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Sarah Brightman Classics

by: Sarah Brightman, Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni, Francisco Tarrega, George Frideric Handel, Fryderyk Chopin, Sergey Rachmaninov, Giacomo Puccini, Antonin Dvorak, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Marie Canteloube, Francesco Sartori, Paul Bateman

November 20, 2001
What a rare treat to hear such a wonderful voice! The music transcends the various languages( Latin, Italian, French, Spanish and almost no English) and communicates directly, beyond intellect, deeper to sooth the soul. This we expect from Opera and Religious selections such as Pucinni's "Nessun Dorma" and Lloyd Webber's "Piu Jesu". A favorite is the solo rendition of "Time To Say Good-bye". Orchestrations are as light and lyric as the voice. Some tracks are found on other CD's and the enclosed photos are a bit risque, but again, the music reaches a much higher plane than most. You won't be disappointed.

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The King's Singers Greatest Hits

from: EMI Classics

February 05, 2008
King's Singers Greatest Hits was disappointing. The contemporary music included did not have the smooth feel that one expects, and the classical pieces were all right but not spectacular. I did not feel that some of these pieces were greatest hits. I will probably go back to listening to older collections of their music.

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Renee Fleming - The Beautiful Voice ~ Gounod, Lehar, Orff, Puccini, Rachmaninov, Strauss

from: London/Decca

February 10, 1998
Once again Renee Fleming presents glorious collaborations in a compelling performance. The overall conception is one of beauty and unequivocal direction of line. Fleming begins with "Louise: Depuis le Jour." The spacious long phrases are profoundly evocative and the vocal timbre is crafted with glowing, long-breathed generosity. My most cherished performance is "Songs My Mother Taught Me",(A favorite of Joan Sutherland's) from the Gypsy Melodies Op.55, No.4. It is delighting in sweet textural clarity and brimming over with an infectious sense of inner purpose. Followed by "Martha: Last Rose of Summer," and "Doretta's Dream Song", Fleming sings with such a level of imagination which is rare enough, but once heard it never leaves you. "Carmina ... Read More:

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Best Classics 100 Volume 1

from: Angel Records

August 29, 2006
I was excited to see such a great collection of classics, but I was really disappointed to listen and discover that many tracks are shortened dramatically. A fraction of Rhapsody in Blue- a ridiculously short fragment of Bethoveen Ninth Symphony- "Ode to Joy" a tiny part of the first movement of Rachmoninov's Piano Concerto no.3.

I'd rather have fewer tracks and the complete movements.

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Kiri

by: Kiri Te Kanawa, Giacomo Puccini, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Frideric Handel, George Gershwin, Giuseppe Verdi, Paul McCartney, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Marie-Joseph Canteloube, Gustave Charpentier

November 20, 2001
A terrific album by a great singer. This album represents the considerable territory that Kiri Te Kanawa covers in here repertoire. She moves easily from Handel to Puccini to Jerome Kern. The insertion of classic show tunes as a part of this CD is a nice little plus. Some opera stars absolutely kill popular music by overwhelming it with operatic technique (listen to Richard Tucker singing "What now my love"; this is a pleasant little tune, but it can't stand up to Tucker's voice of steel, using all the power at his command). Te Kanawa sings these songs, for the most part, nicely and does not overpower them with operatic conventions.

She does a wonderful job on Handel's "Let the bright seraphim," displaying good coloratura technique, ... Read More:

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Classical Barbra

by: Barbra Streisand

October 25, 1990
This is the best album by her by far. The songs are old and I did not know them but they showcase her magneficent voice to perfection.

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Kiri Te Kanawa - Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne, Villa-Lobos: Bachianas brasileiras

by: Marie-Joseph Canteloube, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Jeffrey Tate, Kiri Te Kanawa, English Chamber Orchestra, Instrumental Ensemble

November 14, 1995
I think these songs are among the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. Compared to the absolutely unbelievably exuberant and emotional recording of Frederica von Stade/Antonio de Almeida, the tempo of most songs here seems slow, drawn out and not quite in harmony with the character of the songs. Of course, the voice of Te Kanawa is beautiful and the sound of the orchestra is rich in detail. I am curious to listen to more interpretations of these songs, and would be happy to find anything coming close to the von Stade recording.

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Evening Adagios

from: Decca

July 16, 2002
A lot of these tracks on these cds were... poorly recorded. If you hear an alternate, well produced version, the difference is night and day. But if this is your stop, you could do so much worse. It is rather relaxing.

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Ultimate Classical: Chill Out

from: Decca

September 24, 2007
This is the ultimate collection of music to relax by. The five-CD set has it all: from the well-known "hits" to the relatively obscure, but equally beautiful and soothing pieces that you may hear for the very first time in this set. Just as incredible is the drop-dead low price! And finally, having all your classical favorites (including the freshly discovered ones) "under one roof" tops-off this great deal.

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Sweet Dreams

by: Edvard Grieg, Engelbert Humperdinck, Louis Lane, Thomas Schippers, Frederica Von Stade, André Kostelanetz Orchestra

September 12, 1989
This is one of the best "lullaby" CDs I have found. This is great for drifting off to sleep with for you or a child. It is very calming and is quickly becoming my favorite. It works great for my child. It seems to me the transitions between the pieces are well done. It gives a seamless effect and I almost don't notice when a new song starts. This is one of the reasons I think it is so good. There is no stop and start or big pause between songs. One ends, the next starts, and the calm mood is never broken. As other reviewers have said, this can be used for helping children to sleep but it is great background music for anything else from working at the computer to dinner parties.