Sept 2016 – Alto CD

Richard Burton The Voice in Poetry

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:20 +0000

“One of the most expressive and romantic acting voices, in selections of his own”

CD One:

- [1] Under Milk Wood: To Begin at the Beginning: 1.49

Dylan Thomas Poetry:

- [2] A Winter’s Tale 7:19
- [3] In my Craft and Sullen Art 0:55
- [4] The Force that through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower 1:20
- [5] The Hand that Signed the Paper 1:05
- [6] The Ballad of the Long-Legged Bait 9:45
- [7] Fernhill 3:23
- [8] Hunchback in the Park 1.53
- [9] Before I Knocked 2.21
- [10] I See the Boys of Summer 2:52
- [11] Lament 3:48
- [12] Desiderata (1692, found in a Baltimore church) 2:02
- [13] Adelstrop (Edward Thomas 1878-1917) 0:50
- [14] Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae
  (Ernest Dowson 1867-1900 ) 1:30
- [15] Hunter Trials (John Betjeman 1906-84) 1:09

Thomas Hardy Poetry:

- [16] At Casterbridge Fair (6 parts) 5:15
- [17] The Voice 0:58
- [18] Weathers 0:49
- [19] She Charged Me 0:57

John Donne Poetry

- [20] A Hymn to God the Father 1:02
- [21] The Good Morrow 1:22
- [22] Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star 1:04
- [23] Song: Sweetest Love I do not go 1:49
- [24] Frost at Midnight (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) 4:23
- [25] Lines from Richard II (Wm.Shakespeare) 1.56
- [26] Lines from The Tempest (Wm.Shakespeare) 0:51

Dylan Thomas Poetry:

- [27] Elegy (ed.Watkins) 2:31
- [28] Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed 1:21
- [29] Do not go Gentle into that Good Night 1:20
- [30] And Death Shall Have No Dominion 1:35

CD Two:

- [1] The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Taylor Coleridge)
  Richard Burton with John Neville as narrator
  and Robert Hardy as the Wedding Guest 28:22

Thomas Hardy Poetry:

- [2] In Tenebris 1:06
- [3] Shut Out that Moon 1:13
- [4] Reminiscences of a Dancing Man 1:22
- [5] Let me Enjoy 0:51
- [6] Beyond the Last Lamp 2:02
- [7] I Found her out There 1:20
- [8] In the Servants’ Quarters 2.20
- [9] In the Study 1:03
- [10] Timing Her 1:36
- [11] Old Furniture 1:44
- [12] At Castle Boterel 1:56

John Donne Poetry:

[13] Legacie 1.20
[14] The Anniversary 1:44
[15] A Nocturnall (Upon St. Lucy’s) 2:46
[16] A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning 2:00
[17] The Extasie 3:47
[18] The Funerall 1:12
[19] The Relique 1:45
[20] At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corner 0:52
[21] Death be not Proud 0:54

Vision of Peace / The Monks of Ampleforth Abbey

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

“Ampleforth Abbey is a rare oasis of calm in our hectic world.” (Gramophone)
“a collection of items that illustrate different moments in the life of a monk, from his early morning awakening through to nightfall, from the day of hi s vows to the final lowering of his coffin” ”
“it is really telling us about something utterly serious: they sing their chant well and with understandin g, enhanced by the deep re verbe ration of their lofty chapel.” (Gramophone)

[1] The Great Bell (2:38)
[2] Tibi Dixit Cor Meum (1:42)
[3] Laetatus Sum (1:50)
[4] Suscipe (3:19)
[5] Veni Creator Spiritus (3:04)
[6] Where charity and love are found (2:07)
[7] Inclitos Christi (2:44)
[8] Benedictus Deus (1:39)
[9] Ave Maris Stella (2:55)
[10] The Reading from the Rule of St Benedict and the Confession (3.28)
[11] The Psalms of Compline (5:30)
[12] The Hymn at Nightfall (1:14)
[13] The Verse (0:17)
[14] Nunc Dimittis (1:33)
[15] Litany, Prayer and Blessing (2:14)
[16] Hymn to the Virgin Mary (2:46)
[17] Scriptural Meditation (5:10)
[18] Quinque Prudentes Virgines (1:16)
[19] De Lamentatione Jeremiae Prophetae (3:36)
[20] Christus Factus Est (2:23)
[21] Te Deum (4:03)
[22] Miserere Mei (5:28)
[23] Regem Cui (6:14)
[24] Ego Sum (0.41)
[25] In Paradisum /Chorus Angelorum (l:11)
[26] Suscipe (0:40)
[27] Urbs Jerusalem Beata (2:34)

“Blue Tango” Very Best of Leroy Anderson

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

“Leroy Anderson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was described by John Williams as ‘one of the great American masters of light orchestral music’. Sleigh Ride is quoted as ‘performed & recorded by a wider range of musical artists than any other piece in the history of western music’; Blue Tango also reached No.1 in Billboard and was the first purely orchestral piece to sell a million.” (Iain Sutherland)

Sleigh Ride 3:10
Blue Tango 2:58
Belle of the Ball 2:42
Trumpeter’s Lullaby 2:51
Plink Plank Plunk 2:56
Sarabande 3:39
The Waltzing Cat 2:33
Serenata 4:16
Promenade 2:34
Sandpaper Ballet 3:39
The Typewriter 1:55
The Syncopated Clock 2:25
Chicken Reel 3:03
Horse and Buggy 3:47
Song of the Bells 3:30
Jazz Pizzicato 1:56
Jazz Legato 1:40
Girl in Satin 2:17
Forgotten Dreams 2:38
Fiddle Faddle 3:48
Penny Whistle Song 2:36
Buglers’ Holiday 2:32
Christmas Festival Overture 7:07

Shostakovich Sonatas Violin & Viola Opp.134 & 147

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

“Three greats of Russian musicianship in modern recordings, including Shostakovich’s final work, published posthumously (viola sonata)”
“Make your choice based on sound, cost, and availability, and you can’t go wrong.” (MusicWeb International)
The recordings sound as though some digital restoration has been accomplished, and the album credit given for ‘remastering’ reinforces this impression of very quiet background, clean sound at peak levels, and reduced audience noise.(MusicWeb)

Sonata for Violin & Piano, Op. 134

[1] Andante 11:30
[2] Allegretto 6:59
[3] Largo 14:57

Sonata for Viola & Piano, Op. 147
Yuri Bashmet & Sviatoslav Richter

[4] Moderato 11:09
[5] Allegretto 6:18
[6] Adagio 17:02

Lute Music – the Golden Age

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

“Bream is a natural lutenist and marvellously sensitive in this repertoire … matched by expressive feeling. Dowland is shown in more extrovert mood than in many of his lute songs and the programme has plenty of variety” (Penguin Guide) “this anthology of English lute music, is mostly of dances whose harmonic and melodic richness shows how seriously their composers took such things. ..a musical goldmine.” (Gramophone)

[1] Two Almaines – Robert Johnson (c1582-1633) 2:18
[2] Fantasia – John Johnson (c1540-1595?) 4:13
[3] Walsingham – Francis (?) Cutting (c1550-1596) 3:27
[4] Mignarda (Galliard) – John Dowland (1563-1626) 4:13
[5] Almaine – Francis (?) Cutting 1:20
[6] Galliard – Philip Rosseter (1568-1623) 3:18
[7] Greensleeves – Francis (?) Cutting 2:56
[8] Galliard upon a Galliard of Daniel Batchelar – John Dowland 3:01
[9] Pavan – Thomas Morley (1557-c1603) 2:57
[10] Carman’s Whistle – Robert Johnson 2:37
[11] Pavan – Baruch ? Bulman (fl c1600) 4:05
[12] Mounsiers Almaine – Daniel Batchelar (1572-1619) 2:23
[13] Pavan – Anthony Holborne (- 1602?) 3:21
[14] Batell Galliard (King of Denmark’s Galliard) – John Dowland 2:39
[15] Galliard – Anthony Holborne 2:37

John Dowland: (1563-1626)

[16] Queen Elizabeth’s Galliard 1:30
[17] Lachrimae Antiquae Pavan 2:56
[18] Mrs White’s Nothinge 1:03
[19] Mrs Vaux’s Gigge 1:07
[20] Orlando Sleepeth 2:03
[21] Fantasia 5:02
[22] Melancholy Galliard 3:46
[23] My Ladye Hunsdon’s Puffe 1:48
[24] Semper Dowland, Semper Dolens 3:34
[25] An Unnamed Piece 1:30
[26] Sir Henry Umpton’s Funerall 3:01
[27] Forlorne Hope Fancy 3:49

Hollywood Golden Era Songs

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

Full booklet notes with all dates, accompanists, film titles-inside !
“All the Songs and performances here are ‘unforgettable’ in that true sense that is so often abused nowadays. All came to fame in films of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s (‘Singin’ in the Rain, Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, High Noon ….) and will never, ever, go away !” (MusicalMerit)

1. That’s Entertainment (Dietz/Schwartz) (‘The Bandwagon’) 1953. 3.29
Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Cyd Charisse & Nanette Fabray

2. Singin’ in the Rain (Brown/Freed) (‘Singin’ In the Rain’) 1952 2.55
Gene Kelly
3. Over the Rainbow (Arlen/Harburg) (‘The Wizard Of Oz’) 1955 3.30
Judy Garland
4. When you wish upon a Star (Washington/Harline) (‘Pinocchio’) 1940. 3.14
Cliff Edwards
5. A Kiss to Build a Dream on (Kalmar/Ruby/Hammerstein II) (‘The Strip’) 3.01
Louis Armstrong Rec.1951
6. True Love (Porter) (‘High Society’) Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly. 1954 3.05
7. Puttin’ on the Ritz (Berlin) (‘Blue Skies’) Fred Astaire. 1952 2.50
8. S’Wonderful (G. & I. Gershwin) (‘An American In Paris’) 1951. 3.00
Gene Kelly & George Guetary
9. The Folks who Live on the Hill (Kern/Hammerstein II)
(‘High, Wide & Handsome’) Peggy Lee. 1957 3.38
10. Good Mornin’ (Brown/Freed) (‘Singin’ In The Rain’) 1952. 2.48
Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor

11. On the Street where you Live (Lerner/Loewe) (‘My Fair Lady’) 1958. 2.41
Vic Damone

12. Well did you Evah? (Porter) (‘High Society’) 1957. 3.48
Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby

13. Moon River (Mancini/Mercer) (‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’) 1961 2.03
Audrey Hepburn

14. Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend (‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’) 1953. 3.30
Marilyn Monroe
15. Never on Sunday (Hadjiakis/Towne) (‘Never On Sunday’) 1960. 3.09
Nana Mouskouri

16. Baby it’s Cold Outside (Loesser) (‘Neptune’s Daughter’) 1949. 4.44
Esther Williams & Riccardo Montalban

17. Falling in Love Again (Holländer/Connelly) (‘The Blue Angel’) 1954. 2.57
Marlene Dietrich

18. A Couple of Swells (Berlin) (‘Easter Parade’) 1949. 2.37
Judy Garland & Fred Astaire
19. Swingin’ on a Star (Burke/VanHeusen) – 2.30 (‘Going My Way’) 1944. 2.29
Bing Crosby with the Williams Brothers Quartet

20. Wonderful Copenhagen (Loesser) (‘Hans Christian Andersen’) 1952. 2.04
Danny Kaye
21. Jeepers Creepers (Arlen Mercer) (‘Going Places’) 1939. 2.03
Louis Armstrong & his Orchestra
22. Buttons and Bows (‘The Paleface’) Bob Hope. 1948 2.59
23. High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me) (Tiomkin/Washington) (‘High Noon’) 2.39
Frankie Laine. Rec.1952
24. Thank Heaven for Little Girls (Lerner/Loewe) (‘Gigi’) 1958. 2.17
Maurice Chevalier
25. As Time Goes by (Hupfeld) (‘Casablanca’) Dooley Wilson.1943. 2.45
26. Thanks for the Memory (Robin/Rainger) (‘The Big Broadcast of 1938’) – 2.28
Ella Fitzgerald with Andre Previn and his Orchestra. Rec.1955

Rachmaninov Vespers (All-Night Vigil) Op.37

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

“Polyansky and the USSR…are superb … It is marvellous music, strong in its sense of tradition yet yielding to different interpretative approaches. Greater drama, in fact, is contained in some of Polyansky’s powerfully controlled meditations. Polyansky is inward though positive and well-judged” (Gramophone)

1. Come, let us worship 2:21
2. Bless the Lord, O my soul 5:27
3. Blessed be the man 4:26
4. O serene light (Kiev chant) 3:58
5. Now let Thy Servant depart (Kiev chant) 4:09
6. Rejoice, O Virgin (Hail Mary) 3:15
7. Hexapsalmos (Glory to God in the highest) 3:22
8. Praise the name of The Lord (Znamenny chant) 2:41
9. Blessed art Thou, O Lord (Znamenny chant) 6:45
10. Hymn of the Resurrection 4:05
11. My soul doth magnify the Lord 10:39
12. Great Doxology (Gloria) (Znamenny chant) 7:38
13. This day of salvation (troparion, znamenny chant) 2:15
14. Christ is risen from the dead (troparion) 4:21
15. Hymn to the Mother of God (Greek chant) 1:56

Borodin & Kalinnikov: 1st Symphonies

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

“Svetlanov’s performance is a welcome replacement of a charming and most accomplished work by a talented composer who died tragically young … Svetlanov gives a splendidly energetic yet sensitive performance, and he is rewarded with beautiful lyrical playing in the Andante but also in the graceful, fresh lines of the opening movement. It is a work that should be better known in this country: a Prom audience, for instance, would surely take to it with delight.” (Gramophone) “Kalinnikov had a real gift for the tenderly lilting as Andante commodamente goes to prove, especially with the Steppe-longing aspirations of the finale – if you like Borodin then it is a dead cert that this lovely symphony – will appeal.” (MusicWeb)

Vasily Kalinnikov (1866-1901) Symphony No. 1 in G minor

1. Allegro moderato 14:04
2. Andante commodamente 7:28
3. Scherzo. Allegro non troppo 7:38
4. Finale. Allegro moderato 7:57

Alexander Borodin (1833-87) Symphony No. 1 in E flat major

5. Adagio Allegro – 13:25
6. Scherzo. Prestissimo – 6:41
7. Andante – 8:20
8. Finale. Allegro molto vivo – 6:41

Pineapple Poll (Ballet) & Favourite Sullivan Overtures

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:43:19 +0000

(Poll): “This ebullient dish-up of Sullivan is played here with tremendous élan in the merry bits and delightful expressiveness in the sentimental ones. In fact this version is much better played and recorded than either of its rivals, and if one were to be solemn one might describe it as the definitive recording in stereo. Unreservedly recommended.” (Gramophone) (Overtures): “recording is first class, bright and clean with keen strings and a good firm bass, …and the performance under Sir Malcolm Sargent is so affectionately shaped” (Gramophone)

Pineapple Poll [44:30]

Opening Dance 3:32
Poll’s Solo & Pas de Deux 3:32
Belaye’s Solo 3:16
Pas de Trois 2:58
Finale 3:50
Poll’s Solo 3:53
Jasper’s Solo 3:44
Belaye’s Solo & Sailors’ Drill 3:21
Poll’s Solo 4:30
Entry of Belaye with Blanche as Bride 3:26
Reconciliation 2:58
Grand Finale 5:24

Sullivan Overtures

The Mikado 8:17
The Yeomen of the Guard 5:20
The Pirates of Penzance 7:29
HMS Pinafore 4:20
Iolanthe 7:10