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Incanto

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Andrea Bocelli

November 04, 2008
Incanto shows Bocelli at his maximum splendor in terms of voice and power. He delivers these songs with his heart; it is clear that this music has a special meaning for him. The music selection is mostly about classic Italian songs that have been performed by many of Andrea's favorites in the past. Unless you never heard Italian music before, you will recognize at the very least "Funiculi Funicula", "Voglio Vivere Cosi", and "O Surdato "Nnamurato". These are all very nice songs, and are however, the weakest point of this album, because of their predictability. Andrea makes use of his "opera" voice during most of the songs. While this adds to the overall greatness of the CD, it resents the wonderful emotional "rollercoasters" that he can create ... Read More:

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A Winter Symphony

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Sarah Brightman

November 04, 2008
I've read a lot of mixed reviews on this CD, from Brightman fans and non-fans alike. But in my personal opinion, it's a superb album, and I'm thrilled she finally produced a holiday CD.

I'm giving it 4 of 5 stars because I do believe it could have been better, but that by no means implies that I hate the CD in anyway. I've just followed Sarah for the past 10 years since I was a little girl. This woman was my introduction to opera and classical cross over music! That being said, I know what the "best" and "most" could sound like from her; this isn't it.

I really wish two things would have been done with this CD: Sarah singing, "The First of May" (as she did on the Symphony tour, for pre-Christmas dates), and she also included a version ... Read More:

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Songs of Joy & Peace

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
from: Sony

October 14, 2008
I recently bought YO-YO MA & FRIENDS music: Songs of Joy and Peace.
It has been wonderful experience as usuall.

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Incanto: The Deluxe Edition (Limited CD & DVD)

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Andrea Bocelli

November 04, 2008
Andrea Bocelli's latest CD can be bought in the Deluxe edition which includes a DVD that is well-worth having. On the DVD, Bocelli is interviewed while in the Teatro San Carlo in Naples - where many of the operatic tenors of the past (Caruso, Gigli, Tagliavini, Pavarotti, Corelli) had their glory moments. He talks of how they affected him as a listener and how he hopes that his renditions of that same repertoire would touch his listeners in the same way. On this CD, however, Bocelli does not sing the heavier operatic arias but the (primarily) Neapolitan melodies where he can bring his considerable gifts to the table. Here we do not have those heavier operatic voices overwhelming the songs by the very power and "heft" of the voice - but rather the lighter voice of Bocelli ... Read More:

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The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Andrea Bocelli

October 30, 2007
I'm not a music expert...I just know what I like and I LOVE this cd! The duet pieces are wonderful. I may not understand the words to many of the songs but I can feel the emotion that Andrea Bocelli puts in them. This is certainly a cd worth having.

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Adams: Doctor Atomic

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
starring: Finley, Rivera, Owens, Fink, Maddalena
directed by: Sellars, Renes

September 30, 2008
When a local theater subscribed to the Metropolitan Opera's HD LIVE series and broadcast DR. ATOMIC on November 8th I decided I shouldn't miss it. I'm not a fan of Adams, but the subject matter is so important, and it had been brought to my doorstep...

DR. ATOMIC has its moments. The first act builds up to a tremendous aria, Gerald Finley singing "Batter My Heart," one of the Holy Sonnets of John Donne, as the character of Robert Oppenheimer. The first scene is the assembled throng of Manhattan Project workers. I was decidedly underwhelmed. The second scene is a love scene with Oppenheimer and his wife Kitty -- much better, with Finley in fine form. Then back to the bomb, with the test blast impending and a rainstorm, building tension. Finally, the Faustian ... Read More:

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Baby Einstein - Baby Mozart - Music Festival

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Disney

March 12, 2002
This product was recommended to me by my cousin. It has been well worth the $15-and then some. My son loves it-and has loved it since he was 3 months old. He's now 11 months and will still sit & watch it. I actually enjoy watching it myself-it's very intriguing. The music is wonderful-so peppy and spirited. This is our favorite Baby Einstein dvd. I have purchased several as shower gifts for new mom's. Love it!

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The Duets

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Luciano Pavarotti

November 11, 2008
This product was recommended to me by my cousin. It has been well worth the $15-and then some. My son loves it-and has loved it since he was 3 months old. He's now 11 months and will still sit & watch it. I actually enjoy watching it myself-it's very intriguing. The music is wonderful-so peppy and spirited. This is our favorite Baby Einstein dvd. I have purchased several as shower gifts for new mom's. Love it!

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Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
from: SONY CLASSICS

September 02, 2008
Mr Bell can rarely play in anything but an excellent and clean fashion, and the same can be said of St. Martin-in-the-Fields orchestra. But in the case of this recording of Vivaldi's most famous set of concertos, there it ends. Technically well executed, almost no understanding of this marvelous 18th c. music is evident in this performance-- it adds nothing to the countless interpretations of this music that was not already present 25 years ago or more before the EM (or HIP or music reconstruction or whatever we may call it) movement came to the forefront. Make no mistake, I'm no "authenticity fascist" and do not have any objection to modern instrument performances, even with a little Romantic flair added in, but this is being marketed to us as a "deeply personal" interpretation and it ... Read More:

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One Chance

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > General
by: Paul Potts

September 18, 2007
He obviously has a delightful voice, but he's also obviously an amateur. Even with orchestration so close to Il Divo's (and that was a cheap shortcut in my estimation) it wasn't enough to hide the fact he should spend a good solid year with a voice coach before he decides he's professional. It's an enjoyable CD but I wasn't impressed enough to play it very often.