A great CD with wonderful classics sung with CLASS
928389
He won on Americas' Got Talent ... A win he most definitely earned.  A great CD with wonderful classics  sung with CLASS...
1022803
This CD is notable for it beautiful Panis Angelicus (the bread of Heaven), Adeste Fideles (O come, all ye faithful) and Silent Night. It is also a rare collection of several different Ave Maria versions on one CD.
The CD  comes with English translations of every song side-by-side with the Latin  words, so singing along in either language is no problem. I found it to be  very heartwarming and just a lot of fun.
3018358
Simply put, Marta Gomez doesn't make a bad CD.  This one, like all her other CD's, which I own, is fantastic.  I love her soft voice, her song writing is poetry.  I am bilingual, so I have the added delight of enjoying her lyrics, which are a delight.  Marta has a style all her own. Love her music.  This CD is poetry and a delight to the senses. Marta's music makes me smile. This CD is a joy to listen to over and over.
4901889
Miss Hunter's recital dates from 1977 and might disappoint purists since the Puccini and some of the Verdi are sung (impressively) in English, which after all was Hunter's forte and avowed preference as well as a concession to her UK audience. Admittedly the arias, especially the Verdi, are debased by dumbed-down translations, but the quality of singing with that outsize voice is never in doubt.

What is truly outstanding here is Miss Hunter's unexpected affinity for operetta bonbons. She includes a fine "One kiss" and a quite perfect "My hero" with its great crescendo to the climax (Hunter pays close attention to dynamics throughout and scales down the big voice to manageable size for the more intimate numbers). I consider her playlist daring, in 1977 terms, for Hunter's inclusion of a clutch of Ivor Novello ariettas (this man is due for a revival). She sings them with a straight face and great tonal beauty, and the rather reserved audience respond most affirmatively. Who knew the great Wagnerian diva was an uncloseted Novello groupie?
2425717
A great "listening" CD.  Each song is something to bring back memories. I can definitely detect the more mature voice in this CD as compared to You Can't Take It With You and The Best Of T. Graham Brown.  His voice is distinctive and goes from soul and smooth to gutsy and brash. Even though many of the songs on this CD have been around for many years, it is great to hear them again in a totally different style.  One thing I found quite interesting was that I played the CD for a friend and she actually had tears.  She said she definitely liked it and that it touched her deeply.  Oops!  Don't get excited, this is not a sad commentary of a great CD.  It just so happens that is one lady's reaction.

I definitely recommend you consider this one!

Since I teach line dancing I am always looking for new music. I have used songs from each of the three of his CDs that I now have. Yes, even the hymns have a great beat.
4270743
Every CD of Andrea Bocelli deserves a five star rating
112032
The overtures from Rossini's many operas have been recorded very frequently, and there are quite a few discs available, all with different selections included. When I obtained this CD back in the early '90's, it had received Gramophone's highest recommendation - their review said that "the recording is as vivid as the music. This is a disc to bring a smile to the lips and make you appreciate life". I have enjoyed it since that time - the performances are energetic and the recording quality is excellent.

Overtures included in this disc are:
- La sala di seta
- Il signor Bruschino
- L'Italiana in Algieri
- Il barbiere di Siviglia
- La gazza ladra
- Semiramide
- Guillaume Tell

My other recording of Rossini's overtures is&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rossini-Overtures/dp/B00000E31C/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rossini: Overtures</a>, with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performing a different selection of overtures, another very enjoyable disc (overtures included in that disc are: Tancredi, L 'Italiana in Algeri, L 'inganno felice, La scala di seta, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Il Signor Bruschino, La cambia di matrimony, Il Turco in Italia). This was also a Gramophone recommendation and is also in the 2008 Penguin guide as a recommended CD.

As a final alternative for consideration,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rossini-Complete-Overtures/dp/B00009KV0W/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rossini: Complete Overtures</a>&nbsp;includes all of Rossini's overtures, with Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. This is a 3 CD collection and if you want to get everything, it is probably the best choice, being the current Penguin recommendation and having it all together and with very fine performances and recording quality.

-----------------------

Added Notes 4/12/15:

I've just realized that this recording is listed on Amazon multiple times (not unusual). I'm therefore adding to this review the links to the various listings on Amazon, since each will have sellers offering this recording for different prices, to make it a bit easier for locating the best price for this recording:

-&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rossini-Overtures/dp/B000F2QC1Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rossini: Overtures</a>&nbsp;(the listing where my review was first posted on 4/23/13)
-&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rossini-Overtures/dp/B000002RRS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rossini: Overtures</a>
-&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/ROSSINI-OVERTURES-24bit/dp/B000BR2PWI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">ROSSINI: OVERTURES(24bit)</a>&nbsp;(sellers all in Japan, recording may be a higher quality digital version?)
-&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rossini-Overtures/dp/B000E2ZOIM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rossini: Overtures</a>
-&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rossini-Overtures-London-Classical-Players--Sir-Roger-Norrington/dp/B00005AFRC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rossini - Overtures / London Classical Players  Sir Roger Norrington</a>
4970744
Music is suppose to transport you in a sense, and alter your mood. These discs have that effect. I have to admit I am a little dismayed with today's musicians, many of whom focus on bitter, or degrading lyrics. This classic CD set is filled with romance, hope, optimistism and a classic voice that resonates beautifully. These are definitely Frank's  best and I was not disappointed. Every song is complete hit.
4161963
Praising the Tallis Scholars these days is like praising Alfred Brendel or the Takacs Quartet - they are so reliably brilliant that it's almost redundant. It's still worth doing, though, and this is another really fine recording. All those characteristics of magnificent blend, clarity and fluidity of line, impeccable tuning and superb quality of sound are all there, and the Tallis Scholars' affinity with Josquin is as strong and affecting as it was 20-odd years ago when their disc of Missa Pange Lingua won the Gramophone Record of the Year Award (still the only early music recording ever to do so) and then the recording of Josquin's L'Homme Arme masses became a treasured gem of so many collections.

On the current disc are Josquin's two fugal masses, one early and one mature. They are both new to me and both wonderful works, and there are the usual extensive and scholarly notes by Peter Phillips which so enhance my enjoyment and understanding of what I'm hearing. The overall sound, of course, is lovely and listening for the ingenious structural underpinning is very rewarding, too. It's a great disc.

If I have a tiny niggle it is that the basses are, to my ear, slightly under-recorded. Donald Greig and Francis Steele are really fine singers who make the most fabulous sound together, and I'd like to have a mix which uses them to make the overall sound a little richer. It is a tiny niggle, though - don't let it put you off a really enjoyable, rewarding disc.

I have been a fan of the Tallis Scholars for thirty years and more. This is well up to the extraordinarily high standard they have set over that time, and the Missa Ad fugam stands as a fitting memorial to Tessa Bonner, the wonderful soprano who died on 31st December 2008. Very highly recommended.
311665
Vocalist Sherri Huffman does a wonderful job singing these classics.  We received this CD as a gift and we play it every day for our son.  This is far more enjoyable than all the Baby Mozart, etc. CD's that are so popular currently.  Of course we have those too, but this is one CD that is enjoyable for parents as well.  Some of the songs we had never heard before, but they are lovely, such as Lavender Blue and All the Pretty Little Horses.
3224280
This music is beautiful!  The performances are superb.  The recording is expertly done.  How can you go wrong?  I purchased all six of these CDs individually in the past at what I considered a reasonable price.  Now they're available as a set of six for not much more than I paid for one.  Had I known they were to be released as a collection at 1/5 the cost of purchasing them separately, would I have waited?  No.  These recordings have given me many hours of enjoyment already.  I considered them a good buy then and stand by that now.  If you like Baroque music, by all means listen to the Naive recordings.  There are two additional concerti collections available with other instrumentation, both worthy of investigation.  Enjoy!
1923877
It is a fantastic collection of wartime hits. I like the classy operatic voice singing these favorites as it is in many ways characteristic of WW II Britain and a welcome departure from much of today's music.
1408987
One of the best modern recordings of this beloved classics. I also love the arrangements of the songs that were cut from the movie-- a great addition to anyone's showtune collection
3046896
I am delighted this disk is back in print and recommend it to you wholeheartedly.

First, there is the music of Claudio Monteverdi, one of the greatest composers of all time.  Born in 1567, he served as a chorister in his youth and entered the service of Duke Gonzaga of Mantua in 1590.  He traveled with the Duke to other parts of Europe and after the turn of the century Monteverdi was one of those founding the movement to music that more directly expressed the emotion of the words being sung.  It was a revolution that was also part of the founding of opera.  While a few operas were written before Monteverdi's "Orfeo", it was his opera that is generally recognized as the first great operatic work and any listening to early opera usually leads to a reaffirmation of this view, even though the others are beautiful and certainly worth hearing.

In 1613 he became the maestro di capella at St. Mark's in Venice and his music was in tremendous demand.  This disk includes several of his numbers for his wealthy patrons and several of his short works for the Church.  These are all fine works and offer a great variety of affect and expression.  Some are delightful and full of light, others are sad and have a tragic affect.  You will enjoy them all and have your own favorites.

Kirkby and Tubb have sung together before and their voices work very well together.  They each have solos on the disk and each shows the range of their talent and the beauty of their voices.  I am a huge fan of both of these wonderful singers and delight in hearing them sing so wonderfully on this disk.

Rooley and his consort provide wonderful accompaniment appropriate to each number.  On one you might have lutes, and chitarrone, another might have a harp, another violins or viol and another will be accompanied by organ.  I love the tasteful and wonderful sound created by the accompanists to add to the beauty of the vocal lines and to bring the whole to a greater unity rather than simply providing supporting harmonies or getting too busy and cluttering things up.

Strongly recommended.  Monteverdi, Kirky, Tubbs, Rooley et al, how can you go wrong?
3731153
This treasure comes to us as the fourth and latest compilation of songs sung by the greatest tenor of the twentieth century. The selections are sung in English with the beauty and power unmatched by other tenors. Some selections treat us to the equal beauty and magic of Mario's speaking voice as he is heard introducing the song he selected to sing on that particular program. Most of these songs are from his radio show of 1951 and 1952 and we are once again to share years later what his audience felt as he sang for them. I am acquainted with a few of fellow reviewers here and share their opinions in this CD. As a fan of fifty years I am delighted to give a raving review of this cd . The magic and incredible beauty of this singer is once again a chart topper.
155108
The CD is of very fine quality and value.  The purchase was easy and delivery was prompt. As a retired vocal music teacher I can say that Neal's voice is clear, his execution precise, his interpretations, dynamics and musicality are exceptional and the selection of pieces varied to suit any lover of good vocal music. He definitely sings with passion. I wish him great success and look forward to future CDs.
4724471
If you enjoy classical music you will definitely enjoy this cd. the artist does such a wonderful job at creating a specific mood for each song. If you've seen the movie, you already know that.