One Night In London [Import]

One Night In London [Import]

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. Playground Games - Alice Russell, TM Juke

2. Breaker [Broken Album Edit] - Spektrum

3. Happy - Max Sedgley

4. Hold It Down - Quantic Soul Orchestra

5. Drowning

6. Moving Closer to the Sofa

7. Squire for Hire - Nathan Haines, Marlena Shaw

8. Everything's Changed - Herbert

9. Café de Flore [Trio Reprise] - Doctor Rockit

10. This Thing - D'Nell

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Daydream in Blue - I Monster

2. Hippies Don't Know - Experimental Pop Band

3. Never Ending Story - Baz

4. Je Tombe [Mix] - Emilie Simon,

5. Bone [Maurice Fulton Remix] - Brandi Ifgray

6. Lulu [Remix]

7. Respect 2 Hold On - Alison David

8. Front 2 Back [Fatboy Slim Remix] - Playgroup

9. See Me [Ed Laliq's Noir Mix]

10. Come Let Me Know - Freq Nasty, Rodney P.

See all 17 tracks on this disc

One Night In London,Various Artists,Wagram Records,Dance,Dance Collections,Dance Music,Pop,V/A Compilations

Chess
Average customer rating:

This should never have worked at all

A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS

Chess

One of my favorites!

Concepts get better with practice

Chess
Bjorn Ulvaeus , and Tim Rice
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Chess (1988 Original Broadway Cast)

Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast)

A Little Night Music (1973 Original Broadway Cast)

Evita (1978 Original Broadway Cast)

Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000002GLR
Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

Merano - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Murray Head
The Russian And Molokov/ Where I Want To Be - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley
Opening Ceremony - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Bjorn Skifs
Quartet (A Model Of Decorum And Tranquility) - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley/Bjorn Skifs
The American And Florence/Nobody's Side - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
Chess - LSO/Anders Eljas
Mountian Duet - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg
Florence Quits - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
Embassy Lament - Tommy Korberg/The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas
Anthem - Tommy Korberg

Tracks:

Bangkok
One Night In Bangkok
Heaven Help My Heart
Argument
I Know Him So Well
The Deal (No Deal)
Pity The Child
Endgame
Epilogue: You And I / The Story Of Chess

Amazon.com

Chess is a musical that sounds like it shouldn't work but instead succeeds surprisingly well. This is the original concept album that was recorded before the musical was staged in London. Chess is the story of a love triangle told against the backdrop of an international chess tournament during the height of the cold war. The composers are Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the Bs in ABBA) and the lyrics are by Tim Rice, who supplied the words for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, as well as Disney's Aladdin (with Howard Ashman), The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. The six-member cast does a beautiful job with the songs, which are a combination of ballads, rock, and operatic choruses. Murray Head's version of "One Night in Bangkok" became a surprise hit in the mid-'80s and it still turns up on the turntables in dance clubs around the world. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

This should never have worked at all.......2007-06-18

And on that basis alone, you've got to cut it some slack. Fortunately, not all that much slack turns out to be necessary.

While "Chess" may be a document of an era that no longer exists, there's a lot more going on than the surface metaphor. It holds up very well indeed. When it aims for humor, it generally succeeds, and likewise when it aims to devastate. What more can you ask for?

A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS.......2007-03-04

`Chess' is a musical that should be counted among the best of what the 1980-is had produced: side by side with `Cats', `The Phantom of the Opera', `Les Miserables' or `Miss Saigon'. The score as heard on this concept album, written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (formerly of ABBA) and with the exceptional lyrics written by Tim Rice, stand proof to this. And yet, due to various reasons, like the changing of the director half way through London staging; a heavy rewrite for Broadway and a pan review from Frank Ritch (a.k.a. `The Butcher of Broadway'), `Chess' seems to be unjustly neglected.

This concept album is the main reason why the show has so many ardent fans until this day. Tim Rice wanted to write the show with the main plot revolving around chess for years and after his long time partner Andrew Lloyd Webber remained uninterested, he found the new collaborators in Ulvaeus and Andersson. The subject matter follows two international chess players in a championship, a Russian (Tommy Körberg) and an American (Murray Head) and a woman called Florence (Elaine Paige) who is a manager to the American but falls in love with the Russian. The story also draws a parallel between the game of chess and the cold war/real life situations.

This concept album was recorded in 1984, two years before the original London production took place. As the authors noted in the accompanying booklet, it was a work in progress and thusly the story is not quite readable here from the musical numbers alone. Despite that fact (which is amended by the synopsis included in the booklet), this album remains a winner. The score (played here by the London Symphonic Orchestra) itself makes an intriguing bland of the famous ABBA sound, the classical; the rock and the pop enhanced by the orchestral solo passages and the strong choral parts. The lush orchestrations add an epic touch to it and on the whole it is melodic and hummable, packed with great tunes. Some of the songs achieved huge success outside the musical: `I know him so well', a duet between Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson, held the number one spot on the UK singles charts for 4 weeks in February 1985 and won Ivor Novello Award as the Best Selling Single; Murray Head's `One night in Bangkok' became one of the biggest dance hits of its time, often heard today. Some other notable tunes include `The Anthem' (Russian's deliberation on his homeland); the soaring rock songs `Where I want to be' and `Pity the child' (in the former, the Russian reflects upon his life under the spotlight; in the latter, the American ponders about his own unhappy childhood) or the gentle `Heaven help my heart' (in which Florence weighs up her relationship with the Russian).

A special reference must be made to Tim Rice's excellent lyrics. With `Chess' he managed to keep up to the high standards he set himself in `Jesus Christ Superstar' and Evita'. Again in this case he shows he is a lyrical wizard, with his familiar cynical touch. `The story of chess', in which he gives a history of the game in a couple of crafty verses, is a pure masterpiece. The same can be said of the song `I know him so well', where the two women reexamine their relationship with the same man. As a whole, `Chess' owes a lot of its appeal to Tim Rice's written word.

The cast on this album ranks the high standard of the material. The principal parts (sung by Elaine Paige, Tommy Körberg and Murray Head) are delivered in a strong and impeccable fashion.

This 2-disc edition comes with a booklet containing a note from the authors, a text about chess, a full synopsis and a libretto, together with the photos of the principal singers.

Anyone interested in the modern musical theatre should find `Chess' to be a great score with great lyrics, which should be enough to satisfy any aficionado.

Chess.......2007-01-15

A magnificent musical, i have enjoyed the music since i first heard it and read the storyline. Had been unable to find it in our local music stores.Very pleased to find it on your site.

One of my favorites!.......2007-01-12

I love "Chess"! I still remember the first time I heard the single "One Night in Bangkok" on my car radio. I thought it was so unusual and so very cool, so I tracked down the album and bought it. Then I taped it onto a cassette, which is what I've been listening to for years, so I finally broke down and got it on CD. Of course, it's on my iPod now. I've seen the musical, and I loved that, too.

Concepts get better with practice.......2006-11-27

I love this show! That said, I do not care for this version of it. The inclusion of the word "concept" in the title means it is just that. This was, thankfully, not the final version of the show that would later spawn the hit song, "One Night In Bangkok".

With most Broadway musicals, the musical numbers tell the basic story of the show. If you listen to the recordings of Phantom, Mama Mia, Beauty and the Beast, you can discern the basic storyline of the show. Listening to this particular recording of Chess, though, will leave you wondering "What was that?" The Broadway arrival of Chess saw a much needed reworking of the storyline and arrangement of the musical numbers. This recording seems too much like a mish-mash of songs that don't really relate to each other.

For musical fanatics (like myself), I say "yes, you should have this recording in your collection", if only to understand how much work went into the show before it opened on Broadway.

If you are only buying the album because of "One Night In Bangkok", purchase the Broadway recording instead; you'll be much happier with the performance by Phillip Casnoff rather than Murray Head.

Show Boat (1988 Studio Cast): Von Stade; Hubbard; Hadley; McGlinn

Average customer rating:

An American Treasure
DON'T DESPAIR. IT'S BEEN REISSUED!!!!!
An American tragedy....
Gorgeous!
Defective disc.

Show Boat (1988 Studio Cast): Von Stade; Hubbard; Hadley; McGlinn
Frederica von Stade , Jerome Kern , Jerry Hadley , Bruce Hubbard , Teresa Stratas , David Garrison , Leslie Fyson , John McGlinn , and London Sinfonietta
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Carousel (1987 Studio Cast)
Pal Joey: 1995 Original New York Cast Recording
Lady, Be Good! (1992 Studio Cast Recording)
Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast)
Oh, Kay! (1994 Studio Recording)

ASIN: B000002SJL
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cotton Blossom: Niggers all work on d Mississippi... (Stevedores, Gals, Queenie, Steve, Pete, 1st Mincing Miss, 2nd Mincing Miss, Beaux, Girls & Boys)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cotton Blossom: 'Andy!!!...' (Parthy, Windy, 1st Mincing Miss, 2nd Mincing Miss)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cap'n Andy's Ballyhoo: 'Here comes the Show Boat parade!...' (Boy, Girls, Boys, Andy, Parthy)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cap'n Andy's Ballyhoo: 'Hey Julie...' (Pete, Julie, Steve, Parthy, Andy, Ellie)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cap'n Andy's Ballyhoo: 'It's a man...' (Ellie, Ravenal, Vallon)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Where's the Mate for Me?: Who cares if my boat goes upstream... (Ravenal, Magnolia)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Make Believe: Only make believe I love you... (Ravenal, Magnolia, Vallon)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Ol' Man River: 'Oh, Joe!...' (Magnolia, Joe, Men)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Two - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man: 'What cher doin' all by yourself, Miss Nola?...' (Queenie, Magnolia, Julie, Joe, Servants)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Three - Life on the Wicked Stage: Why do stage struck maidens clamor... (Ellie, Girls)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Three - Till Good Luck Comes My Way: The man who ventures with chance... (Ravenal, Men)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': Mis'ry's comin' aroun'... (Queenie, Women, Joe Magnolia, Julie, Men, Solo Bass)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'Take her up, Rubberface!...' (Andy, Julie, Steve, Magnolia, Parthy, Ellie, Windy)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'Hello, Windy...' (Vallon, Andy, Magnolia, Steve, Julie, Windy, Ellie, Parthy)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'You needn't all look at us...' (Steve, Colored Chorus, Andy, Parthy, Magnolia, Ellie, Frank)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'Looks like a swell...' (Andy, Parthy, Frank, Ravenal, Julie, Magnolia, Steve, Joe)

Tracks:

Show Boat: Act One, Scene Five - I Would Like to Play a Lover's Part: Her face is fair to look upon... (Boys, Girls, Ellie, Frank)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Five - I Might Fall Back on You: Little girl, you are safe with me... (Frank, Ellie, Girls)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Five - Queenie's Ballyhoo: 'Is de theatre fillin' up, Cap'n Andy?...' (Queenie, Andy, Colored Chorus)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Six - Villain Dance
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Seven - You Are Love: 'That you, Nola?...' (Ravenal, Windy, Magnolia, Parthy)
Show Boat: Act One, Scene Eight - Finale Act One: Oh tell me, did you ever!... (Firls, Boys, Chorus, Andy, Women, Men, Negro Women, Magnolia, Parthy, Vallon, Pete)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene One - At the Fair: When we tell them about it all... (All, 1st Barker, Boys, Girls, Chorus, 2nd Barker, Men, 3rd Barker)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene One - Why Do I Love You?: I'm walking on the air, dear... (Magnolia, Ravenal, Chorus, Andy)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene One - In Dahomey: Dyunga doe!... (Dahomey Villagers, White Chorus)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Three - Convent Scene: Alma Redmptoris Mater... (Nuns, Mother Superior, Ravenal, Kim)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Four: 'All right, Jake...' (Jim, Jake, Julie)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Four - Bill: I used to dream... (Julie)
Show Boat: Magnolia's Audition - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Reprise): Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly... (Magnolia)
Show Boat: Magnolia's Audition - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Reprise): 'Whaddaya say, boss?...' (Frank, Jim, Magnolia, Jake)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - Trocadero Opening Chorus: Let's make the new year... (Chorus)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - Apache Dance
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - Goodbye, My Lady Love: So you're going away... (Frank, Ellie)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - After the Ball: 'Ladies and Gentlemen...' (Jim, Drunk, Andy, Magnolia, A Man, All)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Seven - Ol' Man River (Reprise): Ol' Man River... (Joe)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Seven - Hey, Feller!: When you yen for a gent... (Queenie, Chorus)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Eight - You Are Love (Reprise): 'That you, Nola?...' (Ravenal)

Tracks:

Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine: Cottom Blossom (Reprise): Cotton Blossom... (Chorus)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine - It's Getting Hotter in the North: Now up in the northern land... (Kim, Chorus)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine - It's Getting Hotter in the North: 'Say, Cap'n Andy...' (Frank, Ellie, Andy)
Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine - Finale Ultimo: 'Hello, Gay...' (Andy, Hope, Ravenal, Girl, Man, Magnolia, Old Lady, Chorus)
Show Boat: Appendix - Pantry Scene (Act One, Scene Two; deleted - 1927): 'What cher doin' all by yourself, Miss Nola?...' (Queenie, Magnolia, Julie, Joe, Servants)
Show Boat: Appendix - Waterfront Saloon Scene (Act One, Scene Three; deleted - 1927): 'Number four, black!...' (Voice (off), Ravenal, Loungers, Gambler)
Show Boat: Appendix - Yes, Ma'am (Act One, Scene Three; unused - 1927): Bet your hat... (Girls, Ellie)
Show Boat: Appendix - Kim's Imitations (Why Do I Love You?): (Act Two, Scene Nine; Ziegfeld Production - 1927): Why do I love you?... (Kim, Chorus)
Show Boat: Appendix - Dance Away the Night (Act Two, Scene Nine; London - 1928): Music in the air... (Kim, Girls, Boys)
Show Boat: Appendix - A Pack of Cards (Act One, Scene Six?; unused - 1927): One night as I sat by my fireside so weary... (Magnolia)
Show Boat: Appendix - The Creole Love Song (Act One, Scene Seven; unused - 1927): 'That you, Nola?...' (Ravenal, Windy, Magnolia)
Show Boat: Appendix - Out There in an Orchard (Act Two, Scene Four; unused - 1927): There was a sun sinking slowly in the west... (Julie)
Show Boat: Appendix - Gallivantin' Aroun' (Universal Film - 1936): Liza Matilda HIll... (Magnolia, Chorus)
Show Boat: Appendix - I Have the Room Above Her (Universal Film - 1936): 'Seems to me I've seen that stocking someplace...' (Ravenal, Magnolia)
Show Boat: Appendix - Ah Still Suits Me (Universal Film - 1936): 'Joe! Dere you go again!...' (Queenie, Joe)
Show Boat: Appendix - Nobody Else But Me (Act Two, Scene Nine; 1946 Revival): I was a shy, demure type... (Kim, Chorus)

Amazon.com

John McGlinn's sprawling, monumental three-CD set is about all the Show Boat any listener could ever ask for. In an obvious labor of love, McGlinn reconstructs the show as it ran on opening night, November 15, 1927, including every song, the original orchestrations, and all underscored dialogue. The most significant restoration is the dark choral number "Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun'," as Show Boat's serious subject matter helped establish its place as the most important turning point in the history of American musical theater. McGlinn also adds an appendix that includes songs cut before opening night and every song subsequently written for the show's many productions, most notably the love duet "I Have the Room Above Her," written for the 1936 film. (The recording is also available in a one-disc reduction called the "Broadway Show Album.")

Rest assured this 221-minute blockbuster is not just dry scholarship; it's also terrific listening, with McGlinn conducting a dynamic London Sinfonietta and a strong cast including Frederica von Stade as Magnolia, Jerry Hadley as Ravenal, Teresa Stratas as the tragic Julie, Bruce Hubbard as the worldly wise Joe, Karla Burns as Queenie, and David Garrison and Paige O'Hara as the comic couple Frank and Ellie. And of course the songs by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II are among the most glorious ever written: "Ol' Man River," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "Make Believe," "Why Do I Love You," "Bill," "You Are Love," and "Life upon the Wicked Stage." Also included are exhaustive production notes, a history of the show, a detailed synopsis, and a libretto. John McGlinn's Show Boat is a staggering achievement and a recording for the ages. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

An American Treasure.......2007-03-03

When PBS showed the 1989 Paper Mill Playhouse production of Showboat, my five year old daughter fell in love with musical theater. To this day we never miss a production of Showboat, West Side Story, Music Man, Oklahoma or the rest of the great American musicals. These 3 discs are the closest you can ever hear to the original in 1927 and the recordings are leaps and bounds above any movie version or revival cast. Listening to Bill or Make Believe you almost want to cry at what Kern and Hammerstein were able to create.

I defy anyone to come up with another Broadway production that has three songs in a row better than Make Believe, Ol' Man River and Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (West Side Story's Maria, America and Tonight are the best three in a row of a movie musical) and it's a shame that no movie version of Showboat can compare to this version. The first act is full of songs that are as good as any ever sung on a stage and I can't think of another production with a first act that compete against the big 3 plus Cotton Blossom, Where's The Mate For Me, Life On The Wicked Stage, Till Good Luck Comes My Way, Misry's Comin' Aroun', You are Love, Act One finale and Why Do I Love You?. You just don't want to have the music stop.

If you don't like opera you won't like this version. Sung the way Kern and Hammerstein wrote them, you can't help but feel the operatic nature of these songs. Tough noogies because Showboat is above all an opera disguised as a Broadway play and no sweetening should be allowed.

The four leads are all superb, Frederica von Stade as Nola especially. The booklet contains the complete libretto and allows a different way to appreciate the music.

If you buy just one version of Showboat you need this one. If you have other versions of Showboat you need this one. As a matter of fact, anyone with ears to hear needs this version. A true American treasure.

DON'T DESPAIR. IT'S BEEN REISSUED!!!!!.......2006-11-16

One of the great recordings of musical theatre ever. Although it's no longer available on EMI Angel, it was reissued in October, 2006, as an EMI Classic's "Great Recordings of the Century." It's been "Digitially Remastered at Abbey Road Studios from the Original Masters" and "noise-shaped via the Prism SNS system for optimum sound quality." If ART remastering does for this recording what it has done for other EMI Classics in my library, then it should sound superb. However, I understand the booklet is not as detailed as the one in the original 3-disc release.

Thank you, EMI.

I would hope other labels would follow suit and remaster and reissue other examples of classic American musical theater. It would be a pity if our children, grandchildren, and future generations were unable to savor "110 in the Shade" or "Little Mary Sunshine" or . . . . . . . . . (fill in the blanks.)

An American tragedy...........2006-02-06

This is the first of the great American musical plays, and probably remained unchallenged until the mid-1950s when West Side Story appeared. The term "musical comedy" does not apply. The few laugh lines are subsumed by the terrible sense of loss and disaster that work throughout the story. At its core is homelessness, the destruction wrought by racism, bad choices, human weakness, and reconciliation. The cast?--this was one of the few crossover recordings I've ever heard that actually worked. The trio of Jerry Hadley, Frederica von Stade, and Teresa Stratas is a marvel; Stratas in particular seems to have had a patented Dark Cloud that shadowed her. It's perfect for Julie Dozier Laverne. And the late Bruce Hubbard brings a magnificent dignity and voice to Joe--his singing of "Ol' Man River" amy not efface Paul Robeson, but can stand beside it.

Gorgeous!.......2005-08-26

Simply gorgeous! The most unforgetable music and the best voices! An album for all time!
M. J. Conrades

Defective disc........2005-08-15

I received this item on July 27, 2005. I played it on my portable CD player and found out that Disc 2 of the set was defective. It kept on skipping on my CD player. So, I returned it for a refund.

Anything Goes (1988 Studio Cast) - Cole Porter

Average customer rating:

The Original, but not the Better
Anything Goes - Cole Porter
An excellent additionto the Cole Porter fan's collection.
A PLEASANT SURPRISE . . .
As close to the original 1934 performance as we'll ever get!

Anything Goes (1988 Studio Cast) - Cole Porter
Cole Porter , Kim Criswell , Bruce Hubbard , Frederica von Stade , John McGlinn , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Anything Goes - The New Broadway Cast Recording
Anything Goes (1962 Off-Broadway Cast)
Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Oh, Kay! (1994 Studio Recording)

ASIN: B000002RRA
Release Date: 1990-05-08

Tracks:

Anything Goes: Overture
Anything Goes: Act One: I Get A Kick Out Of You (Reno)
Anything Goes: Act One: Bon Voyage (Boys, Girls)
Anything Goes: Act One: All Through The Night (Billy, Hope)
Anything Goes: Act One: There'll Always Be A Lady Fair
Anything Goes: Act One: Where Are The Men? (Chorus)
Anything Goes: Act One: You're The Top (Billy, Reno)
Anything Goes: Act One: Encore: You're The Top (Reno, Billy)
Anything Goes: Act One: Reprise: There'll Always Be A Lady Fair
Anything Goes: Act One: Anything Goes (Reno)
Anything Goes: Act One: Finale Act One (Billy, Hope, Moonface, Reno)
Anything Goes: Act One: Entr'acte
Anything Goes: Act Two: Public Enemy Number One (Chorus)
Anything Goes: Act Two: What A Joy To Be Young (Hope)
Anything Goes: Act Two: Blow, Gabriel, Blow (Reno, Company)
Anything Goes: Act Two: Be Like The Bluebird (Moonface)
Anything Goes: Act Two: Buddie, Beware (Reno)
Anything Goes: Act Two: The Gypsy In Me (Hope)
Anything Goes: Act Two: Finale Ultimo (All)
Anything Goes: Appendix: There's No Cure Like Travel (Boys, Girls)
Anything Goes: Appendix: Kate The Great (Reno, Angels)
Anything Goes: Appendix: Waltz Down The Aisle (Evelyn, Hope)

Amazon.com

Along with Kiss Me, Kate, 1934's Anything Goes is usually thought to be Cole Porter's finest show. Even without a young belter named Ethel Merman as the lead, the show's parade of hits ("I Get a Kick Out of You," "All Through the Night," "You're the Top," and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow") would have secured it a place in Broadway's pantheon. This recording is the first one to use the original 1934 arrangements, painstakingly reconstructed with the help of one of the original arrangers, Hans Spialek, and it also includes three songs cut from the original production. And the excellent cast does the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor John McGlinn proud: Kim Craswell is her usual powerhouse as Reno Sweeney (if only a little brittle around the edges sometimes), while mezzo Frederica von Stade smoothly adapts to musical theater as Hope Harcourt. All musical-theater lovers should have Anything Goes in their collection, and this recording is quite a worthy one. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

The Original, but not the Better.......2007-01-31

This CD is quite a classic, as it is Anything Goes, but in as close to its original form as possible. The other recordings of Anything Goes have been altered significantly with dropped and added songs. This CD also is very much in the classical musical theater style. This seems to be an ensemble piece, with big chorus numbers mixed in equally with love duets, and the occasional ballad. After listening to a few tracks, you will surely have a tune stuck in your head, but the nice thing is none of these are annoying tunes. The singers (save one) are great; the lyrics are decent, although sometimes predictable, and the orchestration is out in full grandeur. I would suggest this for collectors, older listeners, or listeners of the older musicals. This is not one for the newer listeners who are captivated with the likes of Wicked and Tarzan. For the newer listeners I would suggest getting the 1962 Off-Broadway Cast, it has a much fresher feel to it, and I prefer it to this one. Favorite Song: "Anything Goes"

Anything Goes - Cole Porter.......2006-03-18

I'm too young to have heard this music when it was originally released, but heard some of the songs on the radio as part of a Cole Porter feature and liked them. I looked up the details on the BBC website and tried to find the same recording on-line. The only way I could get it was ordering from Amazon America, which I did. No problems - delivery within 2 weeks and (including postage) same cost as a full price CD in UK.

If you know any of these songs and want to hear them recorded with original orchestration, without anything added or taken away, and sung by very good singers, then this will fit the bill.

Orchestration is very good, nothing too lush or fancy, it just fits the words perfectly. And beautifully recorded.

The singers are all very good except for Jack Gilford who I personally thought was awful - but he only features once. Kim Criswell is exceptional.

With the CD comes a very informative booklet, giving full text of the lyrics, background to how the musical came to be written, and an explanation of the context of the topics covered by the songs.

I'm very glad I went to the trouble of getting this CD. If you want to hear Cole Porter's musical as it sounded originally, then get this!

An excellent additionto the Cole Porter fan's collection........2005-09-22

If you like Cole Porter and/or musical comedies, don't miss this item. The performances are outstanding. The entire production is faithful to the original production. Also included is a very thorough booklet, which even has a glossary explaining Porter's allusions in his lyrics.

A PLEASANT SURPRISE . . . .......2005-08-07

My introduction to ANYTHING GOES was the 1962 revival on LP. (Remember LPs? Remember when vinyl meant music and not imitation leather?) With it I became an Eileen Rodgers fan and remain so to this day. (Would someone please re-issue the original Broadway cast recording of TENDERLOIN so Broadway fans may hear Ms. Rodgers belt "Little Old New York" as only she can? I was fortunate to purchase the Angel Broadway CD before Capitol dropped it, along with many other fine cast recording. Shame!!!) Anyway, I like this version and highly recommend it, especially for its restored original orchestrations and for the excellence of its three leads. Yes, the Ambrosian Singers are too well trained and "proper" to sing "Broadway" and the bits of dialogue reveal how the "book" played second fiddle to the music in those days. Thankfully, this would change with SHOW BOAT, and John McGlinn's EMI recording of the complete score with dialoge - although not my favorite - is an invaluable document and needs to be in any serious collection of Broadway show recordings.

I truly appreciate the authenticity of this (ANYTHING GOES) project. I only wish McGlinn and company had not approached the show with kid gloves, because it lacks the energy and immediacy of a good Broadway cast recording. There were times, when listening, I felt as I often do in a museum. The piece of art is a classic and much to be admired, but don't get too close. And you mustn't touch! Nevertheless, I highly recommend this recording. Kim Criswell deserves to be on your shelf along with Eileen Rodgers and Patti LuPone.

As close to the original 1934 performance as we'll ever get!.......2004-10-23

Of the many ANYTHING GOES recordings, this is the ONLY one to recreate the score as it was heard on opening night in 1934.

The later stage revivals (1962 and 1987) dropped some of the original songs and added other Cole Porter standards. While these versions play well on stage, there is something to be siad for hearing the original text and orchestrations. While no one can replace Ethel Merman's original star performance, it was not preserved because "original cast" albums were not being done in 1934. She did record some of the songs over the years but never with the original orchestrations. (Just think if EMI had made this set in the 1960s and brought Merman into the studio to record her interpretations! What a missed opportunity.) That said, Kim Criswell brings the requesite belt to Reno Sweeney's songs. Cris Groenendaal brings a pleasant light tenor to Billy Crocker's songs, and Frederica Von Stade (one of the few opera singers whose voice seems well suited to american musical theatre repretoire) is well suited to Hope's short musical scenes. As an ingenue, she doesn't get to sing all that much!

Not all is perfect. Jack Gilford was too old and frail having little voice left for Moonface Martin's number. And the Ambrosian singers sing correctly without having the proper "broadway" sound. Nevertheless, John McClinn conducts with precision, and the thick booklet is full of fascinating facts about the show, a detailed synopsis, all the lyrics and an amusing glossery explaing some of the obscure references in Porter's original lyrics.

Average customer rating:

I waited for this for five years
Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE!
ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS
SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!
A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
Evita (Original London Cast)
Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Masterpiece (Collector's Edition) (Bonus CD)

ASIN: B00005R5UJ
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

Oh What A Circus - David Essex
Memory - Betty Buckley
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
With One Look - Petula Clark
You Must Love Me - Madonna
The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
No Matter What - Boyzone
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
Try It And See - Rita Pavone
Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
Disillusion Me - Gary Band
The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
Magdalena - Tony Christie
Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.

Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!

Average customer rating:

Great music, fine performance
The Best of the best
Beautiful Music, Beautifully Sung
A bleak Mid-winter
If you own one Christmas Music CD--this is it

Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Cambridge Singers Christmas Album
Christmas Star
The John Rutter Christmas Album
Christmas Day in the Morning
The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College

ASIN: B0000031H5
Release Date: 1993-01-20

Tracks:

In Dulci Jubilo
Adam Lay Ybounden
Christmas Night
Once, as I Remember
A Spotless Rose
In the Bleak Midwinter
There Is a Flower
The Cherry Tree Carol
I Wonder as I Wander
Candlelight Carol
O Tannenbaum
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
A Virgin Most Pure
I Sing of a Maiden
Lute-Book Lullaby
The Three Kings
Myn Lyking
O Little One Sweet
All My Heart This Night Rejoices
I Saw a Maiden
Away in a Manger
Nativity Carol

Amazon.com

"The theme of this album is the birth of Christ, reflected in the words and music of 22 carols spanning more than six centuries." This description might also say that the program contains some of the best and best-loved Christmas choral pieces of all time, presented in a pleasing mix of familiar carols and lesser-known original works. Among the best-known selections are Darke's "In the bleak mid-winter" and Howells's "A spotless rose." Several original pieces by John Rutter appear here for the first time--"Christmas Night," "There is a flower," and "Nativity Carol." Other notable highlights are Peter Cornelius's "The three kings" and the lively Willcocks arrangement of "Tomorrow shall be my dancing day." Of course, the singing is among the best on the planet--in fact, there may even be a few heavenly angels in the soprano section. --David Vernier

Album Description

An incredible collection of 22 carols, old and new, including I Wonder As I Wander, Away In A Manger, O Tannenbaum, and In Dulci Jubilo. "In the field of choral Christmas CDs, Christmas Night shines brightest of all." David Vernier - Classics Today

Customer Reviews:

Great music, fine performance.......2007-01-26

Recommended for everyone to have since secularized "popular" Christmas music is repeated endlessly from mid November to 25 December with dreary lyrics and superficial performance. Carols of the Nativity is immensely better.

The Best of the best.......2006-12-22

I,ve been collecting Christmas Music for over 25 Years especially the non-pop genre. This is my desert CD. The Chanticleer and Kings College CDs are very good but this is the summit of quiet meditative music for the season. I always listen to this alone at night and still get thrilled and overwhelmed by it's beauty and sublimity. My favorite track is "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" simply because of the beauty of the poetry of Rossetti. I always give this as a gift to my friends who enjoy beautiful acapella music.Do yourself a favor and purchase this most beautiful of all Christmas music. I own over 200 Christmas CD'S and this one gets played at least twice a season. The other Rutter Christmas CD's are excellent but not quite in the same class. This is a once in a lifetime album. It is the centerpiece of my own personal celebration of christmastime.

Beautiful Music, Beautifully Sung.......2003-12-18

This compilation of Christmas carols both traditional and modern stands in stark contrast to much of the bubble gum, soda pop Christmas music so often heard on popular radio these days. There are no divas or over the top performances or attempts to make "a moment". What there is are beautiful songs sung by talented singers.

So many of these carols are so beautiful that it's hard to pick out which are the best. More likely than not, that's going to be a highly personal choice but if you see one of your favorites on the track list you can be sure that it's well performed.

In short, this album should be part of your Christmas collection. It's best listened to in the quiet time on Christmas Eve.

A bleak Mid-winter.......2003-10-17

This CD contains the usual Rutter mix of gorgeous traditional treatments with a few incredibly schlocky arrangements. Fortunately, I can just leave the schlock off my iPod playlist (otherwise I'd return the CD).

The real letdown is my own fault: I didn't notice that "In the Bleak Midwinter" is the Darke version, not Holst. Ugh. If only the RealAudio samples had stretched one song further down the song list.

If you own one Christmas Music CD--this is it.......2002-12-24

You can't beat the polished ensemble sound of the Cambridge Singers and John Rutter has devoted his life to celebrating the joys of Anglican Christmas music. This is a coherent program of carols that you can play without skipping tracks. The selection is well-balanced and covers a broad historical range. Although there are some interesting alternatives out there for purists (such as Kings College Choir and the Tallis Singers)if you own just one CD of English Christmas music--this should be the one.

Average customer rating:

Most beautiful music

Menuhin & Grappelli Play...

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Jazz in Paris: Oscar Peterson-Stephanie Grapelli Quartet, Vol. 1

ASIN: B0002Z83LG
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

Fascinatin' Rhythm
Soon
Summertime
Embraceable You
Liza
A Foggy Day
'S Wonderful
The Man I Love
I Got Rhythm
He Loves And She Loves
They Can't Take That Away From Me
They All Laughed
Funny Face
Our Love Is Here To Stay
Lady Be Good
These Foolish Things
Laura
April In Paris
Autumn Leaves
Autumn In New York

Tracks:

Cheek To Cheek
Isn't This A Lovely Day?
Change Partners
Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Heat Wave
The Way You Look Tonight
Pick Yourself Up
A Fine Romance
All The Things You Are
Why Do I Love You?
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Night And Day
Looking At You
Just One Of Those Things
My Funny Valentine
Thou Swell
The Lady Is A Tramp
Blue Room
Jealousy
Skylark

Customer Reviews:

Most beautiful music.......2005-08-17

This is happy music.
Just plain happy, instrumental music.
Highly recommend to everyone.

Average customer rating:

Great CD!

World's Greatest Marches

Manufacturer: Proarte
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Radetsky March
National Emblem March
Pomp & Circumstance No. 1
Finale - Symphony No. 5
Washington Post March
El Capitan
Turkish March
March Troyenne
Entry Of The Gladiators
Rider For The Flag
The Circus Bee
Gallito
Under The Double Eagle
Wedding March
March Militaire No. 1
Semper Fidelis
Manhattan Beach
Washington Grays
The Southerner
Stars and Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

Great CD!.......2005-08-13

I think I have an earlier version of this CD but the contents are identical (released 1987, Pro-Arte) This compiles 20 of the greatest marches from the vaults of Intersound records.

All the marches are digital recordings performed by four great orchestras from all over the world:

London's Royal Promenade Orchestra conducted by Alfred Gehardt (track1)

Houstons' Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sergiu Comissiona (2,3,7-9,14,15

Bamberg's Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gary Bertini (track 4)

The University of Michigan Symphony conducted by H.R. Reynolds (5,6,10-13,16-19)

The CD runs smoothly and is tracked in a wonderful listening order. If you enjoy this I recommend "Pomp and Pizazz" by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinatti Pops, great companion CD to this one without too many duplication in tracks.

I'm sure there have been superior march CDs released in the past 20 years, but I've had this one for as long and I still love it.

Average customer rating:

Kiri on Broadway

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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My Fair Lady: I Could Have Danced All Night
My Fair Lady: Wouldn't It Be Loverly?
My Fair Lady: Just You Wait
My Fair Lady: The Rain In Spain
My Fair Lady: Show Me
My Fair Lady: Wtihout You
One Touch Of Venus: Speak Low
Too Many Girls: I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Carousel: You'll Never Walk ALone
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West Side Story: I Feel Pretty
West Side Story: Tonight
West Side Story: One Hand, One Heart
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Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Average customer rating:

Goodall's Siegfried
"Do you know what Wotan wills?"
Slow and steady wins the race
Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!
Better than you might think....

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Wagner: The Rhinegold
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Wagner: Siegfried
Wagner: Die Walküre

ASIN: B000056KNC
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Act I.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act I., Scene 1: Wearisome Labour! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Hoiho! Hoiho! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Well, There Are The Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: A Whimpering Babe - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: Much You've Taught To Me, Mime - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: I Found Once in The Wood - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act I., Scene 1: And Now These Fragments - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 1: He Storms Away! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: Hail There, Worthy Smith! - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: I Sit By Your Hearth - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: What You Needed To Know - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 2: The Fragments! The Sword! - Gregory Dempsey/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act I., Scene 3: Accursed Light! - Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Hey There! You Idler! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Have You Not Felt Within The Woods - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act I., Scene 3: Give Me These Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Notung! Notung! Sword Of My Need! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act I., Scene 3: Hoho! Hoho! Hohi! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
Act II.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act II., Scene 1: In Gloomy Night By Fafner's Cave I Wait - Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: To Neidhohl By Night I Have Come - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: Not My Plan! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 1: Fafner! Fafner! You Dragon, Wake! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud/Clifford Grant
Act II., Scene 1: Now, Alberich! That Plan Failed! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 2: We Go No Further! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: So He's No Father Of Mine - Alberto Remedios

Tracks:

Act II., Scene 2: Could I But Know - Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: See My Mother - Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: Ha Ha! At Last With My Call - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant
Act II., Scene 2: Who Are You, Youthful Hero - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
Act II., Scene 2: The Dead Can Tell No Tidings - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
Act II., Scene 3: Hehe! Sly And Slippery Knave - Derek Hammond-Stroud/Gregory Dempsey
Act II., Scene 3: Tarnhelm And Ring, Here They Are - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London/Gregory Dempsey
Act II., Scene 3: Be Welcome, Siegfried! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios/Derek Hammond-Stroud
Act II., Scene 3: You Lie There Too, Mighty Dragon - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
Act III.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
Act III., Scene 1: Waken, Wala! Wala! Awake! - Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 1: Strong Is Your Call - Anne Collins/Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 1: You Unwise One, Learn What I Will - Norman Bailey
Act III., Scene 2: I See That Siegfried's Near - Norman Bailey

Tracks:

Act III., Scene 2: My Woodbird Fluttered Away - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: Young Man, Hear Me - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: Child, If You Knew Who I Am - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 2: With His Spear in Splinters - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Here in The Sunlight - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Come, My Sword! - Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Hail, Bright Sunlight! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Siegfried! Siegfried! Glorious Hero! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: And There Is Grane, My Sacred Horse - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Act III., Scene 3: Oh! I Cared Always - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios

Customer Reviews:

Goodall's Siegfried.......2007-06-22

This is completely worth it. Other reviews aptly pointed out everything good, and this *is* good--brilliant. Alberto Remedios is the best Siegfried I've ever heard, and Rita Hunter is a stunning and convincing Brunnhilde. If I could give this more than five stars, I would.

"Do you know what Wotan wills?".......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Slow and steady wins the race.......2007-02-07

Yes, we all know that Reginal Goodall's Wagner is VERY deliberate (read slow) at times. When I heard the late Rita Hunter singing in Sydney in the 80s, I asked her about working with Maestro Goodall, she said he was one of the most thorough and demanding conductor's you could wish to work with.

For me, this whole cycle is desert island material because the English translation is just superb. Fine singing and marvellous playing from the ENO orchestra.

Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!.......2005-05-03

As good as his die Walkure is, Goodall's Siegfried is even better. For me this is the most difficult opera of the entire Ring and Goodall pulls it off with honors indeed. Remedios is a wonder! Wish we had had him in the Met Ring Cycles of the past decade. Hunter again is a wonder with beauty and strength of tone. Once more I enjoy Bailey. I found That Alan Blyth in Gramophone 5/01 and I seem to appreciate him. It would seem that Goodall gives this opera all the wonderful performance it needs. Not an easy show to pull off. This recording absolutely belongs in any Wagnerian's collection. Had I been at this live performance, I definitely would not have fallen asleep and would have regretted its coming to its inevitable end. And the orchestra rises to the occasion splendidly. From Siegfried's climb to Brunhilde's rock until the end of the duet, the orchestral playing is rich, very moving bordering on the monumental just because it is live and thus more of a risk than a studio recording. Hunter is nothing short of stunning. The duet alone makes the recording a must have. Too bad artists are not fully appreciated until we no longer have them around to enjoy. Thank God this is on CD to be enjoyed at the listener's command.

Better than you might think...........2002-03-17

I had to think more than twice before purchasing this recording, especially since it isnt at a budget price, but I dont regret having done so. Wagner's original German language opera sung in English might seem more like a novelty recording (or a horrifying experience to hardcore Wagner fans) than a serious approach to the music, but surprisingly it works (for the most part). For the listener who doesn't speak and understand German this is a great way to understand Wagner's opera, as the connection between text and drama is made clearer--though I sometimes wish the singers diction and pronunciation were a bit clearer--but hey, its still opera and a complete English only libretto is included (along with a scene by scene summary of the drama, a summary of the preceding two operas, and an essay and photos of this particular project). Overall the orchestra and conducting is up to par and the sound is clear, balanced, and spacious, the only annoying thing being the audience clapping after the end of each act--its a live 1975 recording. While this is no substitute for the original in German, think of it as a great resource ... to understanding Wagner's opera cycle for listeners without the time or inclination to learn German.

Average customer rating:

Get your hanky....this is very, very emotional music
The best relaxing and inspirational CD in my collection.

Music for the Soul

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002SMO
Release Date: 1997-03-25

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Customer Reviews:

Get your hanky....this is very, very emotional music.......2003-08-03

This is very emotional music that may easily bring a tear or many
to your eyes.....this is very powerful music .....know that going into
it.

The best relaxing and inspirational CD in my collection........1998-08-10

I'm back to buy this CD for a friend who writes while listening to this type of music, as I do. The CD inspires and presents consistent selections of music that take you "out of it" and allow you to think. I've purchased many CDs looking for this type of music, and I listen to this one most often. It's a rare find.

Music:

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