Bryn [Double Album Special Edition] [Enhanced] [Import] [Limited Edition] [Special Edition]

Track Listings

1. Toreador Song

2. Shenandoah

3. Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn

4. Pearl Fishers' Duet (Ft Andrea Bocelli)

5. Lord Is My Shepherd

6. Danny Boy

7. Bella Notte

8. Goin Home

9. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

10. Home Sweet Home

11. Ave Maria (Ft Sissel)

12. Il Mio Cuore Va

13. At The River

14. None But The Lonely Heart

15. If I Can Help Somebody

16. Lullaby

17. Abide With Me

18. Lazybones

19. Impossible Dream

20. Plaisir D'amour

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
From the Platinum Selling Album 'bryn' Comes this UK Special Edition Double Album. Tracks Include "The Impossible Dream", "Plaisir D'amour", "Granada", "God Bless the Child", "Amazing Grace (From "Songs of Praise"), "Tua Bethlehem Dref" and "o Come all Ye Faithful". Terfel is Joined by Andrea Bocelli for "The Pearl Fishers' Duet" and Sissel for Schubert's "Ave Maria".

Tracks:

Ave Verum Corpus, K.618 - Adapted by Chris Hazell
Deep River - Arranged by Chris Hazell
The Lord Bless You and Keep You
I'll Walk Beside You - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Stabat Mater
Still, Still, Still Weils Kindlein Schlafen Will
Simple Gifts - Arranged by Chris Hazell
How Great Thou Art
Panis Angelicus - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Bless This House - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Ave Verum Corpus
Cavatina - Arranged by Chris Hazell
The Rose
Amazing Grace - Arranged by Chris Hazell
God's Mercy
Morning Has Broken - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Nearer My God To Thee - Arranged by Chris Hazell
Ave Maria
Send In The Clowns - Arranged by Jonathan Tunick
God Will Be With You

Amazon.com

Everything about Bryn Terfel is over-life-size: his physique, his personality, his breath-control, and of course his extraordinarily beautiful voice. This recording displays his stunning vocalism and versatility to full advantage, but its title belies its content. Alhough it does include some simple pieces, the execution is fussy, overdone, and calculated for maximum external effect. The program ranges from Mozart, Pergolesi and pseudo-Bach to Sondheim in arrangements that are pure Hollywood, complete with throbbing strings and rolling drums, often destroying the spirit as well as the letter of the original compositions. It begins with Mozart's heavenly "Ave verum" arranged for baritone solo and chorus, frustratingly cut off after a few phrases (another setting of the same text by Karl Jenkins, written for Terfel, is more satisfying, being complete and original). The splendid baritone Simon Keenlyside joins him here as well as in the opening number of Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater;" originally for soprano and alto, this must be the baritones' revenge on female singers who usurp songs written for men, like Schubert's and Schumann's cycles. Franck's "Panis angelicus" also inexplicably becomes a duet; unfortunately, Terfel's and tenor Aled Jones' voices do not match. Bach-Gounod's popular "Ave Maria" is all swells and exaggerations. The rest of the program consists of folksongs, hymns, show and film tunes, inflated to operatic proportions and generally ending in a fade-out or a flourish. Even the title song is anything but simple. This record is not for purists who like their music performed the way the composer wrote it, but aficionados of great singing will love it. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Bryn Terfel's beautiful voice........2007-05-13

Bryn Terfel has a beautiful voice. Listening to him is very pleasant and definitely something to look forward to. I read a review saying he would replace tenor Pavroti. However, I believe that Mr. Terfel is a Baritone and not a Tenor. That does not detract from the fact that he should be considered one of the world's top male singers. His voice is truly impressive. This CD by Bryn Terfel is one from our collection that is outstanding and a favorite.

Why do people think this guy can sing??.......2007-04-27

Sorry, I think this guy is one of the most overrated singers out there today. He always sounds like he is singing holding his nose shut. VERY nasal sounding.

If you want to listen to an incredibly beautiful voice, buy one of Josh Groban's CD's--you won't regret it! He has the voice of the century!

Relaxing.......2007-02-03

Excellent selection of music. It covers many different types. My wife likes being able to hear the words with out instruments drowning out the vocals. I find it relaxing and many of the songs are familiar and very well done.

Bryn Terfel's Simple Gifts.......2006-02-25

Simply superb. I don't know what our local (Wash DC) paper was talking about when they said Deep River was the weakest link. I was enthralled from beginning to end. I have had the pleasure of hearing Bryn Terfel live in recital at the Kennedy Center. I can assure you that his voice has only improved with age. He was wonderful then and is spectacular now!

A Heartfelt Offering Reminiscent of An Earlier Era.......2006-02-15

Bryn Terfel harkens back to earlier American operatic stars such as Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill who crossed grenres to satisfy their unquenchable need to sing any and all songs that moved them to an appreciative public. These great singers all had their origins singing sacred music from their respective religions and learned to lay their considerable talents before the altar of the simple inspirational song.

This recording is wonderful on many levels. The selections are an unusual mixture of classical sacred music, spirituals, hymns, Lieder, Austrian Christmas and Gaelic songs, musical numbers and movie theme songs harmoniously combined to touch the soul of the listener in a gentle ebb and flow of devotion, intensity and tenderness. All of these songs are beautiful in and of themselves and in his hands, we experience them anew.

Bryn Terfel sings with the commitment necessary to make the awesome challenge of simplicity look easy. To my way of thinking, he is the most communicative and articulate singer today, bar none. He is a poet who savors the sound, feeling and meaning of each and every word and marries it uniquely and faithfully to the music. He transports the listener into the life of a song and transfixes us each and every moment. His enormous talent is not overwhelming or distractive and is inextricably and wholly intertwined with the music. This is greatness and it is very, very rare today.

I like the inclusion of the choir in several of the numbers as it reflects on the nature and context of the songs. I am less fond of the selections with the guest soloists as I feel they do not match his ability to "get inside" a song. The orchestra and orchestations are sensitive and enhancing.

This recording is simply wonderful and should have a broad appeal. It will move and inspire the believer, satisfy and fulfill the otherwise spiritual, calm the troubled and renew a flagging soul.

Average customer rating:

Delightful
A Master Class in Singing
Bryn is swell, but the bombast is annoying
Surprisingly Fine Crossover from Fleming and Terfel
BREATHTAKING VOCAL MAGNIFICENCE~BRAVO!!!

Renee and Bryn: Under the Stars
John Harold Kander , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Claude-Michel Schoenberg , Richard Rodgers , Gerard Presgurvic , Jason Robert Brown , Meredith Willson , Lucy Simon , Cole Porter , Stephen Flaherty , Ralph Salmins , and David Hartley
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts
Bryn Terfel - If Ever I Would Leave You (Songs from My Fair Lady, On a Clear Day, Camelot, The Little Prince, Brigadoon)
Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites
Bryn Terfel - Opera Arias / MET, Levine

ASIN: B000088E7D
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

"Not While I'm Around" (from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim)
"Moonfall" (from The Mystery of Edwin Drood by R. Holmes)
"I Don't Remember You The Happy Tim" and "Sometimes a Day Goes By" (from Woman of the Year by Kander & Ebb)
"All the Love I Have" (from The Beautiful Game by Ben Elton & Andrew Lloyd Webber)
"I Wish I Could Forget You / Loving You" (from Passion by Stephen Sondheim)
"Stars" (from Les Misirables by Boublil & Schvnberg)
"All I Ask of You" (from The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber)
"Hello, Young Lovers" (from The King and I by Rodgers & Hammerstein)
"Pretty Women" (from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim)
"Aimer" (from Romio et Juliette by Presgurvic)
"All the Wasted Time" (from Parade by J. Brown)
"Seventy-Six Trombones" (from The Music Man by Willson)
"How Could I Ever Know" (from The Secret Garden by Simon and Norman)
"So In Love" (from Kiss Me Kate by Cole Porter)
"Wheels Of a Dream" (from Ragtime by Ahrens & Flaherty)

Amazon.com

In these days of the crossover, it is hardly surprising to find two great opera singers making a foray into numbers from Broadway musicals by such composers as Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. What's remarkable is that they seem completely at home in this music. Both say they grew up listening to it, and indeed they approach these songs with no less care and seriousness than they'd give the most demanding operatic arias, and without a trace of condescension. However, their vocal, expressive, and interpretive styles are very different, both in the solos and the duets. Terfel projects assertive manliness, tender, intimate affection, and rollicking humor without external effects, using only his incomparably sonorous voice and powerful personality. His diction is impeccably clear, and though he has sometimes let his theatrical flair spill over into Schubert songs, he is the soul of simplicity here. This is in stark contrast to Fleming's tendency to exaggerate colors and dynamics and to turn sentiment into sentimentality. Moreover, though she claims a background as a jazz singer, her "crooning" sounds artificial and unnatural. However, her top notes, culminating in a triumphant high C at the end of the final number, ring gloriously. Her voice glows and shimmers with irresistible luster, soaring from seductive whispers to thrilling climaxes. The program features a great variety of love songs, and includes an antiwar protest (from Beautiful Game), a celebration of the American dream (from Ragtime), and a rousing fun piece (from The Music Man). Unfortunately, even the best songs are marred by thoroughly corny arrangements. Listeners will find their own favorites, but the real "stars" on this record are the two singers. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Delightful .......2006-07-24

I truly enjoy Terfel's vocal talent and found it to be well suited for this genre. Fleming's impeccable soprano voice is a bit overpowering for this style of music. (I own this CD)

A Master Class in Singing.......2006-06-20

This CD is a must-have for any person interested in the singing art. Ms. Fleming and Mr. Terfel gives new light to these Musical Theatre classics. Their fine vocalism in the musical theatre genre coupled with the depth of musicality and dramatic phrasing in each of the selections is truly a breath of fresh air. This recording is indeed a Master Class!

Bryn is swell, but the bombast is annoying.......2006-05-03

Love Bryn Terfel, the finest bass-baritone in Opera. Love Renee Fleming's luscious soprano. But the arrangements! Kettle drums and bombast and bang, bang, bang! Once Renee starts swooping, things go downhill, with little redemption.

It starts out beautifully. "Not While I'm Around" has never sounded more intimate to me than Terfel's caressing pianissimo. Fleming's "Moonglow" is stunningly good. Terfel makes a medley out of "I Don't Remember You and Sometimes a Day Goes By" that makes you want to cheer, and Fleming does a lovely Sondheim medley as well. Bryn sings "Stars" and makes me long for him in Les Mis. And then...things tend to go downhill. The bombast takes over and gets to you - it overwhelms two of the biggest voices now recording. Then Fleming begins to swoop and scoop, over-coloring and often coming off as simply self-indulgent, reminding one of a kid who makes a point of putting his face in a camera shot.

I don't mind Bryn as Prof. Harold Hill - I frankly think the Welsh accent is kinda cute - and it doesn't bother me on "Wheels of Dream," either, but Fleming seems to have lost her mind on that great song, and rather than indulging her, it would have simply been better left off the album. Ditto "All that Wasted Time" which is pretty much unlistenable. Ms. Fleming needs to stop thinking she is a jazz singer.

The four stars are because this album does contain some truly GLORIOUS moments, particularly in the duets, and in Terfel's solo's which are warm and memorable. Without him, the kettle drums and Fleming's self-indulgence would have made the whole endeavor unbearable.

Surprisingly Fine Crossover from Fleming and Terfel.......2006-04-18

Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming are two of the most acclaimed opera singers of our day. But the musical theatre fan who puts on their Broadway CD, RENEE AND BRYN: UNDER THE STARS, expecting to hear a carelessly compiled hodgepodge of songs sung by voices ill-suited to them is in for a big surprise, beginning with the first phrases of the duo's warmly sung "Not While I'm Around" from SWEENEY TODD. True, these singers' beautiful voices have greater power and range than even the best of the Broadway stars', but this is an asset in these songs, most of which are either semi-operatic in nature or call (like THE MUSIC MAN's "Seventy-Six Trombones") for such an outsize personality as Terfel's. Fleming's sensuous and tonally gorgeous rendition of "Moonfall" from THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD can be placed among her very finest recordings, operatic and otherwise. And Terfel is ideally suited to both "Pretty Women" from SWEENEY TODD and "Stars" from LES MISERABLES; few if any Broadway Javerts could match the impact of his "This I swear by the stars!" Kander and Ebb's "I Don't Remember You" and "Sometimes a Day Goes By" make a perfect medley here, as do Sondheim's "I Wish I Could Forget You" and "Loving You" from PASSION. And though I don't care for the Andrew Lloyd Webber selections (ersatz Puccini) or the Jason Robert Brown one (which sounds too much like a pop song), Terfel and Fleming's singing of them is beyond reproach. The program ends with a bang: a rendition of "Wheels of a Dream" worthy to stand beside the now-classic one by Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald on the original cast album of RAGTIME. Welshman Terfel's natural accent is noticeable here; but if one imagines him as, say, an Irish immigrant married to an African-American woman (as Fleming here sounds uncannily like McDonald or like Leontyne Price) his accent is appropriate and his voicing of the "bridge" section ("Oh Sarah, it's more than promises/Sarah, it must be true...") especially moving. Fleming's ecstatic final high note makes one want to applaud and cheer, both for the song and for the successful "crossover" effort.

BREATHTAKING VOCAL MAGNIFICENCE~BRAVO!!!.......2004-10-11

So captivating are these incredible singers in the glorious live concert "Under The Stars" creating an unforgettable musical masterpiece of epic proportions that is so moving and great to watch that I ran out and purchased this studio recorded Compact Disc the next day!! The brilliance of the live broadcast carried over into the recording studio capturing Renee and Bryn at the peak of their incredible powers emotionally and vocally making them the most effective crossover artists since the great Barbara Cook who like Miss Cook sing with emotion that is accurate for this type of material which is usually not the case with classical voices. Renee Fleming sings with genuine passion and stirring emotions and her timing is absolutely flawless and this lady has alot of soul and the Torrie Zito arranged "Moonfall" is a stunning masterpiece that clearly illustrates this. A dazzling medley each show both singers in glorious peak form with Bryn splendid in the enchanting "I Don't Remember You/Sometimes A Day Goes By" and Renee spellbinding and haunting in the gorgeous "I Wish I Could Forget You/Loving You" which will make anyone who loves a great voice fall in love with this amazingly gifted singer. "Stars" features a commanding performance from Bryn that raises the roof and this is so refreshing and inspired in these musically tired times!!! This superb showcase is full of wonderfully exciting performances which are capable of making people feel again and this is what is sorely needed in music today and BRAVO to Bryn Terfel and the gorgeous Renee Fleming for achieving this with complete artistic brilliance. Captivating duets fill this wonderous collection and never have classics such as "Not While I'm Around" or "All I Ask Of You" been sung more brilliantly than here. Renee is magical with "Hello, Young Lovers" while Bryn is commanding and winning with "Pretty Women". Renee's stunning "All The Wasted Time" is a vocal and emotional tour-de-force that is like a wild roller-coaster ride that you won't want to end as this is one of the most riveting songs that I have ever heard from a Broadway score and this certainly must be the definitive performance of this great song. This lady can really really sing and this is some deeply serious singing~WOW!!! Gorgeous together again in the beautiful "How Could I Ever Know" which is hair-raising and wonderfully soulful and sophisicated together in Cole Porter's "So In Love". A grand finale by these two awesome vocal wonders lives up to expectations being a complete blowout vocal festival and they definitely do not disappoint here!!! "Wheels Of A Dream" is mesmerizing and soars to magnificent heights with Bryn and Renee in peak form singing to the skies and hitting notes that I swear I have never heard before~BRAVO!!!!!!! You are both magically inspired and simply put as good as it gets!!!! Highly recommended if you love two awesome vocal wonders at their absolute peak in a magnificent beautifully orchestrated setting!!! Thank you Bryn & Renee...

Karl Jenkins & Adiemus: The Essential Collection

Average customer rating:

Jenkins' Essential Collection with Diamond music
A Great Sampler

Karl Jenkins & Adiemus: The Essential Collection

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Karl Jenkins: Requiem
The Journey: The Best of Adiemus
Songs of Sanctuary
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi
Adiemus III: Dances of Time

ASIN: B000EGDMEG
Release Date: 2006-03-27

Tracks:

Adiemus (Adiemus I - 1999 Version)
Pie Jesu (Requiem)
Hymn Before Action (The Armed Man)
Cantus - Song Of Tears (Adiemus II - Journey Edit)
Palladio (Diamond Music)
Lacrimosa (Requiem)
Cantilena (The Journey)
In Paradisum (Requiem)
The Exile Song (In These Stones Horizons Sing)
Agnus Dei (The Armed Man)
Cantus - Song Of The Plains (Adiemus II - Journey Edit)
Dies Irae (Requiem)
Allegrettango (Adiemus Vocalise)
Benedictus (The Armed Man)
Beyond The Century (The Journey)
Sanctus (The Armed Man)

Album Details

Karl Jenkins Has Been Composing for Three Decades, but it was his Knack for Delivering Themes for TV Commercials in the '80s and '90s that Began his Rise to Wider Recognition - Delta Airlines, Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society, De Beers and Levi's Jeans Amongst Others - Earning Him Many Prestigious Music Awards. " it is Perhaps for his Adiemus Project for which Karl is Best Known, Having Topped Both Pop and Classical Charts around the World, Its Evolving Nature Giving it Universal Appeal. In Recent Years, Jenkins Has Concentrated on Classical Works with the Armed Man (Sold Over 100k in the UK) and Requiem Introducing Him to Yet Another Audience, Topping the Classical Chart, as Well as Entering Classic FM'S 'hall of Fame' in the Top Ten for the Last Two Years Running as the Highest Position for a Living Composer.

Customer Reviews:

Jenkins' Essential Collection with Diamond music.......2006-11-10

This CD is an excellent addition to anybody's musical collection. It reflects the popular famous music from TV commercials as well as other music not as well known, but equally as entertaining. All the music reflects Jenkins' ability to vary his style of music.
I have listened to this music many times.

A Great Sampler.......2006-11-10

Here's an excellent and representative collection of Karl Jenkins' best compositions and arrangements. Buy this one first if you're still not sure you want to invest in a half-dozen Adiemus-type recordings. I predict that, if you listen to this one, you'll want more.

Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)

Average customer rating:

I have just been introduced.
Great Music + Terrific Lyrics +Decent Singing = Very Nice CD
A new meaning of throat singing.
Superb matchmaking in Terfel's R&H recital
Broadway or Opera... This CD is indeed ýSomething Wonderfulý

Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Bryn Terfel , English Northern Philharmonia , Paul Daniel , Opera North Chorus , Richard Rodgers , and Oscar Hammerstein II
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bryn Terfel - If Ever I Would Leave You (Songs from My Fair Lady, On a Clear Day, Camelot, The Little Prince, Brigadoon)
Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts
Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites
Renee and Bryn: Under the Stars
Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome

ASIN: B000001GRP
Release Date: 1996-09-10

Tracks:

OKLAHOMA: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'
State Fair: It Might As Well Be Spring
South Pacific: Some Enchanted Evening
OKLAHOMA: The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
South Pacific: Bali Ha'i
Carousel: June Is Bustin' Out All Over
The King And I: Something Wonderful
Allegro: So Far
Allegro: A Fellow Needs A Girl
The King And I: I Have Dreamed
Allegro: What A Lovely Day For A Wedding
Me And Juliet: No Other Love
The Sound Of Music: Edelweiss
Carousel: If I Loved You
South Pacific: There Is Nothin' Like A Dame
South Pacific: Younger Than Springtime
Allegro: Come Home
South Pacific: This Nearly Was Mine
Carousel: Soliloquy
Carousel: You'll Never Walk Alone

Amazon.com

In the opening song of "Something Wonderful," Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel sings, "All the sounds of the Earth are like music." They most definitely are when Terfel surrounds them with his resonant baritone. Every phrase of Rodgers and Hammerstein's music is imbued with uncommon sensitivity, impeccable phrasing, and dazzling beauty. Terfel's rich and meaty voice shares a plate with delicate pianissimos, unabashed sentimentality, and swaggering forthrightness. He successfully tackles songs originally written for women. In "It Might as Well Be Spring," he transforms dippy into dapper. And he turns "Bali Hai" into a foreboding, demanding, and seductive call; the listener must helplessly succumb to the world of his sensitive manliness. His interpretations of the old standards--"If I Loved You," "Soliloquy," "This Nearly Was Mine," "Some Enchanted Evening"--are stellar. Despite the temporary lulls caused by the second-class songs from "Allegro," Terfel does a first-class job of bringing them to life. Undoubtedly one of the best crossover records of all time. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

I have just been introduced........2007-01-22

I came across the CD by sheer accident and am I glad I did. Wonderful music. Thanks for the music Bryn.

Great Music + Terrific Lyrics +Decent Singing = Very Nice CD.......2005-01-27

While not an expert on technical singing I really, really like this CD. I think Terfel's voice is pretty decent & he sings both male/female lead R & H songs for a total of twenty cuts. One cut I really enjoyed , but had never heard before was the song "So Far"
from R & H's "Allegro" with those Richard Roger's hooks & terrific Oscar Hammerstein lyrics. Felt that the orchestra on this session made a good move using the original orchestrations for a classic R & H feel. I concur with the reviewer regarding the miking of Terfel's voice in this session which seems too low forcing the listener to turn up the volumne.

A new meaning of throat singing........2004-06-11

I cannot believe that the critics of today can rave about such an inferior singer as Byrn Terfel. He sings so badly, I can't believe he has had the career he's had. I don't care how many roles he's sung, he hasn't any vocal technique at all. If anyone would care to hear great singing, buy the; "Thomas L. Thomas" Voice of Firestone video and listen to a great Welsh singer. This is a great artist and vocal technician. Try; "John Charles Thomas," "Lawrence Tibbett," or "Nelson Eddy." Bryn Terfel couldn't carry their music cases!

Superb matchmaking in Terfel's R&H recital.......2004-03-09

You might think that it is a very superflous mismatch for an opera singer to try his vocal cords on the Broadway songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein. However, in this R&H offering by Bryn Terfel, he proves that it is a perfect match between singer and repertoire for a classical crossover record of this pedigree. Terfel communicates the essence of each of the 20 songs to the listener, and allows them to sound fresh and new. And it helps that he has been a R&H fan for many years with the music already close to his heart. He is given superb backing from the well-conducted Opera North forces an warm, natural recording.

From the first phrase of Terfel's uplifting opening version of "Oh, what a beautiful morning" from Oklahoma!, we listeners intuitively know that this is not going to be your superflous run-of-the-mill classical crossover offering of R&H songs. Terfel uses his big voice to great effect in Billy Bigelow's two songs from Carousel, "If I loved you" and the pivotal "Soliloquy" that builds up to a devastating climax. When he does this for Emile's two big solos in South Pacific, "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine," he also makes them sound fresh and intuitively conveys their essence. He also thrills us even when his voice is soft and tender, such as on Lietunant Cable's "Younger than Springtime" and especially on Captain von Trapp's "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.

Besides the obvious highlights in this R&H offering, Terfel unearths some new delights. He does this by trying his vocal cords on songs that were originally intended for women, most notably in Nettie's two big numbers in Carousel, "June is busting out all over" and "You'll never walk alone", which he pulls off convincingly in a straight-laced and serious manner without sounding cliched. (In the booklet, "You'll never walk alone" was stated as being sung by the Chorus, but then in the show, it is sung by Nettie.) He is also wistful on "It might as well be Spring" from State Fair, and philosophical on Lady Thiang's "Something Wondreful" from The King and I. He also evokes a dreamlike quality on Bloody Mary's "Bali Ha'i" in South Pacific. The other unusual thing that Terfel does is include some unknown songs and treat them ravishingly. Four of them are from Allegro, highlighted by a charming "So Far," a reflective "A Fellow needs a girl" and a powerful "Come Home", and he also sings "No Other Love" from Me and Juliet as ravishingly as "I Have Dreamed."

If I have any quibbles, there are only two minor ones. Terfel's R&H offering runs for 74 minutes, and still has six minutes of empty space on a CD. I'm sure that Terfel could have given thought to the Mother Abbess's "Climb Every Mountain" from The Sound of Music, which I consider a more universal and less-cliched song than "You'll never walk alone" from Carousel. It would have suited his full-throated, big-voiced characteristic very well. Also, this offering of R&H seems to be lopsided to emphasise more of the first part of R&H. Sixteen tracks cover R&H from Oklahoma to South Pacific, with four tracks that cover their second half from The King and I to The Sound of Music. As such I would have liked to hear him sing a more balanced repertoire of R&H songs with equal emphasis to both halves of their collaboration. Perhaps he might record a Volume 2 with songs from the latter part of their collaboration in the near future. But with 74 delightful minutes of Terfel's R&H offering, how could anybody complain about the quality of this recital, especially with a lavish booklet complete with copious notes by R&H expert Ethan Mordden and full lyrics.

Overall, though, I'm very sure that this R&H offering is both a highlight of Terfel's discography, and can ably recommended with his recording of Schubert songs to anybody who wants to get to know his work well. It can also be recommended to Rodgers & Hammerstein fans old and new.

By the way, I also recommend the Rodgers & Hammerstein Songbook for Orchestra, with another superlative Telarc offering by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and Erich Kunzel. This recital is just as outstanding as Terfel's R&H offering. And, there is a wealth of cast recordings that new R&H fans will want to snap up, so this Terfel disc will be an ideal stepping-stone for them.

Broadway or Opera... This CD is indeed ýSomething Wonderfulý.......2003-07-25

It becomes clearer with every disk Bryn releases... he turns whatever he touches into gold! This CD is indeed `Something Wonderful'. From the first listen I was in love with this disk and can't get enough.

To begin, Rodgers and Hammerstein couldn't be more appropriately sung. From a time before electric amplification the sweeping melodies of Richard Rodgers were intended to be sung as Bryn illustrates. As I say every time, his diction is impeccable, his musicianship is unsurpassed, and his enthusiasm is wonderful. As for Oscar Hammerstein, I'm sure he doesn't mind a little foreign accent... because every word is clear and understandable.

To compare the accent of Terfel to Pavarotti and Carreras is simply misguided. Although Pavarotti and Carreras are top-notch for what they do, neither pursues `Broadway' music seriously. Their ventures into the medium are limited to Gala concerts and the occasional snippet on a CD... not on stage depicting a role, but simply to sing a beautiful song. Mr. Terfel, on the other hand, researches the roles, coaches them, and is constantly pursued to perform them. His accent is one of slight vowel or consonant differences, which do not detract from the beautiful music. The music is well done and the story clear. Lets not nitpick diction or the French will have our hides for Les Miserables!

For the music, the recording quality is great. One reviewer mentioned poor sound quality and I do believe that person may have a bad disk or player... on my end the sound is full and robust; Bryn's voice dominates the sound. The orchestrations are full and lush. When dealing with modern houses and theatres the orchestra pits are usually quite small, and consequently the ensembles themselves. CDs like this one allow for fully orchestrated music to be heard, with a large symphony of musicians. The numbers that utilize chorus, which sings very well, are well balanced.

This disk is a great buy in my book. Bryn Terfel is a phenomenal performer and he sings this genre excellently. Check out his `If Ever I Would Leave You', `Under The Stars', `We'll Keep a Welcome', `Songs of My Welsh Home', and numerous classical recordings like `Opera Arias', `Meet Bryn Terfel', `The Vagabond', `Wagner', `Schumann Lieder', and an large collection of full opera recordings. Enjoy.

Bryn Terfel - If Ever I Would Leave You (Songs from My Fair Lady, On a Clear Day, Camelot, The Little Prince, Brigadoon)
Average customer rating:

Showtime!

a voice teacher and early music fan

Bryn Terfel in musical theatre-mode

For crossover, very good

Terfel's interpretation of showtunes quite appropriate!

Bryn Terfel - If Ever I Would Leave You (Songs from My Fair Lady, On a Clear Day, Camelot, The Little Prince, Brigadoon)
Alan Jay Lerner , Frederick Loewe , Bryn Terfel , Paul Daniel , and English Northan Philharmonia
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)

Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts

Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites

Renee and Bryn: Under the Stars

Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome

ASIN: B00000DBTO
Release Date: 1998-10-06

Tracks:

Camelot
Paint Your Wagon: They Call The Wind Maria
The Little Prince: Little Prince
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: Come Back To Me
Camelot: How To Handle A Woman
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: On A Clear Day
My Fair Lady: Get Me To The Church On Time
Camelot: If Ever I Would Leave You
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here
Dance A Little Closer: There's Always One You Can't Forget
Paint Your Wagon: I Talk To The Trees
Paint Your Wagon: I Was Born Under A Wand'rin' Star
My Fair Lady: On The Street Where You Live
The Little Prince: I Never Met A Rose
Brigadoon: There But For You Go I
Love Life: Here I'll Stay
My Fair Lady: With A Little Bit Of Luck
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: She Wasn't You
Love Life: This Is The Life

Customer Reviews:

Showtime!.......2007-05-27

Terfel has an outstanding voice & the talent to use it to good advantage. Being 'show buffs' we thoughly enjoyed the selection of numbers also.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-25

A quote from the accompanying booklet: "Some people might claim that there is no difference between classical and popular music, only between good and bad. Maybe so, but how many singers can put over and all-Schubert recital and a CD of show tunes like 'If Ever I Would Leave You' with equal authority and ease? At this point, probably none but Bryn Terfel." OH, WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!! Many classical singers have accomplished that very task with just as much skill as Terfel. Don't get me wrong here;he has a great voice, but just as I do not want to hear Frank Sinatra sing Monteverdi, I would rather hear Robert Goulet sing Lerner & Loewe. And permit me to cite at least one example of a cross-over: Ian Bostridge, classical British tenor did an album of Noel Coward Songs(Coward , the British Broadway equivalent), which are excellent, but I want to hear him singing Schubert, just as I might prefer Terfel singing Mozart. Having said all of this, it's a well-done disc; song selection is good, and I bought it, but truthfully I don't play it very much.

Bryn Terfel in musical theatre-mode.......2006-10-20

It is very hard for an opera singer to suddenly shift their singing talents in another direction (remember the Kiri Te Kanawa "South Pacific" album?), but Bryn Terfel gamely rises to the challenge with an album of songs from the musical theatre team of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe ("My Fair Lady", "Camelot").

On the whole, the album is quite enjoyable, and Terfel performs the usual standards like "If Ever I Would Leave You" and "On the Street Where You Live". Happily, the album also features two numbers from the underrated "Little Prince" score ("I Never Met a Rose" and the Title Song); as well as "There's Always One You Can't Forget" (from the big flop "Dance a Little Closer").

Terfel also gets to perform some of the ladies' numbers like "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" (from "On a Clear Day..."). Terfel is the closest thing we have to the old-fashioned matinee idol, and the selections on this album are well-suited to his lush voice. Quite a surprise.

[Deutsche Grammophon/Polygram 457 628-2]

For crossover, very good.......2001-02-25

I usually hate the crossover genre, because the material almost always ends up overdone and not at all true to the idiom and mood of the original. That said, Terfel on this disc is about as good as crossover can get, using his fine voice to render pretty convincing and powerful versions of a number of Broadway classics. While he occasionally goes over the top, he is pretty faithful to the songs, and on those numbers that call for a rousing rendition (They Call the Wind Maria, for example), he really is splendid. Great sound quality and fine orchestral accompaniments.

Terfel's interpretation of showtunes quite appropriate!.......2000-08-22

Terfel's interpretations of Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musicals is a nice alternative to the partiality that an opera singer has to their own genre of music. Terfel, I feel, knew that he could justify his decision to make a recording of show tunes, especially after the completion of G.&S. light opera pieces. I have always held clasically trained singers with esteem and have always apreciated there interpretations of various types of music. Show tunes are an easy bridge for the clasically trained such as Terfel. Yet, as Terfel proves, his voice tends to be a little to strident(in a good way)or strong, in many cases, for a particular passage. For example, the whole song "They Call the Wind Maria" from Paint Your Wagon is way to strong and quite formidable for the ears to stand, yet the opening note from like a fiddle is very light and nastalgic (on- the-range style) motif, yet once Terfel belts out the note, one feels he is a rough and way too tough cowboy who is supposed to be "on the lone prairy." Also, in the song "On the Street Where You Live," one of my all-time favorites, Terfel is enclined to approach the song with a rather strong dose of enthusiasm and playfulness, whereas I feel that the song should be approached with an inner light of emotions that luminate from within the singer that is interpreted as a warmth and passionate inner secret that the lister will agree with, and appreciate as if they are also sharing the secret of a lover who is smitten/infatuated with this "someone" "On The Street Where You Live." NOW...WITH GETTING ALL OF THE COMMENTS OUT...I can reflect on the nature of Terfel and his voice and how this recording is an incredible piece. First of all, I love to hear songs sung in a full voice with a tone with a forward resonance and brilliance that only a artist clasically trained like an opera singer can achieve. Their voices are unmatched in sound and technique, thus furthering the richness of a song otherwise song by a standard singer who might show all the emotions yet the inability to convey their music without a micropone. I wish not to be to brash, for I love broadway singers like Anthony Warlow, for his voice, I believe is exceptional, yet even more like Audra MacDonald. Why? for she has proven to cross over and sing operatic pieces with alacrity. For Bryn Terfel, these songs are easy and playful to execute, yet this does not mean he slacks on the energy needed to support a sound that he is familiar with in operatic arenas. Yet the possible taxing tones need for opera can be exempt here as they are, yet the good habits of a classically trained singer such as word elucution/diction and constant support add a hightened relief to rather standard showtunes, that can be heard half hummed and then easily dismissed by the lister on most occasions to such songs. Yet, if You buy this recording you will not be so enclined to dissmiss these songs that you thought you heard too much, for you will marvel at how an opera singer can transcend the mundane interpretations of musical theater's usual acts, and let a truly mastered voice soar over and orchestra without a sign of straining, producing beatuful full sounds exploding with emotions in a unique, truly intensifying way. these songs will leave an indelibe mark in your mind...yet only if you buy it!

James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala

Average customer rating:

BRAVO
James Levine's 25th Anniversary Met Opera Gala
Passing the acid test
Great cd
Great variety of fantastic singers!

James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Giuseppe Verdi , Georges Bizet , Franz Lehár , Charles Gounod , Gustave Charpentier , Johann Strauss II , Jules Massenet , Camille Saint-Saëns , Richard Wagner , Jacques Offenbach , Richard Strauss , Metropolitan Opera Orchestra , James Levine , Plácido Domingo , Renée Fleming , Birgit Nilsson , Bryn Terfel , Roberto Alagna , Anne Sofie von Otter , Samuel Ramey , Ileana Cotrubas , Dolora Zajick , Jerry Hadley , Hei-Kyung Hong , Kiri Te Kanawa , Ruth Ann Swenson , Hakan Hagegard , Karita Mattila , Alfredo Kraus , Grace Bumbry , and Deborah Voigt
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bryn Terfel - Opera Arias / MET, Levine

ASIN: B000001GRR
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Les Pecheurs De Perles: 'Au Fond Du Temple Saint'
Louise: 'Depuis Le Jour'
Faust: Duet From Act I
Giuditta: 'Meine Lippen Sie Kuessen So Heiss'
Don Carlo: 'O Don Fatale!'
Don Giovanni: Sextet From Act II
Romeo et Juliette: Juliet's Waltz ('Je Veux Vivre')
Die Fledermaus: Watch Duet ('Dieser Anstand, So Manierlich')
Werther: 'Pourquoi Me Reveiller'
Samson et Dalila: 'Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix'
Tannhauser: 'Dich, Teure Halle'
La Perichole: 'Ah, Quel Diner'
Der Rosenkavalier: Trio From Act III
A Tribute To James Levine

Customer Reviews:

BRAVO.......2007-07-25

This is a must have disc. Maestro Levine has made an historic difference at the Met and now expects to completely revitalize the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is a rare talent, as evidenced by the willingness of so many great musicians to honor him on this occasion/

James Levine's 25th Anniversary Met Opera Gala.......2006-08-14

It is an incredibly beautiful album. As with any album I like some pieces better than the next but overall it is beautiful and soothing. I keep it in the car and listen to it in horrid traffic time. It helps!

Passing the acid test.......2004-07-04

My acid test is whether I leave the CD in the player for repeated (and repeated) playings. This one makes my cut. Every track is not as marvelous as some, but each has its charms. The whole adds up to a delicious opera excursion.

I saw this live and was completely captivated. Without the visuals, it is just as wonderful. I too wish they would release the rest of this marathon extravaganza. It deserves to be memorialized.

Great cd.......2003-08-13

i recommend this cd it's great to listen to while walking the dog.Opera makes fluffy happy.

Great variety of fantastic singers!.......2002-01-07

This is as good as it gets. An awesome roster of international stars singing some of the best (but not the most well known) selections in all of opera, and of course James Levine, the man they are all celebrating. It almost goes without saying that Levine's conducting is without comparison throughout the recording. He is truly one of the best conductors of the last thirty years, and he has molded the Met Orchestra into the best in the world. This celebration perfectly captures the incredibly broad repertoire that he is familiar for. It starts out with a well-rounded performance of the famous duet from The Pearl Fishers by Bryn Terfel and Roberto Alagana. When I bought the CD I had never heard the incredible melody that forms the theme of the duet, but it is one of the best in all of opera. Renee Flemming gives a performance of "Despuis le jour" that would be hard to match for sheer vocal beauty. Her final pianisimo is stunning. Domingo and Ramey sing a typically excellent performance of the Faust duet, while Ileana Cotrubas, in a Lehar excerpt shows why she was one of the best lyric sopranos of the last 25 years. "O don fatale" as sung by Dolora Zajick is the thrilling experience it should be. She nails the top notes perfectly and still maintains the warm fullness of the bottom of her register. The 'bravas' start almost before she finishes her final note. The sextet from Don Giovanni is given a world class performance (I have never heard it done better). Ruth Ann Swenson displays awesome coluratura ability in Juliet's lively waltz song, soaring to a high D in the final cadenza. I am not a big fan of Die Fledermaus, but if you are you will surely love the included duet. I was also never a big Alfredo Kraus fan, and I think he sounds more than a bit strained while singing the famous aria from Werther. Not so Grace Bumbry, who's seductive performance of Delila's music should be the standard for this aria. Deborah Voight's Tannhauser is impeccable, while Frederica von Stade sounds a little shrill in her aria. To round out the program is possibly the most exquisite performance ever of some of the most gorgeous music ever written; the final trio from Die Rosenkavalier. It will make a Strauss convert out of anyone.
There are no problems with the live sound, which is crisp, clean and sounds like it could have come from a recording studio. My only complaint is the lack of an overture or other orchestral number that would showcae the Met orchetra. Overall a CD well worth your money. Hopefully DG will release another CD soon with the rest of the concert. You won't find these selections anywhere else so every minute of it will be new and fresh. Fantastic for hard core opera fans or beginners. Highly Recommended!

Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland

Average customer rating:

Welsh passion/English art songs
"A great lower baritone voice.......incredible songs,"
ENGLISH ART SONGS...
Perfect for the male music student
Best Recording

Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland
Ralph Vaughan Williams , Gerald Finzi , George Butterworth , John Ireland , Bryn Terfel , and Malcolm Martineau
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome

ASIN: B000001GPD
Release Date: 1995-07-10

Tracks:

Songs Of Travel: The Vagabond
Songs Of Travel: Let Beauty Awake
Songs Of Travel: The Roadside Fire
Songs Of Travel: Youth And Love
Songs Of Travel: In Dreams
Songs Of Travel: The Infiinite Shining Heavens
Songs Of Travel: Whither Must I Wander?
Songs Of Travel: Bright Is The Ring Of Words
Songs Of Travel: I Have Trod The Upward And The Downward Slope
Let Us Garlands Bring, Op. 18: Come Away, Come Away, Death
Let Us Garlands Bring, Op. 18: Who Is Silvia?
Let Us Garlands Bring, Op. 18: Fear No More The Heat O' The Sun
Let Us Garlands Bring, Op. 18: O Mistress Mine
Let Us Garlands Bring, Op. 18: It Was A Lover And His Lass
Bredon Hill And Other Songs: Bredon Hill
Bredon Hill And Other Songs: Oh Fair Enough Are Sky And Plain
Bredon Hill And Other Songs: When The Lad For Longing Sighs
Bredon Hill And Other Songs: On The Idle Hill Of Summer
Bredon Hill And Other Songs: With Rue My Heart Is Laden
Sea Fever
The Vagabond
The Bells Of San Marie
Six Songs From 'A Shropshire Lad': Loveliest Of Trees
Six Songs From 'A Shroshire Lad': When I Was One-And-Twenty
Six Songs From 'A Shropshire Lad': Look Not In My Eyes
Six Songs From 'A Shropshire Lad': Think No More, Lad
Six Songs From 'A Shropshire Lad': The Lads In Their Hundreds
Six Songs From 'A Shropshire Lad': Is My Team Ploughing?

Customer Reviews:

Welsh passion/English art songs.......2007-06-17

Bryn Terfel brings astonishing energy, not to mention eardrum-rattling dynamic range, to these English art songs. Frankly, his passionate, sometimes over the top interpretations work for me, injecting virility into songs that could easily become effete in the hands of a more traditionally "English" singer.

As always, DG's sonics are superior. Where a few others have found overly processed sound I simply find superlative engineering that manages to handle Terfel's sometimes overwhelming voice while still capturing the wide range of colors and timbres he injects into every piece.

Malcolm Martineau, by the way, provides first rate accompaniment, also captured with warmth and brilliance by DG's Tonmeister.

"A great lower baritone voice.......incredible songs,".......2006-07-19

Bryn Terfel has one of the most amazing voices. To top it all he has this real passion when he sings. This is a must have for ANY music fan...

The song selections are great....wonderful classical tunes. Many of the lyrics are by Robert Louis Stevenson who, well, we know his reputation.

My favorite song: Whither Must I Wander?

ENGLISH ART SONGS..........2006-07-17

Terfel does a fine job with these pieces.

Especially fine are the Vaughan Williams and Butterworth songs.

Perfect for the male music student.......2005-08-17

As a music student I have found this cd to be a priceless tool. With the wide range of artists Terfel has used in this collection it is a great way for begginers to start to explore wonderful pieces of fantastic composers that would otherwise be unknown. While many would be familiar with the NYSSMA standard "The Vagabond" (which is beautifully presented) I hope that future teachers and professionals would take the time to search through the rest to find songs to not only raise interest in the different composers but feed their passion for the art of music.

~Kyle

Best Recording.......2005-05-09

This Blend of English art song is fantastic a must have for any serious bass-baritone. Not only the always amazing and tremendous interpretation of song by Terfel but especially in the Finzi and Williams do we finally, I reitterate Finally, hear the story of the Young composers passion come out! Also another plus to Terfel, we hear the best bass baritone sound that I think I have ever heard from him! I have listened to every CD that he has made to date including the new silent noon and this is still my most frequently used selection. Also Coach accompanist take a listen to the way that Martineau plays this music it is infactuating! If you buy a Bryn Terfel CD I would reccomend this one!

Average customer rating:

Look out world
What fun!
I LOVE YOU, BRYN!
awesome..
Why do people think this guy can SING???

Bryn Terfel - Opera Arias / MET, Levine
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Richard Wagner , Jacques Offenbach , Charles Gounod , Alexander Borodin , Gaetano Donizetti , Gioachino Rossini , Giuseppe Verdi , James Levine , Bryn Terfel , and The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GP8
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Le nozze di Figaro: Non pirai, farfallone amoroso
Don Giovanni: Deh, vieni alla finestra
Don Giovanni: Madamina, il catalogo uesto
Cosi fan tutte: Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo
Die Zauberfl Der Vogelfer bin ich ja
Tannher: Wie Todesahnung Drung deckt die Lande...O du mein holder Abendstern
Der Fliegende Holler: Die Frist ist um
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Allez!...Pour te livrer combat...Seintille, diamant
Faust: Vous qui faites l'endormie
Prince Igor: Ni sna ni otdycha izmucennoj duse
Don Pasquale: Bella siccome un angelo
La Cenerentola: Miei rampolli femminini
Macbeth: Perfidi! All'anglo contra me v'unite!
Falstaff: Ehi! paggio!...L'Onore!

Customer Reviews:

Look out world.......2006-01-20

Maestro Terfel throws down the vocal gauntlet in this tour de force offering of selected opera arias and dares any male singer, future or current, to pick it up. From the elegance and humor of Mozart, to the giddy delights of Rossini, and the vocal power of Verdi, Bryn Terfel diplays clearly why he is the preeeminent bass-baritone of our age. Short of some misguided forays into American Musical Theater, there seems to be nothing that this proetean singer cannot do. James Levine leads the bravura Met Orchestra with equal parts style and substance. A must have for a fan of great singing and artful music making.

What fun!.......2005-11-22

This is definitely the best recording of the selections chosen from "le Nozze de Figaro" I have ever heard. Terfel has a wonderful sense of musical humour, and is able to make his voice do seemingly, whatever he likes. In fact I think one could liken his voice to a big red bouncy ball, it's so round and fun to play with, you can tell that he himself has fun using it. However this is the only one of his albums I have really fallen in love with, in spite of listening to quite a few. Some of the same pieces are on his other cds, but not as well-sung as in this one.

I LOVE YOU, BRYN!.......2005-06-03

Terfel is amazing. The voice is warm, wide and sensous, and the acting is top-notch. This recital is the best recording I have heard of him outside full operas, where he is (of course) at his best. Every peice on it is a gem, but especially the first five Mozart arias. You will never hear a better Catologue Aria. I make it a point to listen to his at least once a week.
If you are an opera lover and (God forbid!) have not yet stumbled upon Terfel, this is an excellent introduction. And by the way, you needn't be a singer to appreciate his voice - I know very little of the technicalities of singing (about as much as a year in the church choir can give you), but I play the violin and we violinists are very keen on singers who know what they are doing. In the words of my violin teacher, Terfel is "charming!"

awesome.........2004-03-10

this is an awesome cd. if you're a fan of Bryn Terfel, you should buy this. you'll enjoy every song in this cd. I also recommend his recital dvd.

ps) don't listen to what the guy under my review said. i don't think this person knows how to sing.

Why do people think this guy can SING???.......2004-02-09

It baffles me that people think that Bryn Terfel is a great singer. It sounds like he is SINGING HOLDING HIS NOSE CLOSED. Absolutely AWFUL. Just because you can sing LOUD and POWERFUL does NOT mean you are GOOD. I would rather listen to my dishwasher running than this stuff!! The TONE of the voice is what matters to MOST people, and this guy doesn't have it. If you want to hear a beautiful voice, do yourself a favor and go buy Josh Groban's new CD, Closer. You won't regret it!!

Average customer rating:

A Pleasant Surprise
Lush, Netrebko-Dominated Tribute to Mozart's Operas Contains Several Strong Performances
Brilliant!!
Mozart Leftovers?
Netrebko spits fire with her maddening voice

The Mozart Album

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000FIGXGC
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

Giunse alfin il momento - "Deh vieni non tardar"
Hai giinta la causa - "Vedrntr'io sospiro"
Parto, ma tu ben mio
Madamina, il catalogo uesto
Oh smanie! - "D'Oreste, d'Aiace"
In diesen heil'gen Hallen
Fuggi, crudele, fuggi!
Li darem la mano
Der H Rache kocht in meinem Herzen
Der Vogelfer bin ich ja
Ah perdona al primo affetto
Zefiretti lusinghieri
Soave sia il vento

Amazon.com

This compendium of Mozart arias, duets and a trio, some of which have been released before (two of the Magic Flute arias, by Pape and Miklosa, come from the new, complete DG recording under Abbado), seems to have been built around the spectacular new superstar, Anna Netrebko. She sings on six of the 13 tracks. Her Susanna is unaffected but sensual; Elettra's final rage-aria from Idomeneo is a bit large for her, but she sings it with real passion. The first act Anna-Ottavio duet from Don Giovanni with tenor Christian Strehl is exciting, with both singers giving their all. "La ci darem" with baritone Thomas Quasthoff is alluring. A little duet from Clemenza, with mezzo Elina Garanca (who also sings a fine "Parto, parto" from the same opera) is lovely, and "Zeffiretti lusinghieri" is as smooth as silk. Quasthoff also offer a fine Papageno and Leporello, while Bryn Terfel's rendition of the Count's aria from Figaro is big and broad. Terfel, soprano Miah Persson and mezzo Christine Rice end the CD with the "Soave sia il vento" trio from Cosi. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A Pleasant Surprise.......2007-07-23

This has been one extended party for old Wolfgang. By now it's a wonder we haven't all been Mozarted out. And with that predisposition that's how I sat down to listen to this 2007 offering from Deutsche Grammophon - another Mozart entry into a long line of CD and DVD entry's commemorating Mozart's 251st anniversary party. What got my attention about this CD, however, was the list of singers being offered up with various orchestras, recorded at different times. Netrebko, Garanca on the female side and Quasthoff, Terfel and Pape on the male side. Now, that's a power line-up. The bottom line: I was pleasantly taken back some by the pure sound and high quality of both vocal and instrumental performances, as well as the selections - and the latter point is important. All Mozart, all the time, can wear on the listener, at least it does me. The style and era produced a certain sameness in sound and composition that can almost border on stale. Here, however, that wasn't the case at all. The vocal performances are superb and the selections, while some more well-known and common than others, did sparkle with originality in the manner of delivery. And so, this is a plus all around, making this Mozart entry worthwhile in every way and just as enjoyable, too.

Lush, Netrebko-Dominated Tribute to Mozart's Operas Contains Several Strong Performances.......2006-11-26

Deutsche Grammophon has brought out their big guns on this Mozart anniversary compendium, and the results are invariably lush and insightful. Recorded in four different sessions and backed by different orchestras at each venue, the thirteen tracks here - several recitatives and arias, three duets and one trio - have a thankfully seamless quality in spite of the variability of dramatic interpretations. The lead-off player is soprano Anna Netrebko, who sings on six tracks including a coquettish take on Susanna's recitative and aria, "Giunse alfin il momento...Deh vieni, non tardar" from "Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)". A passionate singer with a voice just ripening now, she plays both sides of the coin with selections from "Idomeneo" - first in a vengeful rage as Elettra with "Oh smania! Oh furie...D'Oreste, d'Aiace" and later as the sweet Ilia on "Zeffiretti lusinghieri".

Netrebko's Italianate diction and sumptuous voice are well suited for Ilia's aria, but her relative youth works against her as Elettra since she lacks the consistent edge and intimidating persona needed. My favorite of her pieces is actually her Donna Anna in the "Don Giovanni" duet with the exceptional tenor Christoph Strehl on "Fuggi, crudele, fuggi!", in which she feverishly transitions from her character's distraught mental state to a conniving mindset as her lover Don Ottavio pleads with her. Netrebko has another noteworthy albeit brief duet with mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca as they poignantly play the lovers Annio and Servilia on "Ah, perdona al primo affetto" from "La clemenza di Tito". In another pants role, Garanca is impressively stentorian in Sesto's forlorn lament, "Parto, parto, ma tu, ben mio" from the same opera.

The singer who sounds like he is having the most fun on the disc is baritone Thomas Quasthoff, who covers arias from "Don Giovanni" - first as the devoted servant Leporello in the comic "Madamina, il catalogo è questo" and then in the title role seducing Netrebko's Zerlina on the seductively yearning duet, "Là ci darem la mano". As Papageno, Quasthoff captures the bird catcher's delicate romanticism in "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja" from "Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)". From the same opera, German bass René Pape lends a haunting, voluminous ripeness to Sarastro's aria, "In dieson heil'gen Hallen", while Hungarian soprano Erika Miklósa is a bit too showy for my taste as the Queen of the Night on the vocally ornate "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen".

Bass-baritone Bryn Terfel effectively conveys the Count's flamboyant jealousy on "Ho già vintò la causa!...Vedro mentr'io sospiro" from "Le nozze di Figaro", though unfortunately his contribution as Don Alfonso to the final trio, "Soave sia il vento" from "Cosi fan tutte", is strictly by-the-numbers with sopranos Christine Rice and Miah Persson equally lackluster. Regardless, the orchestral accompaniment is expert on all the tracks with the estimable Claudio Abbado conducting on six pieces (including most of Netrebko's solos), Sebastian Weigle on five pieces and Charles Mackerras on the two Terfel tracks. If not a complete success, this is a fine recording which spotlights several of the best singers around today.

Brilliant!!.......2006-10-30

Four stars for me is a top rated disc, make no mistake-there are maybe 10 five star albums I''ve heard in my life. The performances are both accurate and inspired and, in this rare instance, I enjoy the blend of music from different Mozart pieces. Newcomer (well, sort of) Elina Garanca is outstanding and, I believe, will likely be the one of this crop we are still talking about in 10 years

Mozart Leftovers?.......2006-10-05

This is a curious recording. It is a compilation of four recording sessions: Bologna in March, 2005 with Netrebko (4); Modena in September, 2005 with Pape, Miklósa (2) released before; Glasgow in April, 2006 with Terfel (2) and ending in Dresden in May, 2006 with Quasthoff, Garanca and Anna singing a duet with each (5). The recording is subtitled "Anna Netrebko & Friends" and Ms. Netrebko appears on six of the 13 tracks. It is safe to assume that this album was not conceived to turn out this way but is a patchwork, as Anna Netrebko may not have had the time to fill up 60 minutes of Mozart by herself. Still, the voices are all DG "All Stars" and the music is Mozart, all taken from his operas, and beautifully rendered without a hitch. Anna Netrebko's gorgeous soprano shines through although I am not overly fond of Electra's final rage-aria from Idomeneo that she also recently sang at the Salzburg Festival shown on a U.S. television "Great Performances" production. I have always loved Pape, Terfel and Quasthoff's rich voices. Garanca, the young, brilliant Latvian mezzo-soprano is being groomed to be a star although I am upset with her for backing out of the "Mostly Mozart" Festival at Lincoln Center this summer. New York awaits her debut. I love the duet with Garanca and Netrebko from "La Clemenza di Tito". The CD ends with a lovely trio, "Soave sia il vento" from "Cosi fan tutte" with Terfel, soprano Miah Persson and mezzo Christina Rice. Conductors include Claudio Abbado, Charles Mackerras and Sebastian Weigle. My major quibble is that this is a studio recording. I prefer live recordings with the warts.

Netrebko spits fire with her maddening voice.......2006-09-28

Some may question the artistic value of this CD. All the singers are in fine voice, but Netrebko steals the show. This CD is worthwhile just for Netrebko's rendition of Elettra's aria "Oh smania! Oh furie" from Idomeneo. Close your eyes and listen. You can see the demented expression on her face spitting fire, and her gaze turning into arrows soaked in the venom of hatred, ready to pierce your heart. Netrebko colors her voice, acts, and is consumed by the character, irrespective whether she is on stage or not, while keeping her singing focused. Her passion involves you, no matter how cool you pretent to be. That's the sign of a great singing actress, the likes of which we haven't seen for a long time!

Constantine A. Papas
El Paso, TX

György Ligeti Edition 4: Vocal Works (Madrigals, Mysteries, Aventures, Songs) - The King's Singers / Philharmonia Orchestra / Esa-Pekka Salonen

Average customer rating:

An important modern composer for voice.
Another Entry into the Ligeti Library
Contains some good mature writing with some frankly dull early works
where's the dead weight?
Excellent in parts, but lumbered with much dead weight

György Ligeti Edition 4: Vocal Works (Madrigals, Mysteries, Aventures, Songs) - The King's Singers / Philharmonia Orchestra / Esa-Pekka Salonen
Gyorgy Ligeti , Esa-Pekka Salonen , Rosemary Hardy , Christiane Oelze , The King's Singers , Philharmonia Orchestra , Philip Lawson , Bruce Russell , Sibylle Ehlert , Phyllis Bryn-Julson , Omar Ebrahim , Irina Kataeva , David Hurley , Pierre-Laurent Aimard , Stephen Connolly , Malena Ernman , Eva Wedin , and Robert Chilcott
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000029P3
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

Nonsense Madrigals: I Two Dreams And Little Bat
Nonsense Madrigals: II Cuckoo In The Pear-Tree
Nonsense Madrigals: III The Alphabet
Nonsense Madrigals: IV Flying Robert
Nonsense Madrigals: V The Lobster Quadrille
Nonsense Madrigals: VI A Long, Sad Tale
Le Grand Macabre: Mysteries Of The Macabre
Aventures
Nouvelles Aventures: Sostenuto
Nouvelles Aventures: Agitato molto
Der Sommer
Harom Weores-dal: I Tancol a Hold feher ingben
Harom Weores-dal: II Gyumolcs-furt
Harom Weores-dal: III Kalmar jott nagy madarakkal
Ot Arany-dal: I Csalfa sugar
Ot Arany-dal: II A legszebb virag
Ot Arany-dal: III A csendes dalokbol
Ot Arany-dal: IV A bujdoso
Ot Arany-dal: V Az ordog elvitte a financot
Negy lakodalmi tanc: I A menyasszony szep virag
Negy lakodalmi tanc: II A kapuban a szeker
Negy lakodalmi tanc: III Hopp ide tisztan
Negy lakodalmi tanc: IV Mikor kedves Laci batyam

Amazon.com

Rejoice! The world-premiere recordings of six Ligeti works are cause for celebration. Three of the pieces are recent (1988-93), and three were written during Ligeti's youth in Hungary. In the liner notes, Ligeti movingly describes the artistic climate under the Communist regime. One of the highlights, the third of six Nonsense Madrigals is a beautiful setting of the English alphabet. The other premieres are Mysteries of the Macabre sung by the brilliant Sibylle Ehlert, and a Hölderlin poem arranged for soprano and piano. The earlier premieres are settings of Hungarian poets, for one or three voices and piano. This is a stunning set, encompassing Ligeti's adventurous, polyphonic side and ample heartfelt poignance as well. --Robert Regile

Customer Reviews:

An important modern composer for voice........2006-08-26

'Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 4' composed by Gyorgy Ligeti and performed under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen is at least as entertaining as the second title in this series, even if it does not include any of Ligeti's works which were used on the sound track of '2001'. Like his 'a capella' works, this disk shows a great range of styles, going from central European folk dances to some phrases which sound as if they are being done by the Limelighters!. To the voices, the instruments add a lot of pops, whistles, and hoots which are beyond the range of the human voice, but the human and the mechanical sounds meld well to produce a really enjoyable sample of modern music.

Another Entry into the Ligeti Library.......2005-10-22

The solo voice and choral works of György Ligeti are rarely heard, with the exception of performances in some of the better university and college choral programs. This richly entertaining and fascinating recital once again survey's Ligeti's influence on contemporary music by scanning his career from early to current works, this time for the human voice.

The 'Nonsense Madrigals' as performed by the King's Singers are wildly funny and endearing. Here are compositional techniques that reflect the long career in instrumental composition that has influenced them. Esa-Pekka Salonen, long a devotee of Ligeti's music, conducts the Philharmonia when ensemble support is indicated ('Mysteries of the Macabre' excerpts form his opera "Le Grand Macabre" as perfectly intoned by Sibylle Ehlert; the various forms of 'Aventures & Nouvelles aventures' with soloists Phyllis Bryn-Julson, Omar Ebrahim and Rose Taylor). The remainder of the works are for voice and piano and are honored by the performances by the likes of pianists Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Irina Kataeva and vocalists Christiane Oelze, Rosemary Hardy, Malena Ernman and Eva Wedin.

The music recorded here may be new to many but it is fine, accessible Ligeti for the novice and true treats for the followers. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 05

Contains some good mature writing with some frankly dull early works.......2005-09-30

The fourth volume of Sony's "Gyorgy Ligeti Edition" series of the contemporary Hungarian composer's collected works is dedicated to vocal works, especially those that use instrumentation. Like with all installments in Sony's series, performances are by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Salonen with Aimard and Kataeva on pianos. The vocal performances here are by the King's Singers.

The earliest pieces on the disc were written before Ligeti fled to the West following the Hungarian uprising, and among these the "Harom Weores-dal" (Three Weores songs) were composed while Ligeti was still a student. Sandor Weores was one of the greatest Hungarian poets of the last century, and was especially skilled in writing poems that hid deep philosophical insights behind child-like verse. This makes his poems especially suitable to be set to music (Peter Eotvos has tackled some of his more complex poetry). Ligeti's settings are quite traditional, and for lovers of contemporary repertoire that can even mean dull; Aimard must have been bored by the simple piano writing when he's tackled the composer's later "Etudes". Still, the music does complement the imagery of Weores well. The following two works by "prehistoric Ligeti" were composed as a way out of the straitjacket of socialist realism. The first, "Negy lakodalmi tanc" (Four wedding dances) takes folklore as a refuge, and the second "Ot Arany-dal" (Five Arany songs) sets to music the poems of the pre-revolutionary and accepted poet Jozef Arany. These early works don't hold up well against the rest at all.

After Ligeti came to the West, his music changed greatly. "Aventures" and "Nouvelles Adventures" were composed in the mid-1960s and are very reminiscent of the theatrical project of the music avant-garde of that time. They use a soprano, contralto, and baritone backed by orchestra and articulating nonsense text (notated in the score with the International Phonetic Alphabet) seek to express all emotions without using words. I think the pieces have aged quite well, though I know that others disagree. I don't know if this performance was satisfactory to Ligeti for, although he allowed it to appear on this disc, another performance can be found on volume five of Teldec's "Ligeti Project".

"Mysteries of the Macabre" is a setting for chamber ensemble of the zany solo by the Chief of Secret Police (a coloratura soprano) from the composer's sole opera "The Grand Macabre". Even for those who dislike the opera--and it is a work that leaves no one ambivalent--this is an exciting work, perhaps the high point of the disc. The seven minutes of vocal acrobatics here have been called the most challenging piece ever composed for coloratura soprano, and yet Sibylle Ehlert carries it through gloriously. Note that an alternate setting using trumpet in place of soprano can be found on the first volume of Teldec's "Ligeti Project".

"Nonsense Madrigals" for voices a capella (1988-1993) is the most recent work here, a collection of six English-language pieces based on favourite meaningless writers, such as Lewis Caroll, William Brighty Rands, and Heinrich Hoffmann. The finest of these is surely Ligeti's setting of the English alphabet, a diatonic but non-tonal "labyrinth" of polyrhythms. It combines the best of the micropolyphony sound of his 60s works with his newer interest in non-Western metrics. In the course of putting these together, he also set Hoelderlin's "Der Sommer".

The liner notes are fine, containing remarks on the pieces by Ligeti as well as the sung text and many photos. All in all, this is a three-star installment. If you are interested in the work of Ligeti but haven't gotten anything from "Gyorgy Ligeti Edition" yet, try the third volume (piano works) or the first (string works). Save this one for later.

where's the dead weight?.......2004-12-08

This is an amazing disc, one of the best in Sony's monumental Ligeti Edition series.

On Sony's Ligeti Edition 4, the _Nonsense Madrigals_ were premiered. These six pieces for six voices, composed in the late-80s/early-90s, are some of the composer's finest offerings. Writes Ligeti, "They are virtuosic works in which I have tried to create a non-tonal but diatonic harmony as well as rhythmic labyrinths." The songs set different pieces of strange poetry against each other in tightly meshed counterpoint, with humorous melodic lines and overwhelming musical imagination. Ligeti also colors the arrangement with nonsense phonetic sounds.

_Mysteries of the Macabre_ takes the three arias of the Chief of the Secret Police from Ligeti's wonderful opera (_Le Grand Macabre_) and rearranges them. This has been called the most difficult music ever written from coloratura soprano, but you wouldn't know it listening to Sibylle Ehlert. Amazing!

Contrary to another reviewer, I think the harsher, earlier avant-garde vocal works (_Aventures_ and _Nouvelles Aventures_) have aged very well. They are comprised of meaningless vocal sounds with chamber orchestra accompaniment. Their pure chromaticism was something Ligeti would later abandon, but even with the prevailing seriousness of the Darmstadt school, these pieces are quite witty and amusing and consistent with Ligeti's goal of composing idiomatically for instruments (including voice), given that the music is pretty much atonal.

This disc also features pieces for one or three voices and piano from Ligeti's early Hungarian days. Because of stifling artistic conditions under Communist rule, the pieces are consonant and accessible.

I assure you that there is no other avant-garde vocal music like Ligeti's. Very highly recommended!

Excellent in parts, but lumbered with much dead weight.......2003-11-26

Gyorgy Ligeti has not been greatly known for his music for solo voice--indeed it was not until 2000 that he completed his first mature song cycle--but this disc conveniently collects all his solo vocal music before then along with the Nonsense Madrigals for six voices, the Aventures and Nouvelles Aventures for three voices and some early socialist realism for three voices.

The Nonsense Madrigals are without doubt the highlight of the disc. These wonderfully witty a capella works were written for the performers on the disc, the King's Singers, who reward Ligeti with a wonderful reading of all six songs. Five of the songs are based on nonsense poems, with the remaining item being a setting of the alphabet. These vary wildly in style from the complex counterpoint of the first through the floating Lux Aeterna-like harmonies of the alphabet setting, to the bizarre backbeat in the finale.

Less worthwhile is Mysteries of the Macabre, a medley of the three coloratura arias from Ligeti's opera Le Grand Macabre, with reduced scoring arranged by the opera's first conductor, Elgar Howarth. While these are certainly entertaining, they don't add anything to the opera.

Aventures and Nouvelles Aventures are works from the 1960s, and to be honest it shows. Their verbal shrieks, contortions and phonetic texts--along with the fragmentary accompaniment--are very much of their time. They aren't devoid of musical interest, or humour, but nothing can hide the fact that they, unlike almost all of Ligeti's other avant-garde works, haven't aged well.

Der Sommer is a brief Hoelderlin setting for soprano and piano dating from 1989. Even though this song reuses the lamento motif prominent in the finale of the Horn Trio and the Sixth Etude, the general style and use of minimal material reminds me as much of Ligeti's countryman Gyorgy Kurtag as of Ligeti himself.

The rest of the disc is taken up with songs written from before Ligeti escaped from Hungary. The Three Weores Songs are from 1946 and 1947, during Ligeti's first year at the Budapest Conservatoire, and I'm sure they must have made it very clear that Ligeti was an outstanding student. Couched in a language derived from Bartok and Stravinsky, but going further than either, they have a splendid rustic feel. Sadly, the Stalinist ousting of the short-lived post-war regime made it impossible for Ligeti to continue along this direction and still be performed. Hence the Five Arany songs are pallid in comparison, and even if the last of the folk-song transcriptions that end the disc is infuriatingly catchy, the cycle as a whole is very minor Ligeti.

This disc can be recommended for the Nonsense Madrigals and (to a lesser extent Der Sommer and the Weores Songs). The rest of the music on it is more for completists only, despite the generally fine level of the performances.

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