Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
CD Harry Bicket
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a very well-performed and enjoyable programme of some of the Baroque's best-known and loveliest vocal works of Handel, Bach, Monteverdi, Pergolesi, Purcell and Dowland.
Danielle de Niese is a very fine singer with impeccable technique and intonation and she gives excellent performances throughout. Her style is quite Romantic in feel, with quite a bit of vibrato and an emphasis on expressive singing which makes an interesting contrast with great recordings of the recent past by Emma Kirkby, for example. I particularly like the opening of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater which she sings in duet with the great Andreas Scholl and where her overt emotional intensity works especially well. I hope they might record the whole work together at some point - on this evidence it would be something really special.
The English Concert, as one would expect, are terrific. They are completely at home in this repertoire and their playing is supple and responsive. They are excellent as an ensemble and there is some wonderful solo work - the trumpet playing in Let the Bright Seraphim and the oboe in Sich üben im lieben are quite outstanding, I thought.
Danielle de Niese is famously beautiful and Decca make full use of this, so that the cover is ambiguous about whether "The Beauty of the Baroque" is intended to refer to the music or to Ms de Niese herself. I suspect that this, combined with an air of "The Baroque's Greatest Hits" about the disc, may make some crusty old veterans of classical music like me a little dubious about whether the disc itself has real musical merit, but it genuinely does. I think it's a disc that will give real pleasure to an awful lot of people. Recommended.
Danielle de Niese is a very fine singer with impeccable technique and intonation and she gives excellent performances throughout. Her style is quite Romantic in feel, with quite a bit of vibrato and an emphasis on expressive singing which makes an interesting contrast with great recordings of the recent past by Emma Kirkby, for example. I particularly like the opening of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater which she sings in duet with the great Andreas Scholl and where her overt emotional intensity works especially well. I hope they might record the whole work together at some point - on this evidence it would be something really special.
The English Concert, as one would expect, are terrific. They are completely at home in this repertoire and their playing is supple and responsive. They are excellent as an ensemble and there is some wonderful solo work - the trumpet playing in Let the Bright Seraphim and the oboe in Sich üben im lieben are quite outstanding, I thought.
Danielle de Niese is famously beautiful and Decca make full use of this, so that the cover is ambiguous about whether "The Beauty of the Baroque" is intended to refer to the music or to Ms de Niese herself. I suspect that this, combined with an air of "The Baroque's Greatest Hits" about the disc, may make some crusty old veterans of classical music like me a little dubious about whether the disc itself has real musical merit, but it genuinely does. I think it's a disc that will give real pleasure to an awful lot of people. Recommended.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Danielle de Niese is a truly special artist, in my opinion, she will be regarded as the next Callas- and I don't mean because she is like Callas. Maria Callas was a truly singular artist in her time and was in a league of her own. Danielle de Niese is already regarded amongst her peers, mentors and critics in the classical music world as being in a class of her own, and as she grows into a fully mature artist, she proves this over and over again in both her recordings and her performances.
This is the type of album that really showcases her talents as both an interpreter and a first rate linguist in english, italian and german (her first recording of German repertoire). The love she feels for the music is almost tangible through the speakers!
You know an album is great when you want to listen to it more than once- certainly the case here, and this is a program of works by the most beloved of Baroque composers from British composer John Dowland, to Handel, Monteveri, and Bach by way of Purcell and Pergolesi.
Ms de Niese has varied her program between our favorites and her favorites, which (as a connaisseur of Baroque repertoire) kept me interested and intrigued throughout the program. Just as I was relaxing into the listening, I would come across a completely new arrangement or piece, my ears and senses relishing with delight piece like Monteverdi's Quel Sguardo Sdegnosetto almost as much I loved listening to the classics like the ethereal Ombra Mai Fu (which is absoutely gorgeous and beautifully interpreted for one so young).
But enough from me, listen for yourself and you'll agree. No classical music lover's collection would be complete without this wonderful album from Danielle de Niese (a precious time capsule of the magnificent Baroque period). The critics have all weighed in and they agree. Ms de Niese also includes three duets (Monteverdi, Pergolesi, and Handel) with the wonderful Andreas Scholl. Perfection to hear them together.
A MUST-BUY ALBUM on all accounts.
This is the type of album that really showcases her talents as both an interpreter and a first rate linguist in english, italian and german (her first recording of German repertoire). The love she feels for the music is almost tangible through the speakers!
You know an album is great when you want to listen to it more than once- certainly the case here, and this is a program of works by the most beloved of Baroque composers from British composer John Dowland, to Handel, Monteveri, and Bach by way of Purcell and Pergolesi.
Ms de Niese has varied her program between our favorites and her favorites, which (as a connaisseur of Baroque repertoire) kept me interested and intrigued throughout the program. Just as I was relaxing into the listening, I would come across a completely new arrangement or piece, my ears and senses relishing with delight piece like Monteverdi's Quel Sguardo Sdegnosetto almost as much I loved listening to the classics like the ethereal Ombra Mai Fu (which is absoutely gorgeous and beautifully interpreted for one so young).
But enough from me, listen for yourself and you'll agree. No classical music lover's collection would be complete without this wonderful album from Danielle de Niese (a precious time capsule of the magnificent Baroque period). The critics have all weighed in and they agree. Ms de Niese also includes three duets (Monteverdi, Pergolesi, and Handel) with the wonderful Andreas Scholl. Perfection to hear them together.
A MUST-BUY ALBUM on all accounts.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was lucky enough to see Danielle De Niese play Cleopatra in Guilio Cesare at Glyndebourne last year and her performance was electrifying. The warmth and vivacity she brings to her work just knocks you out when you see her live. I bought her last album on the strength of that, and then this one when it came out. She was on Radio 3 last night performing the Dowland live and being interviewed. She talked about how she imbues her passion for the music into the performance. She has been singing some of these pieces since she was at the Met, and as her voice develops she has been able to add more to her performance of them.
A great talent on top form singing the music she loves best, supported by a fantastic group of musicians. An awesome album. She is up there with Callas, Sutherland and Ferrier as a once in a generation voice.
A great talent on top form singing the music she loves best, supported by a fantastic group of musicians. An awesome album. She is up there with Callas, Sutherland and Ferrier as a once in a generation voice.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Introduction to the Baroque
Look I'm a beginner here. I was looking for a lovely voice and some Handel so I got those.Great to have in the car on journeys. Read more
Published 2 months ago by John
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully Baroque!
I'm a great fan of Danielle de Niese and was really impressed at how her confidence and voice have matured in this offering. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Antoinette Dickinson-Kaur
4.0 out of 5 stars
Electronic notes encoded in CD are in Japanese
The audio content is outstanding and I support every other 5 star review of this CD. Unfortunately the Digital track info encoded on the CD when you place it in a computer (I tried... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Paul
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
