Mark Levine Music

this really is an amazing set. rarely are compilation sets filled with such consistently good music as well as offering the breadth and diversity found here. also, this is THE introduction to opera, as far as i'm concerned. if you don't enjoy opera after listening to this set, then opera is probably just not for you.

This is simply the best collection of opera arias that I have seen. It's not 100% in that there are a few well-known arias that are not here, but what is here is simply a treasure. The organization is a bit strange, but there's some logic. For example, Disk 6 is mostly from French operas. A seemingly endless amount of glorious music. Just fabulous. You won't be disappointed.

This cd is a splendid collection of songs, and the price is unbeatable; I have but a few minor complaints about the overall product. The cd would have been much more enjoyable if they had put the music in some sort of order, rather than jumping around from artist to artist sporatically. My only other complaint would be that they could have chosen some better vocalists to play some of the songs. For example, in CD 6, track 3: Romeo et Juliette, the singer was not nearly as strong and definative as she should have been and I've definately heard in various other versions that were way better than this. This disappointed me greatly. But even with these few small complaints, this collection is still great and the price is amazing. It includes MOST of the famous opera pieces, as well some great songs that are often overlooked such as the beautiful song from Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg (CD 6, track 16) along with others.

I am so impressed by this collection that I must share my joy at getting so many beautiful arias, duets, et al in one collection. It captures many of the great operatic voices in stellar performances spanning the last 50 years. If you are enchanted by beautiful operatic highlights, removed from their operatic storylines, this set is for you. Hours of gorgeous music for practically pennies!

A collection of 100 individual arias and ensembles from the EMI catalogue of complete works recorded between 1955 and 2003. It includes selections from operas by Italian, Austrian, German, Russian and French composers. The French composers are especially well represented unlike most such anthologies. And there are several more obscure contributions, such as an aria from Catalani's La Wally. A well-judged balance of musical periods and styles, and the very best singers of the last half of the last century. And remarkably, the whole collection of 6 CDS, over 7 hours of music, is being sold for the cost of only 1 CD !

Don't waste your money on this . It is not worth the plastic it is burned on.

This was well done, I'm wondering however if anyone has any luck tracking down what choir is singing the 'Randall Thompson's Alleluia'?

then I can't wait to get there ! Out of my extensive music collection this is the album that gets played on a daily basis. It is not often one can say that every track is pure pleasure to listen to; but it is the case with Tears from Heaven (and the second CD in the album - Voices from Heaven). This album has to be heard to be believed. For variety, musicality and recording clarity this is is truely a divine collection. I highly recommend it !

I was reluctant to buy this recording because the title and the underlying concept seemed commercial, superficial, and hokey. But these are genuinely fine performances of great works. Whoever put this together did it right. I recommend it without reservation.

I bought this CD based on the three previous reviews and the fact that I like beautiful choral music. But I found Tears from Heaven dreadfully dull and uninspiring. There were perhaps three tracks that I enjoyed listening to. So here you have another opinion.

Placido Domingo's magnificent voice scarcely needs any introduction or praise or comments, as it is a splendid vehicle that speaks for itself. Not only is the voice - a strong, wood-grained, ringing tenor of a richer and darker sound than a pure lyric tenor - an amazing thing, a gift of God, but Domingo is himself a master of the technical demands of music (in addition to being a master of the technical demands of singing - not the same thing at all!) and a truly great singing artist.

That is, he is never content to sing without becoming the character, without expressing the emotions of the character.

The size, colour and drama of the voice make him an ideal Verdi exponent. Who could ever forget his magnificent performances in "Un ballo", "Don Carlos", "La Traviata", "Il Trovatore", and a host of other Verdi tenor roles? And the consistency of Domingo's vocal quality is something of a phenomenon. This man has had an enviable career - and it's his superb vocal technique that has carried him through it.

I particularly love the way that he varies the outpourings of that golden tone. At one moment it's all fire and blazing intensity, and the next it's a thing of restraint and tenderness. Is there anything at which to cavil in Domingo as a Verdi tenor? I do not think so...

The world has been fortunate to be gifted with such a tenor. If music itself adds meaning to our life and to existence itself, it finds an ideal servant of itself in this man who is certainly one of the finest tenors in the world.

This collection of Verdi arias represents not only the recordings of Domingo in the roles he's tackled during his long career (with some of the finest fellow singers you could imagine), but also some earlier Verdi that he'd not performed, and which he recorded specially for this multi-CD set. The result is a triumph. One can see the difference instantly between various characters - not an easy thing to do.

I would also like to recommend another set - "Der junge Domingo" (The Young Domingo), a 5-CD set released by BMG. I cannot find it here on Amazon, so I can only suggest those who are interested try alternative sources. It's a quite stunning collection - admittedly it contains "Svegliatevi nel cor" which I think is a mistake, but then it was recorded before the Handel revival and was thus less historically informed than one might wish. But really... it doesn't matter. The great beauty and intelligence of Domingo's singing shines through even that, and it's followed by a lovely "Il mio tesoro" from Mozart's Don Giovanni. Things get even better - there's a Donizetti aria from Il Duca d'Alba, the famous tenor aria from La Juive, the "Quando le sere al placido" from Luisa Miller, Lenski's aria from Eugene Onegin, some Gounod (including arias from Faust and Roméo et Juliette), the love duet from Madama Butterfly with Leontyne Price, and much more...

This is Placido Domingo's best recording to date. His greatest and strongest repertoire was Verdi, as he himself claimed, and this recording is a lovely tribute to Verdi himself. A plethora of arias from such operas as La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Aida, Don Carlos, Otello and such earlier works like Il Foscari, Jersualem, Nabucco, Stiffelio and Ernani. In Placido Domingo, the opera scene found the heir to Enrico Caruso and successor to Franco Corelli. Originally trained as a baritone, Domingo had opera in his blood. His Spanish-born parents were Zarzuela singers. Placido's voice is dark, rich, full lyric, but dramatic and compelling, the perfect voice for Verdi and Puccini. Domingo mastered a number of operatic languages including French, German and Russian. His charisma, good looks and dramatic prowess was all to his credit and he appeared in Zefferelli movies (Traviata in 82 and Otello in 86. Many detractors and critics have taken a while to praise Domingo, and it wasnt until he sang Wagner that they came around. He has always been "outshined" by Pavoratti with whom he had a real rivalry with. But unlike Pavoratti, Domingo has more dramatic integrity in his characterizations and is the more cerebral singer. His voice is more beautiful, less brassy than the overweight showy Pavoratti. This is his best recording and I urge all fans to own it at once.

What a voice and what a power. Here we have a combination of a beautiful music and a perfect voice. What else would you need to enjoy it.

This set is a recorded testimony to both Verdi's genius and Placido Domingo's versatility. Through 70's, 80's, and 90's, Domingo recorded with three major labels -- DG, RCA, and EMI. Out of these three, DG captured the most Verdi recordings, so it only was right for it to combine what they already had with newly recorded material, mostly early Verdi arias (Chung & Gergiev conducting), plus some licensed material (e.g. Giovanna D'Arco) from EMI.
What impresses right away is how little has the voice changed over the years. Yes, some freshness heard on Ingemisco is lost now, but there is much greater insight gained, as displayed in such heroic pieces as "O magnanima, e prima delle città lombarde". Through numerous performances (Domingo has long ago broke Enrico Caruso's record for opening nights at the MET) and numerous recorded recitals, Domingo managed to keep the powerful, ringing spinto tenor mostly intact. What's most intriguing is HOW did he manage it. He did not pick and choose the roles (as Bergonzi, for instance), he sang Otello since the 70's, and recently has even recorded some of Wagner's extremely demanding roles (see EMI's catalog). Domingo's voice is not typical for an Italian tenor, e.g. he does not have the squillo (or the "ping") on top notes, but what's amazing is that it is able to produce bronze-like ring on all notes. During the mid-eighties, the voice had a fascinating baritonal quality; Domingo has even recorded Il Barbiere. On this CD, the selections with Guilini reflect that period the best.
Deutsche Grammophon chose to alternate the new-recorded material with old one. As a result, those who have been devoted fans of the tenor for, say fifteen-plus years, will notice some difference, but those relatively new to his art would not.
The set, albeit not a bargain, has many delights. In addition to featuring selections from out-of-print editions (e.g. Luisa Miller with Maazel) the newly recorded material is targeted at paying homage to early Verdi and his lesser-known works. For instance, "Ah, toi que j'ai chérie" from French version of I Vespri siciliani is a great aria, makes one wish for a complete opera to be recorded some time soon. The French selections in particular show how attentive Verdi was to highlighting the beauty of language with his music. This really explains why Italian translations done later did not fare as well as the originals, and vice versa.
The selections from complete operas impress with starry casts. We hear the voices of Price, Cappuccilli, Ghiaurov, Milnes, Jo, and most wonderful choruses. And most of world's greatest conductors are present here -- Karajan, Gergiev, Kleiber, Levine, Abbado, just to name a few. Each brings his own distinct style, some controversial, some debated, all exciting, but none simply conventional.
Many have noted Domingo's chameleon-like ability to "become" the character. I would just like to add a note that he is now added the ability to infuse his characters with subtle sensuality. Granted, a tenor aria is written to be appealing and engaging, but it takes a great artist to make it "glow."
We are indeed very lucky to share a time frame with Placido Domingo. For years to come, he will be the idol for aspiring singers and a source of wonder for the numerous fans of great vocal performances.

Pure,absolute satisfaction!That's the onlypossible feeling I could possible have after having listened and cherished this fabulous set of CD's. It is a tribute to this magnificent master of fine singing,as well as a monumental homage to the mythical Giuseppe Verdi!Placido Domingo is the perfect, harmonious combination of acting, passion and singing. He is always powerful and crystal clear in his high notes. Maestro Domingo knows every time where and when to adjust his divine voice in the appropriate tone and volume.He is never too loud(too forte!) or too low, and never croons. Although there are some trivial flaws as far as the sound quality of specific tracks is concerned e.g. the last high note from "O mio rimorso!", this CD-set is a real tresure and an excellent value for money for anyone who wishes to call oneself a "real VERDI - addict" as well as a fan of this glorious artist, a dramatic, a heroic,a lyric,a mature,a perfect singer. HAIL PLACIDO DOMINGO, TENOR OF THE TENORS!

I heard Mark O'connor's performance on this CD before it was released. A friend of mine had Mark and myself over for dinner and Mark shared this track with us. He said the original idea behind the arrangement was one of hope and redemption, but after meditating on the true nature of the songs inclusion on this compilation, he charged the Orchestra and it's director with a different task. It is the saddest musical moment I have ever heard. The Orchestra plays a low peddle while Mark's violin becomes a mournfull bag-pipe suffering the losses of the lost and their families. We stood in the living room and cried. Sometimes it's just not proper to look ahead and press on. Sometimes suffering is the correct response.

This latest venture from David Arnold has given the "film-score-buff" a change of pace, known for his past scores of action and adventure...this one has short cues, but with counterpoints that leave you satisfied...a few stand outs ~ "JODY AND IVETTE", beautifully done..."DRIVE BY", gives the music collector their moneys worth.

Hats off to ~ Nicholas Dodd (orchestration/conductor), Shirley Caesar (vocals) and Varese Sarabande for doing what they do best...give "film-music-collectors" something to sink their teeth into!

Total Time: 41:09 on 19 Tracks ~ Varese Sarabande 302-066- 280-2 ~ (2001)

If any of us were to visit New College, Oxford on an Easter Sunday when the college's in-house forces performed the St. John Passion, we'd be floored. For a small, localized group to offer period Bach with such naturalness and unforced feeling is remarkable. There's no churchiness on the one hand or academic dustiness on the other. In terms of human expression, Higginbottom's reading surpasses even the vaunted John Eliot Gardiner, who sounds stiff and antiseptic by comparison. This, despite the fact that all the soloists here are in-house, too, (including a boy reble for the soprano part), while Gardiner has some world-class soloists. Tenor James Gilchrist and countertenor James Bowman are the only established professionls here, to my knowledge.

What makes up for the shortcomings of the soloists is the sense of being present at a live -- and living -- eent. YOu can't hold the Evangelist or Jesus up to the best in the field, yet both are sincere without being stagey. In other words, if you take this budget St. John Passion as all of a piece, it's emotionally satisfying without reaching great heights of professionalism.

Naxos doesn't usually record large works twice, but this is their second St. John Passion, the earlier one being by the Baroque Scholars and a fine one. This one has the unusual feature of being almost entirely a product of the music scholars of New College, Oxford. The choir is the New College Choir (SATB 14,4,4,5), using boy trebles and altos (as Bach did at St. Thomas Church, Leipzig). The soloists are all graduates or current members of the the college. The instrumentalists, using historically accurate instruments and performance practice, is the so-called 'Collegium Novum' (Latin for 'New College,' get it?), an ad-hoc group led by the well-known baroque violinist Alison Bury and put together for this recording, so it could be called, I suppose, the 'New New College.' The conductor is Edward Higginbottom, who has been director of the Choir since the mid-1970s.

One might think, since this is something of a special performance, gathering together current and 'old boy' singers, that it was something of a vanity project, but in fact it holds its own with other HIP performances of Bach's Johannespassion. It is sung in German and the booklet provides a German-English text. The Evangelist is sung by the fine tenor James Gilchrist (a treble in the Choir in the 1970s). Christ is sung by bass John Bernays (New College 1986-1990) and Pilate by bass Eamonn Dougan (New College 1993-1996). The other soloists are the noted countertenor James Bowman (boy alto 1960s), tenor Matthew Beale (1993-1996), bass Colin Baldy (a vocal coach at New College in the 1990s). The soprano soloist is a remarkable treble currently in the New College Choir, Joe Littlewood. He deserves special mention because of his intelligent musicality and sweet, true voice.

Higginbottom writes a few sentences to explain his decision to use boy trebles and altos, unlike some otherwise HIP performances, and goes on to defend his use of more than one string player per part, the latter being quite a trend in Bach recordings, witness the fine recent St. Matthew Passion conducted by Paul McCreesh. He notes that Bach had access to ripienists, saying 'provided Bach's counterpoint is clear, there can be no objection.' I tend to agree. I like the one-to-a-part performances I've heard, but I also am old enough to still love an occasional wallow in the old Richter performances of this and similar pieces. As far as I'm concerned, Bach is Bach and what matters is the musicality of the performance. On that account, this recording has no worries. It is presented as a dramatic whole, which is certainly appropriate since the Johannespassion is a sacred opera in all but name. The tempi are well-judged, the singers good, the instrumentalists (including continuo players cellist David Watkin and organist Ryan Wiggleworth) alert and flexible. Overall the style is somewhat light except for the dramatic points, as in the turba choruses.

This is a fine budget-priced St. John Passion and although there are other wonderful recordings out there (including my old standby in English with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears) it can more than stand on its own merits. The sound is just a smidgen less than the best available, with some minor distortion in loud choral passages.

Scott Morrison

Listening to this recording is like discovering well-known music again. The only competetive version of the 7th symhony is Toscanini's old one with the New York Philharmonic (better than the later NBC version) - but the sound is mediocre. Karajan's 7th with the Vienna Symphony is only nearly as good (why didn't he make more recordings with this orchestra with whom he obviously had great affinity?). Casals' 7th has got the best orchestra, the most "urgent" atmosphere as it is a live recording, and the best sound. The real surprise, however, is Casals' account of the 8th symphony, so vivid and brisk as never before. He opts for the same tempi as Gardiner does in his recent DG version. The difference is that Casals has got rhythm as well. Sony, please, release more recordings with this great musicien.

It seems this wonderful CD is only available via third party sellers. Despite this I'm compelled to tell anyone who might happen to come across this review that here is an example of what great music making is all about.
Maestro Casals leads a festival orchestra of about 50 players in the Seventh and 40 in the Eighth, but what they lack in numbers they more than compensate for in intensity. Every note played here conveys commitment and meaning. Consider, for example, the bass line in the second movement of the Seventh, these people aren't just keeping time but playing like soloists in counterpoint to the upper strings-extraordinary! I can only imagine what playing for a legend must have been like. The sound is not first class but more than good enough. This belongs in every orchestral collection, I hope it becomes more widely available.