The Pavarotti Edition (includes bonus disc with previously unreleased 1964 debut Decca recording session) [Box set] Review

This Pavarotti set; The Pavarotti Edition; is a wonderful collection of Arias and songs that cover Luciano's great career. Pavarotti is THE Voice of the 20th Century and this set does him justice. It includes 10 CDs with over 750 minutes of music; Includes Music from All of His roles; has a beautiful 76 page full color booklet; Has a wonderful write up; and includes a bonus CD of Pavarotti's fist album, a 45, from 1964, which has never been released on CD before this set. Every Song is hear, This SET is a must have for every Pavarotti Fan.

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Product Description:
Disc 1: Donizetti Arias from L'elisir d'amore, Maria Stuarda, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Fille du Regiment, Linda di Chamounix, La Favorita, and Don Paquale
Disc 2: Bellini/Donizetti/Verdi Includes arias from I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, La Sonnambula (1976 Duet Recording), I Beatrice di Tenda, I Puritani, Don Sebastien, Il Duca d'Alba, I Lombardi, I due Foscari, Ernani, and Attila
Disc 3: Verdi 1 Includes arias from Macbeth, Luisa Miller, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, and Les Vepres Siciliennes
Disc 4: Verdi 2 Includes arias from Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino, Don Carlos, Aida, Otello, and Requiem
Disc 5: Puccini Includes arias from La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot
Disc 6: Puccini and Verismo Includes arias from Cavalleria Rusticana, Manon Lescaut, Pagliacci, Andrea Chenier, and Tosca
Disc 7: Arias 1 Includes arias from La Griselda, Atalanta, Orfeo ed Euridice, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan Tutte, Guillaume Tell, and more.Includes Unreleased Material.
Disc 8: Arias 2 Includes arias from Martha, Mefistofele, La Giocanda, Adriana Lecouvreur, Rosenkavalier, Fedora, Werther, Faust, Carmen, and more
Disc 9: Italian Songs Includes: In questa tomba oscura, Me voglio fa'na casa, Non t'amo piu, Pace non trovo, and more
Disc 10: Neapolitan and Italian Popular Songs Includes: O sloe mio, Torna a Surriento, Core 'ngrato, Funiculi Funicula, Non ti scordar di me, Mamma and more
Bonus CD: The 1964 EP (previously unreleased) "Che Gelida Manina," "E lucevan le stelle," "Questo o quella," "La Donna e mobile," and "Parmi veder" with Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Edward Downes conducting

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The World's Greatest Tenors [Box set] Review

I was very pleased to purchase this set on ebay for less than $20.00.
Recognize, first, that many of these are vintage recordings, with vintage sound.And, tenor fanatics will always question who are considered the world's greatest tenors.
This is a seven-disc set.One disc each is given to Caruso, Gigli, Richard Tauber, and Joseph Schmidt.John MacCormack and Richard Crooks share one disc.Another is the Carreras-Domingo-Pavarotti triumvirate.However, the Carreras portion, which comprises almost half of the disc, is entirely scenes from live performances, not tenor arias.The seventh (actually numbered Disc 6) is called simply "Great Tenors" and provides some additional Crooks, Tauber, and Gigli, plus Bjoerling, Di Stefano, Peerce, Schipa, and ... Luigi Infantino, Derek Oldham,and Heddle Nash?No sign of Gedda, Kraus, Tucker, Bergonzi, del Monaco, or Corelli.
Basically, the problem for me is that most of what is included here is duplication of what was already in my collection.Every tenor on these recordings is represented more completely in other recordings--even Infantino and Oldham, although these two more sparsely than the others.
Would I purchase it again?For $95.00--definitely not.For $20.00--perhaps, if what I wanted was a sampling of great tenor singing, without investing in a larger collection.

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Operamania (Box Set) [Box set][Import] Review

First rate selections, performed by first rate musicians.
Here are some of the most haunting melodies ever created.

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Leontyne Price & Samuel Barber: Historic Performances, 1938 & 1953 Review

For devotees of either Leontyne Price or Samuel Barber, this CD is a cherishable piece of musical history--actually, two cherishable pieces.On one CD, the listener shares in two historic live performances.The better known is the October 30, 1953, recital at the Library of Congress, at which the 26-year-old Leontyne Price began her long musical alliance with Samuel Barber by singing the world premiere of his "Hermit Songs".Also included in the recital were four other songs by Barber, as well as eleven French songs by Poulenc, Sauguet, and Faure--25 songs in all.Barber was the accompanist for the entire recital, playing superbly.

Barber and Price recorded "Hermit Songs" in the studio a year later, and Price also did studio recordings of four of the Poulenc songs in 1959 on "A Program of Song" with her usual accompanist, David Garvey.It is interesting to compare the live and studio versions of the Barber and of the Poulenc, all of which are currently available on CD.The live ones seem more filled with the need to reach out to the audience, and Price's voice, in projecting to the audience, seems a bit darker and more dramatic, even though Price was younger at the time.There is more adrenalin flowing. The studio recordings are more "inner", more reflective, more subtle, more floating.Also, the superior sound technology of the studio more completely captures the unique quality of Price's voice in its prime, and that ultimately leads me to prefer the studio versions to the ones on this CD.Nevertheless, there is drama in these live performances that I would not be without.For instance, Price and Barber make Poulenc's "Tu vois le feu du soir" richer and more compelling here, and Barber's urgency at the keyboard on this piece makes Garvey seem tame.

The most esoteric part of this CD is the other live performance.In addition to being a gifted composer and pianist, Samuel Barber was a rather good baritone in his youth, and the last twelve songs (folksongs from England, Kentucky, the Tyrol, and Tuscany, as well as German lieder) are from a recital broadcast from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia on December 26, 1938.The 28-year-old Barber, whose aunt was the famous Metropolitan Opera contralto Louise Homer, studied under bel canto baritone Emilio de Gorgorza.Not surprisingly, Barber's singing displays the same quicksilver vibrato (somewhat unfashionable for baritones now) and refined style that de Gorgorza's recordings have.Barber's voice does not sound large, and the selections seem carefully chosen to avoid extremes of range or power which he may not have possessed.Nevertheless, he not only sings beautifully and sensitively, but expertly plays his own accompaniments!This CD, in short, is an important addition to the recorded history of musical performance in America.


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Product Description:
The 1953 recording features the spectacular twenty-six year old Leontyne Price, accompanied by Samuel Barber at the Library of Congress.The duo's entire recital is issued whole for the first time. In this recital the soprano and composer give the world premiere performance of Barber's "Hermit Songs", and perform Henri Sauguet's "La Voyante" (The Fortune Teller) and other songs by Barber, Poulenc and Faure.
This remarkable 1938 recording, released to the public for the first time, gives us the 28 year old baritone, Samuel Barber in 12 songs, accompanying himself at the piano. These little known performances reveal Barber as a singer/player of uncommonly deep communicative power. The performances (issued in cooperation with Mr. Barber's estate and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia) include folk songs from England, America, the Tyrol and Tuscany as well as lieder by Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, C.P.E Bach and Schubert.

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Just for the Record: The Golden Voice Review

Decca's release of this career-spanning Marilyn Horne recital contains many "golden" nuggets, but isn't the absolute best representation of her artistry, in my opinion.

There was certainly plenty of material to choose from, as Horne was one of the most recorded mezzos in the twentieth century.As advertised, Madame Horne personally approved the final recital list, and the diva undoubtedly has sentimental attachment to certain selections.Furthermore, a conscious attempt was made to represent the different genres explored during her decades-spanning career.This approach, however, leaves out some truly stunning material that would have made an even stronger case on why she was such an operatic institution.

In summary:

The first disc begins with the Habanera from Carmen.Horne was very proud of her Carmen, noting that it surpassed sales of Callas's Tosca at one point.It deserved to be included, but I don't think she was "THE" Carmen, and besides, the whole opera is so warmed-over by now, it's hard to get anyone excited about it!

From then on, we are treated to a bonanza of wonderful arie and scena.The aria from Samson et Delilah is a real gem.Horne was certainly not the most glamorous singer, but My God, the interpretation is heavenly.This is what the aria sounds like in the hands of a world-class contralto.Eccomi in Babilonia follows, and by anyone's measurement, she is the finest Arsace on record.Blessed with an extraordinary range, she is as fulminating in both the top and bottom registers.What's more, her spirited delivery magnifies the pure genius of Rossini's music.As for Cruda Sorte, "ditto," as Marilyn herself might say.

Next, we are treated to two excellent Handel arias.Iris, Hence Away gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it.This was recorded in the early sixties, for inclusion in the Age of Bel Canto recital she shared with Joan Sutherland and Richard Conrad.Now, if she had recorded this a few years later, she might have drove the coloratura harder.However, at this point, the voice had a somewhat lighter quality, thus the aria isn't sung with that all-purpose "Marilyn Horne" voice we are so used to.Speaking of lightness, Dove Sei, Amato Bene will send shivers down your spine.Again, Marilyn wasn't known for her subtlety, but she proves here that she was more than capable.Just listen to the fluttering trills and fil di voce, and dare to disagree with me!One of my major complaints is it there isn't more Handel on the recital.Sure, a whole recital of Handel arias by Horne is still available, but in this best-of disc, there was room at least for Or La Tromba, the trumpet aria from Rinaldo, and a personal favorite.Also, nothing is included from Vivaldi's Orlando Il Furioso, another travesty.

The pinnacle of the first disc is Addio, I Miei Sospiri, from Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice.This is Horne magified to the nth power.Where to start?A scrumptiously sung recitativo, then the aria itself, with Marilyn pulling out all the stops.The bronzed tone, perfect breath control, spectacular coloratura fireworks, superlative diction, evenness and security from top to bottom, and Marilyn's own way of generating excitement will floor you.This is bravura singing at the highest level.

After a few other selections from the French reperetoire, the disc closes with two Rossini warhorses.Again, the "ultimate" Horne best-of would have saved room for more Rossini, on the second disc.But the evidence here is ample enough to proclaim her honorific as the leading interpreter of Rossini in the last century.

The second disc is less satisfactory.The first selection, Superbo Di Me Stesso sounds like it came from an inferior source, and wasn't remastered properly.Il Segreto Per Esser Felici, from Lucrezia Borgia is fine enough, but Marilyn could have ornamented more, and that snare drum is too loud!Then, we have an extended scene from Il Trovatore.Now, Marilyn herself stated that she wasn't perfect in Verdi.As she put it, she sang Verdi by not taking "both feet" out of the bel canto waters, so that she could go on singing the roles that brought her the most fame.This is understandable, but if that's the case, then we didn't need this long scene.Perhaps she wanted to highlight her collaboration with Luciano Pavarotti, and I'm sure Decca saw this as a way to lure the casual listener.For my money, though, they should have just included Stride La Vampa, and called it a day.This would have freed up lots of room for the stuff for which she's better recognized!

Now, another extended scene, from Norma, is completely justified.Equally important to Marilyn's legacy as an individual artist is her legacy as one-half of the Sutherland/Horne duo.I don't need to write more- the music speaks for itself.

The rest of the second disc throws in a bit of verismo (Horne is unrecognizeable in Ponchielli; Simionato she's not), a bit of German lieder, and some patriotic tunes.Along with Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne was the most conciously patriotic singer out there, and to have left out her American recordings would have been a disgrace.But, again, we are given an ample serving of it, when it could have been scaled back some to make room for her operatic triumphs.

All in all, there is enough glorious material here for any fan of the legendary Marilyn Horne, and also those who want a taste of how a superlative mezzo/contralto sounds like.

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Product Description:
No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 11-NOV-2003

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Amore: Romantic Italian Love Songs Review

For over three decades Maestro Luciano Pavarotti has brought joy to human ears all around the world.Sure, the critics may scoff at the big arena concerts and at the later years' natural darkening of his voice.But wethe fans just know that listening to him lifts our spirits and opens ourhearts to the glory of human voice.
And that's exactly what thiscollection is all about.To compile it, the Decca producers used materialfrom three albums: "Arias" (his earliest), "FavoriteNeapolitan Songs" and "Passione," as well as some completeopera recordings such as "La Boheme" and "Rigoletto." The song "La Danza," Rossini's engaging tarantella is from a rarealbum "Pavarotti in Concert in Bologna" with Richard Bonynge. Most of these selections, therefore, are from 60s and 70s, in other words,Pavarotti's prime years.As he was establishing himself as one of theall-time greatest tenors on stage, he gave an all-out effort on recordings. And it shows.Listen to the vocal line in "Che gelida manina";the breath control on "la speranza" is truly unbelievable.Thereis his signature aria "Nessun Dorma" and, of course, a song oftenmistaken for Italian National Anthem - Di Capua's "O SoleMio!"
In addition to magnificent vocal pyrotechnics, Pavarotti'sconsiderable acting-with-voice skills are represented on such demandingarias as "Celeste Aida" and "Vesti la Giubba".Andit's a real treat to hear his Duca singing sparkling "La donna emobile."
This is an excellent introduction to opera as well as adelightful morsel for seasoned fans.I found that it also makes a greatgift idea; after all, no one can resist Pavarotti after the final"Vincero!"

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