No comments about The River Vol. 2: Undiscovered Country.

No comments about The Ultimate Cole Porter, Vol. 3.

No comments about What Becomes a Semi-legend Most?.

5 comments about The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective.

1. This compilation should turn even the most curmudgeonly listerner into a fan. Beautifully recorded, great notes -- and it's a heck of a bargain!



2. As a composer, I'm staggered that anyone could fail to be gripped by this music.

   That anyone can use the words "spoiled, overrated" amazes me. I emphatically disagree with "A music fan"'s review.

   I don't think it's "mind-numbing"; I think it's spiritual and exciting. To me it's the most substantial music being created in our times.

   I'm really sorry that anyone could fail to enjoy it, and really recommend others to listen for themselves.




3. I must agree with Mr. Bartlett, particularly with regard to "Ceiling." It may well be because his Violin Concerto and Harmonielehre are so powerful. 4.5 stars.
   Interesting, and likely intentional, is that two names in the extensive liner book fail to mention two great and glaringly obvious precursors: Carl Orff and Raymond Scott. Without "Carmina Burana," there would be no "Harmonium." Orff has his mark all over Adams's gifted and epic compositions. Similarly, though there are glib references to "cartoon music," the polymath engineer/musician Scott is a seminal figure in American music, and casts a large shadow over the witty juxtapositions and sense of play one loves in Adams's work. In all, an excellent career overview.



4. John adams is one of the most popular living composers of"modern" classical music[I believe the cutoff point, though arbitrary is usually WWII}.I came to him late, through my husband. Modersn classical music , I said? What the hell is that?My husband kept playing bits and pieces of adams for me, and more and more i found myself amazed. and swayed. His operas have been groundbreaking{Nixon in China} controversial{Death Of klinghoffer},his compostions sublimely beautiful{shaker Loops or harmonium].HIS STATURE IS WORTHY THEN OF SUCH A MONUMENTAL CAREER SPANNING BOX SET.This 10 disc set[great value, again from NONESUCH}encompasses Adams' entire career,and though there are some misses here{I was looking at the ceiling and then i saw the sky doesnt quite fit},it is still magnificent. the Highlights are ,{for me} the Wound Dresser, Chamber symphony,Violin Concerto, of course, Shaker Loops and Harmonuim are wonderful. The true jewels here are Nixon in China,the Chairman dances and the Death of Klinghoffer,which is simply a masterpiece. The set comes with a wonderful book, which contains essay's by Robert Hurwitz {An Uncommon Man}renaud Machart[John adams as seen from europe} and Essays before an earbox by Adams himself.A Chronology and dicography are included. A wonderful study of an American original,worth the investment, Highly highly recommended



5. Never before in my life was i moved so intensely and directly by classical music. I put the first cd in my player and a few minutes later tears are flowing. I find myself dancing and moving to a rythm i already seem to know. Wow, i just have to share that.

1 comments about Blue Skies / Rhythm on the River.

1. This album is the most complete soundtrack album available of Irving Berlin's BLUE SKIES. On the whole, it is pretty good. Sound quality is OK, but is showing its age in some spots. Listen to the Main Title to hear what I'm talking about. The only major downfall of this disc is the very sloppy editing. As these tracks were all lifted directly from a print of the film, fade-ins and -outs are utilized for each cut to make the best transition into a song from the dialogue that surrounds it. Most of these are done correctly, but some pieces fade in half way though the number as seen in the film proper, most notably in A PRETTY GIRL IS LIKE A MELODY. The choral verse we hear as the ladies are descending the stair is completely missing. And I don't understand why it was necessary to have a fade-in to the Main Title and a fade-out at the end of the FINALE. Those pieces could have been presented complete. Minor gripes though. I would love to have seen what Turner/Rhino could do with this if they had the chance. The score here is one of the biggest and best collections of Irving Berlin tunes, all extremely well performed, in a single motion picture.
   
   A worthwhile disc--recommended.

5 comments about What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most?.

1. Joan gives a most memorable and triumphant performance!!! Stellar entertainment over and over again!



2. Joan Rivers is a semi-legend...

   Of course, she is, and it's unfortunate that her comedy act today is sour and mean-spirited. Remember her pre-awards show? And how SNL viciously satirized her? Well, in the earlier days, her comedy was fresh, witty, and extremely funny. Who could ever forget her put-downs of rock stars, gyne exams, and, of course, the British Royal Family?

   It's all here in this album: when Joan was mean and witty at the same time...always with a twinkle in her eye. What demons she is exorcising these days is anybody's guess. But when she asked, "What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most?", she was on top of her game, and we all loved her for it. I still laugh when I remember her line: "Aren't rock stars ugly?....The lips, the one with the lips? Mick Jagger! He has child-bearing lips!"

   Now that was funny...




3. Joan Rivers is an American original and this CD captures her at her peak. Clever, brilliant, brash, outrageous, controversial, Joan was ahead of her time but stays timelessly hilarious on this CD. If you like Joan, you absolutely must get this - I am so grateful to have found it on Amazon.com! I originally heard this "album" when it came out in the early '80s and have loved it ever since. Joan rules!!



4. The title is in no way meant to condemn the comedienne; however, she doesn't exhibit the same wit and humor today that she did on this landmark recording from the early eighties.

   Her respective routines about being recognized in the gynecologist office and the English "royals" are priceless.

   And the Rivers in Blackgama cover is totally "Reagan-era chic".




5. Are you kidding? Can we talk? This is one of the greatest slabs of comedy of all time. I have a few of Joan's early albums and while she was funny in the '60s, she hadn't gotten rolling yet. A lot of the style was there, but she really began to flower when the wheels began to fall off the culture. Don't forget, as wild as everyone seems to remember the 60s as being, counterculture was just that, counterculture. The regular culture, even for hip, modern, forward-thinking East Coast Jews, was still kind of fusty compared to what began to take shape in the '80s, when all that Mayberry and Happy Days stuff got swept off TV and things just got coarser and coarser until we all went down the sewer. And there, in that stewing petrie dish of "dish," where the stars were no longer stars but shooting targets, Joan Rivers exploded like a supernova. "Can we talk" is pure genius: Here she says, let's cut through the crap and get down to what everybody is really thinking, what everything is really all about. Let's stop pretending. Let's stop being nice. Let's start being so hilarious you want to fall on the floor, and nearly twenty years later, unlike so many other comedy albums, this is still amazingly sharp-edged and knee buckling.
   It's sheer ignorance when some people writing here have said that Joan isn't as funny today as she was then. They, sadly for them, have no idea what they are talking about. They are seeing her stretched face on QVC and seeing her swap inane quips with passing celebrities on the red carpet and other junk like that. People, she is just paying the bills (as if she doesn't have enough money) with this garbage. It's the work of an aging workaholic. Let me tell you something and be very clear about it: If you have ever really loved Joan Rivers' comedy and you can stomach the unspeakable, you must rush to wherever she is playing on Wednesday nights in New York and see her show. It is obscene. Midwestern tourists who like her jewelry show do not laugh; they cringe and cower. Joan blazes through her new material, and it is SO WRONG that you worry God will kill you for laughing so hard. I'm not going to run through some of the routines here, but, trust me, she is at the height of her powers right now. Funniest woman in America. If you saw the BRAVO special, you got a taste, but even that was heavily edited and in a theater, rather than in a small room, where you are cornered, naked and at the mercy of her sensationally dirty mind. Why there is no new album of this new stuff is absolutely beyond me. In this age, where anyone can be a record company, she should just put out one of her new shows on her Web site. Until that day comes, though, you must have a copy of this. I don't know about fifty bucks, or whatever, but you know your limits. Essential.

No comments about The Essential Wedding Collection.

1 comments about Golden Greats: Greatest Broadway Hits.

1. This bargain collection of showtunes is highlighted by the composition of Kurt Weill and the uniquely rolling tongue of Colette Lyons. I have a complaint about this compilation. It includes "Ol' Man River", but it excludes Al Jolson's rendition of "Ol' Man River." Otherwise, this collection gives you ample bang for your buck.

4 comments about Just for the Record: The Golden Voice.

1. Je suis soufflée, et tout bonnement reconnaissante à Decca pour avoir sorti cette compil qui rend si bien honneur à une des mes interprètes préférées. Voix de velours, aisance dans le grave et médium unique au Monde, Marilyn a été, dans toutes ses incarnations, un pur produit américain, certes, mais quel produit ! Bien évidemment son timbre si particulier, que d'aucuns ont défini androgyne, peut plaire ou non... Ce qui compte c'est l'apport émotionnel qu'elle donne à tout ce qu'elle chante, et sans que cela n'enlève rien à la pure beauté de sa voix à la technique sans faille. Merci Mme Horne, pour nous avoir livré une des plus mémorables leçons de chant de l'histoire, et joyeux 70ème anniversaire (car il n'est pas déplacé que de dire votre âge, étant donné la vitalité qui vous caractérise depuis toujours).



2. Decca's release of this career-spanning Marilyn Horne recital contains many "golden" nuggets, but isn't the absolute best representation of her artistry, in my opinion.
   
   There was certainly plenty of material to choose from, as Horne was one of the most recorded mezzos in the twentieth century. As advertised, Madame Horne personally approved the final recital list, and the diva undoubtedly has sentimental attachment to certain selections. Furthermore, a conscious attempt was made to represent the different genres explored during her decades-spanning career. This approach, however, leaves out some truly stunning material that would have made an even stronger case on why she was such an operatic institution.
   
   In summary:
   
   The first disc begins with the Habanera from Carmen. Horne was very proud of her Carmen, noting that it surpassed sales of Callas's Tosca at one point. It deserved to be included, but I don't think she was "THE" Carmen, and besides, the whole opera is so warmed-over by now, it's hard to get anyone excited about it!
   
   From then on, we are treated to a bonanza of wonderful arie and scena. The aria from Samson et Delilah is a real gem. Horne was certainly not the most glamorous singer, but My God, the interpretation is heavenly. This is what the aria sounds like in the hands of a world-class contralto. Eccomi in Babilonia follows, and by anyone's measurement, she is the finest Arsace on record. Blessed with an extraordinary range, she is as fulminating in both the top and bottom registers. What's more, her spirited delivery magnifies the pure genius of Rossini's music. As for Cruda Sorte, "ditto," as Marilyn herself might say.
   
   Next, we are treated to two excellent Handel arias. Iris, Hence Away gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. This was recorded in the early sixties, for inclusion in the Age of Bel Canto recital she shared with Joan Sutherland and Richard Conrad. Now, if she had recorded this a few years later, she might have drove the coloratura harder. However, at this point, the voice had a somewhat lighter quality, thus the aria isn't sung with that all-purpose "Marilyn Horne" voice we are so used to. Speaking of lightness, Dove Sei, Amato Bene will send shivers down your spine. Again, Marilyn wasn't known for her subtlety, but she proves here that she was more than capable. Just listen to the fluttering trills and fil di voce, and dare to disagree with me! One of my major complaints is it there isn't more Handel on the recital. Sure, a whole recital of Handel arias by Horne is still available, but in this best-of disc, there was room at least for Or La Tromba, the trumpet aria from Rinaldo, and a personal favorite. Also, nothing is included from Vivaldi's Orlando Il Furioso, another travesty.
   
   The pinnacle of the first disc is Addio, I Miei Sospiri, from Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. This is Horne magified to the nth power. Where to start? A scrumptiously sung recitativo, then the aria itself, with Marilyn pulling out all the stops. The bronzed tone, perfect breath control, spectacular coloratura fireworks, superlative diction, evenness and security from top to bottom, and Marilyn's own way of generating excitement will floor you. This is bravura singing at the highest level.
   
   After a few other selections from the French reperetoire, the disc closes with two Rossini warhorses. Again, the "ultimate" Horne best-of would have saved room for more Rossini, on the second disc. But the evidence here is ample enough to proclaim her honorific as the leading interpreter of Rossini in the last century.
   
   The second disc is less satisfactory. The first selection, Superbo Di Me Stesso sounds like it came from an inferior source, and wasn't remastered properly. Il Segreto Per Esser Felici, from Lucrezia Borgia is fine enough, but Marilyn could have ornamented more, and that snare drum is too loud! Then, we have an extended scene from Il Trovatore. Now, Marilyn herself stated that she wasn't perfect in Verdi. As she put it, she sang Verdi by not taking "both feet" out of the bel canto waters, so that she could go on singing the roles that brought her the most fame. This is understandable, but if that's the case, then we didn't need this long scene. Perhaps she wanted to highlight her collaboration with Luciano Pavarotti, and I'm sure Decca saw this as a way to lure the casual listener. For my money, though, they should have just included Stride La Vampa, and called it a day. This would have freed up lots of room for the stuff for which she's better recognized!
   
   Now, another extended scene, from Norma, is completely justified. Equally important to Marilyn's legacy as an individual artist is her legacy as one-half of the Sutherland/Horne duo. I don't need to write more- the music speaks for itself.
   
   The rest of the second disc throws in a bit of verismo (Horne is unrecognizeable in Ponchielli; Simionato she's not), a bit of German lieder, and some patriotic tunes. Along with Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne was the most conciously patriotic singer out there, and to have left out her American recordings would have been a disgrace. But, again, we are given an ample serving of it, when it could have been scaled back some to make room for her operatic triumphs.
   
   All in all, there is enough glorious material here for any fan of the legendary Marilyn Horne, and also those who want a taste of how a superlative mezzo/contralto sounds like.



3. I am not the only one who regards Marilyn Horne's voice as exceptional. During the seventies and eighties she was regarded by The New York Times Music Critic as possessing the greatest voice of our time. One only has to sample this "golden" collection to prove how right he was. Her "mezzo" handles Handel and Rossini like no other. Brava all the way (To say nothing about Dalila's famous aria!) And I must even mention her "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair". This is a two CD that is a MUST for those who appreciate the glories of the human voice (To say nothing about the warmth and spirit than accompany it.)



4. This 2-CD set includes 32 separate "cuts." Thus, it provides a perspective on the broad range of works that Marilyn Horne mastered. While some pockets of work may be given somewhat short shrift (e.g., Rossini), overall this shows off her skills nicely. Born in Bradford, Pennsylvania (one of the coldest places in the nation during winter), she made her operatic debut in 1954. In liner notes copyrighted in 2003, she notes that: "Can't believe it's time for a 70th birthday celebration. . . ." And neither can I, since I recall hearing her perform at the Met (via the old Texaco opera show), and it does not seem all that long ago!
   
   Some cuts well depict her artistry across a range of genres and composers.
   
   The "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen" is, to be sure, an old chestnut by now, but she sings it with a rich and lustrous voice. She sings a seductive aria seductively.
   
   "Eccomi al fine in Babilonia" is from Rossini's "Semiramide" and shows off her skills nicely. This piece shows off the range of her voice well. Her voice is very agile, as it would need to be to do Rossini justice. There are some nice runs; the cabaletta showcases her agility and allows her to display well sung ornamentation.
   
   From Handel's "Semele," we hear "Hence, Iris, Hence Away." This is a sprightly piece that is characteristically well sung by Horne.
   
   Handel's "Rosalinda" features a nice work for mezzos, "Dove sei amato bene?" If I hear correctly, Horne begins this with a trill in piano; there are a number of nicely executed trills in this work. This cut is smoothly and richly sung throughout.
   
   "Addio, addio o miei sospiri" comes from "Orfeo ed Oridice" by Gluck. A sprightly paced work. Horne shows off excellent ornamentation; her coloratura technique is terrific.
   
   From "Norma" (by Bellini) there are 4 cuts (from a longer scene), featuring collaboration with Joan Sutherland. The two singers worked well together in a number of operas, and this set of works illustrates that synergy beautifully. "Mi chiami, o Norma!" starts things off. The two voices meld extremely well together. "Deh! Con te, con te li prendi" features fine work all around. Both singers display good vocal dexterity. Horne hits one high note with a bit of harshness, but not an issue of any moment. "Mira, o Norma" is ravishing; Sutherland's and Horne's duet is absolutely wonderful. Finally, "Si, fino all'ore estreme." This is a fast paced duet, with both singers manifesting considerable vocal agility and sound coloratura technique. When they sing together, their voices almost sound "twinned."
   
   Finally, "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair." Horne sings this straight, without the ghastly "opera-tizing" that some singers cannot resist. Sung simply and powerfully. Her rich voice produces a very good vocal effect.
   
   And so on.
   
   Although this CD does not fully represent her repertoire, it does provide a good sense of the art of Marilyn Horne and it suggests the range of her singing. For those wanting to get a sense of Horne's oeuvre, this is one recording that provides entrée to her body of work.

3 comments about The Electric Company's Greatest Hits & Bits.

1. First shown on PBS, "The Electric Company's Greatest Hits and Bits" is a fun look back at the 1970's TV Show. It consists of several clips from the show as well as interviews with cast members Skip Hinnant, Jim Boyd, Rita Moreno and Judy Graubart as well as contributors to the show Joan Rivers and Tom Lehrer. There is also an interview with Joan Ganz Cooney who helped create the show. The special features include deleted interviews with the cast members and an audio review with Tom Lehrer.
   
   For the most part, "The Electric Company's Greatest Hits and Bits" is an enjoyable documentary. At the time it debuted in October 1971 it was a groundbreaking show with a fully integrated cast teaching children how to read using comedy and music. It's always fun to watch a show as an adult that you loved as a kid and catch some of the references you missed back then. Easy Reader was of course based on Easy Rider but it was interesting to hear Skip Hinnant say that he stole largely from "Get Smart" when doing Fargo North, Decoder; Jim Boyd saying J. Arthur Crank was based on Ralph Cramden; and Rita Moreno saying "Hey you guys" came from Abbott and Costello. There are plenty of clips from the show including animated ones such as "The Adventures of Letterman" and several based on Tom Lehrer's delightful songs including "Silent E" and "-ly". The live action skits include "I'm in love with a giant" and "The Super is eating his supper" which is fun to watch just to see the cast trying to keep a straight face as water pours down on them.
   
   Since this is a documentary and not full episodes of "The Electric Company" adults will probably enjoy this DVD more than children. It does have quite a bit of praise for Morgan Freeman, currently the most famous of the then unknown actors, but it stops just short of going overboard on the praise. While it was nice to see Hinnant, Boyd, and Graubart, I hope other actors from the show such as Luis Avalos, Hattie Winston, and Lee Chamberlain show up in interviews on future DVDs. For some reason the show focuses solely on the adult members of the cast, with no mention at all of the Short Circus and the child actors, a bit surprising since Irene Cara was a member of the Short Circus for awhile.
   
   "The Electric Company's Greatest Bits and Hits" is good nostalgic fun.



2. These "best of" DVD collections useually stink. Why can't they just do season DVD sets instead, oh yeah, that would make sense, and clearly this DVD company is far removed from that.



3. This video is full of old, funny routines and cartoons from Electric Company. It also includes more recent interviews with the actors from the series. It's more of a reminiscence than an episode from the actual show.