Classical Journey: England

1. Pomp and Circumstance, 5 marches for orchestra, Op. 39 March No. 1
Composed by Edward Elgar
Conducted by Herbert Kegel

2. Fantasia on Greensleeves, for harp, flute, & strings (arranged by R. Greaves; from the opera Sir John In Love)
Composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Geoffrey Simon

3. Salut d'amour, for violin & piano, Op. 12
Composed by Edward Elgar
with Budapest Strings

4. Voluntary for organ in G major, Op. 7/9
Composed by John Stanley
with Ton Koopman

5. Work(s) Trumpet Tune and Air
Composed by Henry Purcell
with Ludwig Guttler Brass Ensemble

6. Concerto Grosso in G major, Op.6/1, HWV 319
Composed by George Frideric Handel
with New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Conducted by Max Pommer

7. The March before the Battle, or, The Earl of Oxford's March, for keyboard, MB 93
Composed by William Byrd
with Ludwig Guttler Brass Ensemble

8. Music for the Royal Fireworks, for orchestra, HWV 351
Composed by George Frideric Handel
with Budapest Strings

9. Sonata for trumpet, 2 violins, viola & continuo in D major, Z. 850
Composed by Henry Purcell
with Ludwig Guttler , Friedrich Kircheis

10. Solomon, oratorio, HWV 67 Sinfonia (Arrival of the Queen of Sheba)
Composed by George Frideric Handel
with Budapest Strings

Tracks:

Flow My Tears (Lachrimae)
The Lowest Trees Have Tops
Fantasy
Come Again
Have You Seen The Bright Lilly Grow
In Darkness Let Me Dwell
Hell Hound On My Trail
Message In A Bottle

Tracks:

'Come Again'
Project Origin
'Can She Excuse My Wrongs'
The Lute And The Labyrinth
'The Lowest Trees Have Tops'
'Flow My Tears'
Dowland's Exile
'Clear Or Cloudy'
Political Intrigue
'Have You Seen The Bright Lily Grow'
'Weep You No More Sad Foutain'
'Le Rossignol'
Religion
Sting And The Lute
'Come, Heavy Sleep'
'In Darkness Let Me dwell'
Choir Rehersal
'Fine Knacks For Ladies'
'Can She Excuse My Wrongs'

Amazon.com

Recorded at St. Luke's Cathedral in London, The Journey and the Labyrinth continues Sting and lute player Edin Karamazov's exploration of the music of John Dowland. The bulk of this material first appeared on 2006's Songs from the Labyrinth. Performed live and placed in a setting concurrent with the life of the 16th-century composer, the songs feel tied to their origins in profound ways. The grand room's ambiance is made apparent with the reverberating applause at the close of each selection. The closing two numbers show how this 400-year-old music has aspects very much in sync with relatively contemporary works. Both Robert Johnson's "Hellhound on My Trail" and Sting's own Police hit "Message in a Bottle" utilize crisply delineated melodies and spare but robust accompaniment. A DVD is included in the set, as well. Elegantly produced, it not only offers the live performance featured on the CD, but also provides Sting's own thoughtfully articulated connections to this still vibrantly romantic music. --David Greenberger

Album Description

On the heels of his acclaimed recording, Songs from the Labyrinth, Sting furthers his fascination with Elizabethan composer John Dowland (1563-1626) on The Journey and the Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland. This new DVD/CD package includes an extended version of Sting's first-ever PBS special from Thirteen/WNET New York's Great Performances (airing February 26th, 2007), as well as a live bonus audio CD.

Sting recently released the striking CD Songs from the Labyrinth, which introduced audiences to his passion for Dowland. With an astounding thirteen weeks and counting as Billboard's #1 Traditional Classical album, the record, called "vivid and romantic" by the Wall Street Journal, has resonated with Sting and Dowland aficionados alike. The album also captured the top spot on the classical charts not only in the U.S. but also in England, Canada, France and Germany.

The Journey and the Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland, directed and produced by the Emmy-award winning team Jim Gable and Ann Kim of Graying & Balding, Inc., delves deeper into Sting's relationship with the sixteenth-century figure, who has captivated generations with his songs composed primarily for lute, which Sting tackles along with esteemed lutenist Edin Karamazov. Filmed appropriately at Lake House, Sting's 16-century manor house in Wiltshire, and in the ancient gardens of Il Palagio, his home in Italy, the DVD also features the performers before a live audience at St. Luke's Church in London.

Interspersed between performances of such timeless Dowland songs such as "Can She Excuse My Wrongs," "Come Again," and "Flow My Tears," are discussions with musicologists David Pinto and Anthony Rooley of the composer's place in music history and his relevance today, plus recitations by Sting from Dowland's personal correspondence.

In a rare live appearance performing Dowland's music, Sting and Karamazov's concert at St. Luke's Church in London was also captured as a live audio recording and serves as the bonus CD included in the package. Featuring selections from Labyrinth, the CD also contains the consummate hit "Message in a Bottle" arranged for lute, as well as a rendition of the Robert Johnson blues classic, "Hell Hound."

More Sting

Fields of Gold

The Dream of the Blue Turtles

Songs from the Labyrinth

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly enjoyable...........2007-05-21

I have been a Sting/Police fan since my youth, and I have to admit - I was very skeptical when I first heard about this latest venture from Sting. After hearing some of the tracks, the disc began to grow on me. The DVD is the highlight here. Beautifully photographed, and intelligently produced. The performances in and around Sting's Tuscan villa are breathtaking. The live performances are nice as well. Very little was known about this John Dowland man, but he seems to have been quite the character. I'm glad I added this to my collection.

The Journey & The Labyrinth.......2007-05-13

The album was just fantastic! Very different from Sting's usual music. He should do more of it.

To buy or not to buy, that is the question.......2007-04-24

When I was younger, I went on a wine-appreciation course. The first thing I was told was: "Don't let snobs dictate your taste to you: if you like chilled red wine with fish, *drink* chilled red wine with fish!"

Over the years, I have found this to be good advice, and not just about wine.

70 years ago, Andrés Segovia played the Bach Chaconne for the first time in Paris. He said "I could measure my success by the rage of the violinists." But the guitarists didn't care. Nowadays Bach on the guitar is commonplace.

50 years ago, lutenists criticised Julian Bream for playing their instrument like a guitar. He said "It's my job to blow the dust off these things."

It always miffs insiders when an outsider comes along and brings their speciality to a new audience, even though they may publicly applaud him for doing so: it will be a lucky outsider who doesn't get stick for not doing things the "correct" way.

So the Amazon (and other) reviewers of "Songs from the Labyrinth" fall (for the most part) into two camps: Early Music buffs, and Sting fans. As I joined the Lute Society in 1973, and reviewed Early Music for several years, I suppose I must be considered to fall more into the former category than the latter.

But, it seems to me that all the discussion of "authenticity", impassioned and learnèd though it may be, is irrelevant. The only important questions are: Has the performer made a serious attempt to understand what's going on in the music? and Does he bring something fresh to it?

In Sting's case, the answer is clearly Yes to both. And that said, the only other thing of importance is whether you like the result.

I do like it, and I'm glad to see I'm not alone, even among us old fogeys. And with music samples and now video samples available on-line, you don't have to play guessing games to know whether you will too.

The DVD
======

Over and above the value of the music, the DVD is very well put together. There are songs, lute music, anecdotes and historical discussions, all skilfully and entertainly intercut, and each complete in itself but not so long that the attention of the newcomer will start to wander. You can see Edin trying not to laugh when Tony Rooley and David Pinto almost get into an argument. And the whole thing is visually gorgeous. My favourite bit is where Sting fissions into four and sings a quartet with himself, sitting around a table.

By the way, there are a couple of "in" jokes that may go over the heads of those new to this music:

Sting ribs Edin about giving him the hard part in the anonymous lute duet "Le Rossignol"; in fact, the two parts are virtually identical, one being an echo of the other, merely four bars "out of phase".

More subtle is the somewhat unexpected appearance of "Hellhound on my Trail", which is of course by the noted blues singer Robert Johnson murdered in 1938 (but somehow copyright 1990, it says here). Another Robert Johnson, also a lutenist (and son of that John Johnson whose vacated position Dowland failed to secure at the court of Elizabeth I), was one of Dowland's colleagues at the court of James I. He was the composer of "Have You Seen the Bright Lily Grow", so the DVD contains works by two different Robert Johnsons.

Lutenists will be interested to note that Edin Karamazov plays (right hand) thumb under, although Dowland himself switched in mid-life from thumb-under to thumb-over -- presumably for what seemed to him to be good reasons. He is clearly a fine player with a great deal of facility, but I feel obliged to say that his Dowland Fantasy (P. 6, for those that are interested) seems to me a bit of a mess. Don't take my word for it; you already know Anthony Rooley, and his version is on Renaissance Fantasias. It's also on disc 8 of his mammoth 12-disc set, with his wife (the famous singer Emma Kirkby) and The Consort of Musicke: Dowland -- The Collected Works. Here are some more versions for comparison:

Christopher Wilson: Rosa
Julian Bream: Lute Music from the Royal Courts of Europe
Jakob Lindberg: Dowland -- Complete Solo Lute Music

Where to go from here
================

The person who spearheaded the revival of interest in Dowland, and the lute in general, was Julian Bream. No one ever breathed more life into this music, and if you're new to the lute, you can't go wrong with his recordings, many of which are still available.

On the other hand, if Sting is your thing, Bream's Dowland songs with Sir Peter Pears are unlikely to be. Nevertheless, you can hear them on Heavenly Love, Earthly Joy.

Of Bream's successors, one of his personal favourites certainly seems to be Nigel North: you can read Sir Julian's glowing tribute on Nigel's website. Only two volumes of Dowland's music by Nigel have so far appeared, though: (Vol. 1) & (Vol. 2).

The complete lute music is available from Jakob Lindberg (mentioned above) and from Paul O'Dette (Complete Lute Works -- also as individual discs), two of my personal favourite players. If you liked "Le Rossignol", you will certainly enjoy them together on English Lute Duets.

The acknowledged authority on Dowland in her day was the late Diana Poulton. She is the author of the standard biography (Faber & Faber, ISBN 0-520-04687-0), and also editor of the Collected Lute Music (Faber Music, ISBN 0-571-10024-4).

The Lute
======

Lute sales have quadrupled, says the Lute Society. If you're thinking "well, I can play the guitar: how hard can the lute be?", think again. By all means take it up, but it's a *very* different instrument!

The British and American Lute Societies can both be found on line.

And now my 1,000 words are up. Good hunting!

Enchanting, visually stunning.......2007-04-18

It seems at first like Sting really stretched on this one, but if you're a dedicated fan, you'll see that his career has been leading here all along. Think of "St. Agnes and the Burning Train" on his "Soul Cages" CD. The four-hundred-year-old music of John Dowland is haunting, and Sting brings it to vibrant life with reverence and enthusiasm. Listen, and you'll be drawn into an older world that at times feels surprisingly familiar, a world of love with all it's faces, melencholy, religious persecution, and career ambition. The DVD was filmed at Sting's personal residences, and if you love atmosphere, it's all here. I recommend the DVD over the CD alone, because the images of Sting singing in those beautiful surroundings help overcome the cultural difference for those who have never heard music like this before. Also, you'll get to hear "Message in a bottle," arranged for the lute on this one, recorded on the companion CD.

The Journey & The Labyrinth: ---A real Journey.......2007-04-10

this was an awesome work. The music was great, and the documentary...really interesting.

if you love music or you are an artist, this is inspirational and entertaining.

this project was a wonderful surprise!!

Average customer rating:

Perfectly Williams
Inspiring soundtrack that is vintage John Williams
Very impressive stuff
Essential for the John Williams lover
Really makes you feel proud

American Journey - Winter Olympics 2002
John Williams
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Summon the Heroes
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ASIN: B00005UN9G
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Tracks:

Call Of The Champions (The Official Theme Of The 2002 Olympic Winter Games)
American Journey: Immigration and Building
American Journey: The Country at War
American Journey: Popular Entertainment
American Journey: Sports and Celebrities
American Journey: Civil Rights and The Woman's Movement
American Journey: Technology and Flight
Song for World Peace
Jubilee 350
The Mission Theme (Theme for NBC News)
For New York (Variations on Themes of Leonard Bernstein)
Sound The Bells!
Hymn To New England
Celebrate Discovery
Summon The Heroes

Amazon.com

Anchored by his Mormon Tabernacle-charged "Call of Champions" (theme of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games) and the sweeping, emotionally rich six-part title suite (originally written for Washington, D.C.'s millennium celebrations and appearing here for the first time as a complete concert piece), this rousing, unabashedly patriotic collection from John Williams seems doubly timely, given America's hunger for comforting affirmation. Those who criticize the scale of Williams's music for its lack of irony will find little here to dissuade them, save perhaps "For New York," his deft, surprisingly low-key arrangement of appropriate Leonard Bernstein themes, and the comparatively subdued harmonic/melodic sophistication of "Song for World Peace." But this is largely music of ceremony and celebration--its scale and frequently martial rhythms are a direct function of purpose and intent. The collection's notes foster the notion of Williams as America's contemporary Sousa, but that's a comparison that sells the composer woefully short. Even "Sound the Bells," a piece written for the Japanese royal wedding, eschews any efforts at ethnic "authenticity," paying its tribute in distinctly American terms. "The Mission Theme" (from NBC News) and the Coplandesque bonus track "Summon the Heroes" (from the 1996 Olympics) further underscore the iconic intent of Williams's work. Chiding this collection for lack of subtlety is like complaining that fireworks are too spectacular. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Perfectly Williams.......2006-02-25

If you want a combination of John Williams at his best and the original olympic spirit, this is a must! The album starts off with the olympic theme from the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games and continues with the opening ceremony music. It's wonderful how Williams composes the music to describe the American evolution and history.

If you like the more fanfare-like Williams type of music and want to listen to a great album with great compositions I recommend this album to you! It really deserves 5 out of 5 stars!

Inspiring soundtrack that is vintage John Williams.......2006-01-15

I really enjoyed American Journey, as well as the other pieces John Williams composed for the 2002 Winter Olympics. When listened to all the way through, American Journey is a powerful tribute to the pioneers and explorers of America. Of the other pieces, my favorite was the Mission Theme, which features the well-known theme from NBC news with some excellent variations. The two main fanfares (Call of the Champions - 2002 Olympics, Summon the Heroes - 2000 Olympics) are the highlights of the CD, and unlike most people I actually thought Call of the Champions was better. I especially liked Williams' use of the choir and timpani in this piece.
I would recommend this CD to anyone whether they are a fan of John Williams or not.

Very impressive stuff.......2005-04-28

This really was one of William's best compositions and the performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was inspired as well. I think when people recall these Olympics, the sounds of "Call of the Champions" provides a very memorable musical image of the games. The Boston Pops Orchestra does an impressive job as well in this very attractive CD. Wonderful music from a memorable Olympic experience.

Essential for the John Williams lover.......2003-05-11

This is not my favorite John Williams CD, because I love his film scores, and the way they are arranged and built. However, this is John Williams performing his classical and ceremonial music, and with that in mind, this is an excellent CD. The "American Journey" suite is the strongest new material on the album - I say "new material" because the last track, Summon the Heroes (1996 Olympics) is one of John Williams's greatest, most energetic pieces. "American Journey" is filled with American patriotism, feeling, and excitement (my personal favorite is the Arts & Entertainment movement). With this CD and John Williams's other Olympic music, I believe he has redefined what American classical music is.

Really makes you feel proud.......2003-02-02

John Williams scores again, proving he can do more than compose music for Superman and Star Wars. This disk is filled with simply wonderful patriotic music, upbeat, small-scale at times, always suited to the title.

Tracks:

From The Steeples And The Mountains
The Things Our Fathers Loved
The Pond (Remembrance)
Memories
Charlie Rutlage
The Circus Band
The "St. Gaudens" In Boston Common
Putnam's Camp
The Housatonic At Stockbridge
In Flanders Fields
They Are There!
Tom Sails Away
Fugue From Symphony No. 4
Psalm 100
Serenity
General William Booth Enters Into Heaven
The Unanswered Question

Amazon.com

Michael Tilson Thomas is an expert Ivesian. His 1970 recording debut was with Three Places in New England, still available from DG. Here, he redoes the work with the interpolation of a chorus singing the poem on which the last movement, "The Housatonic at Stockbridge," is based--unusual, not as effective as the orchestral version, but fascinating. Tilson Thomas cites Ives's desire for performers to creatively shape his music, and this disc vindicates his editorial liberties by making Ives's surprising music even more unpredictable. The choral contributions are fine, too, but baritone Thomas Hampson steals the show with seven songs that display his empathy with Ives's varied styles and the range of the composer's music, from cowboy songs to touching elegies. The way Hampson bellows a Brooklynese "Coytin" (for "Curtain") at the end of the first song of Memories is worth the price of purchase. Here's a disc to be entertained by, and moved as well. The recording was made at SFS concerts, and we're privileged to share the audience's experience. A must-have for Ivesians and the curious. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A superb evening of Ives, the best in decades.......2005-12-18

Tilson Thomas's PR team should put out a ocntract on me; I rarely express enthusiasm for him. So let me bow especially low to this superlative 1999 concert of Ives as viewed from his most melodic, least revolutionary perspective. This is Ives as recording angel of ice cream socials and Fourth of July parades.

In the Seventies MTT made good but not exceptioanl recordings of Ives's major orchestral works. Here he concentrates on songs and orchestral bits and pieces, except for the extended Three Places in New England, which is x-rayed with exceptionally detailed sonics. Thomas Hampson secures his position as the best singer of American songs with highly dramatized, unbuttoned singing--his Charlie Rutlage, a Texas-accented elegy for a fallen cowpoke, and the familiar General William Booth Enters Into Heaven are instant classics. Chorus and orchestra enter in the spirit of bumptious good cheer, and overall a good time was had by all, even though the crowd was sent home sobered up by the supernaturally melancholy Unanswered Question, which never fails to send a shiver through the listener.

Something of a disappointment.......2004-01-12

I was very much looking forward to the latest Ives recording from Michael Tilson Thomas, whose reputation as an Ives specialist began with his first recording of the Three Pieces in New England, made in 1970 when the conductor was only in his mid-20s. That this disc came some way from living up to my expectations is perhaps due to a combination of over-optimism, uneven performances and what I feel is a less-than-ideal selection of works.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the opening of the disc: a fine performance of the craggy, dissonant brass and percussion work From the Steeples and the Mountains, a highly impressive miniature which swells from its dissonant opening to a climax where sound seems to echo off in all directions. However, I'm less convinced with the rest of the purely-orchestral program: this reading of Ives' classic Three Pieces of New England lacks a little of the gracious flowing lines of Tilsom Thomas' earlier 1970 recording; in addition the experiment of adding a recently-found choral part to the finale merely demonstrates how right the composer was to leave it out. For his extract from the Fourth Symphony, Tilson Thomas chooses the slow movement fugue. I am guessing this choice was to emphasise the "accessible Ives", but this is by far the weakest movement of the work (it was in fact arranged from the first movement of Ives' then 20-year-old First String Quartet), and even a good performance--as here--can't entirely hide up its conservative, almost academic writing. That perennial Ives classic The Unanswered Question, which closes the work, is an infinitely finer work, but unfortunately Tilson Thomas cannot match the transcendence of his own--distinctly slower--Chicago Symphony Orchestra recording from 1986.

The rest of the disc concentrates on various incarnations of Ives' bewildering variety of songs, and as a result comes into partial competition with what is to my mind one of the finest Ives discs around--a recording of selections from the songs and the sets for orchestra with Susan Narucki, Sanford Sylvan and Music/Projects London under Richard Bernas (if you're an Ives fan and don't have this disc, I suggest you rectify this immediately). The songs are extremely uneven in quality--ranging from trivial kitsch to outright masterpieces--and their styles vary just as much.

Most of these songs appear here in orchestral garb, but in three of them Tilson Thomas accompanies Thomas Hampson's baritone on the piano himself. The salon song The Things our Fathers Loved is one of the examples of irreparable kitsch, but rather better is the bipartite Memories which switches from camp to sentimental at its midpoint. In contrast, Tom Sails Away is one of Ives' finest songs, but in this recording its effect is compromised by Tilson Thomas' rather insensitive playing in the piano part.

The Pond (Remembrance)--another of Ives' finest songs--appears here in a version for women's chorus and orchestra. This transcendental homage to the composer's father is in fact much more subtle and rhythmically complex than it appears at first, and it has appeared in a bewildering variety of versions (three of which appear on the Bernas disc mentioned earlier). Similarly restrained in means is John Adams' careful baritone-and-orchestra version of the touching song Serenity: it's well-judged and well-sung here, and Adams avoids the pitfalls that David Del Tredici walks into in his entirely unnecessary orchestration of In Flanders Fields.

By contrast, Charlie Rutlage is an absurdly over-the-top piece of cowboy kitsch that disintegrates into violent discords as the words describe Charlie's death: this voice-and-orchestra version isn't half as good as Sanford Sylvan's voice-and-piano reading on the Bernas disc. Similarly eccentric is The Circus Band, a bizarrely outrageous confection for chorus and orchestra (based on an early orchestral march) that lacks some of the lustre of similar Ives effects. The bizarre Ives is also at work They are There! This near-hysterial rant (not actually as militaristic as it sounds at first) is heard in a chorus-and-orchestral version that lacks something of the sheer outrageousness of Ives' own voice-and-piano recording (even though Tilson Thomas takes an effort to try to copy the style of that reading).

The chorus-and-organ setting of Psalm 100 ("Make a joyful noise unto the Lord") is an intriguing piece of writing that well merits its exposure here, though it can't match General William Booth Enters Into Heaven for sheer unbuttoned craziness. This setting of Vachel Lindsay's poem, heard here in a version for baritone, chorus and orchestra is one of Ives' most endearing creations: its remarkable mix of modernism, bizarre wit and sentimentality, topped off with the sudden introduction of a hymn tune at the climax, is typical of the composer at his best. Unfortunately, this performance misses out on the last edge of hysterical ecstasy that is so necessary for the work to have its full impact (in my opinion it's easier to bring off in the voice-and-piano version).

I realise I am perhaps being overcritical of this disc, but it seems to me that a disc by such a fine Ivesian as Tilson Thomas should be held to a very high standrd. Though I was personally disappointed by this recording, it may well appeal to those who know little of the composer: however, I fear that Ives specialists are likely to be underwhelmed.

a wonderful summary.......2002-12-21

Charles Ives has always been a puzzle to me. From time to time I have listened to his music with a complete lack of resolution. Did I actually like it? Is it just an American marketing phenomena? Would we hear as much of him if he were, say, an Australian composer? I am still totally uncertain, but I love this CD for its variety of styles, variety of forces and general good humour. If you are immediately dismissive of Ives, can I suggest you start with the two songs called 'Memories'? Have a listen to this CD with an open mind - you may not like it all - even most of it - but one thing is certain and that is that this is not run-of-the-mill music.

Ives is Ives.......2002-06-15

I grew up on movie soundtracks and scores from the likes of Bernard Herrmann, Dimitri Tiomkin, Alex North and others. We have lost many of these composers but not their music they have left us through the years. That's a gift to all of us. I have been slowly looking at "20th century" composers from the "classical" arena to enhance my listening pleasure and my nature or "quest" to always seek out music that I am certain I must have passed over. I discovered Charles Ives after reading up further on Aaron Copland and his foray into many diverse areas of musical composition. One door opens another. Ives' name and compositions seem to have come up frequently. So far Charles Ives' music doesn't have the melodic quality of Copland or many contemporaries yet it does seem to have roots resulting in American musical motifs very strangely orchestrated resulting in some twisted profoundness. What attracts me is how Ives' music almost seems as if it were composed for film. Ives is Ives as I have found out. I enjoy this recording. It is strange, contemplative and definitely esoteric. Abrupt turns abound but that is the strength of Ives.

The Mood of Time.......2002-06-15

This collection of Ives compositions is exceptional. This CD makes for very good listening. I play it when I am alone in the car. The pensive music realy captures the mood of time.

Emily Dickinson in Song: Dwell in Possibility

Average customer rating:

Emily Dickinson in Song: Dwell in Possibility

Manufacturer: Gasparo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Nice Cross Over
Mike Batt FAILS
Great talent ruined by terrible songs
A Light Hearted Delight
Has potential, but lacks direction

Classical Graffiti
The Planets
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005YUGV
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

Rodrigo
Carmen Caprice
Grassland Theme
Classical Graffiti
Love In Slow Motion
Brandenburg Variation
The Journey Of A Fool
Clair De Lune
He Moved Through The Fair
Contradanza
A Letter From New England
Bolero Fantasy
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Carmen Caprice (Acoustic Version)
Brandenburg Variation (Acoustic Version)
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Amazon.com

The title of the Planets' debut album, Classical Graffiti, aptly encapsulates the latest project by Mike Batt, whose career has long steered a path between camp and classical, from serious orchestral concerts to pop hits, from film scores to masterminding the Wombles. Recently Batt gave the world Bond, and the Planets are even more of the same--four classically trained young women, this time partnered by four classically trained young men. The result is 16 Batt-arranged and produced tracks, both originals and covers of famous classical melodies, some acoustic, most given a polished MOR rock-dance twist. The Planets made their public debut supporting Deep Purple's 2002 UK tour and there's more than a hint of 1970s prog-rock, which, combined with an energetic feel, should go down a storm with an enthusiastic audience. Opening with an up-tempo, beat-laden "Adagio" from Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez, the set includes "Contradanza", a Vivaldi-influenced Batt dance originally penned for Vanessa Mae, and a beautiful, slightly adapted version of the traditional "She Moved Through the Fair." --Gary S Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

Nice Cross Over .......2004-12-30

One can hear and appreciate the classical training of these fine musicians, and this attempt to cross over into more hip crowd. I appreciate that their attempts to do this with classical pieces did not venture too far out, e.g. Rodrigo is my least favorite piece. I do enjoy the Carmen Caprice pieces and the Brandenburg Varaitions are well done.

The pieces unfamiliar to me are quite good: The Journey of A Fool, He Moved Through the Fair, A Letter from New England.

The Christmas Trilogy is nice ending, with its swirling, winding version of What Child Is This, Holly & Ivy and In Dulce Jubilo.

Mike Batt FAILS.......2004-09-20

I guess Mike Batt can't get it right each time. Vanessa-Mae... fantastic. BOND.. Absolutely GREAT

The Planets?

....CRAP

This is just sad. If you want to hear crossover done right, get Vanessa Mae's best of and bond's born, shine, or classified.

Great talent ruined by terrible songs.......2004-08-27

It is obvious that they have a lot of talent. The first song has a lot of energy and is quite good. But after that, the tempo of all the songs is moderato at the fastest. Most of the songs that were chosen were just to slow of songs. It does not match up to the caliber of Bond, where I thought it would have.

A Light Hearted Delight.......2004-03-25

As a music teacher I found this album delightful. They seem to blend pop and classical in an interesting way. My general music students, many modern pop or rap fans really enjoyed the selections. It is generally very difficult to sneak in good quality music and have it appreciated. High school students do not listen to very much that is musical these days. After only a few tracks they kept asking to hear more. This is quite an accomplishment. I thoroughly enjoyed their reactions. I hope The Planets will record again.

Has potential, but lacks direction.......2003-07-16

The CD opens with a fantastic adaption of Rodrigo but goes downhill from there. Too many of the tracks have a generic, slow, elevator music sound to them, something I would not have expected from a CD produced and arranged by Mike Batt. Other tracks lack direction and come off as poor imitations of Vanessa-Mae. The Planets' rendition of Contradanza, a piece composed by Mike Batt originally for Vanessa-Mae, makes my ears bleed.

If you're a fan of classical crossover (as I am), this CD is still worthwhile to own. "Rodrigo" and "Classical Graffiti" show the potential of this group if they can develop more of a style and tackle some tougher material. Buy it with the caveat that you're not going to find the same creativity or dynamism as with the early albums from Vanessa-Mae or Bond.

Tracks:

A Song Of Yorkshire - Honley Male Voice Chor
Children's Dance From `Hansel And Gretel' - Boys Of Leeds Parish Church Chor
Amazing Grace - Simon Lindley/Honley Male Voice Chor
Sound An Alarm - Boys Of Leeds Parish Church Chor
Rose Of England - Boys Of Leeds Parish Church Chor
Speed Your Journey From `Nabucco' - Honley Male Voice Chor
Onward, Christian Soldiers - Honley Male Voice Chor
The Lost Chord - Simon Lindley
Three Yorkshire Songs - Honley Male Voice Chor
Nymphs And Shepherds - Boys Of Leeds Parish Church Chor
Pilgrims' Chors From `Tannhauser' - Honley Male Voice Chor
`Pirates Of Penzance' Selection - Honley Male Voice Chor
O, For The Wings Of A Dove - Boys Of Leeds Parish Church Chor
Bless This House - Honley Male Voice Chor
Battle Hymn Of The Republic - Simon Lindley/Honley Male Voice Chor

Average customer rating:

Triton's Journey

Manufacturer: Bis
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Four of a Kind, Music for Trombone Quartet

ASIN: B00000DDLK
Release Date: 1998-11-01

Tracks:

Processional 'Let There Be Light'
Scottish Dances: I. Prince Edward's Paven
Scottish Dances: II. The Queine Of England's Paven
Scottish Dances: III. Paven
Scottish Dances: IV. Galliard
Fant On The Hexachord
Trbn Qt, Op.117: I. Allegro Vivace
Trbn Qt, Op.117: II. Adagio Molto
Trbn Qt, Op.117: III. Presto
Ser: I. Movt: 1. Adagio, Quasi Rubato/Cadenza/Allegro
Ser: II. Movt: 2. Adagio
Ser: III. Movt: 3. Allegro Furioso
Three Swedish Tunes: I. Who Can Sail Without A Breeze?
Three Swedish Tunes: II. And Soon It Will Be Blossom Time
Three Swedish Tunes: III. Walking Tune From Appelbo
In Memoriam
Night's Journey

Average customer rating:

KEITH STILL HAS A LOCK ON OUR HEARTS
The Boston Pops at Their Best!!
The Best of the Best
Best of the Boston Pops
6th CD!

Encore! / Lockhart, Boston Pops

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Similar Items:

The Celtic Album
My Favorite Things: A Richard Rodgers Celebration
Runnin' Wild
A Splash of Pops
Music of the Night: Pops on Broadway 1990

ASIN: B00004KH7C
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Tracks:

American Patrol
Riverdance
Mardi Gras (From Mississippi Suite)
Song Of The Volga Boatmen
Magh Scola (The Level Plain)
Farandole
Doodletown Fifers
A Hymn To New England
Sleigh Ride
The Stars And Stripes Forever
Keith's Introduction To Long Live The King!
Long Live The King! - A Tribute To Elvis

Customer Reviews:

KEITH STILL HAS A LOCK ON OUR HEARTS.......2003-01-06

Everything old is new again. Or perhaps that's what the marketing big-wigs at RCA were thinking when they decided that latest CD by Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra should simply be a "greatest hits" package -- selections culled from Lockhart's five previously released CDs. It's a gimmick that works, since those tracks chosen are truly the best of the best: "Riverdance" and "Magh Scola" from the Grammy-nominated "The Celtic Album;" "Sleigh Ride" and "Farandole" from "Holiday Pops;" "The Stars and Stripes Forever" from "A Splash of Pops." To add a bit of freshness, the closes with "Long Live the King!" a medley of Presley tunes recorded love at Boston's Symphony Hall for a PBS special. No wonder he can't help falling in love -- once again -- with the man who keeps a lock on our hearts.

The Boston Pops at Their Best!!.......2001-07-14

This has got to be the best orchestral CD I have ever purchased! My intent for buying the CD was not because of the Pops themselves (I wasn't very familiar with them or Keith Lockhart at the time), but my orchestra had played two of the songs on the CD so I thought it would have been neat to have a professional recording of them. A couple months later, here I am, I know how each one of the songs go, it never leaves my CD player unless I go somewhere (it goes too) and let me tell you Mr. Lockhart is a hottie- whether he knows it or not! Only because of this Cd, (and watching Pops Goes the Fourth) I have bought every other Boston Pops CD conducted by Keith Lockhart. They are outstanding musicians and this is the best "greatest hits so far" CD. It has pretty much 2 songs from each past CD- Tracks 1 and 4 from Runnin' Wild; Tracks 2 and 5 from The Celtic Album; Tracks 3 and 8 from American Visions; Tracks 6 and 9 from Holiday Pops; and tracks 7 and 10 from A Splash of Pops. Track 11 is Keith's introduction to Long Live the King and Track 12 is, obviously, Long Live the King-A Tribute to Elvis which has never been released before. And it's pretty sad I knew all of that without having to look at the CD case, huh? That just shows you how well put together this CD is, with a mix of everything for everyone. From the slow, beautiful "Magh Scola" ("The Level Plain") to "American Patrol" back to "A Hymn to New England" (written by former Boston Pops conductor and composer to just about every famous movie their is John Williams) and of course, their trademark "Stars and Stripes Forever", this CD is perfect for anyone with a love of classical music, or the Boston Pops Orchestra. And their tuba player better watch out- I am definetly going to replace him soon :)

The Best of the Best.......2000-07-26

Keith Lockhart does it again. All of America's favorites on one album plus a tribute to the King. It goes to show what a wonderful and masterful conductor Keith is and what a great orchestra the BSO is. Their finest album with Keith thus far. He truly is one of the best conductors in the business. I highly recommend this to everyone who loves the spirit of the Pops. It's superb all around.

Best of the Boston Pops.......2000-06-25

This is a wonderful repertoire of the kind of music played by the Boston Pop. It's for all ages. If anyone wants one CD that is representative of the Boston Pop Orchestra, this is it! Kudos to Keith Lockhart for including a medley by the King. This is my favorite Boston Pop CD next to "Runnin Wild" and the "Holiday at PoPs".

6th CD!.......2000-04-25

I went home this weekend and look what I picked up! The 6th ablum by Mr. Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops! Great CD, love the music selections that Keith made to put in this one and I loved the Long Live the King! A Slaute to Elvis. You haven't heard anything until you have heard a full orchestra play Elvis Presley music. Number six, and it was great! My favorite piece is DoddleTOWN Fifers, or whatever it is called. The MCV (Middlesex County Vouleenters) are great, and I'm not just saying that because I know Earl, the Music Master for the group, they are good.