Amazing Grace, An American Tapestry

Barber, Bloch Copland (Performer, Composer), Donna Wissinger (Performer), Jon Klibonoff (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Barber, Bloch Copland, Donna Wissinger, Jon Klibonoff
• Composer: Barber, Bloch Copland
• Audio CD (June 8, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Eroica Classical Recordings
• ASIN: B00004U4SO
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,289 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Simple Gifts, song for voice & piano (Old American Songs)

2. Duo, for flute (or violin) & piano: Part 1,Flowing

3. Duo, for flute (or violin) & piano: Part 2, Poetic, Somewhat Mournful

4. Duo, for flute (or violin) & piano: Part 3, Lively, With Bounce

5. Pleasant Song No. 1

6. Pleasant Song No. 2

7. Canzone (Elegy), for flute & piano (arr. from 2nd mvt. of the Piano Concerto), Op. 38a

8. Dances (3) for flute & piano

9. Dances (3) for flute & piano

10. Dances (3) for flute & piano

11. Suite modale, for flute & strings (or piano): No. 1 Moderato

12. Suite modale, for flute & strings (or piano): No. 2 L'istesso tempo

13. Suite modale, for flute & strings (or piano): No. 3 Allegro giocoso

14. Suite modale, for flute & strings (or piano): No. 4 Adagio - Allegro deciso

15. Whales Weep Not!, for flute & piano

16. Somewhere, song (from 'West Side Story')

17. Polka and Can-Can

18. Orange and Blue Rag (based on the University of FL football fight song)

19. Old Folks at Home, for voice & piano

20. Oh, Boys, Carry Me 'Long

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Amazing Grace" Casts A Spell & Lives Up to its Title, August 28, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Amazing Grace, An American Tapestry (Audio CD)

Donna Wissinger and Jon Klibonoff have done a superb job. Their musicianship is genuinely artistry of the first caliber. All the music is vibrantly and sensitively played. One feels joy, wonderful intelligence and great caring every step of the way in their music making. I was especially struck by their playing of the Copland Duo. What purity of heart in the opening phrases! Clear, beautifully balanced tones that sing out from the soul. I come back to it again and again to taste its utter peacefulness. Each breath a graceful, easy flowing. Thank you, Donna! I am inspired! And the third movement of the piece is so full of fun and fabulously virtuosic for both players -- Bravi! Among my other favorites were the two Stephen Foster pieces: "The Old Folks at Home" and "Oh, Boys, Carry Me 'long". They magically re-create the charming spirit of another time and place. The pep and bounce of "Carry Me 'long" is absolutely contagious. "Bayou Home" is another miniature masterpeice. William Grant Stills is a treasure I would love to hear more of. Jon and Donna do a splendid job here too. What is so great about their playing together is that they know how to cast a spell with the music and take the time and care to do it magnificently, generously and for the sake of the music. Jon Klibonoff's work is a miracle in its own right, always fully present, rhythmically alive -- simply brilliant. The Howard Tappan arrangements of "Simple Gifts" and "Amazing Grace" are sonorously rich and full of heart and, in the hands of Donna and Jon, absolutely uplifting, indeed, eloquent. I have been privileged to hear these two fine artists in concert on numerous occasions. AMAZING GRACE: AN AMERICAN TAPESTRY captures their extraordinary gifts with prize-winning authenticity. Congratulations as well to sound engineer, Jonathan Schultz. I could not recommend this album more highly.

John Cimino President & CEO Associated Solo Artists Creative Leaps International

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Virtuoso is not a strong enough term, August 23, 2000

By 

Jon Chase - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amazing Grace, An American Tapestry (Audio CD)

Virtuoso is not a strong enough term to describe the performance of flutist Donna Wissinger, who is not only highly skilled in the technique of playing the flute, but she also has a capability to infuse the music with a soaring spirit of expression that goes far beyond technique.

Her performances of Bach, Telemann and Handel are evocative of the spirited, lyrical melodies associated with the Baroque period, when, according to Wissinger, the flute was a very popular instrument.

"I wish I could say that it was because they were so enlightened they thought the flute was the voice of God," says Wissinger. "But that just isn't so. The real reason is because the king, Frederick the Great, played the flute, and when the king plays the flute, everybody plays the flute."

Donna Wissinger's talent is not limited to the concert stage. She plays professional tennis on the U.S. Tennis Association circuit, and is a USPTA teaching professional. She has bicycled from New York City to Miami (exceptional training for a wind instrument!) and is a competitive runner. Her athleticism is evident in her performance, as she accompanies each flute piece with sweeping, rhythmic dance movements.

She has studied in Salzburg, Munich, and New York City. She has performed five tours of Europe and Russia, and 12 tours of the United States. She is a proud member of Florida's Artist Residency Program, which brings music to schools in the state.

Donna has just completed recording her first CD on the Eroica Classical Recordings label. The Daily Sun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring artistic expression, August 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Amazing Grace, An American Tapestry (Audio CD)

A wonderful collection of American composers interpreted with beautiful and inspiring artistic expression. Ms. Wissinger's performance demonstrates great artistry and depth, and captures the essence of the musical spirit she evokes. Mr. Klibinoff is masterful and stylistic in his accompaniment. This CD encompasses a broad range of styles and complexities in American Classical music, and is worth a listen!