CD-Charts Position 111
Average Rating:

Berlin: Songs of Love and War

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Winter & Winter

Release Date February 12, 2008
I feel that Theo Bleckmann is a unique vocal artist. His voice as a transparency that floats on the air and doesn't clutter the music as written by the composers he selects to highlight. He has made a name for himself with several collaborative projects with Ben Monder. For my money, this work transcends them all. He brings a wonderful nuance and clarity to these works sung in both German and English. I highly recommend this disc as well as his disc recently released with Meredith Monk. You will not be sorry

CD-Charts Position 112
Average Rating:

Movie Adagios

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Decca

Release Date October 09, 2001
This CD was all that I hoped for. Beautiful, evocative music just made for a relaxing evening at home.

CD-Charts Position 113
Average Rating:

Christopher Parkening plays Bach

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: EMI Classics

Release Date October 25, 1990
Mr. Parkening is the fortunate possessor of (in no particular order) excellent technique, beautiful tone, the endorsement of Segovia, a great deal of musical talent, and (so I am reliably informed) considerable good looks; and these very marketable (and indeed praiseworthy) things have helped to take him to the very top of the music world in the United States.

The present album includes the complete LP "Parkening plays Bach", plus five contemporary works from "Parkening and the Guitar", and is a good sample of his playing of the Baroque repertory. The total time is a shade over 55 minutes.

Despite this performer's popularity, two major criticisms have been levelled at his playing: one a question of fact, the other of taste. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 114
Average Rating:

Voice of an Angel

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Sony

Release Date March 16, 1999
She is a natural talent that we will not likely hear from again. Unfortunately, Church was discovered too young, and rather than protecting the precious, amazing talent, it was used to make a quick buck. I'm sure that's what she thought she wanted, but now, several years later, her voice is showing evidence of the damage caused by the unrealistic strain put on her developing larynx and vocal folds.

I hope that she is able to come back. I hope that with rest and decent training, we find an artist that comes into her own and brings a whole new generation of vocalists and music lovers into an appreciation for classical singing.

The song selection was excellent for what it was... an album introducing the young diva to the public. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 115
Average Rating:

Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony: The Choir of New College Oxford

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Erato

Release Date February 18, 1997
It's funny how over the years you find something special. This is one of those special music moments.

I do think that every person will have one track they like better than others but for me there is one track that just chills you to the bone.

It's worth the money for the whole CD just for the one track.

I just wish this was a 7.1 surround sound recording. I guess one day it will be :o)

CD-Charts Position 116
Average Rating:

Canadian Brass: Legends

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: OPENING DAY ENT

Release Date May 13, 2008
"The compositions featured on LEGENDS are absolutely essential to appreciating the Canadian Brass legacy." That about sums up this cd.

Fans of the Canadian Brass will find no new compositions on this album but will find new recordings of old standards. I find I prefer some of the original recordings better, but that is only because they are engraved in my mind after years of playback. Even still, these new recordings bring fresh life back to old favorites. I am particularly impressed with the clarity of this album, which seems to surpass even the Canadian Brass standard.

This cd showcases the strengths of the current members of the Canadian Brass and is highly recommended to any fan of brass music.

CD-Charts Position 117
Average Rating:

Handel - Semele / Joshua, Summers, Croft, Wallace, EOC, Curnyn

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: CHANDOS CHACONNE

Release Date January 08, 2008
This is an Oratorio not an opera. It was written to be performed in concert but it would make an excellent operatic production. The story is a good one and the passions it explores are timeless. The music in this piece, even though it was set to English, is well suited to the bel canto style of singing preferred for Italian opera. And that's fine. The definition of the term 'bel canto' stems from the idea of singing beautifully and lyrically in Italian.

The cast in this performance all have voices made to order for bel canto singing. Rosemary Joshua, Richard Croft and Hilary Summers stand head and shoulders above the rest. Summers has a beautiful contralto that soars along the lines of the music as she sings it. Richard Croft delivers some of the best work ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 118
Average Rating:

Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
by: Johannes Brahms, Robert Shaw, Arleen Auger, Richard Stilwell, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

Release Date October 25, 1990
I am using this recording to learn the requiem for performance. It's fidelity is great and it is such beautiful music. Very easy to sing along with.

CD-Charts Position 119
Average Rating:

Handel - Messiah - Mormon Tabernacle

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
by: George Frideric Handel, Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eileen Farrell, Martha Lipton, Davis Cunningham, William Warfield, Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Release Date July 16, 1991
This is the first recording I had of Messiah and the basis for all other versions I heard since then. I now own recordings by the Robert Shaw Chorale (my favorite), the Atlanta Symphony with Shaw (my next favorite), Neville Marriner, the BBC Philharmonic with Harry Christophers doing Mozart's arrangement, and the huge Sir Thomas Beecham recording. Most of the newer recordings seem to use the faster Baroque tempi, which is fine, but, after hearing so many of them, I really enjoy some of the older recordings using slower, more Romantic tempi like Beecham's and Ormandy's.

David Cunningham's voice has a bit of an edge on it, and he is my least favorite tenor in these recordings. I think William Warfield is in the same class as Giorgio Tozzi with Beecham, and Thomas Paul and Richard Stillwell ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 120
Average Rating:

Franz Joseph Haydn: The Creation

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
by: Franz Joseph Haydn, Donna Carter, John Cheek, Jon Humphrey, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Robert Shaw

Release Date October 27, 1992
This oratorio is excellent. From a musical viewpoint, the orchestration, vocal work, and overall technics of this work are superbly done. In the spiritual sense, this oratorio manages to get the real feel of the Creation. You can see God's awesome works being performed before your eyes. When the final chorus is sung you leave with a greater sense of God and power.
One piece that is very well sung and is particularly uplifting is the hymn of thanks and praise to God which Adam and Eve sing. One thing I like about this work is that the fall of man into sin is not included. The Creation is the Creation, and we don't have to think of sin being in the world.
The soloists are some of the finest in the world, and robert Shaw is at his best with another superb recording.
I rate this five stars!