Customer Reviews

Absolute Heaven: Essential Choral Masterpieces

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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.

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.

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.

If anyone goes back into that memory of nostalgia...It is easy to create good reminders of seeing, hearing and singing with Sir Robert Conducting JS Bach, Berlioz, Brahms, Mozart, Poulenc, Schubert and Vivaldi!

When anyone hears once again Donna Carter, Edith Wiens, Judith Blegen, Susan Dunn, Christine Brewer, Dawn Upshaw and William Stone it is a totally unforgetable Moment! Upon more keenly intense listening I found similarities in the voices of Edith Wiens...Judith Blegen and Donna Carter. In fact, I can exchange the songs of Donna, Edith and Judith without being sure of which is the right soprano. That is almost equal to the voice of Susan Dunn! The last two Sopranos, Christine Brewer and Dawn Upshaw are different qualities with a bit more variety of color and depth! Shaw had a masterful taste in choosing the right soprano for each demand and challenge!

When one dwells upon Shaw Favorites with CD's of "Deep River & other SPIRITUALS, Christmas with Robert Shaw, surely, CHORAL MASTERPIECES and Johannes Brahms GERMAN REQUIEM...what else is THERE?

No other Choral Inflence has been seen greater than upon Donald Neuen, Craig Jessop or Norman MacKenzie! SING-Cerely, "Revi" Fred W Hood

Because of hearing a piece on the radio that was absolutely stunning, I ordered this album that included the same piece by the same artists. Sadly, the quality of the recording did not live up to my expectations. The sopranos had a somewhat shrill sound and much of the choral sound seemed a little fuzzy and unclear. Still, the exquisite interpretations by Mr. Shaw made this album very worthwhile. He is sorely missed.

Like all of Shaw's recordings, this one is once again up to standards. A great assortment of selections from the religous works of many artists.