1. "Handel: Alcina"
Natalie Dessay, Renee Fleming, Susan Graham, et al.; Les Arts Florissants; William Christie, conductor
~MORE
With her portrayal of Handel's sorceress Alcina, Renee Fleming scores yet another triumph--and so do her colleagues Susan Graham and Natalie Dessay. One moment seems to top the next as Handel offers aria after aria loaded with exquisite melody. For all of its absurdities of plot, this baroque opera comes deliciously alive in the wise, stylish hands of conductor William Christie and will be considered a cornerstone in the reconsideration of Handel opera currently underway.
2. "Dowland: In Darkness Let Me Dwell"
Hilliard Ensemble; John Potter, tenor
~MORE Centuries before Lennon and McCartney, English Renaissance composer John
Dowland was a master of song craft who penned the single most popular tune of his time.
His music, steeped in melancholy even deeper than was the fashion of the time, has
inspired the Hilliard Ensemble's John Potter and colleagues to perform a visionary
collaboration for "In Darkness Let Me Dwell," a collection that imparts the power and
profundity of Dowland's music.
3. "Serenade"
David Daniels, countertenor; Martin Katz, piano
~MORE We all know that countertenors have made a notable comeback in our time,
but David Daniels isn't about to rest on his laurels. As if his successes this past season weren't enough to set him apart, on this latest recital album Daniels forays beyond the countertenor's stereotypical domain of the baroque to interpret lieder of Beethoven and Schubert as well as French melodies and Vaughan Williams. A stunningly beautiful disc.
4. "Arvo Part: I Am the True Vine"
Pro Arte Singers and Theatre of Voices; Paul Hillier, conductor
~MORE Any new music from Estonian composer Arvo Part is cause for celebration. Gathered on "I Am the True Vine"--a collection of Part's sacred choral music from the 1990s--are three world-premiere pieces, along with a revised version of Pärt's sublime "Berlin Mass."
5. "Wagner: Love Duets"
Deborah Voigt, Placido Domingo; Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra; Antonio Pappano, conductor
~MORE For this pairing of some of the most sublime love music Wagner ever penned--the meeting of Siegfried and Brunnhilde and the doomed "Liebesnacht" of Tristan and Isolde--Deborah Voigt and Placido Domingo are at their white-hot best. Covent Garden's new music director Antonio Pappano leads a thrilling performance that includes the first-ever recording of a rediscovered concert ending for the Tristan duet.
6. "Britten: Billy Budd"
Simon Keenlyside, John Tomlinson, et al.; London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Richard Hickox, conductor
~MORE Hermann Melville's complex tale of innocence and "obliquity" struck a resonant chord for Benjamin Britten, who was inspired to produce one of his finest stage works (with a libretto by E.M. Forster). This is the first recording of the revised, two-act version of the opera since Britten's own--and it's also one of the best accounts ever, hands down.
7. "Gesualdo: Tenebrae"
Taverner Consort; Andrew Parrott, conductor
~MORE The bizarre individualism of his music--not to mention the sensational circumstances of his life--have bestowed on the aristocrat Carlo Gesualdo an eerily prescient kinship with modernity that few other Renaissance composers share. This is a shatteringly beautiful performance of one of Gesualdo's masterpieces, the music he composed for Good Friday.
8. "Songs of Ned Rorem"
Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano; Malcolm Martineau, piano
~MORE Even amid the current explosion of superb mezzo-soprano voices, Susan Graham stands out as one of today's freshest, most endearing interpreters of Strauss as well as the French art song. Her acute intelligence and exquisite musicality are also just the ticket for the subtle charms of "Songs of Ned Rorem," Graham's newest release of gems by the great writer of American art songs.
9. "Christoph Willibald Gluck: Iphigenie en Tauride" Christine Goerke, Rodney Gilfry, et al.; Boston Baroque; Martin Pearlman, conductor
~MORE Forget the marble poses and alienating antiquity that are the stereotypes dogging Gluck. The dramatic intensity of "Iphigenie en Tauride" is very much the focus in Telarc's new recording, featuring the magnificent Christine Goerke and Rodney Gilfry, and led by Martin Pearlman's incisive and vivid period-instrument approach. The second disc includes a bonus half-hour lecture on the opera.
10. "Glass: Symphony No. 5"
Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Morgan State Choir, et al.; Dennis Russell Davies, conductor
~MOREPhilip Glass's mandate for the Salzburg
Festival-commissioned "Symphony No. 5" was to celebrate the new millennium. In contrast to the onslaught of kitsch spawned by the calendar turn, the result is one of Glass's most powerful and moving works to date. This vast symphony for large chorus and orchestra is an ambitious and visionary hymn to accumulated wisdoms.
"Handel: Rinaldo"
Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels, et al.; Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor
~ more
"Rinaldo"--based on Tasso's Crusades epic "Jerusalem Liberated"--was Handel's first opera for London and epitomizes his incomparable theatrical imagination. This recording--taken from the original version of the work from 1711--features a knockout cast headed by Cecilia Bartoli and David Daniels, with Christopher Hogwood leading a performance of head-spinning excitement.
"Massenet: Manon"
Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, et al.; Brussels Theatre de la Monnaie Chorus and Orchestra; Antonio Pappano, conductor
~ more
Thomas Beecham once stated that he would "happily give up all the Brandenburg Concertos for 'Manon.'" In the title role, Angela Gheorghiu pulls off a spectacular triumph that would have made Beecham only intensify his hyperbole. This new recording is also another winner for some of the most visible names in opera today, including Robert Alagna (as the aristocratic des Grieux who becomes humanized through his suffering) and Covent Garden conductor Antonio Pappano.
"Verdi Arias"
Jose Cura, tenor and conductor; Philharmonia Orchestra
~ more
Cura's glorious voice encompasses a rainbow palette of colors, all at the service of Verdi's intense drama--from "Macbeth" to "Forza," "Otello," and more. Thrilling vocal confidence combined with a passionate vocal acting style and an engaging musicality make this a standout in the current crop of Verdi tribute recitals.
"We'll Keep a Welcome"
Bryn Terfel, baritone; Welsh National Opera Orchestra; Gareth Jones, conductor
~ more
Bryn is back, and again he explores the fascinating musical aspects of his Welsh heritage. The selections range from hymns, folk songs, art songs, lullabies, and romantic ballads to patriotic songs. Scratch a Welshman--as Terfel is fond of saying--and he'll sing to you.
"Villa-Lobos: Symphony No. 10 (Amerindia)"
Santa Barbara Choral Society and Symphony; Gisele Ben-Dor, conductor
~ more
This extravagant choral symphony/oratorio--subtitled "O Greatest Father of Fathers"--was written to mark the founding of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Villa-Lobos creates a sprawling canvas, setting Indian and Latin texts alike in a festive work of celebration.
"Renee Fleming" 
Renee Fleming, soprano; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Sir
Charles Mackerras, conductor
More
It's no surprise that American soprano Fleming continues to
hold audiences and critics alike in rapturous thrall. In her
new, self-titled recital recording, Fleming--who was named
Amazon.com's Opera & Vocal Artist of the Year in 1998 (the
year of our Music store's launch)--assembles beloved arias
by Puccini, Massenet, and others that reflect the enormous
range of her vocal technique, artistic intelligence, and
powers of interpretation.
"Jules Massenet: Thais"
Renee Fleming, Thomas Hampson, Giuseppe Sabbatini, et al.;
Bordeaux Aquitaine Orchestra; Yves Abel, conductor
More
Too long considered a throwaway among Massenet's operas
("We'll just keep the 'Meditation,' thank you"), "Thais" has
more to offer than your regular dose of fin-de-siecle,
sentimental exoticism. All of this becomes clear from the
intensity that Fleming invests in the title role, while
Thomas Hampson's tragic monk (a tormented Tannhauser in
reverse) makes for much memorable vocal acting.
"1000: A Mass for the End of Time"
Anonymous 4
More
It wasn't a spectacular party that the Western world
anticipated back at the last millennial turn, but, instead,
the end of time itself. The vocal quartet known as Anonymous
4--here introducing new member Jacqueline Horner for the
first time on an Anonymous 4 disc--reconstructs the music
from this fevered era in "1000: A Mass for the End of Time."
"Verdi"
Andrea Bocelli, tenor; Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; Zubin
Mehta, conductor
More
Already known as a superstar in the domain of crossover
music, the Italian tenor continues to focus more intently on
the inspiration closest to his heart: opera. "Verdi"
features many gems of the art of its namesake, all of which
show Verdi's incomparable gift for matching melody to the
given dramatic moment. Bocelli here teams up with Mehta and
the Israel Philharmonic, who will perform also on the
tenor's first release of a full opera--Puccini's "La
Boheme"--in November.
"Alfred Schnittke: Concerto for Choir, Requiem"
Prague Philharmonic Choir; Jaroslav Brych, conductor
More
Russian composer Schnittke, who died in 1998, was a master
of "polystylistic" collage, but the works that are
represented here show a notable affinity for long-enduring
Slavic traditions. They're also among Schnittke's finest
pieces, receiving exemplary performances--his a cappella
writing in particular for the "Choir Concerto" adds a
powerful and moving new work to that tradition.
"Christoph Willibald Gluck: Iphigenie en Tauride"
Christine Goerke, Rodney Gilfry, et al.; Boston Baroque;
Martin Pearlman, conductor
More
Forget the marble poses and alienating antiquity that are
the stereotypes that dog Gluck. The dramatic intensity of
"Iphigenie en Tauride" is very much the focus in Telarc's
new recording, which features the magnificent soprano Goerke
and baritone Gilfry, all led by Pearlman's incisive and
vivid period-instrument approach. The second disc includes a
bonus half-hour lecture on the opera.
"Andrea Gabrieli: Missa Pater Peccavi: Motets and
Instrumental Music"
His Majestys Consort of Voices; His Majestys Sagbutts and
Cornetts; Timothy Roberts, conductor
More
Giovanni has become the most famous of the legendary
Gabrieli family, but uncle Andrea also was an integral part
of the Venetian music scene that was centered around San
Marco. This is the first widely available CD devoted to
Andrea Gabrieli's music alone, interspersing instrumental
interludes between movements of the luminous "Missa Pater
Peccavi.
Looking for essential discs from your favorite eras and
genres to fill our your collection? Check out Amazon.com's
newly refurbished Essentials by Style to find suggestions
for must-have recordings, such as this account of Vivaldi's
"Gloria" and "Magnificat" led by Rinaldo Alessandrini.
More
"Marcello: Estro Poetico-Armonico"
Cantus Colln; Konrad Junghanel, conductor
CD on Sale
A contemporary of Vivaldi, Benedetto Marcello may not be as
well known today, but was a formidable rival on the opera
stages of 18th-century Venice. Marcello's attention to text
setting is a distinctive feature of his style--as is
delightfully evidenced on this recording of five of his
settings of the Psalms of David, performed by the
Grammy-nominated Cantus Colln.
"Britten: Billy Budd"
Simon Keenlyside, John Tomlinson, et al.; London Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus; Richard Hickox, conductor
CD on Sale
Hermann Melville's complex tale of innocence and "obliquity"
struck a resonant chord for Benjamin Britten, who was
inspired to produce one of his finest stage works (with a
libretto by E.M. Forster). This is the first recording of
the revised, two-act version of the opera since Britten's
own--and it's also one of the best accounts ever, hands
down.
"Handel: Opera Arias and Overtures (Vol. 2)"
Emma Kirkby; Roy Goodman, conductor
CD on Sale
When it comes to Handel and opera, Emma Kirkby owns this
territory. Just listen to her way with embellishing a da
capo aria, and you experience the full glory of her musical
imagination. This follow-up to her first volume of Handel
arias includes music from less-well-known operas, but you'll
want to seek out works such as "Deidamia" and "Lotario" when
you hear what Kirkby makes of these pieces. Girl knows how
to sing.
"Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio"
Hilliard Ensemble
CD on Sale
Mozart had his first real operatic success with this
fashionably "exotic" Singspiel from 1782. Charles
Mackerras's approach offers a blend of historically informed
sensibility and modern instruments, with a rather uneven
cast. Not a first choice, but Wolfie lovers will certainly
want to try it out.
"John Adams: Harmonium, Excerpts from Nixon in China"
CD on Sale
John Adams conducts his own breakthrough, three-movement
setting of John Donne and Emily Dickinson poems,
"Harmonium," with the San Francisco Symphony (for whom it
was originally composed in 1980). Also included are excerpts
from the controversial 1991 opera "The Death of
Klinghoffer"--one of the most interesting in a long line of
operas "torn from the headlines."
GO ORGANIC
**********
The unveiling of a new organ in Seattle highlights the
instrument's continuing fascination. Since antiquity, the
organ has exerted a powerful fascination, serving as muse,
liturgical inspiration, and even one-man orchestra in the
days before radio and recordings. This summer, Seattle's
Benaroya Hall has become an international magnet for lovers
of the "king of instruments." In early July, the Seattle
Symphony unveiled its new Watjen concert organ, the latest
masterpiece of the C.B. Fisk organ-building firm,
illustrating the tremendous versatility of the instrument--
and its continuing capacity to inspire composers. Check out
our list of great organ music, from the Everest of Bach to
avant-garde trends in usage of the instrument.
CD on Sale
"Schubert: Schwanengesang"
Bryn Terfel, baritone; Malcolm Martineau, piano
CD on Sale
When star baritone Bryn Terfel is singing, you don't need to
worry about a lieder recital becoming staid. As with his
beautifully sensitive recent disc of Schumann songs, Terfel
focuses his arresting vocal power and striking dramatic
presence on Schubert's despair-drenched songs, and his
ongoing partnership with pianist Malcolm Martineau brings
out a rich variety of colors.
"Rameau: Dardanus"
Veronique Gens, John Mark Ainsley, et al.;
Les Musiciens du Louvre; Marc Minkowski, conductor
CD on Sale
Jean-Philippe Rameau was perceived as a revolutionary in his
time, and he's in complete command of his art in the
all-too-neglected "Dardanus" (based, as usual, on Greek
myth, though with lots of his librettist's fantasy mixed
in). This is territory that Marc Minkowski has proved he
owns, and he leads fellow specialists Veronique Gens and
John Mark Ainsley--and of course the quicksilver Musiciens
du Louvre--with inspired eloquence and fury. A must-have for
baroque-opera lovers.
"Victoria and Palestrina: In Paradisum"
Hilliard Ensemble
CD on Sale
The Hilliards bring together two settings of related texts
from the Requiem service by Palestrina and Victoria,
performing them in a context to suggest how they would have
been heard originally. Their use of the Monastery of
St. Gerold's rich sonic profile adds a wonderful dimension
as well to the tenor quartet's beautifully balanced strands
of melody.
"Verdi Heroines"
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano; Verdi Grand Symphonic Orchestra
Milan; Riccardo Chailly, conductor
CD on Sale
Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu won stardom virtually
overnight in 1994 with her still-discussed Violetta in "La
Traviata" at Covent Garden. And it is to Verdi she returns
in her first solo recital album in more than two years. As
in her previous work with conductor Riccardo Chailly,
Gheorghiu interprets familiar music--in this case, arias
from "Otello," "Rigoletto," "Aida," and many more--with a
remarkably fresh sensibility and emotional rapport.
"Serenade"
David Daniels, countertenor; Martin Katz, piano
CD on Sale
We all know that countertenors have made a notable comeback
in our time, but David Daniels isn't about to rest on his
laurels. As if his successes this past season weren't enough
to set him apart, in this latest recital album Daniels
forays beyond the countertenor's stereotypical domain of the
baroque to interpret lieder of Beethoven and Schubert as
well as French melodies and Vaughn Williams. A stunningly
beautiful disc.
"Andriessen: Rosa--The Death of a Composer"
Marie Angel et al.; ASKO Ensemble and Schoenberg Ensemble;
Reinbert De Leeuw, conductor
CD on Sale
Dutch avant-garde composer Louis Andriessen has never quite
gotten the attention he deserves in the U.S., though his own
brand of minimalism and transmogrified jazz can cast a
powerful spell. This collaboration with maverick film
director Peter Greenaway involves a most bizarre but
mesmerizing story of a fictional composer and the very
enchantments of art.
"Poulenc: La Voix Humaine"
Jane Rhodes; ORTF National Orchestra; Jean-Pierre Marty, conductor
CD on Sale
An opera about a woman speaking to her ex-lover on the
phone? When it's a matter of Francis Poulenc teaming up with
Jean Cocteau, the results are not only witty and elegant,
but subtly menacing as well. Jane Rhodes stars in another
from the superb Memoire Vive series.
DG ORIGINALS SERIES
*******************
Karl Boehm leading Birgit Nilsson and Wolfgang Windgassen in
"Tristan und Isolde" from Bayreuth 1966 and the Carlos
Kleiber "Freischutz" are just two of the legendary
recordings in the Deutsche Grammophon Originals series,
which are now available at impossible-to-resist prices.
CD on Sale
GET STARTED IN RENAISSANCE MUSIC
********************************
The age of Michelangelo, El Greco, Shakespeare, and Lorenzo
the Magnificent also produced an extraordinary crop of
musical masterpieces, the greatest of which were written to
adorn the services in cathedrals and royal chapels. Take
Amazon.com's tour of the serene yet sophisticated choral
music of the Renaissance.
CD on Sale
ROBERT AUBRY DAVIS PRESENTS
***************************
Robert Aubry Davis, host of the long-running "Millennium of
Music" series on public radio, also plays guide to the rich
heritage of early music in three CD anthologies, including
the first volume, "Alleluia" (centered around Christmas
music), and the most recent release, "Behold, and See," a
collection of music inspired by the Passion and Easter
season.
Volume 1
CD on Sale
Volume 2
CD on Sale
Volume 3
CD on Sale
"Penderecki: The Seven Gates of Jerusalem"
Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra; Kazimierz Kord,
conductor
Your price
Krzysztof Penderecki describes "The Seven Gates of
Jerusalem" as a symphony--in the choral tradition of
Beethoven and Mahler, that is. You might also think of the
work as an oratorio, but whatever you call it, this setting
of texts from the Psalms and other Old Testament sources is
one of the Polish composer's most monumental efforts--in
keeping with its goal of celebrating the third millennium of
the holy city.
"Songs of Ned Rorem"
Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano; Malcolm Martineau, piano
Your price
Even amid the current explosion of superb mezzo-soprano
voices, Susan Graham stands out as one of today's freshest,
most endearing interpreters of Strauss as well as the French
art song. Her acute intelligence and exquisite musicality
are also just the ticket for the subtle charms of these
songs of Ned Rorem, Graham's newest release of gems by the
great American art songwriter.
"Janacek and Kodaly: Masses"
Westminster Cathedral Choir; James O'Donnell, conductor
Your price
Here you will find a fascinating pairing of church music by
two very different masters from the early 20th century.
Along with a solemnly turned performance of Kodaly's Missa
Brevis for organ and boys' choir is the dramatic Mass
setting by Janacek. For those who are belatedly discovering
his marvelous trove of operas--one of the great achievements
of the lyric stage on the last century--this will be
especially appealing.
"Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor"
Renata Scotto, Giuseppe di Stefano, et al.; Chorus and
Orchestra of La Scala; Nino Sanzogno, conductor
Your price
This recording from 1959 features a top-drawer cast
including Renata Scotto and Giuseppe di Stefano, with a
vintage, briskly paced performance by the forces of La
Scala. If you can't be satisfied living with just one
"Lucia" on disc, you'll be tempted to give this a try.
"Gesualdo: Tenebrae"
Taverner Consort; Andrew Parrott, conductor
Your price
The bizarre individualism of his music--not to mention the
sensational circumstances of his life--have bestowed on the
aristocrat Carlo Gesualdo an eerily prescient kinship with
modernity that few other Renaissance composers share. This
is a shatteringly beautiful performance of one of Gesualdo's
masterpieces, the music he composed for Good Friday.
"A Garland for Linda"
John Tavener, Paul McCartney, et al.
Joyful Company of Singers; Peter Broadbent, conductor
Your price
Linda McCartney, who died of cancer in 1998, was by all
accounts an extraordinary woman, and "A Garland for Linda"
is a moving musical tribute. This collection of choral
pieces contains several moments of haunting beauty. Among
the nine contemporary British composers featured are Roxanna
Panufnik, Giles Swayne, and Paul McCartney himself, who
contributes the deeply felt "Nova."
OPERA IN ENGLISH
****************
The issue of whether to perform operas in their original
language has long been hotly debated, with very strong
arguments to be made on both sides. But it's hard to
imagine a more compelling case for opera in English than the
one presented by the Chandos series of classics. Featuring a
formidable list of musicians, from Jane Eaglen and Dennis
O'Neill to conductor David Parry and the Philharmonia
Orchestra, the Opera in English series offers new
perspectives on some of the best-loved works in the
repertory.
Your price
OPERA ON A BUDGET
*****************
On a tight budget but looking to expand--or even start--your
opera collection? Check out Allegro's Opera d'Oro series of
live recordings from star performers. Mostly priced at under
$10 per set, the series offers a gold mine of bargains.
Your price
