Search - Miles Davis :: Pangaea

Pangaea
Miles Davis
Pangaea
Genres: Jazz, R&B, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (29) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (24) - Disc #2
  •  Track Listings (29) - Disc #3

This made-up tale of the Crusades (based on Godfrey of Bouillon?s capture of Jerusalem from the Saracens) was Handel?s first Italian opera for London audiences, and it was a resounding success. Fireworks, elaborate stage ...  more »

     
?

Larger Image

CD Details

All Artists: Miles Davis
Title: Pangaea
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Phantom Sound & Vision
Original Release Date: 1/1/2008
Re-Release Date: 5/13/2008
Album Type: Import
Genres: Jazz, R&B, Classical
Styles: Jazz Fusion, Funk, Opera & Classical Vocal
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1

Synopsis

Amazon.com
This made-up tale of the Crusades (based on Godfrey of Bouillon?s capture of Jerusalem from the Saracens) was Handel?s first Italian opera for London audiences, and it was a resounding success. Fireworks, elaborate stage machinery, and actual birds for the heroine?s bird-song aria -- all were combined with vocal pyrotechnics to create a fabulous, if expensive, spectacle which enthralled the capital?s upper classes. In the 1970s, Rinaldo regained widespread attention once again as a vehicle for Marilyn Horne. The present recording, made after a concert tour in late 1999, features Horne?s most famous student, countertenor David Daniels, in the title role -- along with rising countertenor stars Daniel Taylor and Bejun Mehta, a number of other gifted singers, and megastar Cecilia Bartoli as the lead soprano and the hero?s love interest. Bartoli displays the same virtues and the same flaws audible on her recent Vivaldi disc: the bravura showpieces are sung too aggressively, with constant, overly wide vibrato and coloratura delivered like rounds from a machine-gun; yet the softer, more delicate arias are ravishing -- especially her birdsong aria in Act I, which features a fabulous solo for Rachel Brown on sopranino recorder. (Yes, she sings the famous "Lascia ch?io pianga" beautifully as well.) Contralto Bernarda Fink, in the role of the Crusader general Goffredo (composed as a "pants" role for a female singer), also has a vibrato a bit more pronounced than one might like, but she sings with a great deal of spirit, as does Luba Organosova as the vulnerable villainess. Daniel Taylor doesn?t sound entirely comfortable vocally or dramatically (very possibly because he sings the thankless role of the helpful, supportive younger brother), but he acquits himself well. As Rinaldo, Daniels does his teacher Horne proud: dead-on coloratura, beautiful tone, excellent Handelian style; if there?s a flaw in his performance, it?s that he sounds a bit less involved dramatically than he generally does on the stage (doubtless because this was a concert production). Bejun Mehta, in his one aria, is just as good as Daniels. Best in this starry cast, however, is baritone Gerald Finley as the Saracen general Argante: completely clear diction, just enough vibrato to color the voice without distorting the melodic line, and vigorous, even fearsome singing. Christopher Hogwood?s conducting isn?t as high-energy as that of, say, Paul McCreesh would be, but he paces the opera nicely. Some of those fabulous theatrical effects are included as well: we get to hear 18th-century thunder and birdcall machines, both of which make delightful noises. In spite of a few flaws (none of which are fatal), this Rinaldo is not only an admirable piece of work, it?s great fun as well. --Matthew Westphal

Similar CDs

 

CD Reviews

Para no olvidar.
Ubail Zamora | La Habana, Cuba | 03/14/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Desde su estreno, ha sido "Rinaldo", una de las obras mas populares de Handel. Eso no extrañara a nadie que haya escuchado cualquiera de sus arias, las que siempre envuelven y se quedan en la memoria para nunca olvidar. Esta grabacion, lidereada por el siempre magnifico Hogwood, le ayudara a comprenderlo. El elenco es estelar y, aunque a veces se piense que la voz del protagonista debe tener mas presencia, David Daniels sabe darle a su Rinaldo un aura de majestuosidad poco vista en otras grabaciones. La Almirena de la Bartoli es de lujo, lastima que su personaje cante tan poco en una obra tan extensa. Las palmas tambien para los villanos, dibujados con efectividad por Luba Orgonasova y Gerard Finley. La hechicera de la soprano tiene momentos de gran impacto y el Argante del baritono es el mejor de la discografia. La Fink recrea un Gofredo de altos quilates, precioso de voz y justo en lo dramatico. Quizas lo mas palido en la grabacion sea el Eustazio de Taylor, de voz opaca y monotona. Los pequeños papeles cumplen con efectividad, sobresaliendo sin lugar a dudas, el Mago Cristiano de Bejun Mehta, un contratenor para tener en cuenta. Todo esto, unido a una magnifica Academy of Ancient Music y a unos efectos de estudio (truenos y cantos de pajaros) espectaculares, hacen de esta opera un regalo para los oidos; como para no perdersela."
Wonderful opera - excellent orchestra - pretty good singing
Craig Matteson | Ann Arbor, MI | 07/15/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am very glad that the Handel operas are being looked at and recorded - usually very well - nowadays. When I was younger there were occasional arias, but the writing for castrati created problems that were hard to overcome. People would accept "pants" roles for women playing young men, but full fledged gender bending was hard to accept for most. As was the counter-tenor voice when it first appeared.Nowadays, we are pretty much past that and can have women singing the roles or the use of counter-tenors is quite popular. Here we have both, we have Bernarda Fink ably singing as Goffredo, a captain of the armies and David Daniels and David Taylor singing counter tenor roles very well indeed.The director, Christopher Hogwood, seems to always go for voices that have some special quirkiness about them (character?). He does that again on this recording. Yes, the voices are all good. (You may or may not like any individual voice in a specific role, but they do all sing well.) And there is some awfully gorgeous ensemble singing.This is a studio recording and sounds pretty good. The orchestra sounds especially nice.This is a very good opera and has a lot of excellent qualities that I hope keep it around for a long time. You could do a lot worse than getting this version of Rinaldo into your collection."
The best recording of Rinaldo in the market.
Annio | Spain | 08/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This isn't a critic. This is the best recording of 'Rinaldo' that you can find in the market at this moment. Daniels and Bartoli are simply extraordinary, but all the roles are sang with a very high nivel. I specially enjoy with Bernarda Fin, Liuba Orgonasova, Gerarld Finley and Bejun Metha.
Fantastic also the Academy of Ancient Music and Horwoogd. You must have it!"