Hildegard & Her Time

On this CD:

1. Ce fu en mai, Rayn.94
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


2. En un vergier lez une fontenele, Rayn.594
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


3. Lucis orto sydere, CB157
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


4. Por coi me bait mes maris
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


5. L'amours dont sui espris
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


6. La uitime estampie royal
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


7. Contre le dous tans novel
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


8. Jherusalem, grant damage me fais
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


9. Volez oďr la muse Muset
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


10. Par un tres bel jour de mai
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


11. De ramis cadunt folia
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


12. L'autrier par la matinee
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


13. La septime estampie royal
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


14. Bele Yolanz en ses chambres ses seoit
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


15. Ecce letantur omnia
Composed by Trouveres Anonymous


Hildegard & Her Time, Music, Trouveres Anonymous, Ensemble Für Fruhe Musik Augsburg, Classical
25 Bach Favorites
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Just what you would expect
  • Wonderful collection and price!
  • Like Floating On A Cloud
  • Bach
  • Good CD, especially for novices
25 Bach Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000058I1
Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

  1. Toccata In D Minor For Organ
  2. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F: I. Allegro
  3. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G: I. Allegro
  4. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: II. Affetuoso
  5. Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: I. Vivace
  6. Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: II. Adagio
  7. Violin Concerto No. 1 In A Minor: I. Allegro
  8. Violin Concerto No. 2 In E: I. Allegro
  9. Magnificat In D: Magnificat
  10. Magnificat In D: Deposuit potentes
  11. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude 1
  12. Concerto For 3 Harpsichords In C: II. Adagio
  13. Concerto For 2 Harpsichords In C Minor: II. Adagio
  14. Concerto For 4 Harpsichords In A Minor: First Movement
  15. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
  16. Toccata, Adagio & Fugue In C: II. Adagio
  17. Partita No. 3 For Solo Violin: Prelude
  18. 2-Part Invention: No. 8 In F
  19. Wachet Auf: Sleepers Awake
  20. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G: III. Presto
  21. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F: III. Allegro assai
  22. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: III. Allegro
  23. Orchestral Suite No. 2 In B Minor: VII. Badinerie
  24. Mass In B Minor: Gloria
  25. Mass In B Minor: Dona Nobis Pacem

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Just what you would expect.......2007-05-19

I was looking for a CD of exclusively Bach music, not necessarily played by a famous artist or orchestra. This had a lot of his well-known pieces and was exactly what I was looking for.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

5 out of 5 stars Like Floating On A Cloud.......2006-09-20

My first real appreciation of this sound was from watching the film "Slaughterhouse Five" in the theater, back in the '70s. That soundtrack was just a taste of what you get with this recording. My family pops this CD in the car stereo on long trips, and glide down the highway to some original smooth grooves. Helps the miles pass swiftly. Music for the soul.

5 out of 5 stars Bach.......2006-08-27

Surely you don't need me to review the guy. You know who he is, you've heard his music, and I hope you own some. So let me turn the podium over to a cat named Picasso, and you can read into that whatever you wish. She's in a chair, near the CD player. She has entered the room specifically for the music. Her eyes are squinted, almost but not quite shut, little face concentrating on just how contented those sounds make her feel. Nobody can say why they move her so, any more than we can say why they move us so. If we knew the answer to that one, we'd copy the guy. But anyway, she loves the music, and don't you dare make a sound such as squeaking your computer chair. If you do, her golden orbs will open, fix upon your face, and shame you. Yes they will. But if you are quiet long enough, you can watch a little calico sleep, with the very same sweet kitten face that drew you to her five years ago. Bach is gooooood.

4 out of 5 stars Good CD, especially for novices.......2005-10-12

I was looking for a recommended Bach CD - certain music by a certain orchestra - and stumbled on this. It is an excellent choice for a new library. I think when there was more than one movement to a piece, it would have made more sense to go ahead and keep the movements together instead of separating them, but a novice listener would not notice. A great way to become exposed to a great composer.
Feather on the Breath of God
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Hyponotic music from an early great composer
  • One of my favorite albums of all time.
  • Luminous
  • Heavenly
  • Short, but still the very best of Hildegard of Bingen. Buy It.
Feather on the Breath of God

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstasy
  2. Hildegard von Bingen: Voice of the Blood
  3. Luminous Spirit
  4. Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
  5. Secrets of God: Writings of Hildegard of Bingen

ASIN: B000002ZGD
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

  1. Sequentia de Sancto Maximo: Columba aspexit
  2. Ymnus de Sancta Maria: Ave, generosa
  3. Sequentia de Spiritu Sancto: O ignis spiritus
  4. De Sancto Ruperto: O ierusalem
  5. De sancto Euchario sequentia: O Euchari
  6. De Sancta Maria: O viridissima virga
  7. Sequentia de Sancto Dysibodo: O presul vere civitatis
  8. De Undecim Milibus Virginbus: O Ecclesia

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the record that started the Hildegard craze back in 1982--and you need only listen to Emma Kirkby glide and soar through Columba aspexit (the opening hymn) to understand why. Gothic Voices performs the music very simply, either alternating soloists and unison choir over a drone or using a single unaccompanied voice. The singers render Hildegard's extravagant poetic imagery and melody not with the rhythmically fluid, ecstatic approach favored by Sequentia, but with equalist rhythm and a calm, meditative quality. Gothic Voices' straightforward approach is less likely to send you into a rapturous trance than is Sequentia's, but in the hands of such fine singers as Kirkby, Margaret Philpot, and Emily van Evera, Hildegard's extraordinary texts and melodies are captivating--and clear enough to linger in the memory as melodies rather than just sensations. This record is still Hyperion's bestselling title by far--try it and find out why. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Hyponotic music from an early great composer.......2007-03-10

The Abbess Hildegard of Bingen wrote hypnotic, haunting music a thousand years ago (she lived from 1098-1179). The notes from this CD state that: "This recording draws upon Hildegard's large collection of music and poetry. . .which she continued to enlarge and enrich throughout her life. It contains some of the finest songs ever written in the Middle Ages. . . . The songs are conceived on a large--sometimes a massive--scale; it is in superabundance that Hildegard found herself both as poetess and composer." Hers is a very different style of music from what we are used to today. And the voices of Emma Kirkby and "Gothic Voices" (a group) appear to capture the spirit and soul of this music well.

Kirkby has a crystalline clear and clean voice. In "Columba aspexit," Kirkby and supporting voices paint a musical tapestry that is hypnotic (a common phrase that can be used across the songs). In "Ave, generosa," Kirkby sings the hymn solo and without any instrumental backing. An enchanting piece. Three tenors from "A Gothic Voice" essay "O ignis spiritus." Their voices meld together well and their take on this has a spiritual element. A final example (no need to mention each of the cuts on the CD). . . . "O Jerusalem" features both Kirkby and some members of "A Gothic Voice." The voices play off one another well. Another nicely done work.

This is a good introduction to ancient but interesting music. Kirkby once again shows her skills off to good effect, with an assist from "A Gothic Voice."


5 out of 5 stars One of my favorite albums of all time........2007-03-06

This is the best Hildegard von Bingen recording I have heard. It features the marvelous English soprano, Emma Kirkby.

This is an older recording. I first bought the album on vinyl. I bought it again on CD. Now it is in heavy rotation on my ipod. This is simply one of the best pieces of vocal music ever recorded, any age, any genre.

Enjoy.

5 out of 5 stars Luminous.......2006-11-27

Landmark recording of the early Kirkby glorying in this beautiful music. Ears that can do East and West may like to sample 'Shruti' by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay - a similarly evocative and remarkable recording.

5 out of 5 stars Heavenly.......2006-11-15

This CD is a Masterpiece. I often play this before I go to sleep. If you want a CD that will totally relax you and clear your sole then you can't go past this great piece of work. The music and voices are Heavenly. I really admire Hildgard and her work. She was very ahead of her time. I very highly recommend this CD to anyone who loves beauty.

5 out of 5 stars Short, but still the very best of Hildegard of Bingen. Buy It........2005-12-20

'A feather on the breath of God' is a performance of eight 'Sequences and Hymns' by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen' which has been lauded by Gramophone Magazine as a 'Best of' in the year it was released.

I have heard two other performances of Hildegard of Bingen compositions and to my amateur ear, these are the best. With soloist Emma Kirkby plus the instrumental backup, they are certainly more interesting than the a capella treatment by the Anononymous 4.

Very highly recommended.
Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A very different style of Hildegard
  • ONE WORD- 'AWSOME"
  • Very different. Hauntingly beautiful
  • "Every Element Has A Sound" ~ Heavenly Visions Of A Medieval Mystic
  • SUPERB MODERN CLASSIC
Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
Richard Souther , Emily van Evera , and Sister Germaine Fritz
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  3. Hildegard von Bingen: Voice of the Blood
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  5. Luminous Spirit

ASIN: B000002SL6
Release Date: 1994-11-01

Tracks:

  1. Praise For The Mother
  2. Only The Devil Laughed
  3. Vision
  4. Song To The Mother
  5. The Living Light (Instrumental)
  6. Wherever
  7. For The Virgin
  8. For The Creator
  9. This Honorable Fame
  10. The Anointing (Instrumental)
  11. For The Trinity
  12. The Chalice
  13. Divine Love
  14. The Flower Gleams
  15. From This Wicked Fall
  16. Living Fountain
  17. Vision: Full Length

Amazon.com

"Vision--The Music of Hildegard von Bingen"? Make that "Hildegard--the Dance Remix." (Yes, it has been used on the dance floor of at least one New York City nightclub.) What else can you call it when Richard Souther takes the stark, ecstatic plainchant of the 12th-century abbess and adds heavily produced electronic trance-and-dance tracks? Souther's additions aren't bad in themselves--they are a bit New Age-y, yet danceable in a druggy 3:00-a.m. kind of way--but slather them over Hildegard's spare, intense chant melodies and the effect is perverse, if not just silly. Don't blame poor Emily van Evera--she is a fine interpreter of Hildegard, and EMI simply asked her to record some unaccompanied solo tracks of the abbess's music and send in the tapes; she had no idea what was going to be done with them until this disc came out with her name on it. This shows up in the final product: the gently fluid pulse van Evera applied to Hildegard's music (which would make perfect sense in the a cappella performance she thought she was giving) feels completely disconnected from the rigid rhythms inherent in Souther's electronic accompaniment. Now, there are a number of customer reviews, below, from listeners who like this title a great deal--have a look at them, check out the sound clips, and by all means get this title if you're interested. But, if you're curious about Hildegard, go to the recording that made her famous eight centuries after her death: A Feather on the Breath of God. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A very different style of Hildegard.......2007-01-30

This CD isn't quite the shining example of Hildegard's music, but it isn't dissapointing either. The new-agey music and the chanting go well together, but at times the mix is a little akward, and it is those moments when it seems that the vocals are just stamped on top of the music that takes away from this album. Otherwise, the music is pretty rich and conjures epic and heavenly images. I'd have to side with the 'purists' on this one: if you're a stickler for authentic sounding Hildegard music, go for the other albums such as Luminous Spirit because this one might come across as a little weird.

5 out of 5 stars ONE WORD- 'AWSOME".......2006-12-15

I have been a fan of music since before I was born it seems- I have almost all of her music- but this is the star on the night sky- people keep trashing this album /cd- I think this is the best of her visions/music and if you want to be swept away on clouds of tone and dance with angels of light then BUY this cd- I love to darken the house , light the candles and let this one spin again and again- listen closely to " for the virgin' it will make you want to play this over and over again-also this entire cd was recorded in the catacombs- how spiritual is that, music/thought/words/visions from years turned to dust and stone- may this cd bring you back to a time when the world was innocent and gentle/have played this along with Enigma and people can not get enough of this cd!!!!!!!!!!

4 out of 5 stars Very different. Hauntingly beautiful.......2006-03-01

I bought VISION, THE MUSIC OF HILDEGARD VON BINGEN without even hearing it first. I couldn't resist the album's cover art and the premise of recording the chants of a 12th century nun with modern original scores. I was delightfully surprised at how well the experiment works. The tracks are absolutely beautiful and haunting. In listening to one of the chants accompanied by an almost jarring drum beat, I felt as if I were dropped deep into a dense African jungle where a safari of large powerful natives are escorting small white hooded nuns to some mysterious lost city. A very different, very intriguing, very fine work.

5 out of 5 stars "Every Element Has A Sound" ~ Heavenly Visions Of A Medieval Mystic.......2006-01-29

Hildegard Von Bingen (1098-1179), 12th century Benedictine nun, abbess and mystic wrote some of the most heavenly spiritual chants, psalms and canticles in the history of the Catholic Church. Compositions that are so unique and universal in appeal that they were embraced by the 'New Age Movement' more enthusiastically then they were originally by her own Church.

Similiar yet subtly different from the lofty, remote gregorian chants sung in the monastery, the music of Hildegard is much more accessible. Her experience of the 'Divine Mysteries' is conveyed in more emotional and earthy tones, thus linking the higher aspirations of the soul with the passionate nature of the human heart.

'Vision' was performed and recorded within the stone walls of St. Andrew's Church in Toddington, England, an almost perfect location to capture the medieval atmosphere of Hildegard's compositions. The female voices involved in this project are a sharp and welcome contrast to the all male gregorian choirs most of us are more familiar with.

Truly a mystical musical experience has been captured on these 17 exquiste tracks. For the spiritual seeker in all of us!

5 out of 5 stars SUPERB MODERN CLASSIC.......2005-10-26

SOARING, ETHEREAL voices are followed by haunting, vaguely Middle Eastern new age sound. HILDEGARD meets ENIGMA. It works. The purists make no room for this kind of interpretation of Hildegard but I remind you that the Louvre built a separate museum to house the Impressionist art not because they were so valued but because they did not consider it serious art and would not put it under the same roof with the classics. Time made buffoons of them. Listen to the sound clips and judge for yourself.
A Portrait Of Anonymous 4
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • An aural treat for lovers of vocal music
  • Enchanting
  • If Angels Ever Recorded A CD
  • another exquisite performance
  • Anonymous, but in no way generic
A Portrait Of Anonymous 4
Anonymous , Hildegard of Bingen , and Anonymous 4
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000007HW
Release Date: 1997-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Miracles Of Sant'Iago: Music From The Codex Calixtinus: Venite omnes cristicole
  2. Miracles Of Sant'Iago: Music From The Codex Calixtinus: Ad superni regis decus
  3. Miracles Of Sant'Iago: Music From The Codex Calixtinus: Portum in ultimo
  4. The Lily & The Lamb: Chant & Polyphony From Medieval England: O Maria stella maris
  5. The Lily & The Lamb: Chant & Polyphony From Medieval England: Stabat iuxta Christi crucem
  6. The Lily & The Lamb: Chant & Polyphony From Medieval England: Stillat in stellam radium
  7. A Star In The East: Medieval Hungarian Christmas Music: Primo tempore alleviata
  8. A Star In The East: Medieval Hungarian Christmas Music: Speciosus forma
  9. A Star In The East: Medieval Hungarian Christmas Music: Mi Atyank Atya Isten
  10. Love's Illusion: Music From The Montpellier Codex: Puisque bele dame m'eime - Flos Filius
  11. Love's Illusion: Music From The Montpellier Codex: Ne sai, que je die - Iohanne
  12. Love's Illusion: Music From The Montpellier Codex: Amor potest conqueri - Ad amorem sequitur
  13. Love's Illusion: Music From The Montpellier Codex: Quant yver la bise ameine - In Seculum
  14. Love's Illusion: Music From The Montpellier Codex: On doit fin(e) Amor - La Biaute - In Seculum
  15. An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant & Polyphony: Edi beo thu hevene quene
  16. An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant & Polyphony: Ave maris stella
  17. An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant & Polyphony: Salve virgo virginum
  18. On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets: Ther Is No Rose Of swych vertu
  19. On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets: Prolis eterne genitor - psallat mater gracie
  20. On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets: Ecce quod natura
  21. Spiritui sancto

Amazon.com

This sampler album of excerpts from seven other Anonymous 4 releases is a good introduction for anyone who is unacquainted with the A4's startlingly pure singing and virtually celestial blend. But if you fall under the spell of this outstanding a capella quartet, the present disc will become extraneous because you'll want to own the complete recordings from which it's drawn. If you prefer complete works to samplers, try taking the plunge with "An English Ladymass" or "On Yoolis Night." --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An aural treat for lovers of vocal music.......2007-04-14

If you love vocal music these gals are fabulous! This is a best of album, which is always good as an introduction to a new artist. It gives you a taste of their various albums, so you can go ahead and pursue the ones you like. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars Enchanting.......2007-01-10

If you enjoy music that takes you to a different time and place, you will get lost in time with this beautiful work.

5 out of 5 stars If Angels Ever Recorded A CD.......2006-03-16

Four female voices have never blended together so perfectly and beautifully as do those of the 'Anonymous 4.' Their CD titled, 'Portrait' contains a selection of tracks from seven other previous CD's, kind of a "Best Of" you might say.

If angels ever came down from heaven to record a CD this is what they would sound like.

Harmonious, Celestial, Purifying and Eternal.

5 out of 5 stars another exquisite performance.......2006-02-27

This amazing quartette is so talented. The Christmas cd reminds me of Christmas 50 years ago in rural England where I grew up. It contains the only rendition of The Holly and the Ivy I have heard that actually does the carol justice.

5 out of 5 stars Anonymous, but in no way generic.......2001-02-04

I learned about this quartet though a review in Stereophile magazine. Although they don't publish a lot of reviews, I've had exceptionally good luck with their past picks and have been able to branch out successfully in new musical directions as a result.

These four women are virtuoso female vocalists, hauntingly pure of voice. They perform music from centuries ago in the same type of setting that it was originally performed in, with stunning results. I'm generally not one for "religious" material (this is the first recording of this nature I've ever bought), but this music goes so far back in time that it sounds more primal than Christian overall.

A refreshing change when you're in the right mood, and something that can relax even you type A personalities out there (and you *know* who you are :) , I can suggest this one without reserve. You'll be adding a nice, quiet corner to your collection, and you'll probably wind up visiting it more than you ever imagined.
A to Z of Classical Music
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • LETTER PERFECT CLASS(ICAL) ACT!
  • Great Tracks -- Great Value -- Great Book, Who Can Complain?
  • At this price, how can one complain?
A to Z of Classical Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
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ASIN: B00004YYRT
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

  1. De Profundis - Nova Schola Gregoriana
  2. Alleluia - O Virga Mediatrix - Oxford Camerata
  3. Gloria - Oxford Camerata
  4. Pavane - Red Byrd
  5. Canon - Capella Istropolitana
  6. Vivace - Grave - Capella Istropolitana
  7. Prelude - Laurence Cummings
  8. Allegro - Takako Nishizaki
  9. Adagio - Miroslav Kejmar
  10. Air On The G String - Capella Istropolitana
  11. Hallelujah Chorus - Scholars Baroque Ensemble
  12. Menuetto: Allegretto - Capella Istropolitana
  13. Andante - Failoni Orchestra
  14. Allegro - Capella Istropolitana
  15. Adagio - Jeno Jando
  16. Andante - Ernst Ottensamer
  17. Quis Est Homo - Hungarian State Opera Chorus

Tracks:

  1. Ave Maria - Ingrid Kertesi
  2. Un Bal - Pinchas Steinberg
  3. Wedding March - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
  4. Minute Waltz - Idil Biret
  5. Larghetto - Alexander Rahbari
  6. Ride Of The Valkyries - Uwe Mund
  7. Prelude - Alexander Rahbari
  8. Hungarian Dance No.3 - Budapest Symphony
  9. Scene - Ondrej Lenard
  10. Slavonic Dance No.1 - Balazs Szokolay
  11. Nimrod - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
  12. Clair De Lune - Keith Clark
  13. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Opening) - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
  14. Prelude In C Sharp Minor - Idil Biret
  15. Fountain Of The Villa Medici At Sunset - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
  16. Overture - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
  17. O Fortuna - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
  18. Playful Pizzicato - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
  19. Violin Concerto - Adele Anthony

Amazon.com

Is it a two-CD set with a particularly thick booklet, or a 562-page book with a compilation album attached? Either way, the unpretentious text by Keith Anderson offers an introduction to the lives and works of dozens of composers, together with recommended recordings from the Naxos and Marco Polo catalogs. Anderson includes a useful 59-page glossary of musical terms and an extensive listing of classical pieces used in films. The odd thing about the 36 extracts and complete pieces on the CDs is that they do not form an A-to-Z at all. Rather, they are arranged chronologically, from 1,000-year-old Gregorian chant to the opening movement of contemporary composer Philip Glass's Violin Concerto. Between these two points is the early music of Palestrina and Byrd; the Baroque glories of Vivaldi and Bach; the 19th-century Romantic masters, from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky; and such 20th-century greats as Rachmaninov and Stravinsky. Opera, song, and chamber music are barely represented, but only so much can fit into 151 minutes. Essentially a deluxe sampler of the vast Naxos catalogue, the discs offer a good introduction to some of the most famous and melodic music ever composed, while the book will be very useful to newcomers to the potentially confusing world of classical music. --Gary S. Dalkin

Album Description

A-Z of Classical Music is a remarkable 562-page, illustrated bok, detailing the lives of all the great composers as well as many less known, but equally fascinating, musical masters. Like the Naxos range of recording itself, A-Z of Classical Music is a rich source of inspiration for anyone either just embarking on a lifetime of musical enjoyment or for whom classical music has long been a way of life. Included within is an extensive glossary of musical terms plus a unique guide to classical music used in acclaimed films. Two-and-a-half hours of the finest music from across the centuries are contained in the accompanying CDs.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars LETTER PERFECT CLASS(ICAL) ACT!.......2003-01-19

It's only natural we sometimes hit the high seas....make that Cs. This is one box set about which we sing praises. This set features more than two hours of the finest music from across the centuries by such composers as Schubert, Chopin, Mozart, Handel, Stravinsky and Glass. The set also comes with a 562-page illustrated book, detailing the lives of hundreds of composers, a
glossary of musical terms and a unique guide to the classical music used in 360 top films.

5 out of 5 stars Great Tracks -- Great Value -- Great Book, Who Can Complain?.......2002-08-30

Naxos is a fabulous label -- you will not get samples of the best classical music through the ages at no better price. These tracks are as good as any of the over-priced major orchestras and in some cases better. This is a great starter set for a beginner or anyone who just wants to "taste" the classics. If you prefer Opera I would suggest the A to Z of Opera -- most of the tracks on A to Z Classical are orchestral. I was so impressed with this collection that I purchased the Discover the Classics Vol's 1-3 which will give you a more detailed look at the great classics. Take a look at the Naxos web site at NAXOSUSA.COM -- what you will see will blow your mind -- there are literally thousands of pieces that you could listen too!

4 out of 5 stars At this price, how can one complain?.......2001-09-30

This is pretty much a CD version of a mini-Naxos and Marco Polo catalog. All the pieces and extracts are ordered chronologically on the 2 CDs and are of very acceptable quality, but don't expect excellence in every track. Personally, I was particularly disappointed with one of my favourite Pachelbel pieces. The Naxos Canon & Gigue lacks all the emotion of my favourite versions.

Still, any possible weaker performances are of little importance after you get your hands on the fat booklet with over 500 pages. The booklet offers a short intro about the great composers, a glossary of musical terms, a list of works used in films and dozens of illustrations of several composers.

Overall, at this price, this is a must-have pack for any beginner, and might be useful for the occasion "quick check" of the work of many composers. Do not expect many detail, nor references to all the works of some composers; I often got frustrated with the lack of detail in some cases, but in general, the booklet is very effective for a quick reference.
You will need more titles that offer more complete information, and you won't truly learn to love classical music just by reading it, but it is small and compact.

It really puzzles me why Naxos did not include a full index of composers, a serious omission. To find a particular composer you will have to look for it yourself in over 500 pages. Also, the separation of the text is not so good, making the search even a bit slower. The lack of the index is truly annoying and I am sure it will be corrected in future editions.

Even with a few weaker pieces and the lack of the index, at this price, there isn't much to argue about. This is truly a bargain that you should not miss. I would also recommend the A-Z of Opera, which offers a bigger booklet with over 700 pages, focusing on opera works and mentioning several composers that are absent from the A-Z of Classical. That other booklet has a very complete index, and much clearer text layout and separation, that's the way both booklets should have been designed.

The two sets complement each other very well. Highly recommended.
Hildegard von Bingen: Voice of the Blood
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Highest Quality Hildegard
  • Absolutely divine.
Hildegard von Bingen: Voice of the Blood

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Hildegard of BingenHildegard of Bingen | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems
GeneralGeneral | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
HymnsHymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000001TZ1
Release Date: 1995-12-05

Tracks:

  1. O rubor sanguinis
  2. Favus distillans
  3. Laus Trinitati
  4. In Maututnis Laudbus
  5. O Ecclesia
  6. Instrumental Piece
  7. O Aeterne Deus
  8. O dulcissme amator
  9. Rex nostoer promptus est
  10. O Cruor Sanguinis
  11. Cum Vox Sanguinis
  12. Instrumental Piece
  13. O Virgo Ecclesia Instrumental Piece
  14. Nunc Guadeant Materna
  15. O Orzchis Ecclesia

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Highest Quality Hildegard.......2005-09-28

Sequentia's entire series of Hildegard recordings is inspired, but there is a rather inarticulable quality to this cd that somehow soars even higher. It is apparently a result of the centrality of the Ursula stories, here musically illustrated, to Hildegard's entire conception of herself as a pledged virgin and artisan, and the freedom she found within that role to allow her gifts to fly as high as they could for the glory of God. Nor, in our terms, was it any sort of solo act: Hildegard stood quite consciously at the pinnacle of a vast supporting structure of devotion, prayer, sacred order and art.

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely divine........1999-10-26

"My husband and I first encountered this CD in our local library. It's one of those encounters that transformed our life. Listening to it almost daily, while we're getting ready for the day, while we're working on our computers, or while doing the dishes, has helped us have an experience of the divine no matter where we are or what we're doing. Ever since we were introduced to the work of St. Hildegard of Bingen, we have read quite a bit about her and her works and are truly grateful to this great soul for what she has given our world. This CD is a great introduction to the world of Hildegard, together with another fine CD, Feather on the Breath of God."
Hildegard von Bingen: Heavenly Revelations
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Amazing, but not what I was looking for
  • Outstanding music and performances!
  • Hildegard von Bingen: Heavenly Revelations ~ Hildegard of B
  • STERENCE SINGS FOR EUCHARIUS AND DISIBOD
  • delightfully pure
Hildegard von Bingen: Heavenly Revelations

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000141Q
Release Date: 1995-07-18

Tracks:

  1. O Euchari
  2. Alleluia - O Virga Mediatrix
  3. Ave Generosa
  4. Laus Trinitati
  5. Kyrie
  6. O Presul Vere
  7. O Ignis Spiritus
  8. Procession From 'Ordo Virtutum'
  9. O Pastor Animarum
  10. O Viridissima Virga
  11. O Virga Ac Diadema

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Amazing, but not what I was looking for.......2006-10-06

I bought this album to explore more tracks by Hildegard after listening to one of her songs on an anthology. This music crosses centuries, languages, and religions, I feel. I am not a Christian, and the reason I listen to Georgian Chant is to study, because it focuses my thoughts exponentially. It completely drowns out the noise of the world and helps to gather my ideas. This did not get 5 stars because it wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted to hear tracks with a mixed gender choir but this album only goes from single male/male choir to single female/female choir, on alternating tracks.

This is still an excellent study aid and should be recommended for use as much as pencils and pens.

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding music and performances!.......2005-08-31

The music in this CD is simply outstanding! I was very surpised when I bought this CD and discovered that it surpasses many other more "colourful" recordings of Hildegard's music (regardless of the price.)

For those who are not interested in aesthetic, artistic or musical merit but who are simply looking for "relaxing" music for contemplation, meditation etc, I am very pleased to say that this is probably the most relaxing and peaceful music I've ever heard (and I've tried many.) Its healing effect on my mind and nervous system is almost instant and that in a very balanced and harmonious way.

Highly higly highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Hildegard von Bingen: Heavenly Revelations ~ Hildegard of B.......2005-05-11

To the modern ear and mind Hildegard of Bingens sounds very different. There are no instruments and the vocals are sung in unison and not as seperate to vocals but united as one. This might sound simplistic and many would say that because she lacked formal training. This is based on feelings rather logic and one can sense that they are jelous of her natural ability to write music. The lyrics are amazing, the vocals are not as easy to sing as they sound and Hillegard of Bingen was and is still today an amazing composer and lyricist.

5 out of 5 stars STERENCE SINGS FOR EUCHARIUS AND DISIBOD.......2004-01-26

It was a distressing surprise to find that my Oxford Companion to Music does not even contain an entry for Hildegard of Bingen. I had half-heard some broadcast discussion of her a few years back, but anything I know about her really comes from the liner notes with this disc, fortunately among the better specimens of their kind that I have encountered recently.

Hildegard was abbess of a distinctly upmarket Benedictine convent located near Bingen-am-Rhein in the early 12th century. She was clearly a formidable woman, being a seer and visionary consulted by Popes and potentates, a writer on scientific matters and a poet and composer as well. This disc contains 55 minutes or so of selections from her `Symphony of the Harmony of Divine Revelations', a collection of poems in her own highly individual and vigorous version of the Latin of the time, set to her own music. The music has a distant resemblance to the Gregorian chant, believed to have originated around the 8th century. It is all monody, though some of the numbers are accompanied by a sustained background note, originating exactly where and how I could not be sure. The music contains some flourishes that would have been out of place in the plainsong but which seem natural enough in the context of her spiritual-carnal imagery. This can be downright weird here and there. My recollection is still boggling at

Nunc sit laus Deo
In forma pulchre tonsure
Viriliter operante

`Now let there be praise to God in the form of a beautiful tonsure working in manly mode'.

There is an excerpt from her musical morality-drama the Ordo Virtutum, in which an assemblage of Virtues battle with the devil for control of a woman's soul, but most of the numbers are in praise of either the Trinity, the Blessed Virgin, or saints Eucharius and Disibod. I have not in my life so far encountered anyone named after these saints, but one of the admirable Oxford Camerata rejoices in the first name Sterence, so I suppose there may be some Eucharii and Disibods out there too. The words are given in full, with English translation, both absolute essentials as far as this music is concerned. The liner note is admirably honest in refusing to take a critical position regarding the real quality and worth of such unfamiliar stuff, and I propose to follow its example. I bought this disc for curiosity, for my own education and out of a general wish to support the production of out-of-the-way music. Rating it in the matters where I feel competent to rate it, I am happy to report that the singing is of the highest order of professionalism, exactly what one has come to expect from any Summerly production, and that the recording is admirable too.

5 out of 5 stars delightfully pure.......2000-04-02

for someone interested in early music this is a good place to start- von bingen's visions speak to us across nine centuries.

liner notes are minimal, as is the case with most NAXOS titles, but lyrics in latin and english are provided, which is nice.

oxford camerata is amazing- many of the solo sections for female voice soar with great beauty. the choice of recording location (chapel of hertford college, oxford) adds a tiny bit of acoustic abience without being distracting.

how can you go wrong at the price?
The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Wonderful CD
  • Great music; interesting group
  • My humble opinion.....
  • Completely beautiful
  • The Origins of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen
The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. 1000: A Mass for the End of Time / Anonymous 4
  2. American Angels
  3. Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King
  4. La Bele Marie: Songs to the Virgin from 13th-Century France
  5. Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstasy

ASIN: B0006OBW8E
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

  1. Hymn - Veni Creator Spiritus
  2. Sequence - Veni Spiritus Eternorum
  3. Antiphon - O Quam Mirabilis Est
  4. Vision 1 - The Fire Of Creation
  5. Vision 1 - The Fire Of Creation
  6. Sequence - O Ignis Spiritus Paracliti
  7. Vision 2 - Wisdom And Her Sisters
  8. Vision 2 - Wisdom And Her Sisters
  9. Responsory - O Felix Anima
  10. Vision 3 - The Fiery Spirit
  11. Vision 3 - The Fiery Spirit
  12. Hymn - O Ignee Spiritus
  13. Vision 4 - Love
  14. Vision 4 - Love
  15. Antiphon - Caritas Habundat In Omnia
  16. Antiphon - O Eterne Deus
  17. Hymn - Beata Nobis Gaudia

Amazon.com

The bad news is that this is Anonymous 4's final recording. The good news is that it's one of their best. Aside from a pair of brief 9th-century chants that flank the main program, the disc focuses on the music of Hildegard von Bingen, the 12th-century Benedictine nun whose liturgical works broke new ground in their visionary texts, rich imagery, and melodic range. The selections here relate to themes associated with the Holy Spirit--the fire of creation, wisdom, the life-giving spirit, and love. The imagery of Hildegard's visionary texts is replete with references to the basic elements--air, earth, fire, and water. The results are boldly original, at least within the restricted confines of chant, which offer compelling listening experiences as performed in the lustrous tones of Anonymous 4. The program includes a pair of Hildegard's most-rhapsodic extended visionary pieces, the consoling "O spirit of fire, bringer of comfort," and "I am the great and fiery power," whose soaring opening musical lines still can shock. Harmonia Mundi, as usual, captures the purity of Anonymous 4's singing in vivid sonics and provides deluxe production values, including a profusely illustrated booklet, with full texts and translations. --Dan Davis

Interview with Marsha Genensky of Anonymous 4
Anonymous 4's Marsha Genensky speaks about the ensemble's swan song in our special interview.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Wonderful CD .......2007-04-29

I own 13 A-4 discs and this is my second favorite, after On Yoolis Night. The recording sounds a little muddy and they do, uncharacteristically take some liberties with the translations, but .... This was recorded in a real chapel (as were most of their later releases) and the extensive liner notes are, as usual, present. The presentation and delivery are among the best that A-4 have ever done. These 4 ladies each have wonderful voices that blend together magnificently. If you are an A-4 fan, you need to own this.

4 out of 5 stars Great music; interesting group.......2007-01-05

The music of Hildegard Von Bingen is, without question, some of the most important we have from the Middle Ages. This album has a very capable set of performances by Anonymous 4, but the drawback is the very sameness of sound to each and every track. Yes, they sing well, but where is the variety of timbre? Where are the percussion instruments that have been used in other recordings and performances of these works? They could have used some help from some men's voices, too. Otherwise, it's perfectly recorded, but with repeat listenings becomes more trying.

4 out of 5 stars My humble opinion............2005-12-28

I gave this CD an above average rating. I did so because this is the 3rd CD that I have purchased from Anonymous 4 and to be quite honest they all sound the same to me. I personally feel that the style of Hildegard is heavy, crisp, intentional and complicated. It is unique compared to other styles of anicent choral music. Anonymous 4 has a very light, airy almost contemporary feel to whatever they sing. In the CD insert Anonymous 4 goes on to express how they prepared to sing the medeival music in latin with a German accent because that is where Hildegard was from, and that this is how she would have sung her music. But honestly I don't think one can tell. Like I said, this is my third CD from them and they all sound the same. Don't get me wrong ladies. You 4 have gorgeous voices but I have found that the albums by Sequentia that sing in Hildegard's von Bingen tradition to be more authentic. I recommend to those interested to try Chanticles of Extasy by Sequentia or any of Sequentia's albums. You'll understand what I mean after you compare them for yourselves.

5 out of 5 stars Completely beautiful.......2005-11-08

This musical is relaxing uplifting, simple yet complicated. A total mental experience filled with beauty.

5 out of 5 stars The Origins of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen.......2005-08-14

If you enjoy the music of Anonymous 4, you'll be thouroughly impressed with this presentation of Hildegard's music to God. Excellent is not enough praise for this interpretation.
Mozart: The Magic Flute (Highlights)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Male voices top, female voices flop
  • Poor version
  • NOT QUITE MAGIC TO ME
  • Excelente version!
  • The Best Magic Flute Recording
Mozart: The Magic Flute (Highlights)

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GDP
Release Date: 1990-05-16

Tracks:

  1. Die Zauberflote: Ouverture
  2. Die Zauberflote: Erster Aufzug: 1. Introduktion: 'Zu Hilfe! Zu Hilfe!'
  3. Die Zauberflote: Erster Aufzug: 2. Arie: 'Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja'
  4. Die Zauberflote: Erster Aufzug: 3. Arie: 'Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon'
  5. Die Zauberflote: Erster Aufzug: 4. Rezitativ und Arie: 'O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn!' - 'Zum Leiden bin ich auserkoren'
  6. Die Zauberflote: Erster Aufzug: 7. Duett - 'Bei Mannern, welche Leibe fuhlen'
  7. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 10. Arie mit Chor: 'O Isis und Osiris'
  8. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 13. Arie: 'Alles fuhlt der Liebe Freuden'
  9. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 14. Arie: 'Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen'
  10. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 15. Arie: 'In diesen heil'gen Hallen
  11. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 16. Terzett: 'Seid uns zum zweitenmal willkommen'
  12. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 17. Arie: h, ich fuhl's, es ist verschwunden'
  13. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 18. Chor der Priester: 'O Isis und Osiris'
  14. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 20. Arie: 'Ein Madchen oder Weibchen'
  15. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: 21 Finale - Duett: 'Pa-pa-gena! Pa-pa-geno!'
  16. Die Zauberflote: Zweiter Aufzug: Rezitativ und Chor: 'Die Strahlen der Sonne'- 'Heil sei euch Geweihten!'

Amazon.com

Still probably the most magical recording ever of The Magic Flute, this starrily cast production featured the incomparable Fritz Wunderlich as Tamino, Evelyn Lear as a wonderfully sympathetic Pamina, Roberta Peters as a regal Queen of the Night (surprisingly good coloratura, if a little light at the top), Wagnerians James King and Martti Talvela as the two armed men (imagine that!), and of course, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in one of his finest operatic outings, as an engagingly earnest Papageno. Behind it all, the marvelously astute Karl Böhm and the Berlin Philharmonic are in top form. The 1964 stereo is first rate. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Male voices top, female voices flop.......2007-05-25

To get the real feeling for the charme of "Die Zauberflöte", you need at least two recordings: This one under Böhm is magnificent for its male voices. Nobody can beat Wunderlich as Tamino, Fischer-Dieskau as Papageno, and Crass as Sarastro. The female voices, with the exception of Lisa Otto as Papagena, are not up to the mark, though. Evelyn Lear as Pamina is lacking in brilliance, especially in the duets when she has to stand comparison with her male counterparts. Roberta Peter's singing as Queen of the Night is somewhat extreme. You get used to it after some time, but her timbre is void of beauty and her coloratura shaky at times.

What can be made of the female roles becomes clear when you listen to Klemperer's recording on EMI (also from the early 1960s, like Böhm's). Gundula Janowitz is probably the most beautiful Pamina on disc and Lucia Popp is supreme as Queen of the Night. The three ladies with Schwarzkopf, Ludwig and Höffgen are lovely and sheer luxury. But then Klemperer was less lucky with his male voices: Nicolai Gedda as Tamino and Walter Berry as Papageno sing well but remain pale when compared with Wunderlich and Fischer-Dieskau. Gottlob Frick performs with a lot of warmth, but is clearly beyond his prime when it comes to technique.

So, to experience the full potential of this marvellous opera, there is no way out: You need both the Böhm and the Klemperer version! On its own, neither one is fully satisfactory - but still better than most recent productions!

2 out of 5 stars Poor version.......2005-07-08

This Magic Flute is not quite a good version. Starts good, but some arias are just poor sung... choose another one.

3 out of 5 stars NOT QUITE MAGIC TO ME.......2004-11-23

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS MS PETERS IS SLIGHTLY OFF KEY ON HER HIGH F PLACEMENT? THE REST OF THE CAST WAS GREAT....BUT CAN'T STAND PETERS EMOTIONLESS QUEEN OF NIGHT AND I DISLIKE HER TONE PERIOD. STICK WITH SUMI JO, LILY PONS, AND ADELINA PATTI

5 out of 5 stars Excelente version!.......2002-01-26

No entiendo: Porque está tan barato este CD??
Es una de las mejores versiones de "La flauta" que he escuchado, el dúo final de Papageno y Papagena es de lo más rico que he escuchado en Opera y la reyna de la noche no desmerece en absoluta junto a otras afamadas coloraturas, aunque yo personalmente prefiero como interpretá el célebre papel la Deutekom.
La orquestación es correcta y el resto del elenco cumple cabálmente, mi conclusión ya la puse al principio de estos párrafos, ¿qué estás esperando?

5 out of 5 stars The Best Magic Flute Recording.......2000-03-07

I think this is the best recording of The Magic Flute. So many of the singers are absolutely magnificent. Fritz Wunderlich has a beautiful full lyric tenor voice that is perfect for the magical Tamino he creates. Franz Crass is a profoundly noble Sarastro. Roberta Peters is unbelievable as the Queen of the Night. I have heard many coloratura sopranos sing that role and I think she is the best. Her Fs above high C are spectacular and she is very dramatic,especially when she sings her second aria demanding that her daughter Pamina murder Sarastro and goes into fiery coloratura. I think Roberta Peters is the best singer in the world. I would love to find out what her highest note is. Lisa Otto is delightful as Papagena, and Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau brings a lot of earthly humor to the role of Papageno. Mozart's music is pure genuis, and I think this opera is his greatest work.
Hildegard von Bingen
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Emma, You're Divine
  • More Garmarna than Hildegard
  • Parts are great, parts are bad
  • This is NOT pretentious new-age...and it ROX!!
  • my kind of reverence
Hildegard von Bingen
Garmarna
Manufacturer: Northside Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
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  1. Vengeance
  2. God's Musicians
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  4. Trä
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ASIN: B00005NNON
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

  1. Euchari
  2. Viridissima Virga
  3. Salvatoris
  4. O Frondens Virga
  5. Unde Quocompque
  6. O Vis Aeternitatis
  7. Virga Ac Diadema
  8. Paso
  9. Kyrie

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

What happens when a raucous Scandinavian folk band armed with strings, acoustic guitars, and percussion rearranges the music of a 12th-century nun and updates it with modern electronic backdrops? Why, you get Garmarna's Hildegard von Bingen, a surprisingly sedate affair that marries the sacred and the secular in a truly unorthodox fashion. The band's organic and synthetic elements are on opposite ends of the aural spectrum, but--purism be damned--Garmarna makes it appealing. There are times when the beats are a little intrusive on Hildegard's striking melodies--which are beautifully sung here by singer Emma Härdelin--but they never overwhelm the music and aren't always present. Overall, this album, created and named in Hildegard von Bingen's honor, serves as a reverent tribute to her music, and it might just influence newer, younger listeners to investigate her 900-year-old repertoire. --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Emma, You're Divine.......2007-03-15

Emma joins the ranks of people like Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and Liz Fraser (Cocteau Twins) here. Even if you're a stone cold atheist, you can hear god in the grain of her voice. There is a feeling of devotion so intense that it shades into the sensual. Those coming here from the Hildegard angle will no doubt be taken aback by the vintage trip-hop trimming and sawing violins, but they refresh the material and the listener's spirit. Organic, electric, Nordic, Latinate, mundane (ode to a leafy branch), and ethereal--it all hangs together remarkably well, & there are moments of pure transcendence. You also get to see the magical Emma perform one of the songs live. One only wishes they would record and tour the US more.

4 out of 5 stars More Garmarna than Hildegard.......2005-08-15

I enjoyed this CD a great deal. I really did not get much of an impression of Hildegard merely by listening to it, however. It helped to read the English translations of the lyrics. Essentially, I see it as a Garmarna CD where someone else wrote the lyrics and some of the melodies.

4 out of 5 stars Parts are great, parts are bad.......2003-05-30

This album is certainly quite innovative--parts of I absolutely love; parts which aspire to heights we never thought Garmarna was capable of--but at the same time, the bad songs on here are honestly some of Garmarna's worst. It's such a damn enjoyable album though that it's quite hard to feel bad about buying it... I guarantee SOMETHING on here will be exremely enjoyable, but cannot guarantee that everyone will like every song, as I could with God's Musicians (if you liked one song from that, you almost definitely would enjoy the entire album).

The songs are sung in Latin, with Emma Hårdelin's voice singing them with her Swedish accent. The basic premise is taking ancient poems (written by the German nun Hildegard von Bingen) and setting them to modern techno-backed orchestrations.

Our first glimpse of this is on "Euchari". Some fans may remember "Euchari" from the Vengeance album; they performed the song on there as well. However, the Hildegard version is extraordinarily good in comparison. The fiddles, rush of air, thumping and clicking beat, and Emma's voice just go well together. I think this is unquestionably the best song on the album.

Other songs, such as Salvatoris, O Frondens Virga and Viridisssima Virga are also extraordinary in their mix of old and new; but it is the other "potentials"--the songs that seem like they should have been cut out when the band was deciding which to include-- that threaten to ruin the album. Notice I said threaten, not "they ruin the album"--because they don't. Hildegard von Bingen is STILL GOOD. It jus could have been much better without technofied Unde Quocompque or the completely immemorably Kyrie. The use of Latin on the album is undoubtedly seductive and powerful; it is only in the arrangement of some songs that any flaws are noted, and they really aren't too big of a problem. However, on the whole I think this album will satisfy most Garmarna fans that enjoyed Vengeance, and may garner Garmarna a few new fans, too.

5 out of 5 stars This is NOT pretentious new-age...and it ROX!!.......2003-03-25

As soon as I heard the song "Viridissima Virga" from a compilation album of artists on their label, and read about the album, I Knew i had to get this album.
Some may think that it's a silly or useless idea doomed to fail, or they just don't get it because their minds aren't open; think again!
Listening to this (thinking outside the religious content), transports one back in time in a subtle way because it brings out the music and makes you relate to it with its stunningly, surprisingly funky and beautiful arrangments! It combines the music (written in latin) of this 11th century nun with funky techno and traditional Swedish instruments in the arrangements! (the original tunes have been kept). and, once again, these new arrangements along with Emma Härdelin's striking voice, only serve to bring out these songs into further dimensions.
This should definitely be purchased!
TYhere's nothing wrong with making music more beautiful;)

5 out of 5 stars my kind of reverence.......2002-10-22

There are some surprisingly tough reviews of this CD here. Criticizing her pronounciation of the Latin lyrics!? I don't think that Garmarna intended to "recreate" any sort of authentic version of von Bingen's music. Rather this music is very much in the spirit of re-interpretation. I generally don't like techno or electronic dance music in general because I am bored by it, but to add the machinery and some of the conventions of that form to medieval plainsong certainly brings out the best in the former.

I will not even bother to argue whether it brings out the best in the latter because purists might burst a blood vessel and I certainly haven't listened to enough more reverential interpretations to really judge. I believe that the purpose of projects like these is to interest a broader audience in more traditional interpretations of historical musical forms. Once a fan of pop music or even of neo-traditional Swedish music hears this album, if they have not heard von Bingen's music before, they will most assuredly be moved to seek it out. And for that the more dogmatic of von Bingen appreciators should thank Garmarna.

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  10. Lebendige Vergangenheit: Kirsten Flagstad

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