Historic Recording Announcing the Arrival of an Iconoclast
359668
From the first moments of the recording of Chopin's third scherzo it is easy to see why this recording caused such a stir when it first appeared in the early 1960s:  Martha Argerich displays a masterful technique and touch  at the keyboard while still pushing the envelope of "standard"  performance practices.  Her playing may not be everyone's favorite, but you  can't help but be drawn into the music and the music-making throughout.  Where a pianist like Rubinstein played this scherzo with more  understatement and elegance, Argerich provides plenty of shading and fire  at every turn.
The recording continues with beautifully long and singing  lines in two rhapsodies of Brahms, and then whips back into the excitement  with an energetic reading of Prokofiev's toccata.  In the latter, she shows  clear promise to challenge Richter as an interpreter of this  composer.
Argerich's touch is very gentle in Ravel's Jeux d'eau, playing  the tops of the keys rather than directly into them.  I prefer recordings  of Ravel by old master Walter Gieseking or the young virtuoso Boris  Berezovsky, but am probably among a small minority on this point.
While  many consider this recording of the Liszt B-minor sonata to be among the  best, I actually prefer recordings from Claudio Arrau, Maurizio Pollini,  and, yes, even Van Cliburn.  Nonetheless, the performance is polished and  well-crafted---Argerich is able to draw a rich, sometimes dark, often  roaring tone from the piano.
Skip the Great Pianists of the 20th century  disks on Argerich and go straight to the source:  buy this disk and enjoy  an exciting debut recording.
2603220
This is an extraordinary recording...a fresh - and very moving - interpretation of Jesus' last days, his crucifixtion and his reincranation. In the musical language of the 1960s.. Some would say the "SuperStar" label is blashphemous..That's missing the point. Jesus was - and is - the center of the spiritual lives of billions of people. Doesn't that count at "super" in the language of today's youth (or the rebellious youth of the 1960s?)
In any event, for me at least, hearing the music (and conjuring up the scenes in my imagination) beat seeing the musical play, where the scenes were derived from somebody else's imagination.) That's not to say they were't brilliantly conceived. Just different.
After all, Jesus Christ Superstar started out life as music... the musical play came later. And this recording is the "original" Jesus Christ Superstar.
Robert Bottome,
editor of  VenEconomy, a Venezuelan economic and political newsletter
3214148
Theodore the Studite (759-826) is a neglected Church Father who deserves a wider audience. He wrote letters, orations, treatise and catechesis so he has a substantial body of work. This volume collects all his works against the iconoclasts.

Anyone with any knowledge of Byzantine iconoclasm knows it was divided into two periods. The first period ran from 726 to 787. John of Damascus was the chief intellectual opponent of these Byzantine iconoclasts. The second period went from 814 to 842. Theodore the Studite, along with Patriarch Nikephoros (who Theodore didn't get along with) were the main defenders of the veneration of icons. As a result of his opposite Theodore suffered exile and imprisonment but that didn't stop him from speaking out.

This volume contains the following works:
First Refutation of the Iconoclasts
Second Refutation of the Iconoclasts
Third Refutation of the Iconoclasts
Seven Chapters against the Iconoclasts
Some Questions Posed to the Iconoclasts
Letter to His Own Father Plato about the Veneration of the Sacred Images
Refutation and Subversion of the Impious Poems
Note: Plato was Theodore's uncle and abbott of his monastery.

Theodore tends to use metaphysical arguments in favour of icons like the reality of the incarnation so the introduction spends a lot of time explaining these concepts (pages 7-37). I found the treatise of John of Damascus easier to read but Theodore's works certainly have their place. I found that in reading Theodore my suspicions that Byzantine iconoclasts had a faulty christology confirmed. A fair bit of the time Theodore seems to be responding to actual arguments put forward by the Iconoclasts (this is hard to know for sure as iconoclast texts don't survive). This book wouldn't be my first choice in looking for arguments in favour of icons but since Theodore the Studite is such a famous and influential figure I am glad to have some of his writings in my collection of Patristic texts.
2370161
Modesitt begins a new chapter of his imager series by taking us to a period hundreds of years after the unification of Solidar.  The school and Imagers have fallen into disrepute through complacency and loss of purpose, and the new Maitre Alastar must learn to navigate the politics of Solidar and restore the Collegium to a position of respect, and do it quickly.
1483140
A real documentary with planned and spontaneous interviews with the principals of this great landmark project. Solti called the Decca recording engineers, "high priests of perfection" and viewing John Culshaw and the other engineers as they put the project together is quite a good peek into the magic. Not only that, but good behind the scenes talks with the singers and  Solti himself which enables the viewer to re-live the experience. The film is great at evoking the tension, drama and finally the achievement of making a landmark recording.
In comparison to the vhs version, this new dvd release has extra film footage and a lot of music besides. High quality sound rounds out this fantastic documentary.
3635034
This an audience recording -- an official bootleg.  The vocals are little indistinct and the mixes are a little uneven, but for any appreciator or student of British Blues, John Mayall, and/or the original Fleetwood Mac, this will prove both enjoyable and edifying; an historic recording, essentially well presented.  I say 'go for it'.  Enjoy the music!
1882351
A first rate documentation of a very unexpected turn of events in United States history. The author behind these words is one of the most passionate Commentators of our time. Never afraid to speak up & speak out while others fear to speak, Mr Olbermann was among the first in media to express his thoughts about the fitness of the Presidential Candidate in question during his GQ series The Closer. After the election he & his staff made the decision to continue on under the name The Resistance. Well researched commentaries give voice to a large segment of the US population (as of this writing, his GQ web series has received over 300 million views.) Even if you have not seen the videos, the printed word crackles with the heartfelt emotion of one man's belief in the importance & defense of our democracy. Highly recommended.
611836
Martin Luther and his 95 theses against the theology and operation of the Roman Catholic Church on October 31, 1517. was the spark which ignited the Protestant Reformation. Or so the story goes. Dr. Carlos M.N. Eire a distinguished professor of history at Yale has done himself proud by authoring this massive (almost 900 pages of small print text) tome on European religion, politics and societal developments between 1450-1650. The author attributes the invention of the printing press, the rise of national states and the various pushes being made in Roman Catholicism for the fragmentation of the church universal. We see such events and persons described with a novelistic flair for the dramatic and important. We learn of:
Martin Luther and the development of Lutherism; Reformed Christianity in Geneva under John Calvin and Zurich under Zwingli; Radical Christianity as exemplified by such men as Thomas Munster; the establishment of the Jesuits guided by Loyola and Xavier and the religious history in such diverse kingdoms as the British  Isles, Germany, France and Italy. We see the Counter Reformation move for reform in its Baroque culture, the growth of foreign missions and witchcraft and persecution across the broad span of the European scene.
  My brief comments barely scratch the surface of this profound product of scholarship. As a Presbyterian minister I would highly recommend this book for anyone lay or clergy who wants a fresh perspective on the seminal paradigm shift in Western Culture called the reformations. Anyone needs to digest this material who wishes a different insight into the modern world and the trajectory of history. An excellent book which will become a classic of scholarship for years to come. Highly Recommended!
2195952
This is a fascinating and well documented read about the symbiotic relationship between the Catholic Church of Pope Pius XI and the Fascist Italy of Mussolini. This book offers us the inside nitty gritty details of a fateful relationship with implications for today. It is the sad tale of two leaders who used each other to promote their common cause of a traditional, hierarchical and rigid moral view of man and society. It is also the story of how one man, Pius XI who was no saint, ultimately came to order the drafting of an encyclical by an American Jesuit, Father John LaFarge, denouncing racism and anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. It should be read with the 1997 book entitled THE HIDDEN ENCYCLICAL OF PIUS XI. I recommend the Kertzer book for a reminder of where we have been as a human family and how far we have yet to go.
4322009
This very famous recording of the Tchaikovsky has quite a story behind it.

Szell was not known as the kindest or most forgiving of conductors. The stories of his demanding steeliness are legion but no-one would deny the results as demonstrated by the many recordings he made with the Cleveland.

In this case the symphony was recorded ( in excellent 1962 sound) and the producer, John Culshaw (of 'Ring' fame) instinctively realised that he had the makings of capturing an epically great performance on disc - but not quite. All that had to be done was to fire up the conductor to white heat. This was achieved by playing back the recorded last movement at an artificially low level. Szell was apoplectic and marched into the recording room to re-record the movement. This was done in one take and the rest is history as they say! Suffice it to say that this is probably the most exciting performance ever recorded.

The Beethoven part of this disc was recorded in 1969 and contains a very exciting account of the overture plus various incidental extracts. This is big band Beethoven and enjoyable on its own merit. I personally have always enjoyed the powerfully exciting but unauthentic overture considerably.

However, it is for the Tchaikovsky that collectors will want and treasure this disc. Worth every penny!
3636687
This CD is truly one of the milestones in recording history.  In this CD, Sir Georg Solti leads the Chicago Symphony with the hand of a conductor extrordinaire. This amazing orchestra, combined with world famous choruses, come together to create a thrilling listening experience for the Mahler fan and novice alike. It is a "must have" for every collection.
950001
This is the third recording of the "Oratorio from the Book of Mormon" and was made in 1978 by Columbia Masterworks.

The LP sounds great! Soloists and choir and orchestra are well balanced. Although I'd personally prefer the soloists be placed slightly forward, for the most part, you don't need a libretto to understand what is being sung. I have not heard the subsequent CD release.

For those interested in the history of this composition, I highly recommend reading --
Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 8, Issue - 2, Pages: 4-13. Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999.

The Mormon Tabernacale Choir web site indicates this was recorded May 25-26, 1978, in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. A CD of the recording was released February, 1987.

Columbia Masterworks M35148 [LP]; MBPC 403 [CASS]

Jerold Ottley, Director
Utah Symphony; Maurice Abravanel, Conductor

Hervey Hick, (Samuel) Baritone
John Prahter, (Evangelist) Tenor
Clyane Robison, (Jesus Christ) Bass-Baritone
Jo Ann Ottley, Soprano

Salt Lake Boys' Choir
South High School Girls' Choir
Richard Torgerson, Director

Alexander Schreiner, Organist
Produced by Thomas Frost

This composition is overdue for a fresh recording. Online, you can find performances by local talents. I have read that BYU was to record the oratorio a few years ago but nothing surfaced. An official CD remastering of this recording would be welcome.

Recordings ---
First  > 1953: LP&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Oratorio-from-the-Book-of-Mormon/dp/B003KL39R2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Oratorio from the Book of Mormon</a>&nbsp;Studio Records 5303-RC
Second > 1961: LP&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Oratorio-from-the-Book-of-Mormon/dp/B001QO2BM4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Oratorio from the Book of Mormon</a>&nbsp;Vanguard VRS 1077 (mono); VSD 2099 (stereo)
Second > 1961: CD&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Oratorio-from-the-Book-of-Mormon/dp/B003XRN6K8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Oratorio from the Book of Mormon</a>&nbsp;Musica Sacra v. 27; 08 9302 71; UPC 3 351479 302711 (1995 Vanguard/Arcade, Netherlands release)
Second > 1961: CD&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Oratorio-from-the-Book-of-Mormon/dp/B0000254I8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Oratorio from the Book of Mormon</a>&nbsp;Vanguard Classics 08 5041 71 (1996 Vanguard, Europe release)
Third  > 1978: LP&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Oratorio-from-the-Book-of-Mormon/dp/B0018NG5G6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Oratorio from the Book of Mormon</a>&nbsp;Columbia Masterworks M35148; MBPC 403 (Cassette)
416429
From one of the top pro-life pioneers of our day who will go down in history as a groundbreaking activist for the pro-life movement. Be a part of it.
2116323
A few years ago, the competition performances of the Tchaikovsky First and Rachmaninov Third concertos were released to CD by Testament. The performance of the Rachmaninov Third was the most intense that I have heard and, here, Van Cliburn repeats that performance in the Winner's Concert.  This is one of the earliest surviving telecasts from Soviet TV. The performance of the Rachmaninov Third is not only historic but an amazing performance by Van Cliburn and the Moscow Philharmonic. Certainly, the recording quality is not what we expect today and the picture suffers from some distortion and black spots, but it is wonderful to see part of an event that had such an impact. There are man shots of the audience in the broadcast and their affection for Van Cliburn is apparent and heartwarming at the end of the concert.

The 1972 performance of the Rachmaninov Second is beautifully played and the recording is better than the 1958 broadcast. It was also interesting for me to see Kirill Kondrashin in performance as I have many of his recordings but was never able to see him conduct. Picture quality is better for the Rachmaninov Second is better. Both performances are in black-and-white. This DVD is a must for anyone who is interesting in Van Cliburn.
3551897
This is assuredly the definitive recording of Mendelssohns magnum opus, Elijah. Three world renowned soloists and one equally renowned conductor collaborated magnificently on this recording made so many years ago.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in the title role, shone in his role. In the introduction of the work, his bone-chilling performance as he tells the children of Israel that in punishment for their sins, There shall not be dew nor rain these years! makes one wonder whether the prophet Elijah has returned, as has been rumored for centuries. In another part of the work, he does equally outstanding work as Elijah the Interceder, begging the Lord to have mercy on his people Israel and send them rain. Why Fischer-Dieskau did not win multiple Grammys almost immediately after the release of this album in 1968 is a mystery to me.
Another equally gifted soloist, Nicolai Gedda, was quite at home as the assistant of the great prophet, especially when he sang the aria, If with all your hearts. The mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker is the paradigm of Queen Jezebel, gradually stirring up the people against Elijah until their anger reaches its blood-curdling climax, Woe to him, he shall perish!
Lastly, I cannot close without a word about the choir. The New Philharmonia Chorus is an exceptional, if little-known, choral group. They do quite well in, He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps, Baal, we cry to thee! and, And then shall your light break forth, contrasting sweetness, turbulence, and anger astonishingly. If you are looking for a recording of Elijah, you cannot do better than this very good, if little-known, version.
2989573
I enjoyed reading, From Lesbianism to Grace.  I look forward to Reverend Michelle Smith producing further work(s), as I feel there is much that the Father of our Lord and Saviour (Yeshua Messiah) has given her boldness, and utterance to share, within these areas of demand.  Reverend Michelle's testimony is a telling example of God's reach for, and deliverance of, His elect.
Shalom, Leshem.
927926
In his exegetical analysis of John 11, the story of Lazarus, Fr. John Dear leads the reader through a journey of non-violent confrontation - confrontation between the forces of violence and death that permeate our society and the forces of nonviolence and resurrection.  His analysis is both surprising and shocking.  He takes a pivotal story and makes it universally relevant to all who struggle against the forces that lead us to death and destruction.  Dear calls us to follow Jesus' commands to role back the stone, come forth, and unwrap. This theology is both liberating and demanding.  It changes the way that I read this passage in John and the way that I understand and relate to Jesus.  Hopefully it will do the same for you.