Bejun Mehta - Songs and arias of Handel, Schubert, Brahms, Britten

George Frideric Handel (Artist), Franz Schubert (Artist), Johannes Brahms (Artist), Benjamin Britten (Artist), Bejun Mehta (Artist), David Shifrin (Artist), Carol Rosenberger (Artist), Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Principas (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 11, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Delos Records
• ASIN: B0000006VF
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,129 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest treasures, June 1, 2003

By 

PuppyTalk "BlackMutt" (NY United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Bejun Mehta - Songs and arias of Handel, Schubert, Brahms, Britten (Audio CD)

Fresh and supple voice, amazing breath control, incredible expressions, mature musicality. I have listened to some of the songs sung by real sopranos (meaning mature female), and I admit that they do have their own greatness, but this boy soprano seems to be far more exciting. He's got unbeatable, invincible energy and drive, which, I guess, only teenagers can possess, and the way he builds up the intensity is awe-striking.
He has a total control over the high notes also. You will hear the most beautiful pianissimo, soft, expressive, and floaty, in those otherwise ear-spliting pitches. His runs are also incomparable, very clear, driven, profound, and accurate. You will have to hear them at least once in your life time!

I have let my two teenage nephews, who knew nothing but rock music, listen to this CD, and lo and behold, they couldn't stop listening to it. We were on a trip to Yellow Stone at that time, a long boring drive, and they kept on asking me to play it over and over. We ended up listening to it several hours straight every day for 3 days! A different kind of excitement from rock music, every time the fast runs came, they couldn't stop dancing in the car mimicking them. The whole CD made them simply happy and jubilant. As a result, the otherwise boring long drive became a very happy, fun trip.

The only drawback is that his words are not very clear, and at times the accent is poor. But his musicality and mature expressions off-set it. Even if you don't understand the words, these songs will surely make your day. This is one of those CDs that proves that classical music can be much more exciting and fun than popular music. Good for kids, teenagers, and adults.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect voice, December 2, 2002

By 

Uomo Universale "Meester van Breukelen" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bejun Mehta - Songs and arias of Handel, Schubert, Brahms, Britten (Audio CD)

Mr. Mehta is a countertenor now. When he was a boy soprano his voice was incomparable, in my view, one which answers to the myth of a Castrato's voice. Such gentle and even register throughout the range which surely arouses the jealousy of any soprano.

Mr. Mehta demonstrated sophisticated and precoscious techniques which made his gifted timbre even more unparalleled. His diction is not quite crisp. My conjecture that it's due to his nasal technique, not unfamiliar to a countertenor, the unique head voice suited to a boy's changing voice. Maybe, also because of this, the color of Mr. Mehta's voice on this CD is especially touching - woeful but never strident nor forced in high notes. The aria "If God Be for Us" is most sentimental and brings an aetheist to tears!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow - the range of this young man's voice!, April 17, 2000

By 

Cory J. Eckstrom (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bejun Mehta - Songs and arias of Handel, Schubert, Brahms, Britten (Audio CD)

I've listened to this marvel repeatedly and found a great satisfaction in the choice of music and personal stylistic of these pieces. I hope there are more young men inspired to give their voices a try as a result of Bejun's work here...I especially enjoyed the spiritual selctions, esp. "If God be for us..." Please don't cheat yourself of the opportunity to hear this!