Absolute Heaven: Essential Choral Masterpieces

Robert Shaw (Conductor), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (Orchestra), Robert Shaw Festival Singers (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Robert Shaw Festival Singers
• Conductor: Robert Shaw
• Audio CD (April 29, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B000003D2K
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,072 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #21 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Upshaw, Dawn
  • #38 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > U to Z

Track Listings

1. Prologue (Excerpt)

2. Agnus Dei - Donna Carter

3. Kyrie - Edith Wiens

4. Hallelujah

5. Bless The Lord, O My Soul

6. Sanctus

7. Te Deum Laudamus (Excerpt)

8. Et In Terra Pax

9. Suscepit Israel

10. Pie Jesu - Judith Blegen

11. Libera Me (Excerpt) - Susan Dunn

12. Regina Coeli - Christine Brewer

13. Benedictus - David Gordon

14. Rex Tremendae

15. Finale - Heidi Grant Murphy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I may be musically challanged but...., October 22, 2002

By 

Aliceann Sellers (Chandler, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Absolute Heaven: Essential Choral Masterpieces (Audio CD)

This is one of those recordings that would have a hole worn in it from overuse if CD's were capable of getting holes from being used. This is the most used CD in my entire collection. I love it! It picks me up when I am down and it quiets me when I am high. It send shivers down my spine and sets my heart pounding. In short, it does everything a good CD is supposed to do. I don't want to listen to an hour of the same piece. I am entirely content listening to the highlights. As I said before, I may be musically challanged, but this CD is my favorite.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good selection of pieces, uniformly flat performances, July 26, 2000

By 

Steve Hanks (Tacoma, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Absolute Heaven: Essential Choral Masterpieces (Audio CD)

This is a collection of choral selection from previous Telarc recordings featuring the Robert Shaw Chorale and the Atlanta Symphony. Recording dates range from 1979 to 1993.

It's a great cross-sampling of (mostly) Romantic-era choral pieces, the choral singing is as usual impeccable, and it's a great group of soloists.

As these excerpts are from some of my very favorite pieces of music, I kept wondering why I wasn't more enthusiastic about this compilation.

Part of the problem is hearing the music in excerpts (a movement here, an aria there) is pretty frustrating. Entering smack in the middle of the last movement of Mahler 8, it can take you a while to get your musical bearings.

I'm also not wild about most of the interpretations, many of which struck me as kind of flat and uninspired (the Verdi Requiem and the Mahler 8 stick out in my mind). Suffice to say I didn't learn anything new about any of the pieces on the album, and in every case there is a recording of the work I like much better. (Except the Cavalleria rusticana excerpt, which I really liked, go figure.)

Bottom line: if you're not familiar with these works, and want a good (and very well-performed) cross-section of Romantic choral pieces, give it a listen. But then do yourself a favor and buy complete and more inspired versions of the pieces you really like.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A mediocre, dispensable choral treasury, January 24, 2011

By 

Andrew R. Barnard (Leola, Pa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Absolute Heaven: Essential Choral Masterpieces (Audio CD)

This CD features a wide range of pieces, from Baroque to Modern. Unfortunately,the performances here are never very inspiring, even though there are some wonderful compositions on the disc. A lot of the blame goes to the Atlanta Symphony, which sounds entirely devoid of charm and feeling here. Robert Shaw is certainly a great choral conductor, but this disc is far from his best. A few tracks stand out, but most do not. The last track on the disc, the finale of Mahler's great "Symphony of a Thousand", is shockingly bland.

Unless you're into buying Classical CD's just so you can say you bought it, this one probably shouldn't be added to your collection.