Customer Reviews

Ave Maria: The Myth of Mary

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"What was he thinking?" is the question for this album's producer, Wolfgang Mohr. It is filled with such a hodge-podge of "stuff" that it is guaranteed to disappoint most because they'll encounter something that offends their taste (this was certainly the case for me).

I can only assume that the intended audience is the classical cross-over crowd. Hence, the plethora of names intended to attract their attention: Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo (two of the three tenors), Sumi Jo and Sarah Brightman (whose marketing acumen far exceeds her modest vocal talents).

What the serious classical connoisseur might miss because of the packaging and the lack of named tracks on the outside of the CD case are two real gems: Barabara Bonney's radiant voice on Schubert's Ave Maria and Chanticleer's lush reading of Biebl's Ave Maria.

Schubert's Ave Maria is a secular "lied" based on Sir Walter Scott's "Lady of the Lake". It is sung here with Schubert's original German text instead of the Latin liturgical text that is often force-fit to Schubert's melody. Bonney sings absolutely beautifully.

Franz Biebl who just passed away a few years ago would have remained in obscurity if it were not for the outstanding American men's ensemble, Chanticleer, who "discovered" his setting of Ave Maria. The piece has acquired cult status amongst Chanticleer fans. To my knowledge, a recording of Chanticleer's rendition previously could only be found on their label on a Christmas album released in 1990 and is difficult to find these days. Having it available here is a big plus.

For those who like "Baroque Greatest Hits" compilations with souped-up romanticized versions of over-played favorites, this album has several tracks that will get you feeling warm and fuzzy all over. Giulio Caccini was an early Baroque composer who has become popular in recent years because of saccharine arrangements of his "Dona Nobis Pachem" and "Ave Maria" (the vocal equivalent to the arrangements of Albinoni's "Adagio" and Bach's "Air on the G string"). Sumi Jo very successfully exploits the mush-factor in the arrangement of Caccini's "Ave Maria". The Bach/Gounod "Ave Maria" is represented on two tracks - one sung by the baritone, Thomas Hampson, the other by Placido Domingo. Hampson does manage to avoid Domingo's vocal histrionics.

The wobbly, hooting falsetto on Tigerlillies "Maria" is simply bizarre...

"Overplayed and overvalued" applies neither to the Schubert nor the Mozart-both are sublime and immortal masterpieces. The Verdi and the Gounod may be lesser, but they are certainly worthy pieces. However, it is obvious that this haphazard compilation is quite superfluous. Superior collections of sacred music abound, many at bargain prices.

PLEASE, LISTEN "Giulio Caccini'S Ave Maria" #2 in this album. I, often, did not like her pride-full attitude, but after hear this song, I began to forgive her... If you the person who sympathize and emphatize Maria and her love, you will pick Sumi's performance on this song and album as "THE" one.

Some of the songs, although having nothing to do with an "Ave Maria" title are acceptable like "Mary had a little lamb" and "Maria de Buenos Aires", or the "Maria" from West Side story. However that "Maria" by the "Tigerlilies" stands out as one of the most offensive, satanic, dark and creepy songs I ever heard. It literally describes to the detail the kidnapping, torturing, and ritualistic assassination of a human being, followed by a dark ritual of disfigurement with a knife and cannibalism, while chanting "Maria" in between. Although artistic and original, it just doesn't have a place in a compilation titled "AVE Maria": it really spoils the CD as a whole. Otherwise, the CD would get 4 stars and not 5 for a misleading title.

I really enjoy this CD. Several songs that stand out would be Ave Maria and Agur Maria. This is a CD that you would get for the Christmas times, but still...You can enjoy it, too!

I will concede that this disc does not contain the optimum cut for each of the compositions on it, but the gems are worth the price of admission.

What was he thinking? We don't know, because the liner notes are essentially non-existent. At least three of the selections are only in the loosest sense involved with the concept of the Virgin Mary. Bernstein's "Maria", "Mary had a little Lamb", and Mawby's "Ave Verum Corpus" (which I happen to like) just don't seem to fit in the "Myth of Mary".

The premise of the selection is not explained, but by inference, we can deduce that the editor wanted to bring to us a selection of atypical compositions on the theme of Mary, the Mother of God, in the Christian tradition.

Aside from the obviously conforming cuts to the theme (Schubert's composition, sung by Ms. Bonney is quite excellent), I found many of the cuts very pleaasing.

The "Agur Maria" (#3) is sung in the Basque language. I have never heard any Basque sung, and although I cannot understand a word of it, it sounds like many another folk song in many another language. It pleases me that I can relate to a language that dates its roots to pre-Roman times in Spain.

Verdi's "Ave Maria" (#6) from the Quattro Pezzi Sacri, is one of my personal favorites, and I think the editor included it because it doesn't get a lot of exposure. It is composed on the Enigmatic Scale, which is historically not used very often. If you have never heard this piece, it alone is worth the price.

The "Canticas de Santa Maria" (#10) are based on prayers from the Iberian Peninsula from the 1100's or so. Some of these were written in Proto-Portugese. This was an interesting time for music in this place, and the Arabian influence is apparent in the cuts the Editor chose. Ladino music, a particularly Hebrew version, also also came from the Iberian area at this general time.

The TigerLillies (#13) are beyond my appreciation at this time. It appears they are a caberet group that has reached some acceptance in Europe. However, the words they sing do follow the theme, albeit in oppositon to the traditional concepts.

"Yo Soy Maria" (#7), is a cut from a Tango Operetta, which has found wide acceptance in fans of Tango and South American music. The themes of the songs are most definatly within the definition of the album, and I am grateful to the Editor for including this piece. I have never heard of a Tango Operetta before.

#14, Ave Maria, appears to be a Trumpet solo. I don't get why it was included, since there are no words being sung.

As to the Chanticleer version of Beibl's "Ave Maria" (#15), I personally do not find it "lush", but rather much too slow and lugubrious. I am a singer myself, and many groups pay so high a respect to the composer's intentions that it seems to me that the vitality is ground out of the performance. I certainly mean no disrespect to Chanticleer, they are more technically perfect and spot on pitch than I, but as a listener, I would be more pleased with a little more risk taking. This having been said, the Biebl piece is also one of my favorites, and if you haven't heard it yet, it alone is worth the price of the disc.

I recommend this disc to be listened to and purchased, if you, like me, appreciate being challenged to investigate areas of music that are new to your experience, and are not necessarily the traditional paths. I am not always looking for the "optimum cut" for each composition, as though there were a perfect recording that negates all others. I like to see Performers and Editors step out from the sureness of conformity to take chances now and then, and I will take the gems and new directions in exchange for the mistakes and "boners" every time. (Mawby's "Ave Verum" doesn't fit, but Greig's "Ave Maris Stella" by I Fagiolini, a South African group, makes the journey worth it, for me.)

Excellent service from an Amazon ancillary. I knew and admired the album and was pleased to find it and receive it so promptly and efficiently.

Loved some songs, and didnot like the others. the best one was by Sumi Jo(very moving and beautiful). After buying this Cd, I gave that to my friend who is in SF. He loved it. I was surprised that. For me, too many differenct kind of music in one place. well, I perfer some consistent music rather than all kind of the things. However, for the people who is searching for this kind of music, well, it is for you.

This is CD must have for anyone with too much stress. The soothing melodies are fantastic with the small exception of Sumi Jo read. Sarah Brightman is just perfect and so is Placido and Carreras. Everything else was just as expected. Ave Maria is truely a great melody no matter who the composer really is.

Ok, so I'm not really a fan of the whole "best of classical music" genre of semi-classical albums to begin with. However, I am also not the type to go writing bad reviews of albums just because I don't like the idea behind them. But what struck me about this particular album is that not only does it contain a hodge-podge of overplayed and overvalued music along a common theme, but several of the tracks don't even seem to follow that theme. Specifically, the "Ave Maris Stella" has nothing do do with "The Myth of Mary" whatsoever, as "Maris" does not mean Mary in Latin, but "of the sea." This seems to apply to several of the other tracks too. Please, rather than buying an overpriced collection of mediocre performances of mediocre works, buy something you can really value for years to come. Classical music is, quite seriously, the best music ever written, and encompasses an amazing variety of styles, something for truly everyone. The failure of most contemporary Americans to appreciate this great cultural heritage is one of the great failures of our age, and one of the greatest cultural failings of all time.