CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

One Chance

by: Paul Potts

Release Date September 18, 2007
When I saw Paul Potts perform on You Tube I was totally in awe. His voice literally gave me goose bumps and made me feel tearful with awe over the wonderful voice this man has. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I've since bought his album and am thrilled to have it.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Christmas Through The Ages

from: Hyperion

Release Date November 05, 2002
I can't believe it. This is the first "Christmas" disc I ever bought and am still regularly listening to ... nine months post-holiday, now!

This collection is replete with sparks of worship and awe. The festive jaunt embarks on a well-executed, majestic baroque piece, slipping into some flitty operatics. The mood shifts from aristocratic regalism to rich, emotive ethnicity in the climactic, folk dance-feel of entries 3 & 4. The transition between the two is gorgeous. {Who compiled this disc? Give that wo/man a raise! I have never heard such juxtapositional mastery on any professional compilation before. Chillout comp "masters", listen and weep!!}

Not only is this CD emotionally satiating with expert arrangement/transitions, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Christmas Vespers

from: Universal Music Group

Release Date October 26, 1999
I can't believe it. This is the first "Christmas" disc I ever bought and am still regularly listening to ... nine months post-holiday, now!

This collection is replete with sparks of worship and awe. The festive jaunt embarks on a well-executed, majestic baroque piece, slipping into some flitty operatics. The mood shifts from aristocratic regalism to rich, emotive ethnicity in the climactic, folk dance-feel of entries 3 & 4. The transition between the two is gorgeous. {Who compiled this disc? Give that wo/man a raise! I have never heard such juxtapositional mastery on any professional compilation before. Chillout comp "masters", listen and weep!!}

Not only is this CD emotionally satiating with expert arrangement/transitions, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Music For San Rocco

from: Universal Music Group

Release Date September 18, 1996
There is little I can add to what the other reviewers have said about this tremendous recording. The performances are very good, the tempi are well chosen and the instruments are the rights ones.

There are many excellent contributions from individuals - Robin Blaze is positively heroic in Buccinate in neomenia tuba. The three violins in Sonata XXI con tre violini play this music with great sensuality. The cornettists are all first rate and so are the sackbut players.

It all sounds very good and the music is wonderful.

Let's just hope that the video of this recording is issued on DVD soon! (Let DGG know you wan them to do this!)

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Venetian Vespers

from: Universal Music Group

Release Date January 01, 1993
Venice, once the most powerful city in the world due to its position in trade routes and as a nexus for military activities between the East and West, was also a leading centre for the arts and music for generations. As often happens, the cultural influence of the city remained strong long after the political and economic power was gone. So strong was the influence of Venice at this time that musicians and artists of other nations came to Venice to study, and carried back the influence to their home countries. One of the towering figures of this history was Claudio Monteverdi, who along with his many compositions sacred and secular, is credited with the first opera, 'L'Orfeo'. Monteverdi's compositions form the heart of this collection, which is designed as would be a Vespers ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Heinichen: Dresden Concerti Highlights

from: Archiv

Release Date March 15, 1994
Venice, once the most powerful city in the world due to its position in trade routes and as a nexus for military activities between the East and West, was also a leading centre for the arts and music for generations. As often happens, the cultural influence of the city remained strong long after the political and economic power was gone. So strong was the influence of Venice at this time that musicians and artists of other nations came to Venice to study, and carried back the influence to their home countries. One of the towering figures of this history was Claudio Monteverdi, who along with his many compositions sacred and secular, is credited with the first opera, 'L'Orfeo'. Monteverdi's compositions form the heart of this collection, which is designed as would be a Vespers ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Around the World in 80 Minutes

from: Guild

Release Date January 01, 1999
Venice, once the most powerful city in the world due to its position in trade routes and as a nexus for military activities between the East and West, was also a leading centre for the arts and music for generations. As often happens, the cultural influence of the city remained strong long after the political and economic power was gone. So strong was the influence of Venice at this time that musicians and artists of other nations came to Venice to study, and carried back the influence to their home countries. One of the towering figures of this history was Claudio Monteverdi, who along with his many compositions sacred and secular, is credited with the first opera, 'L'Orfeo'. Monteverdi's compositions form the heart of this collection, which is designed as would be a Vespers ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

A Cappella

from: Collegium

Release Date January 01, 1993
It may seem somewhat strange for the Cambridge Singers to entitle a piece 'A Capella', given that almost all of their music performance is a capella. However, in this collection, they are performing a repertoire from composers whose usual fare is not a capella composition. This was performed in one of their regular recording haunts, the Great Hall of University College School, London, in 1992.

--Music--
The music here comes from composers in Germany, France and England from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. During the preceding Classical period, very little music was composed for choir/choral groups alone, and it wasn't until the Romantic period that revived interest in a capella music inspired compositions from composers such as those represented here. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

1595 A Venetian Coronation

from: Virgin

Release Date April 01, 1998
This recording presents a hypothetical reconstruction of the service of coronation of the Doge of Venice. Like all of Mr McCreesh's "reconstruction" recordings of late, the concept is thoroughly grounded in good research and sublime execution. While it may be true that the Praetorius Christmas Mass CD has more raw energy and joy, I find that the acoustic of Roskilde Cathedral tends to wash out some of the tuttis on that recording, and blur the rhythmic articulation and contrasts of sonority. Fortunately on this recording we have a perfect acoustic for the music selected. It is crisp, clear and yet resonantly rich when needed.

The ceremony is presented with the appropriate gravity. Perhpas the choice of polychoral Mass-Settings by Andrea Gabrieli highlights ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

One Chance

by: Paul Potts

Release Date December 11, 2007
When I saw Paul Potts perform on You Tube I was totally in awe. His voice literally gave me goose bumps and made me feel tearful with awe over the wonderful voice this man has. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I've since bought his album and am thrilled to have it.