L'assedio Di Corinto: L' Ora Fatal S'appressa... Guisto Ciel !
Pie Jesu
Der Vierjahrige Posten: Gott! hore Meine Stimme!
Sanctus
Maria Stuarda: Preghiera Di Maria
Lacrimosa
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Take Care Of This House - Sumi Jo/Phil Chor Koln/Susan Graham
Nun's Chor/Casanova: Laura's Song
Gigi: Say A Prayer For me Tonight
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
This program seems designed primarily to display soprano Sumi Jo's fabulous singing and famous stylistic eclecticism. However, it also exhibits an admirable religious inclusiveness, encompassing expressions of faith from ... more »the Latin liturgy to Negro spirituals; there is even a Richard Strauss song that is essentially a paean to love. An incongruous note is struck by a nun's song from an operetta by Benatzky that is a corny Viennese waltz and by a soundtracklike arrangement of a 16th-century Ave Maria. Ranging from Mozart to Broadway, this musical mix is held together by Sumi Jo's ravishingly beautiful, pure, warm voice and the way she can color and inflect it, and by her mastery of every style (though not every language; her German in particular is unintelligible). Her intonation is impeccable, her breath control incredible. Jo's top notes soar triumphantly, and she can sustain them indefinitely, with enough power left to make a crescendo at the end. Highlights include Ravel's "Kaddisch," which sends shivers down the spine; arias from operas by Rossini and Donizetti; and arias from sacred works by Gounod and Fauré. Of two spirituals, the second one is simpler and more convincing. The accompanying forces are excellent; James Conlon doubles as pianist when not conducting. Susan Graham also makes an appearance in the moving invocation "Take Care of This House" from Bernstein's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. --Edith Eisler« less
This program seems designed primarily to display soprano Sumi Jo's fabulous singing and famous stylistic eclecticism. However, it also exhibits an admirable religious inclusiveness, encompassing expressions of faith from the Latin liturgy to Negro spirituals; there is even a Richard Strauss song that is essentially a paean to love. An incongruous note is struck by a nun's song from an operetta by Benatzky that is a corny Viennese waltz and by a soundtracklike arrangement of a 16th-century Ave Maria. Ranging from Mozart to Broadway, this musical mix is held together by Sumi Jo's ravishingly beautiful, pure, warm voice and the way she can color and inflect it, and by her mastery of every style (though not every language; her German in particular is unintelligible). Her intonation is impeccable, her breath control incredible. Jo's top notes soar triumphantly, and she can sustain them indefinitely, with enough power left to make a crescendo at the end. Highlights include Ravel's "Kaddisch," which sends shivers down the spine; arias from operas by Rossini and Donizetti; and arias from sacred works by Gounod and Fauré. Of two spirituals, the second one is simpler and more convincing. The accompanying forces are excellent; James Conlon doubles as pianist when not conducting. Susan Graham also makes an appearance in the moving invocation "Take Care of This House" from Bernstein's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. --Edith Eisler
"It is a refreshing change to have a collection of arias on a CD with a title that actually bears some relevance to the contents. This is indeed a prayerful collection. That means, of course, that you have to be in the appropriately contemplative mood in order to appreciate it.
Another nice change is that the orchestral accompaniment enhances the singing rather than just tagging along as an afterthought, which often seems to be the case. It is fitting that James Conlon gets equal billing here. This is splendid singing to splendid music.
Sumi Jo is comfortable in any language and in a broad range of styles. I was uncertain how she would tackle songs like Amazing Grace and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. I need not have worried. In the latter she reveals a soulfulness that fits the lyrics perfectly.
The only track not worthy of this collection is Bernstein's Take Care of This House. I suppose, as it is a prayer, it was an obvious song to include, and Jo sings it very well, but it is just a very poor song. That still leaves 14 excellent tracks that, if you are a lover of good singing, you will want in your collection.
"
A Consumer Point of View
Juliana LHeureux | Topsham, Maine United States | 05/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"At the outset, this review of "Prayers" is based upon enjoy-ability, because I'm obviously not a music critic. Simple words are the best ones I know to describe Sumi Jo and her perfect renditions of some high brow and popular spiritual music. Words like "wonderful" and "sensitive" come to the top of my mind. Sumi Jo and her crystal clear voice notwithstanding, "Prayers" is mostly enjoyable because of the music selections themselves. Moving from the Old Testament "Kaddisch" into the Christian era is enough of a spiritual range; but adding the touch of spiritual in "Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child" and a Loewe/Lerner "Say A Prayer For Me Tonight" makes for delicious toppings. This CD is a perfectly lovely voice-symphony suitable for almost any religious or spiritual music tastes."
Wonderful Voice
Lawrence Landis | Tulsa, OK USA | 01/03/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is my first Sumi Jo CD, but certainly will not be my last. Unfortunately, the rating scale only goes up to 5 stars - this deserves more. Ms. Jo has the voice of an angel; her versions, especially of Gounod's "Sanctus" and Preisner's "Lacrimosa", will make you grateful just be alive at a time when such performances are available so easily, and make your heart beat faster with the incredible beauty and power of her voice - but the entire CD is most enjoyable. Certainly, this has become one of the CDs I'd have to have if stranded on a desert island."
Enchanting. Enthralling. Calming. Relaxing. Not too shabby.
aekw | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/25/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Living in the hectic Los Angeles surroundings, I am subjected to road rage, smog, traffic that makes snails look like olympic sprinters, heat, and nasty attitudes. That's the outside. Inside my car is an oasis of calm, peace, and etherial zen-ness. Why is that, you ask? Well, if you had this album to flick on, you'd know exactly why, buddy.It's quite ironic that a girl dubbed "School Bus" while in Korea (she supposedly rode all the boys) did an album on sacred arias and what not, named "Prayers". And when I think of Sumi, bright happy coloratura voice comes to mind, particularly her trademark Queen of the Night aria from Die Zauberflote. Here, she's controlled and commands incredible musicianship. But her diction is a sloppy. I personally felt that she could've been far more crisp with Ravel's Kaddish. She was a bit poppish on the acapella version of "Amazing Grace," which threw me off my balance a bit the first time I heard it. Also, on a complete nitty gritty, I really wish she can end her dictions on some word a bit more crisper, like, "but". "Buhhhh" ???? Oh well...The Pie Jesu (Faure) is beautiful and Gounod's Sanctus is nice, but I love the Ave Maria by Caccini. For her interpretation alone on this, one ought to purchase it. I just wish that the orchestra would tone down a notch. Well... I guess I'll just have to go get a bose music system for that...I'm still debating between 4 and 5 stars, but I can't seem to shake off the Caccini. So, for that being the pushing ballet, it's a 5. Knock yourself out and live in peace."
Sumi Jo- coloratura supreme
KLG 6720 | 04/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One word: Lacrimosa. It haunts you and will stay with you long after you hear it. I actually forced several if my coworkers to listen to it many of which are not opera fans and even they could not argue the beauty of it. One of my coworkers was actual on the verge of tears by the end of the song.
The rest of the album is enchanting as well as breath taking. I am a harsh critic when it comes to singers so I do not give those compliments very often, nor am I easily moved by singers but Sumi Jo has certainly done that with this album.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to hear her take of "Ave Maria" by Schubert which, while recorded many times over, would complimented her voice perfectly due to it's simplicity. "Sing low sweet chariot" would have been another great one to hear but as far as spirtuals are concerned I was very happy with her acepella version of "Amazing Grace." I was never a huge fan of "Amazing Grace" since it's been done a thousand times over but she brought such seetness and emotion to it. Of course I am kind of biased becuase I offically hate the "belting" version of this song and that's how it's usually done. It's nice to hear a simple, straight forward version.
My last comment is that it's nice to hear Sumi Jo sing less operatic pieces considering most opera singers are rarely bold enough to sing anything other than classical pieces, excluding Renee Fleming of recent."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
