Average Rating:

.

25 Mozart Favorites

from: Vox (Classical)

August 20, 1996
This CD is brand new and -- YAY -- didn't arrive with cracks in the case! Very happy with this purchase.

Average Rating:

.

Solace

from: Spring Hill

April 08, 2003
I'd never heard of Hoppe or his music, but downloaded this album on referral from, of all people, my mother. I'd have never thought she'd be the source of a referral to such a good piece of music (no offense mom, but you know how it is).

I find the slightly new-age elements of this music combined with the symphonic and orchestral arrangements to be simply outstanding. This music is peace. It's romance. It's calm. And it's solace. When I'm need of moments of peace and escape from some of life's daily troubles to which I am exposed, I can play this music at work, in the car and at home and receive quality music and peace in my mind, eliminating as much as possible the noise of life.

All the tracks are worthy of recommendation ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Sunset Boulevard (1993 Original London Cast)

by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Bauer, Daniel Benzali, Meredith Braun, Gerard Casey, Nicolas Colicos, Anita Louise Combe, Don Black, Christopher Hampton, Patti LuPone, Kevin Anderson

June 10, 1996
When this CD was first released my partner and I listened to it every night and sometimes twice. We thought what a perfect vehicle for Patti and you could tell it was written for her vocal range. All the characters were fabulous and George Hearn as Max was cast in stone.~~~~~New Year's Eve and Glenn Close stopped into Andrew Loyd Weber's party where all were celebrating the success of Sunset Blvd. Close got up on the piano, cleavage showing, and sang one of Patti's songs. ~~~~~~~ Patti was replaced, handsomely, but with a slap from a girl who should have never left her side of the tracks. ~~~~~~~ So here we are with Patti soaring as she did from the start. She made this show. It was stolen. All that remains is her voice as Norma Desmond. ~~~~~ Webber, go pet ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Gypsy (2003 Broadway Revival Cast)

from: Angel Records

August 19, 2003
Of all the Broadway versions, this mix of traditional arrangements with a contemporary flair for staging is truly the one to collect if you you can only buy one. Bernadette Peters shines in My Turn. It is performed with the believable factor that Merman lacked.

Average Rating:

.

Britten Conducts Britten: Operas 2

from: Decca

March 15, 2005
How someone can refer to Rape of Lucretia and Turn of the Screw (or Midsummer Night's Dream, for that matter, my personal favorite among his many operas) as lesser works of Britten's is beyond me. I guess it is just a matter of taste, but especially in these performances, those who truly love Britten could hardly do wrong. Libretti lacking, but don't let that stop you. You never know when these will go out of print again!

Average Rating:

.

Heinrich von Herzogenberg: Die Geburt Christi

from: Cpo Records

November 21, 2006
How someone can refer to Rape of Lucretia and Turn of the Screw (or Midsummer Night's Dream, for that matter, my personal favorite among his many operas) as lesser works of Britten's is beyond me. I guess it is just a matter of taste, but especially in these performances, those who truly love Britten could hardly do wrong. Libretti lacking, but don't let that stop you. You never know when these will go out of print again!

Average Rating:

.

On The Town (1995 Studio Cast)

by: Betty Comden, Adolph Green

October 29, 1996
On the Town is one of the Great Theater Scores of all times. If you don't know it well then you probably think West Side Story came out of no where from Bernstein's imagination, when nothing could be further from the truth. On the Town is a younger man's musical, told in song and dance almost equally. This great score has been very well served on recordings. Leonard Bernstein went into the studio in 1960 (almost 20 years after the show closed and brought all the important parts of the original cast with him. Nancy Walker, Betty Comden, Adolphe Green, and Cris Alexander recreate their Broadway performances magnificently, and Bernstein conducts as only a composer could. Unfortunately although he recorded the entire score, when it was released, bits and pieces ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

My Fair Lady (1997 Studio Cast)

by: Alan Jay Lerner

March 31, 1998
The only reason I bought this version is because it has the best Pickering. Those quick stacatto string orchestrations behind the words "YOOOooooouuuuuuu...DID IT!!!" are my favorite. But every other version makes me cringe because the Pickerings in those versions aren't anywhere in the relm of hitting the right pitches. At least this Michael Denison comes close to the right notes and doesn't distract me too much from enjoying the strings. I know, I know, silly reason to most people, but I REALLY like that song and I'd like the melodic line to be SUNG CORRECTLY.

Average Rating:

.

RCA Red Seal Century: Soloists and Conductors

from: RCA

October 23, 2001
The only reason I bought this version is because it has the best Pickering. Those quick stacatto string orchestrations behind the words "YOOOooooouuuuuuu...DID IT!!!" are my favorite. But every other version makes me cringe because the Pickerings in those versions aren't anywhere in the relm of hitting the right pitches. At least this Michael Denison comes close to the right notes and doesn't distract me too much from enjoying the strings. I know, I know, silly reason to most people, but I REALLY like that song and I'd like the melodic line to be SUNG CORRECTLY.

Average Rating:

.

Mozart Collection: 100 Masterpieces (Box Set)

from: Delta

July 10, 2000
You can tell the music is well performed and there is the sense of passion from the performers. No complaints in that aspect. The problem is these do not sound like CDs. They sound like tape re-recorded to CD. Those that remember the underlying static that was on almost all cassette tapes. That is on these CDs. And as you turn the music up to fully enjoy it the distrubance comes through even more. I have tried these on 3 different systems, and all have the same results.

Going to try to clean it up by converting to MP3 and back again. I know you lose some quality but it may make the overall enjoyment better.

Please don't get me wrong, the performance on these CD's is exceptional. And it is truley a shame that there is this issue. If you have a way to cancel ... Read More: