CD-Charts Position 71
Average Rating:

Montserrat Caballé: Ultimate Collection

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: RCA

Release Date May 25, 1999
One of my favorite albums ever. A voice that will take your breath away. The more you listen, the more you will be speechless. Redefines operatic singing and sets a standard above the rest.

CD-Charts Position 72
Average Rating:

The Power & The Majesty: Essential Choral Classics

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
by: Robert Shaw Festival Singers, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Choruses

Release Date January 24, 1995
A wonderful album. I have several copies of Handel's Messiah, but the performance of the Hallelujah Chorus by Robert Shaw's singers is exceptional, outstanding. I was inspired to have my young son listen to this album: Verdi's "Dies Irae", Orff's "O Fortuna", and Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus".

Notice that there are 3 versions of "Dies Irae" on this album. It's nice to hear others. I am not normally a fan of Requiems. I will say that I do like Bach's Mass in B Minor and the Kyrie Eleison excerpted here is beautiful.

CD-Charts Position 73
Average Rating:

Haydn: The Creation; Missa in tempore belli

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: EMI Classics

Release Date January 23, 2007
A MOVING AND INSPIRATIONAL INTERPRETATION OF 'THE CREATION'.
More than any other composition that Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) wrote, this work reflects his very early beginnings, a small peasant village in Austria, where people sang folksongs for the pure joy of it, and where dancing on the green was a daily occurence.
With 'The Creation' we come to the culmination of Haydn's work. It was written to a text prepared by Baron Gottfried van Swieten, who reworked pre-existent material: a libretto orignally given to Handel that went unused. In 'The Creation' the choruses serve not only to reflect and praise the process of creation, but also to provide columns upon which the oratorio's architecture rests.
Interestingly enough the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 74
Average Rating:

The Original Jacket Collection: Montserrat Caballé [Limited Edition]

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Sony Classics

Release Date June 24, 2008
Commemorating the diva's 75th birthday, the 15-disc collection includes works personally chosen by the operatic heavyweight. All aspects of her long career are here: famous Italian arias and rarities, German Lied repertoire, zarzuela arias and the complete operas of Salome and Norma. Like those in the companion Ormandy set, these recordings have been remastered in state-of-the-art sound from original sources, and presented with CD size reproductions of original LP jackets. Brava!
Celebrating the "Philadelphia Sound"---the lushly expressiv e orchestral signature sound that Eugene Ormandy inspired from his background as a violinist--- this 10-disc limited-edition collection documents one of the greatest conductor/orchestra partnerships in musical ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 75
Average Rating:

Baroque Masterpieces

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Sony

Release Date January 29, 2002
The music was very good but wish they had more to listen too. Not enough bang.

CD-Charts Position 76
Average Rating:

Ah! Mio Cor' Handel: Arias

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Deutsche Grammophon

Release Date April 22, 2008
There are beautiful arias on this disc, but they are spoiled by exageratedly slow tempi ("Scherza infida," for instance), exagerated "acting," and exagerated diction. I most of the Italian arias, Miss Kozena rolls her "Rs" in exagerated fashion ("Io trrradito in morrrte in brrraccio"), exagerates her "Ps." Her "acting" in the "Hercules" aria distorts the vocal line (this is also apparent in the "Agrippina," and "Orlando" arias), and causes her to make weird noises in the lower register - it almost seems she has no low notes. That said, Miss Kozena impresses in the rapid divisions and her commitment to the text is never in doubt. If the listener likes or doesn't mind the above, the album may delight.

CD-Charts Position 77
Average Rating:

Choral Masterpieces

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Telarc

Release Date October 25, 1990
This is an absolutely beautiful CD of choral music. As one who has been singing in Chorales almost all my life, I am always thrilled when I can find recordings of outstanding and excellent choral music. I purchased two CDs of the Robert Shaw and ASO; one for myself and the other as a Christmas gift to my Choral Director, Dr. Robert Lamb (Doctoral Music Arts in Choral Conducting). Dr. Lamb loves anything done by Robert Shaw and had not heard this one. Although I have not heard of his reaction to the CD as yet, I can say from my listening that everyone who loves choral music, will love this CD. I particularly love the Bach, Handel, and Brahms pieces. Alleluia! Alleluia! Enjoy!

CD-Charts Position 78
Average Rating:

Ten Tenors in Prayer

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: RCA

Release Date September 15, 1998
The sound quality is worse than an old, scratched vinyl record. Music is boring and old. Extremely disappointing.

CD-Charts Position 79
Average Rating:

A Robert Shaw Christmas - Angels on High

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Telarc

Release Date September 23, 1997
You simply cannot go wrong with this wonderful collection from a disciplined and masterfully-led chorus. If you want to hear Christmas choral standards in all their glory, no disappointment here - beautiful men's chorus version (original) of Beibl's Ave Maria, and the treble voices also get play in the Ceremony of Carols.

CD-Charts Position 80
Average Rating:

The Best Baroque Album in the World ... Ever!

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: EMI Classics

Release Date April 04, 2006
To title the album "The Best..." is arrogant and boastfull, however, this is the best fuggin' Baroque ALBUM EVER!!!