go?
10. Lost On You
11. Do I Miss You?
12. New Year's Eve

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

a dozen kinds of sadness.......2003-05-24

Wonderful.......2002-07-28

Anyways, she was wonderful, as is this album.

PK

the female jimmie dale gilmore?.......2002-06-09

Amy Allison is Addictive.......2002-01-24

A treat for the ears..........2001-12-02

Average customer rating: Artful singing, but 35 folksongs in 6 languages produces indigestion Perfect blend of art song and folksong

Anne Sofie von Otter - Folksongs (Dvorak, Kodaly, Britten, Grainger, Larsson, Hahn) Antonin Dvorak , Zoltan Kodaly , Benjamin Britten , Percy Grainger , Lars-Erik Larsson , Gunnar Hahn , Reynaldo Hahn , Anne Sofie von Otter , and Bengt Forsberg Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Britten | Britten, Sir Benjamin | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Grainger | Grainger, Percy Aldridge | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Kodály, Zoltán | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Larsson, Lars-Erik | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Anne Sofie von Otter - Love's Twilight (Late Romantic Songs by Berg, Korngold, Strauss) Anne Sofie von Otter - Grieg Songs Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low ~ Songs by Kurt Weill / Gardiner Music for a While: Baroque Melodies Anne Sofie von Otter - Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben / Forsberg ASIN: B00004TL2P Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

1. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 1. I Chant My Lay
2. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 2. My Triangle
3. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 3. Silent And Lone
4. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 4. Songs My Mother Taught Me
5. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 5. Tune Thy Strings
6. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 6, In His Wide Linen Vesture
7. Zigeunermelodien op. 55: 7. Cloudy Heights Of Tatra
8. 13 Folksongs: 5. The Sprig Of Thyme
9. 13 Folksongs: 3. Died For Love
10. 13 Folksongs: 7. British Waterside (Or The Jolly Sailor)
11. 13 Folksongs: 6. The Pretty Maid Milkin' Her Cow
12. 12 Visor: Watercolor
13. 12 Visor: The Box Painter
14. 12 Visor: The Girl With The Divining-Herb
15. Hjarterovet - The Heart's Prey: A Song From Lapland
16. Venezia Songs In Venetian Dialect: 1. On The Drowsy Waters
17. Venezia Songs In Venetian Dialect: 2. The Little Boat
18. Venezia Songs In Venetian Dialect: 3. The Warning
19. Venezia Songs In Venetian Dialect: 4. The Fair Maid In The Gondola
20. Venezia Songs In Venetian Dialect: 5. What a Shame!
21. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 5. Little Apple Fell Into The Mud
22. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 50. Drinking Wine On Sunday
23. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 27. Youth Is Like A Falcon
24. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 57. Let No-One's Bride Bewail
25. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 30. All Through The Vineyard
26. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 48. Hey, The Price Of Wine From Mohovce Hill
27. Magyar Nepzene Hungarian Folk Music: 55. Beneath The Csitar Hills
28. French Folksongs: 1. The Orphan And King Henry
29. French Folksongs: 2. Hear The Voice Of Spring
30. French Folksongs: 3. The Spinner
31. French Folksongs: 4. The King Is Gone a-Hunting
32. French Folksongs: 5. Beauty In Love's Garden
33. French Folksongs: 6. There's Someone In My Fancy
34. French Folksongs: 7. Eho! Eho!
35. French Folksongs: 8. Heigh ho, Heigh hi!

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Artful singing, but 35 folksongs in 6 languages produces indigestion.......2006-07-20

Perfect blend of art song and folksong.......2000-08-27

What we have here is a highly sophisticated collection of songs with their roots somewhere in the nationalist musical movement, which started flourishing in the early nineteenth century. As the enlightening notes suggest, they are the products of a fusion between the folk tradition and the classical. Selected with obvious care by Anne Sofie von Otter and Bengt Forsberg, these songs speak very directly to the listener and often disguise their artistry behind accessibility.

The opening cycle of "Gypsy Songs" by Dvorak (op. 55) are immediately beguiling and the famous standard mentioned above is sure to stun most people who, like me, have only heard it in it's syrupy orchestral incarnation. Von Otter weaves her magic web through these songs with such effect that the four Grainger songs that follow are almost a shock: earthy and seemingly simplistic they transport the listener to a completely different world. "The pretty main milkin' her cow" is achingly beautiful and, like so many really good things in life, over far too soon. Four short Swedish songs follow, leading onto five "Venetian" songs by Reynaldo Hahn. To me, these are the greatest revelation on the disc: highly romantic with sensual rippling accompaniment, three of them tell sensuous tales of seduction aboard gondolas. Von Otter makes the most of the ample opportunities to seduce with subtle nuances and shading of words. The effect is masterful.

The seven Kodaly songs that follow cannot be further from the romantic Venice envisaged by Hahn, the lyrics often bitingly cynical, with driving rhythms and brilliantly realized accompaniment. Here Von Otter assumes a very different voice and the effect is often strident. The final song, "Beneath the Csitar Hills", however, is tender and intimate, despite some strange sentiments being expressed.

The recital ends with eight arrangements of French folksongs by Benjamin Britten and a fitting finale it is. Simple melodic lines are woven into a rich fabric of music, which reaches into the soul. "Il est quelqu'un sur terre" (track 33) is perhaps one of the poignant songs on the whole recital. Von Otter bleeds colour out of her voice to express the desperation of the singer as the wheel, central metaphor to the song, churns away in the accompaniment. The disc is worth buying for this track alone.

Anne Sofie von Otter and Bengt Forsberg have long established themselves as one of the most brilliant partnerships in recording history and this recital can do nothing but confirm their status as such. It is an achievement not to be missed.

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