Anne Sofie von Otter

I heard this CD on a PBS pledge drive (it was a premium) and found myself loving every cut on it! I was in my car and just wanted to keep on driving and listening. This is by far my most-played CD - I've had to make it a weekend only listen to prevent getting burned out on it. HIGHLY recommend it. Even if you are unfamiliar with some of the pieces, you will quickly learn to love them. . . . I must end this review - I'm off to listen to the "flower duet" for the 100th time. . .

I'm new to opera, but this CD has really beautiful music. I use it in my CD clock radio (Timex, that I purchased here also) to go to sleep to.

21 Dec, 2007
The movements in this collection move Me as much as My very bowel. Hence, it might work for your too. Try it, you'll like it if you want to be moved to your very "soul".

Am just discoving the glory of opera. Not all opera, but the arias that make your heart soar. My husband turned away from opera because he was "overdosed" at an early age and it really spoiled his pleasure for life. He's gone now, and I'm discovering what I've missed. This is a wonderful CD and well worth having.

If one was wanting to introduce a friend to the wonderful world of opera, this would be a great cd to buy them. Also at this time when many of us are worrying about Luciano and his health , it is great to hear him featured on many of the selections. A great buy and wonderful collection.

This Gardiner is a fine human recording but the Richter with Wunderlich Janowitz Ludwig Crass is divine.

Serious voice students will study the techniques of all four of Richter's soloists forever.

One other reviewer said their voices were right for opera theatres not Bach's churches. What nonsense. Of the four only Crass sang big heavy roles. The others are lyric singers. FW, GJ, and CL were all famous lieder singers and FW left records of obscure early religious music accompanied by local church organs. All three were totally at home in small settings. FC does a nice job of restraining his size, considering the part lies mostly at the top of his range.

The whole argument about what kind of singers Bach was writing for is wrong-headed because unlike say Mozart or Wagner, Bach wasn't thinking much about how the performers felt. He wrote as if for keyboard. What he requires IMHO is more of the astonishing consistancy of vocal color and volume which Richter's soloists maintain over long phrases, and less of the undersing-up-to-just-before-the-climax-and-then-crecendo-rapidly strategy one hears so often today. Overtargetting. It's cheating.

MONTEVERDI CHOIR AND THE ENGLISH BAROQUE SOLOISTS THE 'STARS' OF THIS RECORDING!!!!!
Johann Sebastion Bach (1685-1750) wrote very little church music after 1730, so it is not surprising that when he produced for Christmas, 1734, an 'oratorio' in six parts he adapted much of it from earlier compositions, mostly from secular odes. Recitatives and chorale settings were, of course, new, but otherwise all but one of the arias and nearly all of the choruses were 'parodies'. The six cantatas of the 'Christmas Oratorio' are designed to be performed on separate days from Christmas to Epiphany, but it does not necessarily follow that they are unconnected. Bach must have composed the work continuously, and there are many, sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle connections between the separate parts. The 'Christmas Oratorio' was virtually the last of Bach's major contributions to the music of the church, later works being almost exclusively either parodies or versions of cantatas written in former time.

Gardiner employed a large choir in this 1987 recording: 9 sopranos, 5 altos to which he added Michael Chance making it six; Chance was not a regular member of the Choir at this time, but Gardiner frequently added him for additional strength in the alto part and he was needed just based upon the other voice parts, 7 tenors and 5 basses. The choir iw truly outstanding in this recording: they are powerful, display unusually clear diction, especially considering the superfast tempos in some of the choruses. At no time are the words lost to the listener. The tone quality is appropriate for this music, especially the chorales where everything is exposed. Gardiner also managed to achieve excellent balance as per usual.

I was very impressed with the English Baroque Soloist; they had a 'bright' sound, clean articulation and did a great job of matching the emotional investment of the choir.

As for the soloists (and this is one reason I didn't give 5 stars); they were adequate, but not exciting, skilled but not inspiring. They are: Nancy Argenta (soprano)-von Otter (alto). Blochwitz (tenor) and O. Bar (bass). In all fairness I kept comparing them to the 1989 recording by Collegium Vocale, with Herreweghe, for his soloists were outstanding: B. Schlick (soprano) M. Chance (alto) H. Crook (tenor) and Peter Kooey (bass). A pity I cannot combine Herreweghe's soloists with the Monteverdi Choir!!!!Well, it's all a matter of what you like, so do whatever your ear leads you to.

This disc is a bit of an oddity. I can give it a perfectly sincere recommendation, but I think I had better explain myself carefully, and explain exactly what I am recommending.

The spirit of the selection is much what you would expect in a disc entitled `Christmas Treats from JSB' or `Immortal Melodies from The Christmas Oratorio' or something of that sort. Bach's Christmas Oratorio is not an oratorio in the Handelian sense. In the 1720's Bach faithfully turned out a cantata for each Sunday and major feast, but in one particular year he elected to reprocess some of his older music, most of it secular originally, and string the numbers together for the entire festive season under the overall title of `Christmas Oratorio'. Borrowing, adaptation and recomposition of earlier music, sometimes one's own sometimes someone else's, was a standard practice at the time. Nobody saw anything wrong with it, and to this day neither do I. Neither Bach nor Handel can exactly be taxed with lack of original output in astonishing quantities, and it is not as if the recycling of the material was not quite a major task in its own right. The Christmas Oratorio is commonly viewed as a lesser work than the B minor Mass or the St Matthew Passion, and while I probably go along with that view to a certain extent, I don't do so for the reasons I usually see argued. The secular origin of the music is neither here nor there in my opinion - all Bach's music is explicitly written for the greater glory of God. Also, when I see this work compared to its disadvantage with the B minor Mass on grounds of recycling, I have to recall that the B minor Mass itself is made up of recycled material practically from start to finish.

To anyone who does not know the Christmas Oratorio and who may have been put off by any of this foolishness, my own advice is simply to ignore the whole fuss. What you will find in it is a set of Bach cantatas produced to the same astounding standard of inspiration, consistency and workmanship that you will find in any of the others. What makes this disc a one-off is first that everyone has taken advantage of the single series-title to pretend that the Christmas Oratorio is a single work like Messiah or the St Matthew Passion and extract a selection of goodies from it to make a single disc's-worth, leaving out the more workaday and `business' elements, notably recitatives. The engaging oddity to go along with this demotic proceeding is that the style is uncompromisingly severe, almost as if we were dealing with Bach's motets.

Nineteen numbers - solos (plus one with an echo-effect), a duet, a sinfonia and choruses both traditional and composed either wholly or over traditional material by Bach - have been selected. The four standard types of vocal soloist have been given work, and it is probably not a coincidence that there is no counter-tenor in a production like this. 20 years ago the `authentic' movement was starting to relax a little, but the instruments used here are uncompromisingly authentic, and so is the penchant for brisk speeds. By now I am so inured with this way of doing things that I adapt to it naturally, but readers of this notice should perhaps take warning from comments by other reviewers who are not so reconciled to the idiom. For me, the quickstep approach (even in 3-time as in the first two numbers) enhances the sublime sense of a march in Bach's wonderful polyphony, but I'm not you. One thing that ought to be a bonus for any listener is the quality of some of the instrumental work at this pace. I looked to see in particular who was the trumpeter - yes, you've guessed: Crispian Steele Perkins of course.

Given the slight sense of facing in two directions, I can report that the quality of the work is exemplary. All the four main vocal soloists distinguish themselves, and it was a particular pleasure to hear Anne Sophie von Otter so early in her career, especially as she is given the loveliest and tenderest number of all, Schlafe, mein Liebster, surely something to win over the doughtiest opponent of this school of interpretation. I shall also highlight the tenor Hans Peter Blochwitz for the ease with which he overcomes the formidable technical demands of his first two arias - the coloratura of his first test in particular is blatantly instrumental in inspiration, in a way that Handel's, however florid and rapid, just never is.

This issue is obviously not part of Gardiner's recent `pilgrimage' series offering all the cantatas. The 1987 recording is not as beautiful as he is given in the recent sets, but it is perfectly adequate. The liner-note gives the texts with translation, and that is all one basically needs, although some comment on the music itself would have been welcome, as not everyone is familiar with its genesis. There is nothing about the singers either, but there is a picture of Gardiner J E P as he looked 20 years ago, if not more. Also looking out at us in the familiar study is the composer himself. How often, I wonder, have I looked uncomprehendingly at that face and tried to infer from it what are specifically the features of a man possessed of an infinite musical talent. I shall never work that one out, but at least he knew not to hide the talent from us and I can be well satisfied with that.

The Monteverdi Choir delivers, as it usually does, in the big choral numbers. The soloists are all top-notch ("Bereitet dich Zion" so well executed). Always a pleasure to come back to again and again.

Once again I have purchased a Gardiner disk based on his reputation only, and have been completely satisfied. I love Bach and I enjoy Gardiner's interpretations, so how could I go wrong. The choir and orchestra maintain the energy and intensity throughout the entire recording. I was particularly impressed with mezzo-soprano Anne Sophie von Otter and soprano Nancy Argenta. Both are favourites of Gardiner (see his recordings of Bach's St. Matthew Passion and B minor Mass) and are fast becoming favourites of mine.
Some reviews have trashed Gardiners expression and tempo, but I think the spirit of Bach is captured beautifully with this recording.

One could write volumes about this very special disk. Of course, considerations arise apart from the music itself. But I have other collections of music from Theresienstadt, which, though moving as a result of the context, do not stand on their own. This disk does.

Von Otter is extraordinary - no trace of the diva here (actually, I have no reason she believes she is one despite her eminence in the musical world!)

Musically, this is an intriguing disk, invoking a number of musical styles from cabaret to chamber music, with hints of Berg. It does lead one to imagine other lives, in other circumstances and that is clearly the intention of the disk, entitled as it is.

No one else has mentioned it but for me the most extraordinarily moving track is Ade, kamerad, sung by Christian Gerhaher - a farewell to a comrade destined for transport to Poland...

I resist emotional blackmail - I feel this disk totally avoids it as much as it can - and is all the more powerful as a result. But it is clearly impossible to think that we can distance ourselves from the subject to appreciate this as simply music. However, it is a necessary disk.

Out of context, the music on this memorial CD to the composers who were led to death at Terezin, Hitler's showplace among the concentration camps, could seem almost wistful. We get a snapshot of genres as separated as cabaret, simple lullabies, and serious classical lied. One could be walking down the street in Berlin in the Thirties. But we are in Terezin instead, and wistfulness turns to tragedy. The lullabies come from a nurse wo chose to enter the gas chamber with her sick kids, still singing, rather than abandon them. The possibility for heartbreak is endless. The simple fact that almost every composer's dates end in the same year, 1944, triggers the specter of horror.

Von Otter, Gerhaher, and company respect the dead -- as well as the music itself -- by not laying the pathos on thick. Some of these songs are miraculously light-hearted, a call to life in the valley of death. The most substantial composers are Victor Ullmann, Pavel Haas, and Erwin Schulhoff (a Nazi victim even though he died of tuberculosis in the Wulzburg camp and didn't go to Terezin). Their songs, and Schulhoff's solo violin sonata, performed by Daniel Hope (whose mother's family fled to South Africa from Germany in the Nazi era) provide more advanced listening satisfaction.

But I imagine most people will remember, and be haunted by, the simple melodies of the nurse, Ilse Weber, who went to die with the children of Terezin. This whole CD stands on the same emotional ground of devastation and grief. It's hard to come away the same person as before you started listening.

Beautifully sung and played. Reminds one of the Berlin cafe music from the 1920s, which is probably where most of the composers found their niche. Sad to know that these people didn't survive, but their music lives on!

Approximately 144,000 Jews, mostly from Germany and Czechoslovakia, were imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camp at Theresienstadt for varying terms between 1941 and 1945. Roughly 15,000 of them were children. At least 33,000 died of contagion or starvation. 88,000 were dispatched to Auschwitz or other extermination camps, where they were gassed, usually on the day of arrival. Of the children, no more than 1100 survived. Of the total transient population, there were only 17,247 verified survivors -- 17,247 witnesses to the Holocaust.

Among the Jews at Theresienstadt were some 470 Danish Jews who had not been successfully smuggled away to Sweden. The Danish government to the bold step of demanding that the International Red Cross be allowed to inspect the camp, and on June 23rd, 1944, such an inspection took place. The Germans prepared a mammoth hoax, cleaning, painting, building false fronts for shops, evacuating the sick and scrawny and cutting the population of prisoners to hastening the dispatch of thousands to Auschwitz. Theresienstadt had from the beginning been the "clearing house" for the Jewish intellectual elite, especially of Czechoslovakia. For propaganda purposes, Jews there were permitted certain cultural activities, under censorship. Thus the Red Cross was shown a thriving ghetto in which people conducted art classes, educated children, and performed music of all sorts - cabaret songs, Schubertian Lieder, modernist music not tolerated in Germany, even a children's opera. A film was made, to show the world the humanity of the Third Reich... The makers of the film were immediately sent to be executed. The composers of the music, including the opera, were soon sent to Auschwitz. Three of the composers on this CD - Hans Krasa, Pavel Haas, and Viktor Ullman - were sent to Auschwitz together on October 15th, 1944, and gassed immediately when they arrived.

One inmate of the death-to-come camp at Theresienstadt was a nurse, Ilse Weber, who wrote at least 60 songs which she sang during her night rounds among the sick. The first song on this CD, in the proper German of her murderers, begins like this:

Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt,
das Herz so schwer wie Blei.
Bis jäh mein Weg ein Ende hat,
dort knapp an der Bastei.
I wander through Theresienstadt,
my heart as heavy as lead.
Till suddenly my way ends
right there at the barrier.

When a throng of sick children were shipped from Theresienstadt to the death camp, Ilse Weber voluntarily accompanied them. Eyewitnesses report that in the gas chamber, she sang to the children her own lullaby, Wiegala, included on this CD.

Swedish opera star Anne Sofie von Otter and baritone Christian Gerhaher sing the 25 pieces of music composed by inmates of Theresienstadt with respect and pathos. Von Otter says: "I felt and feel profoundly moved by thoughts of the cruel and terrifying fate of these inncoent prisoners, of all the human beings, young and old, whose existence was obliterated by the Nazis."

This is a CD you need to own. The next time your humanity is insulted by the presence of a Holocaust-denier - there are such execrable creatures here in America - play this CD for him or her. Let's extend that: the next time any preacher of racial or religious hatred, any political scare-monger, any demonizer of immigrants, any ranter against cultural co-existence assaults your decency and intelligence, tell her or him the story of Theresienstadt.

Terezi'n/Theresienstadt by Anne Sofie Von Otter, Benct Forsberg, Christian Gerhaher and Daniel Hope is a wonderful musical tribute to the musicians murdered by the Nazis in the "model" concentration camp, Terezi'n. It is lyrical and lovely and worthy of listening to for many hours. I participate in an annual Holocaust Remembrance program, and I am trying to figure out how we can incorporate this CD into the program. I am pleased to have purchased it.

If you like Handel's Messias and want a definitive record, this is your choice!!

I recommend!

AUGER AND CHANCE ENCHANT AND ENTRANCE.
The English passion for oratorio is largely due to Handel. Every year from 1738 to 1751, he produced at least one. The 'Messiah' is THE modern oratorio, not only because of the custom of rising and stretching in the seventh inning, when the 'Hallelujah Chorus' is sung, but because of its magnificent choruses, soaring arias and orchestral accompaniment which are truly thrilling.

And that is precisely why I would not give this rendition five stars. It is incredibly 'laid back' and too 'cold' for my taste. However. let's examine the soloist's contributions one by one, for some of this overall impression has a great deal to do with them.

John Tomlinson (bass)- excellent technique with good emotional investment; tone quality unusual (I didn't like it) and rather rough-sounding.

Howard Crook (tenor) very oramented delivery overall; somewhat overdone at times, but otherwise, well done with good vocal resonance and upbeat style.

Anne Sofie von Otter (contralto)-after hearing Chance, she is a big let-down. She had that highly emotional and lengthy solo 'He was despised', and she could have been singing' 'take me out to the ball game' for all the emotion she sent out to the listener. While she is certainly more than adequate in her other arias on this recording, nevertheless, she lacks the power that Chance maintains throughout.

Michael Chance (countertenor)-Excellent, as per usual, lovely sound throughout, mega emotional investment. Always the perfectionist!!!!

Arlene Auger (soprano) Superb in every way; her voice is the ultimate in every way: exciting, sonorous, emotional, smooth and clear as crystal. I have never heard 'Rejoice Greatly' sung any better!!!

Chorus: nice sound, but rather bland; tempos somewhat slower overall. Excellent diction throughout, just not the most exciting of my many 'Messiah's'.

For real excitement try the 'live' performance from Maulbronn Monastery with Jurgen Budday!

I won't repeat all the positive observations made by others about this enduringly fine recording in affirming it's one of two of which I never tire. As others have noted, its uniform excellence is one of its greatest attractions. Above all the purity and clarity of Arleen Auger's voice in the soprano solos, so well known and therefore rather unforgiving in the demands made upon them, makes me reach for it among the dozen or so I currently own.

I've been to hear live Messiah performances and listened to recordings for 43 years now, and sometimes it seems the changing fashions in performance practice, especially of Bach and Handel, define my life development too. I think Handel would have liked this performance, and been very pleased with Pinnock's choices and his soloists. Pinnock avoids pushing too hard in making his points for his performance choices, and perhaps that's another central reason why this recording never grows tiresome.

The other recording I enjoy as much is Mackerras's 1966 recording with Elizabeth Harwood and Janet Baker. I had never heard the "Rejoice!" done in 12/8 before,and have had a preference for it ever since. Harwood adds a touch of pleasing dramatic engagement Auger sometimes lacks, but for which she makes up in the purity of tone. Handel: Messiah / Harwood, J. Baker, Esswood, Tear, Herincx; Mackerras

For me the only comparable "He was Despised" recordings besides Dame Janet's here, are Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Lorraine Hunt - Handel Arias and the ever-dear LP copies of Kathleen Ferrier.

Of all the many versions of Handel's MESSIAH available today, this is perhaps the very best. The overnight delivery was wonderful. Thanks very much.

The two previous reviewers have done an excellent job of summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of this recording. Von Otter shines in this recording, and Tomlinson's bass is approachably period-correct -- a heavy booming bass soloist is not called for here.

On a personal note, I grew up with the Gardiner recording and purchased this Trevor Pinnock version several years ago. Last Christmas I put the Gardiner on the turntable for a listen, and found it staid...overly stiff in comparison with the Pinnock recording. While this may not be surprising to the cognoscenti, it may be helpful information for those who are seeking a dancing, light, and truly emotive performance.

This set is really a must have for anyone who enjoys good music.
We are on our 3rd copy- we scratched the first and lost the second in a move.

Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.

Ken

This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy. If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you. You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing. I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's. If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks.

In my years of experience teaching Fine Arts to high school students, I know that the majority, if not all, of the music included on this album is commonly used in collge music appreciation courses. This is an excellent sample of truly all the "greatest hits" of classical music. My students enjoy listening to the music and have later told me when take their required music apreciation courses in college that they "already know it all" because of this CD! The recordings are clear, the selections are passionate, and the listener will gain a familiarity with all of the most commonly heard classical music used in tv commercials, movies, etc.
I recommend this album, along with the boxed set, "Age of the Classics" for anyone who is interested in becoming familiar with the most famous staples of classical music.

This is a wonderful antidote to the terrible renditions on Christmas music one hears at malls and on television. Anne Sophie von Otter, the Swedish mezzo soprano, has both a wonderful voice, and great taste in selecting Christmas music to feature. She sings in English, Swedish, German and French. Her selections range from standards like "White Christmas" to Swedish folk songs.

Sophie Von Otter's rendition of Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day is the best rendition of this song I've ever heard. It turned me into a Von Otter fan!
Ruth Ott

I've been in charge of holiday music for the extended family for the last decade or so, and I generally buy a half-dozen or so CDs every year from a wide range of genres. This is perhaps my favorite of them all. It manages the almost impossible feat of engaging an audiophile like me who's looking for something different while simultaneously enthralling more tradition-minded family members. The CD stands out in most of the critical areas in the holiday field. First, the selection of songs is brilliant--a few English-language standards with some foreign-language songs people may know (Il est ne, le divine enfant) and a handful of really engaging Swedish tunes. Second, the spare but warm instrumentation conveys the coziness van Otter is seeking. Last, and most important, van Otter's low mezzo is put to incredibly expressive use. For those who are turned off by overly operatic recordings that sound completely alien from the renditions of carols that we know and love, this is a much more low-key, accessible form of art music.

This disc is worth buying for the first and last tracks alone, a haunting Swedish number that is now so much part of my Christmas that I can't believe I'd never heard of the song until a few years ago (one track is the Swedish version, the other an English translation). Much as I love holiday music, I have to say that this is one of the only holiday discs I'll listen to throughout the year.

I did never take my time to write a review but for the cd time is worth it.

This cd is superb. I also saw her concert with his cd life.
It gives you a old fasioned feeling of a warm /close Christmas.

Christmas with a heart.

With her voice Anne Soie does do magic.

She is classical singer number 1 !
It's my best Christmas cd!

Yopu will have a lot of good feelings with this cd,

It is really, really by far worth it's money.
What is money in this case...

Good Luck,
Peacefull Christmas,

Alfons Bosch
The Netherlands

Home for Christmas is not your run-of-the-mill "listen to me, I'm an opera singer lavishing my gorgeous voice on these pretty Christmas songs" recording.

Anne Sofie von Otter's fans have long-since learned to expect the unexpected from this exceptional singer and, on this recording, now several years old, that's what she offers - the unexpected. With only a couple of exceptions, the songs are traditional Christmas fare, though usually with an added twist: the distorted rhythm that makes "Tomorrow will be my dancing day" really dance, or the jazz blue notes that take "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" to the cocktail lounge. (In this, as well as White Christmas, Ms. von Otter bears more than a passing resemblance to another great cross-over artist, the late Eileen Farrell.) In this free rhythmic treatment, Deck the Halls, arranged for accordion and violin accompaniment, is much less a fa-la-la madrigal than an introspective folk-song that builds on its own momentum. In contrast, the simple hymn, Beautiful tone Star of Bethlehem, which Ingvar Wixell recorded many years ago on his Christmas offering, shows Ms. von Otter's lush voice to full effect.

Her subtle use of vibrato in "I wonder as I wander" (along with a provocative arrangement) captures the Scotch-Irish influence on the folk music of Appalachians without being a condescending parody while the marimba accompaniment and fiddle obbligato to the French "Il est le divin enfant" evoke an unidentifiable folk music - is it Spanish or French countryside? Or, is the point that it is universal?

True, a couple of the arrangements stretch beyond my endurance: Although Ms. von Otter does lavish some beautiful tone on Cantique de Noel (O, Holy Night) I found the over-echoed, new-wave arrangement irritating and White Christmas, rather than being nostalgic verges on surreal.

In total, there are twenty songs, each a little gem of interpretation. As I mentioned above, sometimes I don't really like the interpretations or arrangement; however, I never doubt for a moment, that Ms. von Otter believes what she is singing; her commitment to communicating through music is never in doubt. By the way, her English diction is exemplary - a lesson for many singers for whom English is first language.

A COLLECTIBLE FOR SURE!

The "Messiah" was composed by Handel at his London home in the late summer of 1741..Charles Jennens described his libretto for the 'Messiah' as a "Scripture Collection", because it consists of a cleverly-arranged selection of biblical texts

In his Messiah Handel combines the sheer grandeur and power of his Germanic roots with the color of his Italian experience, joining with the unique flavor of the English language. His music can thus be powerful, like the tenor arioso 'Thou shalt break them with a rod or iron', or it can be colorful and skippy like the wonderful 'For unto us a child is born'. Or it can be stirring and majestic like the 'Hallelujah' and 'Amen' choruses.

Musically speaking, the recitatives and arias are definately in a style derived from opera, supplemented by choruses of the type Handel has developed in his English odes and oratorios-the presentation of the story was unconventional. The work is divided into three acts or parts, but the narrative is largely confined to Part Two: Part One is mainly concerned with prophecy and its fullfilment and Part Three with commentary on the importance of the previous story.

This recording of the famous 1992 performance at Dublin took place at the Point Theatre on the 250th anniversary of the work's premeire which took place in Dublin on April 13th 1742.

It is an outstanding performance, especially chorally and instrumentally. The soloists: Sylvia McNair(soprano)-Anne Sofie von Otter(mezzo)-Michael Chance (alto) were superb!!! Personally I was not pleased by Jerry Hadley's interpretation of Handel; I have a recording of him singing show tunes, and I think he does that best! Robert Lloyd's (bass) diction was most peculiar and annoyed me. However, the last 2 comments may not be universally accepted. All in all, it's one of the best 'Messiahs' I have heard, and is actually my favorite of many that I own.

While I haven't sampled that many different recordings of the Messiah, I really like this version. I sometimes find myself singing it, and this is the version I hear. One thing I don't like about it is that it is a 2-disc set, but the Messiah has three parts. Part II is divided -- the first half on disc 1 and the second part on disc 2. It would be nice if the parts weren't divided in the middle.

This is my fifth Messiah disk and I had hoped my last. Von Otter is a real draw and she is truly great. Marriner's pacing is still good. But many aspects of this CD pull it down. I have a theory that the tenor (Jerry Hadley) was mad at Marriner and sang technically perfect with zero emotion. I don't how he was allowed to get away with this. I also did not like the baritone. While I think varying the size of the chorus in this piece has merit, this choir is generally on the small side and does not have the punch when needed. Messiah choirs carry a two edged burden, either the choir is large and it gets muddy in the delicate sections or it is small and can't punch the big sections. This disk errs on the small side. The recording quality is very good, something that dodges many Messiahs. The violins are too close to the soloist microphone (or poorly mixed) and come in much too loud. So whenever there is an sprite from the violins it jumps out at you and drowns the soloists.

The best Messiah for me is still Marriner's 1976 disk, much better overall rendition.

This is one of the better Messiahs, although not quite up to Westenberg's level.

Its world-beater aspects include mezzo Anne-Sophie von Otter, whose "He was despised" is well north of magnificent: Warmly mournful in the slow sections, snarling and spitting in the center section.

Trumpeter Mark Bennett does by far the best trumpeting on any of my 30 complete Messiahs. "Glory to God" and "Hallelujah" are as good as it gets -- no, better than any other recording gets.

Countertenor Michael Chance is quite good in "If God be for us" -- I say that as someone who doesn't like countertenors.

Some of the other choruses are also well done. But tenor Jerry Hadley seems to have thought he had more lucrative things to do with his time than to think about Messiah.

This recording ranks itself on the top of the greatest recordings of Handel's Messiah. Being a live recording, it surpasses every other studio recordings of this piece in terms of interpretation and drama. The soloists are superb, the chorus are crisp and vital, and the ensemble plays with great virtuoso. My special remark goes to Miss McNair, I simply cannot grow tired of her! Her lyrical voice is simply destined for this work, especially in aria no 16 `Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion' - rejoice indeed! It is to Marriner we should all be grateful for producing this remarkable recording in the first place. Known mainly for his stupendous recordings of Mozart, it is not surprising that he's able to interpret in a true Handelian way. It's a pity that he seldom records works by Handel - I don't know if he performs them unrecorded.
There are actually two versions of this live performance, the one here and the other is available on LaserDisc. I believe that they were recorded on two different performance time, for on some arias the soloists have different style in singing the cadenza. Whichever you prefer, this is a recording you must simply own - even when your music library boasts a dozen or so of Handel's Messiah!!

I don't want to waste anybody's time by writing a long review. If you like Figaro, this is the recording you want.

I have to agree with the other reviewers that this is by far the most enjoyable production of Mozart's opera. I am especially partial to Te Kanawa, but all the other participants did a great job. As far as I know, this is the only recording that features a young-sounding Barbarina. In most others she sounds like a mature woman, which I find annoying.

Get it and emoy!

In my search for a perfect Nozze di Figaro--not one that was flawless, but one that suited my taste best--I listened with a merciless ear to several choices. My parents gave me a copy of the Karajan recording with Schwarzkopf--not because they thought I would like it, but because had purchased it and found they didn't want it--and decided to replace it, as I find the Susanna in that one very irritating (if you don't like the Susanna, you don't like the recording), and the sound quality bad enough that even Elizabeth Schwarzkopf is difficult to appreciate (Schwarzkopf recorded another Figaro with Giulini, which is the recording you will hear about most of the time, not the one I'm whining about).

I listened to the Bohm recording when it came on satellite radio one day. That one is ear candy, but honestly, it's not much else. Hermann Prey just might be the best Figaro on record, but as glorious as Dietrich Fischer-Diskau sounds, he seems too dark and angry, and if the Count is that nasty, the critical "Contessa, perdono" section is far less convincing. Other than that, the Bohm recording is ponderously conducted without any great personality from anyone else.

I admit to being reluctant about the Levine recording when I decided to try it. I wasn't sure if Thomas Hampson would be more secure than I've heard him in the past (although my experience with him is limited), or if Dawn Upshaw would be as irritating as the Susanna I was attempting to replace. Knowing my preference for James Levine's tempi (although in this recording they can be a tad contemplative, but not as contemplative as Bohm's) and certain that Kiri Te Kanawa was the Countess I wanted, I purchased an inexpensive copy, thinking that, if I didn't like it, it would make a great Christmas gift.

No one's getting this for Christmas.

What I found on these three discs was a welcome relief from the view that glamorous voices and Verdian tempi are all that make a great recording. All you who like live recordings? This has the personality of one, without the drawback of audience noise (so the same guy isn't coughing in exactly the same spot in "Dove sono" every time you listen to it). You can hear Marcellina's knock at the Countess' door when she storms in to drag Figaro to court. You can hear the Count's embarrassed cough when Barbarina speaks of his promise that she can have whatever she wants. When Susanna hits Figaro, you hear not only the slap, but his startled "Ooh!"

My experiences with Ferruccio Furlanetto have not previously included his Figaro. I was familiar enough with his Leporello and Guglielmo, however, to know that he would be a wonderful Figaro. Anyone unfamiliar with his voice should be aware of something: while he has a truly beautiful sound, it is very unusual, and definitely an acquired taste. It is not glamorous in the sense of the trumpet-clarity of Samuel Ramey or the thunderclap-resonance of Siepi or Ghiaurov. It is almost opaque, very dark, very rich and creamy, like hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon--sweet and spicy. He is a delightful Figaro, true not only to Mozart and da Ponte's view, but to Beaumarchais', who stated that Figaro must be played with only intelligence and high spirits. Furlanetto achieves a laughing tone to his voice in his tongue-firmly-in-cheek portrayal, but can as easily be bitter ("Aprite un po'") or sentimental ("Riconosci in questo amplesso") in such a way that you can actually see the expression on his face.

Dawn Upshaw is a little strawberry in this, and if you can get past her giggle, you will find her a very animated Susanna. I would not worry about Furlanetto's dark bass in relation to her light, bright little voice. I never in my life before this would have put her and Furlanetto together, but somehow, their voices compliment each other--very distinct from each other, but very fitting, like complimentary colors. Her bright timbre is prominent enough that his darker, heavier voice does not even threaten to overpower her. Upshaw is easily distinguished in larger ensembles, as well, without interfering with the overall quality of the ensemble. I still prefer someone like Barbara Bonney in this role, but Upshaw is well-suited to it. Her "Deh vieni" is soothing and beautiful.

Kiri Te Kanawa is amazing. Her "Porgi, amor" on this CD is miraculous, the most beautiful I have heard, surpassing even her other performances I have heard. I believe I was clutching my bedspread and oblivious to all else when I first heard it. There isn't anything else to say. If no one else on this CD will make you happy, Kiri Te Kanawa will.

Thomas Hampson's creamy lyric baritone is strong in this recording, his portrayal more sympathetic than that of Fischer-Diskau, but still a jerk. Beaumarchais, the original playwright, was explicit that the Count have a great deal of humanity to him. In the text of the play itself, the character is summed up by Bartolo: jealous because he's proud and a rake because he's bored. This is Thomas Hampson's Count; this and gorgeously-sung, with a fiery "Vedro mentr'io sospiro."

The supporting cast is as luxurious as one can expect to find in a Levine recording, with Paul Plishka's wonderful Bartolo and Tatyana Troyanos' marvellous Marcellina. Anne-Sofie von Otter is richly voiced and offers up an endearing Cherubino. The air-tight casting continues even in the smallest roles, and Barbarina's canzonetta is as gorgeous as Susanna's "Deh vieni, non tardar." Levine's ear for vocal blend is impeccable, all voices distinct but working together like cogs (in the final ensemble, I can hear Dawn Upshaw and Kiri Te Kanawa's voices, but can't quite tell where one begins and the other ends--I never would have expected that from their voices). My only gripe is that the chorus could have been better prepared--they're a tad choppy during "Amanti costanti."

The humanity in this recording is revelatory. "Riconosci in questo amplesso," to me, was always such a funny and absurd little scene, a random deus ex machina expertly pulled off by a great comedian. It is this in the recording, until all has been revealed to Susanna and Figaro dwells in the melody of "Mia madre, che a te lo dira, mio padre, che a te lo dira." The way this was done was heartbreakingly sentimental, and the moment, in spite of the absurdity of the situation, became about the joy of a man who has found the parents he has been searching for his entire life. I had never heard it this way before.

There are more glamorous casts (not much more glamorous, mind you), more generally accepted voices, but keep in mind that there are many recordings out there, and the one which satisfies you may not be the favorite of those who believe that no good singers have arisen since 1977.

I have to agree totally with Coals to Newcastle: this is just a perfect recording. All the voices are excellent, the orchestra, the conductor, everything. But did we forget the music? Sparkling, inspiring, simply wonderful Mozart!

I also agree about Thomas Hampson's Almaviva. Lecherous, sweet, angry, just perfect!

Let me join the crowd and toss on another 5-star recommendation. Others have mentioned the beauty of the voices, but what satisfied me with this recording was the overall beauty of both the sound and the product. The quality of the recording could not be higher, and the MET Orchestra is simply sublime. If you, like many, consider "Figaro" to be the perfect opera, you might well consider this to be the perfect recording of it. The physical product (CD + libretto + box) is of the highest quality, too. A real winner, this!

James Levine's opera recordings with the Metropolitan Opera forces were often compromised by weak casting or sluggish conducting. But that's not the case with this FIGARO. The cast is good all around (Furlanetto's voice is a bit rough, as always, but he doesn't let the side down), and Levine's conducting is really excellent -- on a big, grand scale, and with the balance of comedy and seriousness that this opera needs. One especially nice thing about Levine's conducting is that he allows the brass and timpani to be clearly heard and make a powerful impact, unlike many conductors in this opera (Solti being the worst offender). The sound is generally fine, with a good voice-orchestra balance. This could well be a first choice for a recording of FIGARO with no major weaknesses and many strengths.

Something truly remarkable is happening; we're finally getting the kinds of recordings and performances of Berlioz that have been needed for years. This isn't a matter of a "new take" with Brahms or Beethoven, as we see often enough, this is a manifestation of a growing understanding of this incredibly misunderstood composer. Younger conductors are hearing the avant-garde qualities of the music and unapologetic-ally bringing out the extraordinary details. We're accepting that Berlioz knew exactly what he was doing. In a marvelous way one had to be brought through the experimentation of the last century in order to finally "get" him. Recording technology has also, and finally, reached Berliozian standards. It's as if he had been composing for us, not for his own time.

The still-brilliant, incredibly taut, Solti Faust had always been tops in my book but this version will probably supplant it in some ways. Years of listening to this exciting masterpiece and here I'm hearing imaginative details I'd never encountered before, the piece never sounded so modern. The interpretation is largely excellent, the vocalists outstanding with Terfel a brilliant Mephistopheles and von Otter great. Lewis strikes just the right note for his character. The sound is dazzling and the gut-wrenching tour of Hell can hold its own against the loudest rock. Just fantastic overall!

I own other versions of Le Damnation de Faust by Markevitch, Colin Davis, Munch, and Solti, all of wich have their viutes. But Chung's is the best overall, boasting excellent sound with tremendous impact, the best soloists on record (although the ones on the superb Markevitch set, also on DG, sound the most French of all), and exciting conducting. Among digital versions, this one is nearly flawless.

This is one of my favorite CD's. The work itself is electrifying, passionate Berlioz. Lust, drama, Heaven, and Hell. In Le Damnation of Faust, you have it all! Lewis is is an excellent Faust. His voice brings out the best in Berlioz's vocal writing. von Otter is a sympathetic Marguerite. The King of Thul ballad shows off her breath-taking voice and a drammatic yet innocent presence which I had never heard in her voice before this recording. I am normally not a big fan of Terfel, but in this recording he makes the perfect, seductive, evil, and even sometimes loveable Mephistopheles. The shining star of this recording, however, is von Halem as the Brander. His rather gruff tone allows the listener to picture a grotesque, hairy, and loud drunk. von Halem is the most believable Brander I have heard. The background "bar" chorus and Mephistopheles' "Flea Song" make the Ratskeller scene wild and vulgar--just as it should be! The chorus and orchestra also do a fantastic job of creating a frightening scene as demons in Hell, as Mephistopheles triumphs at conquering Faust's soul. The work ends in a well-conducted contrast when Marguerite is called into heaven.
The orchestra and Chung are top-notch in this recording. Chung brings out the contrasts and various dimmensions in the score. Great conductor, great soloists, great orchestra and chorus...what more could you ask for?

I think Myung Whun-Chung is the best conductor under 50, (yes much better than the much hyped Simon Rattle), and he proves it with this electrifying rendition of La Damnation de Faust. The singers are excellent too, especially Anne Sofie von Otter.

This is one of the best versions available. I agree with the reviewer from Charlottesville: Terfel is excellent here. I also think von Otter is marvellous--la chanson du roi de Thule would melt your heart. The conducting is wonderful; Myung-Whun Chung organizes the performance superbly, and finds ways to integrate phrases into larger wholes (that, for example, elude Munch). Keith Lewis (Faust) is, alas, not up to the part. There are a couple of recordings of this work with good tenors. Nicolai Gedda, joined by Janet Baker and Georges Pretre, is excellent (EMI), as is Andre Turp in Monteux's BBC recording with Regine Crespin (IMG Artists). The present recording joins those two at the top of the discography. All three excell in their sopranos and the quality of chorus and orchestra, and the sensitivity and attention to detail of their conducting. All three are well recorded, though DG has the definite edge in sound quality. You rarely hear such glorious recorded sound.