Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Stephen Sondheim (Composer), John Rutter (Composer), Cesar Franck (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Stanley Myers Giovanni Pergolesi (Composer), Barry Wordsworth (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Bryn Terfel (Performer), Simon Keenlyside (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Bryn Terfel, Simon Keenlyside
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Barry Wordsworth
• Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Stephen Sondheim, John Rutter, Cesar Franck, Charles Gounod, et al.
• Audio CD (October 11, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000B8ISN2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,805 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 11-OCT-2005

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartfelt Offering Reminiscent of An Earlier Era, February 15, 2006

By 

merlin's mom (Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts (Audio CD)

Bryn Terfel harkens back to earlier American operatic stars such as Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill who crossed grenres to satisfy their unquenchable need to sing any and all songs that moved them to an appreciative public. These great singers all had their origins singing sacred music from their respective religions and learned to lay their considerable talents before the altar of the simple inspirational song.

This recording is wonderful on many levels. The selections are an unusual mixture of classical sacred music, spirituals, hymns, Lieder, Austrian Christmas and Gaelic songs, musical numbers and movie theme songs harmoniously combined to touch the soul of the listener in a gentle ebb and flow of devotion, intensity and tenderness. All of these songs are beautiful in and of themselves and in his hands, we experience them anew.

Bryn Terfel sings with the commitment necessary to make the awesome challenge of simplicity look easy. To my way of thinking, he is the most communicative and articulate singer today, bar none. He is a poet who savors the sound, feeling and meaning of each and every word and marries it uniquely and faithfully to the music. He transports the listener into the life of a song and transfixes us each and every moment. His enormous talent is not overwhelming or distractive and is inextricably and wholly intertwined with the music. This is greatness and it is very, very rare today.

I like the inclusion of the choir in several of the numbers as it reflects on the nature and context of the songs. I am less fond of the selections with the guest soloists as I feel they do not match his ability to "get inside" a song. The orchestra and orchestations are sensitive and enhancing.

This recording is simply wonderful and should have a broad appeal. It will move and inspire the believer, satisfy and fulfill the otherwise spiritual, calm the troubled and renew a flagging soul.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bryn Terfel's Simple Gifts, February 24, 2006

By 

Kay Holloway "Kay Holloway" (Cheverly, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts (Audio CD)

Simply superb. I don't know what our local (Wash DC) paper was talking about when they said Deep River was the weakest link. I was enthralled from beginning to end. I have had the pleasure of hearing Bryn Terfel live in recital at the Kennedy Center. I can assure you that his voice has only improved with age. He was wonderful then and is spectacular now!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Gifts By Bryn Terfel, January 15, 2006

By 

J. Flynn - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bryn Terfel - Simple Gifts (Audio CD)

I bought this for my wife. She cried when she heard it. I then bought it for my Sister. She cried also. This is a wonderful CD.
Bryn Terfel has a voice for the ages and brings depth and emotion to songs both classical and sacred.