Berlioz: Les Nuits d'Ete. Sacred Arias of Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn

Hector Berlioz (Composer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Georg Frideric Handel (Composer), Joseph Haydn (Composer), Felix Mendelssohn (Composer), Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Eleanor Steber (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Eleanor Steber
• Orchestra: Columbia Symphony Orchestra
• Composer: Hector Berlioz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Frideric Handel, Joseph Haydn, Felix Mendelssohn
• Audio CD (October 1, 1996)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000029PH
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,036 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Les nuits d'ete, Op.7: Villanelle

2. Les nuits d'ete, Op.7: Le spectre de la rose

3. Les nuits d'ete, Op.7: Sur les lagunes

4. Les nuits d'ete, Op.7: Absence

5. Les nuits d'ete, Op.7: Au cimetiere (Clair de lune)

6. Les nuits d'ete, Op.7: L'ile inconnue

7. La Captive, (orientale), op. 12 - Berlioz

8. Le jeune patre breton, op. 13, no. 4 - Berlioz

9. Zaide, (Bolero), op. 19, no. 1 - Berlioz

10. Cantata no.68: My Heart Ever Faithful

11. Cantata No.21: Sighing, Weeping

12. Messiah: I Know the My Redeemer Liveth

13. The Creation: With Verdure Clad

14. Elijah: Hear Ye, Israel!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Berlioz: Les Nuits d'Ete. Sacred Arias of Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn (Audio CD)

This is a beautifully remastered combination of two of Steber's rare recordings for Columbia. Steber is, in the view of many, the greatest soprano America ever produced. The Berlioz is the definitive recording of Les Nuit D'Ete. Her French diction is impeccable, and the tone, breath control, and emotionally expressive shape of each piece has never been equalled. One of her closest mentors, Mitropoulos, with whom she presented the cycle with the New York Philharmonic in 1953, provides excellent support.

The sacred arias, while reflecting the performance practices of the 1950's, nevertheless show Steber as a master of this repertoire.

Regretably, there are few Steber recordings using modern techniques. The 78's and mono recordings of the 1940's are appearing again and I would urge SONY and BMG to search their vaults and reissue everything they have, such as recordings with Ormandy, Robert Shaw, and the Met Faust.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Steber, June 21, 2009

By 

Kenneth D (Brooklyn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Berlioz: Les Nuits d'Ete. Sacred Arias of Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn (Audio CD)

Buy this recording. Steber was the one that got Les Nuits d'été on the map, recording wise, and it has perhaps never been bettered. Ninon here has given it a pretty bad review, and should really be ignored. Yes, it's not Gallic in style, but then again, Steber was not really concerned with that. She was concerned about the music first. The other reviewer thought it was too operatic. Really? Berlioz was a revolutionary romantic, and very different from later french composers...oh, and yes, this was the birthplace of the mélodie. The Crespin recording was mentioned, and it's lovely. I would not be without it, but it's also cold. Very Gallic, but not totally in tune with Berlioz. Steber is the one who is the most poignant and probing singer of these songs that I know. I played this recording for my friend who is the first violinist in the Manhattan Quartet, and tears came down his face. I'm sure you'll be moved as well.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfectly Peaceful!, July 22, 2010

By 

Shawna Jennings (PHOENIX, ARIZONA, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Berlioz: Les Nuits d'Ete. Sacred Arias of Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn (Audio CD)

This was EXACTLY what I had in mind. I wanted a CD that was female only opera, that was soft and relaxing for my reading, sleeping, painting, etc. THIS IS IT! It puts me in a better mood, a more artistic mood, and I fall asleep to it SO much faster with this in my stereo V.S. the radio. Great, great buy!