The Fear Of Words

Track Listings
1. Flame    
2. Stay    
3. Sunset Bleeds    
4. Right Over    
5. Never Smile    
6. Fear Of Words    
7. The Last Flyer's Rush For Home    
8. Don't Say Goodbye    
9. And The Rain    
10. Faith    

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Alternative pop-rock.

The Fear Of Words, Music, Dominick Argento, Vincenzo Bellini, Hector Berlioz, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Eric Ewazen, George Frideric Handel, Henry Purcell, Roger Quilter, Franz Schubert, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Ena Freeman, 20th/21st Century Music for Voice and Keyboard, Art Song (General), Classical, Classical Vocals, Italian Baroque Opera, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Orchestral, Orchestral Music, Romantic Music for Voice and Keyboard, Vocal, Vocal Music
Mendelssohn: Elijah
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful, but not my first choice
  • THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever...
  • Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah
 Mendelssohn: Elijah

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MendelssohnAll Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OratoriosOratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OratoriosOratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Franz Joseph Haydn: The Creation
  2. Mendelssohn - Elijah / Terfel, Fleming, Bardon, Ainsley, Fulgoni, Paul Daniel
  3. Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
  4. Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
  5. Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem]

ASIN: B0002XV31A
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

  1. Introduction: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth
  2. Overture
  3. No.1 Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
  4. No.2: Lord! Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
  5. No.3: Ye People, Rend Your Hearts
  6. No.4: If With All Your Hearts
  7. No.5: Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
  8. No.6: Elijah! Get Thee Hence
  9. No.7: For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
  10. Recitative: Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up
  11. No.8: What Have I Do To Do With Thee?
  12. No.9: Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
  13. No.10: As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth
  14. No.11: Baal, We Cry To Thee: Hear And Answer Us!
  15. No.12: Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!
  16. No.13: Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not!
  17. No.14: Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel!
  18. No.15: Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
  19. No.16: O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits
  20. No.17: Is Not His Word Like A Fire?
  21. No.18: Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!
  22. No.19: O Man Of God, Help Thy People!
  23. No.20: Thanks Be To God!

Tracks:

  1. No.21: Hear Ye, Israel; Hear What The Lord Speaketh
  2. No.22: Be Not Afraid, Saith God The Lord
  3. No.23: The Lord Hath Exalted Thee
  4. No.24: Woe To Him, He Shall Perish
  5. No.25: Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious
  6. No.26: It Is Enough; O Lord Now Take My Life
  7. No.27: See, Now He Sleepeth
  8. No.28: Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
  9. No.29: He, Watching Over Israel, Slumbers Not
  10. No.30: Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey
  11. No.31: O Rest In The Lord
  12. No.32: He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
  13. No.33: Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord!
  14. No.34: Behold! God The Lord Passed By!
  15. No.35: Above Him Stood The Seraphim
  16. No.36: Go, Return Upon Thy Way
  17. No.37: For The Mountains Shall Depart
  18. No.38: Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth
  19. No.39: Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth
  20. No.40: Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah
  21. No.41: But The Lord, From The North Hath Raised One
  22. No.41a: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
  23. No.42: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Wonderful, but not my first choice.......2007-04-07

I believe this was the first recording of Elijah in English that used an "international" conductor and some international singers. Fruhbeck gives a good, dramatic sweep to the piece, with some wonderful dramatic moments. This is an old fashioned performance, with only a solo quartet, and if there is a semi-chorus, I can't tell the difference. This means that the soprano is the Widow, and an Angel, the mezzo the Angel and Queen Jezabel, etc. You really should have a libretto, but you don't get one at this price.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.

5 out of 5 stars THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever..........2006-08-15

Okay, I'm gonna admit I'm biased- I first sung in the chorus of Elijah when I was 14 and it made a BIG impression on me!
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.

That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.

All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.

4 out of 5 stars Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah.......2006-07-03

This is a good recording of an oratorio that deserves more attention. The chorus and soloists are very good--I just wish Fischer-Diskau wouldn't slide around so much in singing the title part!
Forty Words For Fear
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • For whom Bell tolls
  • Awesome album
  • The Moment and the Music
  • Madison Bell's marvellously moody blues
  • Some early reviews for Forty Words For Fear
 Forty Words For Fear
Madison Smartt Bell and Wyn Cooper
Manufacturer: Gaff Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00009MGOW
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

  1. On 8 Mile
  2. Horses Run Fast
  3. Room Full of Tears
  4. The Here Below
  5. Under Her Spell
  6. Blue Nun
  7. Gaposis
  8. What God Had Up His Sleeve
  9. Girl In The Black Raincoat
  10. Too Late
  11. 3 Wrongs
  12. Anything Goes
  13. Wave Goodbye

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars For whom Bell tolls.......2003-08-08

Author Madison Smartt Bell has more than proven himself in the literary world. But music? Can he pull it off, or should he be politely - but firmly - reminded to stick to his first profession? Answer -- He does pull it off, and in spades. "Forty Words for Fear" is full of brooding, quirky late night music that comes over as a sort of cross between Leonard Cohen and James McMurtry with a slight Southern Gothic vibe. Produced with contemporary legend Don Dixon and featuring a host of nifty instrumental touches, Forty Words is the perfect soundtrack for your next clandestine meeting at your favorite dive down the street.

Oh, and to the two previous reviewers -- Why post a 1-star review if you haven't even heard the CD? And doesn't your computer run Real Player? I had no trouble listening to samples (although I already own the CD).

5 out of 5 stars Awesome album.......2003-08-07

I read about this album in Esquire and immediately ordered it.
Since then, I have played it on the average of once per day (for about 4 weeks now) and many days are above that average.
First, the sound of the album -- haunting, bluesy, original -- really struck me. Then I started listening to the lyrics.
"On Eight Mile" is about a man dealing with his woman who happens to be a stripper. He says, "Nothing will sway her the way she sways on stage".
This is just an example of the smartt (all puns intended) lyrics.

Don't be afraid. Take a risk. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars The Moment and the Music.......2003-06-24

Wyn Cooper's poem "Fun" became Sheryl Crow's hit song "All I Wanna Do", and while that collaboration between a poet and a pop star might have aged into a mere footnote in the history of popular music, Wyn Cooper and his collaborator on "Forty Words For Fear", the novelist Madison Smartt Bell, demonstrate that the marriage of poetry and pop isn't a fluke -- it's a bold new direction that could rescue popular music from a dull and tawdry irrelevance while bringing the voice of a robust American poetry to an audience that's ready to listen. There's nothing new to setting poetry to music, but what Bell and Cooper achieve in this work with the help of Mitch Easter, Don Dixon and Jim Brock is a true marriage, in which the poetry and music reinforce each other, but remain distinct and better for having gotten to know one another. The album is full of invigorating tension between Bell's roughly sprawled and groaning vocals and Cooper's precisely articulated spoken tracks, between the staccato percussion and the thoughtful instrumentation, and in its best moments, the album reminds us of the poignant gap between our highest aspirations and our darkest failures.
In "Horses Run Fast" Cooper and Bell trade off lead vocals, echoing one another in a sharp contrast of phrasing and tone that shows both performers to their best advantage. Bell's voice is like a rich course in a meal served across hours of stimulating conversation, while Cooper's vocals serve as the sherbet that cleanses the musical palate and allows the coming flavors their full expression.
Cooper's lyric for the album's opening track, "On 8 Mile" -- from a poem predating the eminem film by a considerable margin -- perfectly captures the awkward artificiality of the strip club, and unmasks the club's atmospheric pretensions to reveal the simple desire for a human connection that draws many men to the experience. Bell's weary baritone lets you hear every minute of every hour spent in each club, where you can measure the time in cigarettes, and Cooper's lyrics tell you why you might keep going back for more.
The influences on this album are numerous, as the tracks swing through pop, jazz, rock, blues and folk, blending the work into a stew that delights as it surprises, wielding a broad musical palette even as Cooper's lyrics take us on a tour of more than a dozen characters, people we all recognize because we've seen each of them in a mirror at one time or another. Cooper and Bell are giving a voice to America, and you'd better pay attention.

5 out of 5 stars Madison Bell's marvellously moody blues.......2003-06-21

Madison Bell, a fabulous & favorite short storyist, novelist and critic has communicated his lushly literate sensibilities into the musical medium seamlessly, and this sultry album is simultaneously provocative of thought and feeling. Leonard Cohen qualities abound. Beautifully done, MSB and Gaff Music!

5 out of 5 stars Some early reviews for Forty Words For Fear.......2003-06-21

I had a hand in making this CD, so I won't post any of my thoughts. But here are some of the early reviews:

Esquire - July 2003:

7 Ways To Be Entertained in July
Obscure Southern Record Of The Month.

"We tend to be skeptical of actors who try to write or singers who try to act or, frankly, anyone who parlays success at one art form into a stab at another. So when novelist Madison Smartt Bell e-mailed us about his debut album, Forty Words For Fear, with Wyn Cooper, we didn't expect much. We were wrong. This is sonic moonshine - weird, bluesy, and not a little bit ragged. But it will get you where you're going."

Philadelphia Weekly - June 18, 2003:

"...a bluesy, dusky rock record called Forty Words for Fear. Think Tom Waits with adenoids.

Creative Loafing, Charlotte - June 18, 2003:

"...a unique triumph. A brooding collection of late night music for fans of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen or James McMurtry, the CD impresses with its devilishly playful vibe and engaging musicianship."

You won't be disappointed.
Love and Other 4 Letter Words
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Love and Other 4 Letter Words
    Billi & Patti
    Manufacturer: Billi/Patti
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B00066FNXM
    Release Date: 2004-05-11

    Tracks:

    1. Believe in Change
    2. Love Is the Key
    3. Three Little Angels
    4. Send Me an Angel
    5. I Love You
    6. Forever Last
    7. Let Me Love You
    8. Walkin' the Line
    9. Dancin' in the Rain
    10. Reminds Me of You (Mom)
    11. Ordinary Woman
    12. In the Name of Love
    13. Remember Me, Remember You
    14. Until There Is a Cure
    The Complete Psalms of David (Limited Edition) (Box Set)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		The Complete Psalms of David (Limited Edition) (Box Set)

      Manufacturer: Priory Records UK
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      Smith, John StaffordSmith, John Stafford | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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      ASIN: B000003WJ3
      Release Date: 1996-10-15
      Hope & Gentle Fear
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Hope & Gentle Fear
        The Reason Why
        Manufacturer: nafka mina records
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000CAKFNU
        Release Date: 2005-05-24

        Tracks:

        1. Call Home
        2. At the End of The
        3. Be
        4. Be There @ 3
        5. Hope and Gentle Fear (Parts I, II & III)
        6. Koh Phangan
        7. Collage
        8. Fall
        9. One Scene in Particular
        10. Reminiscing About the Times We Used to Look Ahead
        11. Last Thing That You Want to Do
        12. Of Neglect
        Fear of Words
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		Fear of Words

          Manufacturer: Something Stranger
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
          ASIN: B000CAGS86
          Release Date: 2001-01-02
          Speed Of Passing Time
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            		Speed Of Passing Time

            Manufacturer: Capstone
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            TriosTrios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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            PercussionPercussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
            CompilationsCompilations | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
            ASIN: B00005NNEV
            Release Date: 2001-08-28

            Tracks:

            1. Fugue
            2. Okho
            3. Coming Together
            4. Fear Of Dancing
            5. Interchange: Intro & Vars
            6. Interchange: Scherzo
            7. Interchange: Canzonetta
            8. Interchange: Rondo
            Urban Cabaret
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              		Urban Cabaret

              Manufacturer: Neuma
              ProductGroup: Music
              Binding: Audio CD

              Eisler, HannsEisler, Hanns | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
              All Works by SchoenbergAll Works by Schoenberg | Schoenberg, Arnold | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
              Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
              SonatasSonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
              Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
              GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
              ASIN: B000005VX6
              Release Date: 1995-12-13

              Amazon.com

              An evocative series of cabaret songs by the notorious Viennese modernist Schoenberg and the celebrated theatrical team of Hans Eisler and Bertolt Brecht. The disc is titled Urban Cabaret, signifying, of course, the incipient terror of 1920s and 1930s Berlin that lurked behind the genre's decadent camp; but the soprano, Maria Tegzes, is never heavy-handed. These wry and felt performances illustrate both the playful levity of Schoenberg's music--usually ignored--and Eisler's careful artistry. --Joshua Cody

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