CD-Charts Position 151
Average Rating:

Marches: Greatest Hits

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

Release Date December 06, 1994
I provide music for water aerobics classes. The class members are typically retirees, and like Classical music, yet until this CD the only Classical music with a beat distinctive and steady enough for water aerobics that I'd found was on the "Hooked on Classics" series. Thus, for water aerobics, this is a find.

Also contributing to this CD's popularity for water aerobics are that: (1) many of the songs are upbeat, and (2) "new stereo" recordings (in contrast to my recordings of Sousa marches that were played by Sousa himself; he died in the 1930s.)

In Summary, were you to buy just ten CDs for water aerobics classes, this would be one of them.

CD-Charts Position 152
Average Rating:

The Wurst of P.D.Q. Bach

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Vanguard Records

Release Date December 03, 1993
This is my favorite PDQ CD. We learn a good deal about the illustrious youngest son of J.S. Bach - for example, we learn about the various periods by which the composer's works have been classified by critics: 1) The Early Period; 2) The Soused Period (by far the longest of the three) and finally, 3) Contrition.

I was lucky enough to see a few PDQ Bach concerts at Carnegie Hall. Once, during a performance of "Iphigenia In Brooklyn," my sister and I sat next to a man who I thought might have a coronary, he was laughing so hard, and then he'd start laughing at something else, so he couldn't catch a breath. That is what a PDQ Bach concert is like.

"Iphigenia in Brooklyn" alone is worth the price of this CD. And the more ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 153
Average Rating:

The Shapenote Album

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
by: John P. Reese, Stephen Jenks, C. Dingley, William Billings, Seaborn McDaniel Denson, Jeremiah Ingalls, Lucius Chapin, Paine Denson, Nehemiah Shumway, The Tudor Choir, Doug Fullington

Release Date September 04, 2001
Recently, I got interested in the Sacred Harp music, being a devoted fan of "old" country, western, blues and bluegrass, and bought this CD.

I must say I was disappointed because, well, this music is too polished, to perfect, too professional. It is as if a bunch of music majors and professional muscians got together and perfected shape note tunes for the modern ear.

I really enjoyed the Sacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church found on the Cold Mountain soundtrack. Granted, it is hard to find this "authentic" sound, and harder still for modern urban raised muscians to duplicate that sound. But if you really are looking for traditional, down-home, Sacred Harp music, this isn't the album for you. Yes, it's a brilliant piece ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 154
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 ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 155
Average Rating:

Bach: The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues

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

Release Date October 25, 1990
I used to own the 1974 LP which I literally wore out with use. Thank goodness for the CD. Biggs was considered a top tier Bach scholar and a master at the organ. The numbers here soar in beauty and the antiphony is just thrilling. This album first introduced me to organ music back in 1975 when I had not even heard of Bach. The playing is glorious and makes one want to stand up and salute Bach AND the artist. If you want to experience great organ music played by a master get this CD and crank up the volume. Sheer joy.

CD-Charts Position 156
Average Rating:

Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Arte Nova Classics

Release Date February 14, 2006
I bought this cd for myself, but my 2 year old and my husband now ask to listen to it all the time. Beautiful music to spark a young interest in the classics.

CD-Charts Position 157
Average Rating:

Chanticleer: Magnificat (A Capella Works by Josquin, Palestrina, Titov, Victoria, and Others)

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
by: Chanticleer, William Cornysh, John Taverner, Claudio Monteverdi, Vasily Polikarpovich Titov, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Vassili Polikarpovich Titov, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Josquin Desprez, Marianne Kach

Release Date July 11, 2000
I got what I wanted ---some absolutely beautiful compositions with exquiste voices.
Should be a grammy nominee

CD-Charts Position 158
Average Rating:

Praise to the Lord - Hymns From St. Paul's Cathedral

CD-Charts > Music > Sacred and Religious
from: Hyperion UK

Release Date October 12, 1999
SIXTEEN WELL-PERFORMED HYMNS DERIVED FROM MANY ERAS AND TRADITIONS.
'The HYMN-a word derived from the Greek 'hymnos'-has been defined as 'a term of unknown origin applied from ancient times to a wide variety of songs in honor of gods, heroes or notable men.'

The founder of English hymnody is Isaac Watts (1674-1748), whose work in reforming congregational song texts culminated in the publication of his 'Hymns and Spiritual Songs' in 1707. Watts' collection was as complete and comprehensive a set of hymns as had ever been proposed for English worship and it raised the profile of the hymn sufficiently to overcome the prevailing psalmody.

The great flowering period of English hymnody began with the work of the Methodist hymn-writers John Wesley ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 159
Average Rating:

Vivaldi - Gloria · Nulla in mundo pax sincera · Nisi Dominus · Cantatas / Kirkby · Bott · Nelson · Watkinson · Bowman · Preston · AAM · Hogwood

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

Release Date October 14, 1997
this is a lovely performance with a boy choir singing the soprano part, giving a very light top end to the music.

CD-Charts Position 160
Average Rating:

The Bells of St. Genevieve and Other Baroque Delights

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

Release Date January 28, 1992
The Bells of St. Genevieve CD is a great addition to any collector of great Baroque Music. Treat yourself!!!