Ophelia

Amazon.com
Miss Natalie needs to lighten up. Ophelia's a pretty heavy record, in terms of both the thick, string-heavy production and in terms of her protracted, pretentious songs. Merchant has a beautiful voice but she bogs it down with weighty themes that walk around in flashy clothes without going anywhere. She's even got, gulp, Tibetan lyric translations on "Effigy." It's telling that the best track here is the simplest--a lovely reading of an 1887 parlour hymn, "When They Ring The Golden Bells." Its genteel acoustic backdrop perfectly sets off Merchant's voice--and its the only time she sings with a passion that doesn't feel pretended. Guests include Daniel Lanois and The Innocence Mission. --Michael Ruby

Rolling Stone
... Ophelia devotes itself to one quality above all else: the unstructured luxury of Merhcant's sound...[A] deliberate, depressed aural landscape--underlaid with acute singer/songwriter rhythms....

Ophelia

Ophelia,Natalie Merchant,Elektra / Wea,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Ophelia

Average customer rating: A Great Album, Not A Downer... Dark is not always pretentious. her best album to date Too Sad OPHELIA

Ophelia Natalie Merchant Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Trueists | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tigerlily Motherland Our Time in Eden The House Carpenter's Daughter In My Tribe ASIN: B000006OAM Release Date: 1998-05-19

Tracks:

1. Ophelia
2. Life Is Sweet
3. Kind & Generous
4. Frozen Charlotte
5. My Skin
6. Break Your Heart
7. King Of May
8. Thick As Thieves
9. Effigy
10. The Living
11. When They Ring The Golden Bells

Amazon.com

Miss Natalie needs to lighten up. Ophelia's a pretty heavy record, in terms of both the thick, string-heavy production and in terms of her protracted, pretentious songs. Merchant has a beautiful voice but she bogs it down with weighty themes that walk around in flashy clothes without going anywhere. She's even got, gulp, Tibetan lyric translations on "Effigy." It's telling that the best track here is the simplest--a lovely reading of an 1887 parlour hymn, "When They Ring The Golden Bells." Its genteel acoustic backdrop perfectly sets off Merchant's voice--and its the only time she sings with a passion that doesn't feel pretended. Guests include Daniel Lanois and The Innocence Mission. --Michael Ruby

Customer Reviews:

A Great Album, Not A Downer..........2007-05-10

Ophelia is Natalie Merchant's sophomore solo CD. This recording differs from TigerLily in that the record label had greater control of the content and players than the singer would have liked -- leading to her break with Elektra. It also marks the debut of Graham Maby on Electric Guitar; he later goes on to record Motherland and The House Carpenter's Daughter with Merchant.

Pete Yanowitz plays drums on TigerLily and Ophelia but was replaced by Matt Chamberlain on Motherland; Allison Miller subsumed Chamberlain's role on The House Carpenter's Daughter. Similar shifts with Natalie's guitarists -- Graham Maby strumming alongside Craig Ross and Todd Vos -- occur on this album. Guest musicians like Lokua Kanza, Daniel Lanois, and Don & Karen Peris accompany Merchant just this once.

Her lush songs on Ophelia received wide radio airplay, including Break Your Heart, Kind & Generous, Life Is Sweet, and a truncated version of the eponymous title track. Her shuffling of musicians after Ophelia's release also marked a turn away from commercialism towards the purely artistic for Merchant -- a move welcomed by fans, but probably not her business managers.

Essentially, Merchant's best tracks on Ophelia are the ones where she does more than sing. She prods her wurlitzer on the melodic Frozen Charlotte (Track Four) and introduces discord to the chorus. Michelle Kinney's cello and the singer's piano accompaniment on My Skin (Track Five) also underscore the beauty of Merchant's lyrics. I also enjoyed Jay Brunga's acoustic bass on My Skin.

Lanois's aching, bleeding, crying, wounded electric guitar on Thick as Thieves is transformative, appearing in the bridge and twisting the track's conclusion into an entirely different song. Yanowitz offers up delicate drums that back Merchant's smooth voice brilliantly here; her keyboard skills are confident and introspective, in perfect counterpoint to the guitars. Michelle Kinney's cello is difficult to pick out but beautiful to absorb.

I thought Effigy (Track Nine) was interesting; I enjoyed Merchant's styling on the hammond and wurlitzer, but found the Tibetan chanting to be overwrought. I likewise thought The Living (Track Ten) was great; I'd love to hear Kid Rock tackle a cover of this song. When They Ring the Golden Bells, a French funeral song from 1887, was a strangely fitting closing number.

All of Ophelia's eleven songs were thoughtfully recorded at Talking Dwarf Studios in Little Valley, New York. The orchestral reprise of the title track performed by Fretwork is a bonus track recorded at Air Studios in London, United Kingdom. Overall, this is just a gorgeous album. You can tell Merchant's band invested a sufficient amount of effort, emotion, energy, and feeling into these songs.

Dark is not always pretentious........2007-05-04

Some critics have claimed that Ophelia is a pretentious and depressing album. I don't see the pretense in it; these songs are hardly as preachy as some of Natalie's from her 10,000 Maniacs days. Yes, the songs are for the most part gloomy (putting aside "Kind and Generous") but it is in keeping with the title of the album-- OPHELIA.
Natalie's work has always been low-key. If you accept that, you can appreciate this as a beautiful and compelling album. Best songs are My Skin, Kind and Generous (let's not be so cynical), Thick as Thieves, and Ophelia. But all are well crafted and worth listening to. Definitely stronger than Tigerlily.

her best album to date.......2007-03-11

I consider Ophelia the best album by Natalie Merchant; every song is a masterwork, the general sound of the album is really fascinating; I love it; songs like Ophelia, Kind & generous, Break your heart, King of May and Life is sweet are really unforgettable, after you've listened to them.
thanks Natalie.

Too Sad.......2007-03-01

I love KIND AND GENEROUS and THE GOLDEN BELLS, but otherwise, the songs on this album plod along - too sad and heavy! They are so similar to one another and soooooooo melancholy. Very disappointing! NM has such a beautiful voice, but it is torture to listen to this album.

OPHELIA.......2006-10-03

NATALIE MERCHANT's OPHELIA is one of the most lyrically cohesive CD's in popular music today. It features guest vocalists and an incomparable instrumental accompaniment. OPHELIA spans the gamut of joyous celebration to the depths of alienation and depression. The title track tells of a woman who seeks validation in external realities, from politics to romance--only to be left wandering alone in the corridors of her mind. My Skin describes human sensitivity that has been denied beyond the point of endurance. This theme is emphasized in Effigy in which the persona is equated to social self-immolation. Tibetan born Akiko Yano whose cameo sends shivers up the charkas.

Tigerlily

Average customer rating: 10 best albums ever God, I love this album Best IG Album by Far Still amazing after all these years.... A CD so good I've bought it thrice!

Swamp Ophelia Indigo Girls Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Rites of Passage Shaming of the Sun Indigo Girls Become You 1200 Curfews ASIN: B0000029EV Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

1. Fugitive
2. Least Complicated
3. Language Or The Kiss
4. Reunion
5. Power Of Two
6. Touch Me Fall
7. The Wood Song
8. Mystery
9. Dead Man's Hill
10. Fare Thee Well
11. This Train Revised

Amazon.com essential recording

Reflecting the growth Amy Ray and Emily Saliers experienced during the late '80s and early '90s as songwriters and as performers, Swamp Ophelia finds the duo feeling more experimental, and also more relaxed. Guests like Lisa Germano (violin, mandolin), Jane Scarpantoni (cello), and Jane Siberry (vocals) assist in creating a satisfying and full sound. Songs like the romantic "Power of Two" and Amy's solo venture "Fare Thee Well" would do Jackson Browne proud. The Roches add a lovely vocal layer to "Reunion," and bongos and percussion give the bouncy "Least Complicated" an interesting texture. The darker tones of "Dead Man's Hill," with its haunting melodica and tom-toms, provide needed contrast to the lighter moods in the collection. Their harmonies are a delight, and the closer, "This Train (Revised)," is a wonderful, energetic nod to Woody Guthrie.--Lorry Fleming

Customer Reviews:

10 best albums ever.......2007-06-29

The Indigo Girls have consistently churned out great album after great album throughout their career, but Swamp Ophelia holds as their best album. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have very distinct writing styles, yet each serves as a compliment to the other. Amy's guts as a vocalist and a songwriter shine on "Reunion" & "Fugitive". Emily's gift of melodic guitar and intricate harmonies flow on "Mystery" & "Least Complicated". On Swamp Ophelia, the diverse writing styles of the girls is blended seamlessly from track to track. Swamp Ophelia's showcases are "The Wood Song" & "This Train Revisited" - two songs that couldn't be more different, more powerful, nor more perfect to represent their writers and the glorious album they appear on. Amy & Emily, thank you both for the wonderful music you create & thank you for this classic album.

God, I love this album.......2007-02-10

I rediscovered this record while I was studying for an exam. I'd forgotten how textured and yet melodic it is. Truly one of their very best; they haven't rocked this hard since then. (No, the forgettable "Despite Our Differences" doesn't count.) Who can forget the insane rockout on "Touch Me Fall" and the wonderful "This Train Revised"? Then there are the classics "Least Complicated" and "Power of Two". Pure perfection.

Best IG Album by Far.......2006-02-10

I own every Indigo Girls album there is and this is by far my favorite. When I got my first CD player in high school this was the first CD I got for it and it is unbelieveable. The music is just beautiful and the lyrics absolutely inspired. My particular favorite:

But what it takes to cross the great divide
Seems more than all the courage I can muster up inside
But we will get to have some answers
When we reach the other side
The prize is always worth the rocky ride.

The Wood Song was one of our graduation songs and the lyrics are just magical. I could listen to this CD every day and never get tired of it over 10 years later.

Still amazing after all these years...........2005-12-08

There are some albums that just define a period of your life, and "Swamp Ophelia" takes me back. I cannot believe it's been over a decade since its realease! It still sounds bright and fresh to me, even though I can sing the entire album by heart (and do. Loudly). "Least Complicated", "Power of Two," "Mystery," and "Language or the Kiss" are all standouts, but my favorite is definitely "The Wood Song" -

"What it takes to cross the great divide seems more than all the courage I can muster up inside
But you get to have some answers when you reach the other side
The prize is always worth the rocky ride."

If you want to own an IG album, check this one out. It might not be loaded with the hits of some earlier releases, but I think you'll find yourself falling in love. It just works so well as a whole - a beautiful melding of talents and songs.

A CD so good I've bought it thrice!.......2004-09-27

(I'm not a kid; I'm 25). This is the only CD I've been willing to pay for 3 times. (My first copy was stolen and the second I lost in a move). I have been listening to Indigo Girls for 9 years now, and this is still my favorite album by them. You will revel in the depth and texture of the lyrics.

Average customer rating: Excellent Shostakovich recital

Shostakovich: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2; Seven Romances Manufacturer: Warner Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Beaux Arts Trio | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Brahms: Cello Sonatas Mendelssohn: Trio No. 1; Dvorák: Dumky Trio Antonín Dvorák: Complete Piano Trios Intimate Voices Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No1, Op107; Violin Concerto No1 (revised), Op99 ASIN: B000BMGFBK Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

1. Piano Trio No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 8
2. Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 67
3. Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok, Op. 127*

Album Description

The C Minor Piano Trio was composed in 1923 when Shostakovich was 17 years old and the most brilliant student at the Petrograd Conservatory. Shostakovich tried to avoid the sound of 19th-century piano trios and to create original music for a post-Revolutionary society.

The E Minor Piano Trio begun in 1943 immediately after Shostakovich had completed his 7th and 8th symphonies. The finale is grim and disturbing, using Jewish idioms as symbols of oppression and victimhood. The ending is still, like a mass grave.

In the final work, Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok, the first three songs are accompanied by solo instruments, the next three by duets, and the last song by all three instruments playing together. In this recording the soloist is Joan Rodgers, one of Britain’s best-loved singers.

The Beaux Arts Trio celebrated a highly successful 50th Anniversary Season in 2004-2005. Pianist and founding member Menahem Pressler and his colleagues, violinist Daniel Hope and cellist Antonio Meneses, continue to ignite overwhelming enthusiasm from audiences around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Shostakovich recital.......2006-02-24

This is an excellent new release from the Beaux Arts Trio. Shostakovich's early and rarely heard Piano Trio #1 was written at age 17 while the composer was still a student. Extremely accessible and enjoyable, the music shows the composer's trademark wit and satire with none of the crushing emotional distress that imbues nearly every one of his mature masterpieces. The Piano Trio #2 is among Shostakovich's most anguished works. The intensity of Shostakovich's own 1946 recording with Oistrakh and Sadlo (essential listening despite the gritty sound quality) derives in large part from its fury and hysteria. This new Beaux Arts Trio recording approaches the work differently, adopting slightly more deliberate tempos that emphasize the gravity and despair of the occasion. There is less frenzy but more exploration of Shostakovich's wide range of dark shadows, and the drama is chillingly sinister. Listeners familiar with the Beaux Arts Trio will not be surprised by the superlative level of musicianship evidenced here. The players' individual contributions could easily be extolled at length, but the real joy of the group-in concert and on record-is the unbeatable sense of ensemble. The playing is inspired, organic, and intuitive from the first bar, but listen especially to the ominous piano chords in the Largo or the impassioned string duet in the central section of the finale (starting around 5'35). The Seven Romances are haunting and sparsely written, with extensive solo passages for each instrument. Joan Rodgers' singing elegantly conveys the work's desolation and sense of mystery. The whole disc is heartily recommended for the quality playing, choice of repertoire, and clarity of sound.

Average customer rating: Incredible renditions of Cage piano pieces

Daughters of the Lonesome Isle Manufacturer: New Albion Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Cage, John | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Litania - Margaret Leng Tan plays Somei Satoh John Cage - The Seasons / Leng Tan, Russell Davies, et al ASIN: B000000R3U Release Date: 1994-10-18

Tracks:

1. Bacchanale
2. In A Landscape
3. Daughter Of The Lonesome Isle
4. The Seasons: Prelude I
5. The Seasons: Winter
6. The Seasons: Prelude II
7. The Seasons: Spring
8. The Seasons: Prelude III
9. The Seasons: Summer
10. The Seasons: Prelude IV
11. The Seasons: Fall
12. The Seasons: Finale (Prelude I)
13. Suite For Toy Piano: 1
14. Suite For Toy Piano: 2
15. Suite For Toy Piano: 3
16. Suite For Toy Piano: 4
17. Suite For Toy Piano: 5
18. Ophelia
19. In The Name Of The Holocaust: A
20. In The Name Of The Holocaust: B
21. Music For Piano #2

Customer Reviews:

Incredible renditions of Cage piano pieces.......1999-12-22

Margaret Leng Tan, the pianist on this album, knew and played for John Cage himself for more than a decade. The insight that comes with such a relationship with the composer shines through on this album. I can scarcely imagine better versions of these wonderful piano pieces. The pieces span a variety of types of pianos (prepared piano, toy piano, regular piano, bowed piano) and moods. From the incredibly beautiful ("In a Landscape" is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard) to the aggressive ("Ophelia") to the minimalist ("Music for Piano #2), this album spans quite a bit of the possibilities for piano music. I highly recommend it, but should caution you that you must have an open mind to enjoy this--this could be unlike you might have heard a piano played before (or imagined it could be played). If you like this, I recommend "The Perilous Night/Four Walls," which also has Margaret Leng Tan playing piano.

Average customer rating:

Norena Manufacturer: Nimbus ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Thomas | Thomas, Ambroise | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B00000E0DH Release Date: 1991-01-01

Tracks:

1. Guglielmo Tell: Cavatina
2. Le Nozze Di Figaro: Viens Cher Amant
3. Le Coq D'Or: Hymne Au Soleil
4. Turandot: Tanto Amore Segreto
5. Die Zauberflote: Pamina' s Aria
6. Otello: Ave Maria
7. La Traviata: Sempre Libera
8. Clair De Lune
9. Apres Un Reve
10. Ser
11. Chanson Du Papillon
12. Faust, The Jewel Song
13. Rigoletto, Caro Nome
14. Hamlet, Ophelia's Aria
15. Carmen, Micaela's Aria
16. Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Avec De La Tendresse
17. Atalanta: Care Selve
18. Vaaren

Average customer rating: A treasure in the Brahms lieder catalog Some of Brahms' best by an incomparable singer Wonderful ESSENTIAL

Jessye Norman - Brahms: Lieder / Barenboim Johannes Brahms , Daniel Barenboim , and Jessye Norman Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Norman, Jessye | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Anne Sofie von Otter - Johannes Brahms Lieder Brahms: Lieder [Box Set] Strauss: Four Last Songs/Songs With Orchestra Brahms: Deutsche Volkslieder; Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Richard Strauss Lieder ASIN: B00003ZA2A Release Date: 2000-03-14

Tracks:

1. Sechs Gesange Op.3: 1. Liebestreu
2. Sechs Gesange Op.6: 1. Spanisches Lied
3. Sechs Gesange Op.7: 5. Die Schmied
4. Funf Gedichte Op.19: 4. Der Schmied
5. Funf Lieder Op.47: 5. Die Liebende schreibt
6. Sieben Lieder Op.48: 3. Liebeskiage des Madchens
7. Sieben Lieder Op.48: 4. Gold uberwiegt die Liebe
8. Lieder und Gesange Op.57: 1. Von waldbekranzter Hohe
9. Lieder und Gesange Op.59: 5. Agnes
10. Lieder und Gesange Op.59: 8. Dein Blaues Auge halt so still
11. Lieder und Gesange Op.59: Regenlied WoO post.23
12. Funf Lieder WoO post.22 (Ophelia-Lieder)_: 1. Wie erkenn' ich dein Treulieb
13. Funf Lieder WoO post.22 (Ophelia-Lieder)_: 2. Sein Leichenhemd, weiss wie Schnee
14. Funf Lieder WoO post.22 (Ophelia-Lieder)_: 3. Auf morgen ist Sankt Valentins Tag
15. 4. Sie trugen ihn auf der Bahre bloss
16. 5. Und kommt er nicht mehr zuruck
17. Neun Gesandge Op.69: 1. Klage 2 - Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da
18. Neun Gesandge Op.69: 2. Klage 2 - o Felsen, lieber Felsen
19. Neun Gesandge Op.69: 4. Des Liebsten Schwur
20. 6. Vom Strande
21. 8. Salome
22. 9. Madchenfluch
23. Funf Gesange Op.72: 1. Alte Liebe
24. Romanzen und Lieder Op.84_: 1. Sommerabend
25. Romanzen und Lieder Op.84_: 2. Der Kranz
26. Romanzen und Lieder Op.84_: 3. In den Beeren
27. Romanzen und Lieder Op.84: 4. Vergebliches Standchen
28. 5. Spannung
29. Sechs Lieder Op.85: Madchenlied - Ach, und du men kuhles Wasser!

Tracks:

1. Sechs Lieder Op.86: 1. Therese
2. Sechs Lieder Op.86: 6. Todessehnen
3. Zwei Gesange Op.91: 1. Gestillte Sehnsucht
4. Zwei Gesange Op.91: 2. Geistliches Wiegenlied
5. Funf Lieder Op.94: 4. Sapphische Ode
6. Sieben Lieder Op.95: 1. Das Madchen
7. Sieben Lieder Op.95: 4. Der Jager
8. Sieben Lieder Op.95: 5. Borschneller Schwur
9. Sieben Lieder Op.95: 6. Madchenlied
10. Sechs Lieder Op.97: 4. Dort in den Weiden
11. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 1. He, Zigeuner, greife in die Saiten ein!
12. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 2. Hochgeturmte Rimaflut
13. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 3. Wisst ihr, wann mein Kindchen
14. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 4. Lieber Gott, du weisst
15. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 5. Brauner Bursche fuhrt zum Tanze
16. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 6. Roslein dreie in der Reihe
17. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 7. Kopmmt dir manchmal in den Sinn
18. Zigeunerlieder Op.103: 11. Rote Abendwolken ziehn
19. Funf Lieder P.105: 1. Wie melodien zieht es
20. Funf Lieder P.105: 2. Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer
21. Funf Lieder P.105: Klage
22. Funf Lieder op.107: Das Madchen spricht
23. Funf Lieder op.107: 5. Madchenlied - Wuf die nacht in der Spinnstub'n

Customer Reviews:

A treasure in the Brahms lieder catalog.......2006-09-29

Acclaimed as she was as a lieder singer, Jessye Norman showed a special affinity for Brahms. She made no less than three complete recitals of his songs, more than any other singer I can remember except Fischer-Dieskau. Not every lied is a mstepiece, and most are either folk-based or imitate folksongs in their simple strophic design. This can make for tiring listening after ten songs or so, but Norman's plush voice is to richly suited to Brahms's romanticism that it's hard to pull away.

Her initial recital on Philips with Geoffrey Parsons (1980) was a greatest hits collection, and Norman was wise not to overlap too many on her later two recitals with Barenboim. She was rather grand on that first disc. Here, she sings with great delicacy and sensitivty. In many ways this is her best Lieder recording, despite the unevenness of the material. Don't expect Mainacht or the famous lullabye or Von ewiger liebe. And I wouldn't advise anyone to tr and listen to this two-fer straight through. That said, Barenboim equals Norman in his artistry, so all told, this release is a treasure.

Some of Brahms' best by an incomparable singer.......2006-01-25

Ask someone about Lieder, meaning basically German "art songs"
and he or she will immediately think of Schubert or perhaps
Schumann. Brahms is just not that well known for his songs,
and it's a shame because they are among his best works.

Jessye Norman is famous for her artistry in Lieder; I still
recall hearing her in recital over twenty years ago. This is
a fabulous recording; you will fall in love with most of these
songs on first hearing. As a bonus, the two record set actually
includes full texts and translations. whereas the trend
these days is to omit those and you're lucky if the company
offers them "on line". This is among the most treasured recordings in my
huge collection. Don't miss it!

Wonderful.......2002-12-24

This is a wonderful album and should be in the collection of everyone who cares about Lieder. I use to study how she works her magic with a song, and it is worth digging into a single piece to see how she does it.

ESSENTIAL.......2000-07-12

I have been waiting for years for this two CD set to be released. I have had the recording on vinyl since the 80's and, for whatever reason, DGG did not release it on CD til very recently. For fans of Brahms' songs (there are 52 of them here), for fans of Jessye Norman's magnificent soprano, for fans of Daniel Barenboim's pianism, this is an essential album. To make it even more enticing, the price, online, is quite low.

Average customer rating:

Grant Johannesen Performs Rare Russian Repertoire Manufacturer: Bonneville / Bwe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Tangos | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music ASIN: B00000587B Release Date: 1996-09-03

Average customer rating: An Interesting GG Set...

Richard Strauss: Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67; Enoch Arden, Op. 38; Piano Sonata, Op. 5; 5 Piano Pieces, Op. 3 Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Gould, Glenn | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Grieg, Bizet, Sibelius: Piano Works Hindemith: Das Marienleben; Krenek & Strauss: Lieder Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll; Gould: Transcriptions from Wagner's 'Die Meistersinger' & 'Götterdämmerung' Glenn Gould Edition: String Quartet, Op. 1 Schoenberg: Piano Works ASIN: B0000028O4 Release Date: 1992-11-10

Tracks:

1. Ophelia - Lieder, Op. 67: No. 1: Wie erkenn ich mein Treulieb?
2. Ophelia - Lieder, Op. 67: No. 2: Guten Morgen, 's ist Sankt Valentinstag
3. Ophelia - Lieder, Op. 67: No. 3 Sie trugen ihn auf der Bahre bloss
4. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part One: Prelude. Andante
5. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part One: 'So these were wed'
6. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part One: Allegro appassionato
7. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part One: Tranquillo
8. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part One: Annie's dream. Langsam
9. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part Two: Prelude. Allegro moderato
10. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part Two: 'Thus over Enoch's early - silvering head'
11. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part Two: Allegro agitato
12. Enoch Arden, Op. 38: Part Two: Langsam

Tracks:

1. Piano Sonata In B Minor, Op. 5: Allegro molto appassionato
2. Piano Sonata In B Minor, Op. 5: Adagio cantabile
3. Piano Sonata In B Minor, Op. 5: Scherzo. Presto - Trio: Un poco piu lento
4. Piano Sonata In B Minor, Op. 5: Finale: Allegretto vivo
5. Five Piano Pieces, Op. 3: No. 1: Andante
6. Five Piano Pieces, Op. 3: No. 2: Allegro vivace scherzando
7. Five Piano Pieces, Op. 3: No. 3: Largo
8. Five Piano Pieces, Op. 3: No. 4: Allegro molto
9. Five Piano Pieces, Op. 3: No. 5: Allegro marcatissimo

Amazon.com

This pairing of Glenn Gould and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is an essential asset to the collection of any lover of the vocal repertoire. Strauss's "Ophelia" suggests that the last word on German lied had not yet been sounded by the 20th century. Gould's interpretation is not, of course, lushly romantic; it's endowed with his unmistakable, brilliant clarity, and casts a new light. As always, to hear Gould tackle any repertoire remains astonishing. --Joshua Cody

Customer Reviews:

An Interesting GG Set..........2004-05-11

Tennyson's Enoch Arden, edited and set for recital with musical interludes. I've always liked Claude Rains; and, needless to say, GG is superb here: my only complaint is rather in the form of a wish or suggestion: I wish GG (or Sony) had simply released GG playing Strauss' music without recitation. Why? While Rains is great, and the poem is nice--a few times around--it later wears thin: its dated Victorian sentimentality. We end up hearing more Rains and Tennyson than GG and Strauss. Still, this is a unique and interesting performance; and GG's realization of Strauss' piano music is scintillating. The earlier Piano Sonata is great, as well as the Klavierstucke.

GG's collaboration with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is infamous. GG always admired Dame Liz; and he wanted to record many lieder with her (viz., Schoenberg's, Hindemith's, etc.). The problem was this: Gould wanted to lead in the aesthetic realization of any collaboration. He was able to do so with Menuin, Laredo, and some lesser vocalists, etc.; however, Schwarzkopf was not to be outdone: she was already a great and respected soloist, and she found GG's eccentric vision for realization too unusual. Indeed, she took offense at GG's playing of the songs. So, after a few cuts, the session was called off short--and that was that. Well, what can one say? Sometimes great minds don't always work well together.

Average customer rating: Scarlatti and CPE Bach really sparkle. GG at his best Insight into the real Glenn Gould Gould's 2nd Italian Concerto Recording This CD opened Glenn Gould for me the great glenn gould

The Glenn Gould Silver Jubilee Album Johann Sebastian Bach , Domenico Scarlatti , Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach , Glenn Gould , Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin , Ludwig van Beethoven , Vladimir Golschmann , Elisabeth Schwarzkopf , Juilliard Quartet , Elizabeth Benson-Guy , Charles Brezzler , Anita Darian , Margaret Pacsu , and Byron Rossiter Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Carl Philipp Emman. Bach | Bach, Carl Philipp Emman. | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Glenn Gould | Gould, Glenn | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Domenico Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Domenico | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Scriabin, Alexander | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Scriabin, Alexander | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Gould, Glenn | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: French Suites - 70th Anniversary Edition Glenn Gould Plays Bach & Scarlatti Gould Meets Menuhin Live in Salzburg & Moscow Glenn Gould Edition: Chopin / Mendelssohn / Scriabin / Prokofiev ASIN: B00000C28N Release Date: 1998-09-22

Tracks:

1. Italian Concerto In F Major, BWV 971
2. Italian Concerto In F Major, BWV 971: Andante
3. Italian Concerto In F Major, BWV 971: Presto
4. Sonata In D Major, K. 430 (L. 463): Non presto ma a tempo di ballo - D. Scarlatti
5. Sonata In D Minor, K. 9 (L. 413): Allegro - D. Scarlatti
6. Sonata In G Minor, K. 13 (L. 486): Presto - D. Scarlatti
7. Wurttermberg Sonata No. 1 In A Minor, Wq. 49 (H. 30): I. Moderato
8. Wurttemberg Sonata No. 1 In A Minor, Wq. 49 (H. 30): II. Andante
9. Wurttemberg Sonata No. 1 In A Minor, Wq. 49 (H. 30): III. Allegro assai
10. So You Want to Write a Fugue?
11. Deux morceaux, Op. 57: Desire
12. Deux morceaux, Op. 57: Danced Caress
13. Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67: Nr. 1: Wie erkenn ich meni Treulieb?
14. Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67: Nr. 2: Gutten Morge, 's ist Sankt Valentinstag
15. Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67: Nr. 3: Sie trugen ihn auf der Bahre bloss
16. Symphony No. 6 In F Major, Op. 68, 'Pastorale': I. Allegro - Beethoven

Tracks:

1. A Glenn Gould Fantasy
2. Critics' Call-Out Corner

Amazon.com

Originally released in 1980, the Gould Silver Jubilee Album brought together unreleased odds and ends culled from Gould's recording sessions. They have since been spread across Sony's Glenn Gould Edition. A Glenn Gould Fantasy, a comic discussion involving Gould's character-voice alter egos bantering back and forth, appears on CD for the first time, along with Critics Call-Out Corner. The humor is stilted, contrived, and interesting only to true believers. Likewise, a previously unreleased 1981 Bach Italian Concerto seems static and self-conscious compared to the pianist's glorious 1959 recording. Still, Gould completists will certainly want to give this set a look-see. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Scarlatti and CPE Bach really sparkle. GG at his best.......2006-10-14

On the evidence of this disc it's a shame GG didn't record complete albums of Scarlatti and CPE Bach. This would have been a million times preferable to his horrid recordings of music he had not much sympathy for (eg.some of his Beethoven and Mozart):having sad that,the ist movement of the Pastoral Symphony is stunning.Much better infact than Gould's CBC broadcast version of te 1st movement which is too prosaic.

Insight into the real Glenn Gould.......2005-02-09

Glenn Gould was highly sensitive to criticism. Yet he often was the recipient of it, critiqued for playing Bach on the piano, for playing Mozart too fast, or too slow, or both. In "A Glenn Gould Fantasy," Mr. Gould creates for himself the opportunity to respond to his critics (most played by himself in amusing voices) - who have names like Karlheinz Kloppweiser (an eager German proponent of polyphony) and Theodore Slutz (a mellow New York beatnik). Mr. Gould was also famous for giving up concertizing, a result of his fear of leaving even the tiniest detail to chance. So the fantasy concludes with a mock performance by Gould on a sinking oil tanker in the arctic.

Glenn Gould is usually presented to us as an intensely serious Artist. This is a wonderful reminder of his humanity and silly sense of humor.

Listeners should be warned that the fantasy is chock full of inside jokes and musicological silliness that may be lost on them if they are not familiar with Gould's idiosyncracies, the criticisms of his style, or 20th century musical trends. (For example, if the idea of a "Kodaly Kindergarten" is funny to you, as it is to me, you'll like this. If not, save your money.) In keeping with his personality, Glenn Gould is not concerned here with whether anyone else gets the joke. But if you do get the joke, it's pretty funny. It's also a fascinating window into Mr. Gould as a man and an artist.

Gould's 2nd Italian Concerto Recording.......2004-10-27

As much as I have always found great pleasure in Glenn Gould's original record of the Bach Italian Concerto, I must admit that his second version was NOT a disappointment to me. Like his later interpretation of the Goldberg Variations, the newer Italian Concerto sounds less mechanical--less computer-like--and more human than the first record. That this 1981 recording seems less brilliant is due primarily, I think, to the very mellow tone of the piano used, rather than to big changes in the pianist's technique. Gould's first piano had a much brighter tone. However, in the higher notes of the piece, the new piano affords the performer a breath-taking legato that is very song-like and much more soulful, so to speak.

This CD opened Glenn Gould for me.......2002-08-05

I must admit I knew very little about Glenn Gould until I received this CD as a present. I put it into my car's CD player (not the best place to listen to classical music), and for several weeks I didn't change CDs - I just listened to this one! My absolute favourite is C.P.E. Bach's sonata.

the great glenn gould.......2001-02-23

The main attraction for me to this album was the Beethoven transcription and the assorted works by Strauss, Scriabin and others, and of course my intense love of the music of Glenn Gould. Gould seems to have fallen out of public favor now, but his music remains just as intense and insightful as ever. The performance of the first movement of Beethoven's sixth is amazing... it is a work that stands up well as a fully realized piece in its own right. Ophelialieder is a wonderful work of melancholy songs, and here the work really shines. This is a wonderful and eccentric work, which describes Gould perfectly.

Average customer rating: Hindemith of wonder A Really Wonderful Recording!

Hindemith: Das Marienleben; Krenek & Strauss: Lieder Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Hindemith | Hindemith, Paul | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Krenek, Ernst | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Gould, Glenn | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Richard Strauss: Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67; Enoch Arden, Op. 38; Piano Sonata, Op. 5; 5 Piano Pieces, Op. 3 Hindemith: The 3 Piano Sonatas Schoenberg: Piano Works Glenn Gould Edition: Berg, Krenek, Webern, Debussy & Ravel Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 24 "À Thérèse" & 29 "Hammerklavier" ASIN: B0000028OA Release Date: 1995-06-27

Tracks:

1. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 1. Geburt Mariae
2. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 2. Die Darstellung Mariae im Tempel
3. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 3. Mariae Verkundigung
4. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 4. Mariae Heimsuchung
5. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 5. Argwohn Josephs
6. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 6. Verkundigung uber die Hirten
7. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 7. Geburt Christi
8. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 8. Rast auf der Flucht nach Agypten
9. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 9. Von der Hochzeit zu Kana
10. Das Marienleben, Op.27: 10. Vor der Passion

Tracks:

1. Das Marienleben, Op. 27: 11. Pieta
2. Das Marienleben, Op. 27: 12. Stillung Mariae mit dem Auferstandenen
3. Das Marienleben, Op. 27: 13. Vom Tode Mariae I.
4. Das Marienleben, Op. 27: 14. Vom Tode Mariae II.
5. Das Marienleben, Op. 27: 15. Vom Tode Mariae III.
6. Lieder der Ophelia, Op.67, No.1: 1. Wie erkenn' ich mein Treulieb?
7. Lieder der Ophelia, Op.67, No.2: 2. Guten Morgen, 's ist Sankt Valentinstag
8. Lieder der Ophelia, Op.67, No.3: 3. Sie trugen ihn auf der Bahre bloss
9. Gesange des spaten Jahres, Op.71: Wanderlied im Herbst
10. Vier letzte Lieder: No.3 Veim Schlafengehen

Customer Reviews:

Hindemith of wonder.......2006-11-10

A groundbreaking recording! Gould's way with Hindemith amounts to love. HIs recording of the sonatas is beautiful, and profound. He finds even more by way of Das Marienleben, finely sung by Roxolana Roslak. Gould's inerrancy lets him reveal the score as much as composer as pianist. This is music making as vital as breathing. Gould's ardent, wondrous musicianship creates some unearthly effects in the final three poems - Vom Tode Mariae (On the death of Mary). In the first of the three, he makes the piano literally echo figments of orchestral instruments -an oboe, even strings- so deft is his touch and pervasive his understanding. God-like playing, visionary musical ideas upon a richly endowed score (Gould called it the greatest song cycle ever composed, and perhaps proves it), and an artistic collaboration with Roslak that begins attracted to greatness and grows from there - this is an astonishing reading of a great piece. Gould gives his mind to music so directly, his playing is utterly unencumbered by any strain of ego. It's his greatest strength as an artist, and one worth cherishing because truth is restorative. It is life-giving. What more can be said in praise of an art? Whatever this man plays becomes as pure and selfless as he is, and this 2-disc recording stands among his finest achievements. Absolute recommendation.

A Really Wonderful Recording!.......2002-11-04

This is one of Gould's wonderful later recordings, which features collaborations with vocalists. Gould always wanted to lead in the aesthetic realizations when he played with other musicians: hence, the main piece here--Hindemith's Das Marienleben--(settings of Rilke's lyrics) comes out sounding like a sonata (or extended piece) for piano and voice. Hindemith's gorgeously long, arching melodic vocal lines are perfectly puncuated by Gould's secco playing. Rumor has it that Gould had an amorous liason with Roxolana Roslak; in the featured cover photo the two could easily be construed as lovers: there is a strangely intimate and erotic ambiance to the photo. Anyway, they were perfectly matched artists in the realization of Hindemith's exquisite song cycle from the early '20s. As a bonus, a track of one of Strauss' Four Last Songs is added.

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7. Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars
8. Skin
9. Sleepwalker
10. So-Called Chaos [Enhanced]

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