CD-Charts Position 1

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Bosom Buddies

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by: Carol Woods & Karen Saunders

Release Date October 06, 1998

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

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Britten: Curlew River

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from: London

Release Date June 07, 1989
Brilliant - because this performance of Curlew River draws you in and makes you 'feel' the drama. Curious - because if you follow Britten's score, you discover that in a couple of places this performance (directed by Britten himself) departs from the score in terms of timing ... if one reads the score literally. I don't doubt that Britten knew exactly what he wanted - we are after all talking about a man who could compose an opera in his head and then write it down faster than I can even transcribe a score manually, so I take my hat off to him. It's just that this is about the only example I know of a recording of a Britten work, directed by the composer, in which what I hear doesn't quite match up with what I see in the score. HOWEVER don't ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Britten conducts Britten Vol.3

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by: Benjamin Britten

Release Date September 19, 2005
The title Britten conducts Britten Operas is a bit misleading - all the pieces in this extensive set are choral works. All have been assembled from Decca's catalogue of definitive performances conducted mainly by the composer himself. A few of the works don't appear to be still available as single disks - so if you want a copy, you will have to buy this set. But at the price of just over £2 per CD, who can complain? Highlight of the set for me was the War Requiem. The only downside - and it's a fairly big one - there's a booklet containing track listings and notes about the music but no libretti, unlike the single disc issues of these pieces which had libretti.

CD-Charts Position 4
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Handel: Belshazzar

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by: Trevor Pinnock, The English Concert, James Bowman

Release Date June 07, 2004
The singing is good, but perhaps a little underpowered & Pinnock's
conducting is stylish & lively. There is an excellent note by Anthony
Hicks,& a synopsis but no text. The great scene in the work is the one
where the writing appears on the wall. Alas, there is an unnecessary
disc change in the middle of it, completely destroying the flow.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Tummy Talk

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by: Mr Richard

Release Date September 05, 2006
The singing is good, but perhaps a little underpowered & Pinnock's
conducting is stylish & lively. There is an excellent note by Anthony
Hicks,& a synopsis but no text. The great scene in the work is the one
where the writing appears on the wall. Alas, there is an unnecessary
disc change in the middle of it, completely destroying the flow.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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Purcell: Dido & Aeneas / King Arthur / Dioclesian / Timon of Athens / 3 Odes

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by: Henry Purcell, The English Concert dir. Trevor Pinnock

Release Date November 10, 2003
The singing is good, but perhaps a little underpowered & Pinnock's
conducting is stylish & lively. There is an excellent note by Anthony
Hicks,& a synopsis but no text. The great scene in the work is the one
where the writing appears on the wall. Alas, there is an unnecessary
disc change in the middle of it, completely destroying the flow.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

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Handel - Alcina

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by: George Frideric Handel

Release Date December 28, 2005
The singing is good, but perhaps a little underpowered & Pinnock's
conducting is stylish & lively. There is an excellent note by Anthony
Hicks,& a synopsis but no text. The great scene in the work is the one
where the writing appears on the wall. Alas, there is an unnecessary
disc change in the middle of it, completely destroying the flow.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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Händel: Alcina

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from: Bella Voce

Release Date August 05, 2000
The magic of Sutherland remains despite a truly awful recording which has been poorly mastered. The strings are thin and coughing from the audience detracts from what was a wonderful performance by artiste & ensemble. One may even detect the scene shifters at their work. The pity is that, with modern technology, this piece could be reworked into the masterpiece which it rightfully should be. Dave Upton

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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Mozart - The Marriage of Figaro

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by: Philharmonia Orchestra, Geoffrey Mitchell Choir

Release Date August 09, 2004
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Ultimate Collection: The Best of Shanice

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by: Shanice

Release Date November 16, 1999
It does take a while to get used to the English singing, but it also really helps to get the jokes across. I was splitting my sides when I first listened to it, there are some real gems in this translation (A prime example being in the middle of Susanna and Marcellina's duet as they exchange insults: 'Your quality/ Your quantity').

The conducting is wonderful, always taken at a brilliant pace by that great Mozartian David Parry. The cast are spot on, the only real exception being Yvonne Kenny's Countess (a good voice, just a bit too much vibrato here). I especially love Christopher Purves' Figaro, William Dazeley's Count, Jonathan Veira's Bartolo, John Graham Hall's Basilio and Sarah Tynan's Barbarina. Purves is perfect in his role; ... Read More: