CD-Charts Position 1

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Hector Berlioz - Romantic Spirit

Search: The Hill
by: Various Artists

Release Date June 29, 2004

CD-Charts Position 2

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A Life In Time : The Roy Haynes Story

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by: Roy Haynes

Release Date March 31, 2008

CD-Charts Position 3

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Purcell: Dido and Aeneas; Ode for St. Cecilia's Day

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by: Hamburg English Chamber Orchestra Charles Mackerras, Kammerorchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks

Release Date March 07, 2005

CD-Charts Position 4

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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

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Funeral Of Queen Mary/Etc Dm

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by: PURCELL

Release Date June 09, 2003
The singing is clean, fresh and keen-edged, the strings are fantastically light (all cat-gut and no vib), the chamber organ is thoroughly spiffy, the authentic untunable trumpets are played in tune, and the recording is difficult to fault. The opening processional is absolutely awesome. There is an older King's College recording of substantially the same material, and this disc blows it away. This is probably a more historically informed recording, but that's just the means to the end: The music just sounds infinitely better done this way.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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Britten conducts Britten: Opera Vol.2

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by: Benjamin Britten

Release Date November 08, 2004
The singing is clean, fresh and keen-edged, the strings are fantastically light (all cat-gut and no vib), the chamber organ is thoroughly spiffy, the authentic untunable trumpets are played in tune, and the recording is difficult to fault. The opening processional is absolutely awesome. There is an older King's College recording of substantially the same material, and this disc blows it away. This is probably a more historically informed recording, but that's just the means to the end: The music just sounds infinitely better done this way.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

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Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream

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from: London

Release Date March 22, 1990
This was the first opera I ever saw live, during its initial London run a few months after the Aldeburgh premiere. I still carry vivid memories of that evening as a magical experience. And magic certainly lies at the heart of this entrancing (almost literally) piece.

From the sounds of the forest breathing in the opening string glissandos to the fairies' glittering benediction on Duke Theseus house at the end, Britten conjures a wonderful array of colours and pictures from his relatively modest orchestra. Each group of characters is given its own distinctive orchestral palette - strings with woodwinds predominate for the Lovers, the trombone fills in its fatter, comical tones when the Rustics appear, horns add a touch of regality ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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Purcell: Dido & Aeneas

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by: Henry Purcell, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music

Release Date January 23, 2006
I received this from Amazon UK a week ago and am very pleased with it. It is beautifully recorded and all the solo singers adhere to the pure vibrato-free style of the period. The historical orchestra is well balanced with some delectable archlutes and theorbos to the fore, and the choir is precise with good diction and tuning. A full libretto is enclosed (unusual at mid-price nowadays) with two scholarly essays about the sources used and decisions made in constructing the performance. I didn't find the sound effects as intrusive as my fellow reviewer.

All in all I think Purcell himself would have relished this performance and would recommend it to anyone seeking a first version of the opera.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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A Tribute to Queen

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by: Queen

Release Date June 12, 2000
I received this from Amazon UK a week ago and am very pleased with it. It is beautifully recorded and all the solo singers adhere to the pure vibrato-free style of the period. The historical orchestra is well balanced with some delectable archlutes and theorbos to the fore, and the choir is precise with good diction and tuning. A full libretto is enclosed (unusual at mid-price nowadays) with two scholarly essays about the sources used and decisions made in constructing the performance. I didn't find the sound effects as intrusive as my fellow reviewer.

All in all I think Purcell himself would have relished this performance and would recommend it to anyone seeking a first version of the opera.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Happy Fifties

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by: Louis Armstrong

Release Date January 07, 1997
I received this from Amazon UK a week ago and am very pleased with it. It is beautifully recorded and all the solo singers adhere to the pure vibrato-free style of the period. The historical orchestra is well balanced with some delectable archlutes and theorbos to the fore, and the choir is precise with good diction and tuning. A full libretto is enclosed (unusual at mid-price nowadays) with two scholarly essays about the sources used and decisions made in constructing the performance. I didn't find the sound effects as intrusive as my fellow reviewer.

All in all I think Purcell himself would have relished this performance and would recommend it to anyone seeking a first version of the opera.