Customer Reviews

Coronation Music for Napoleon I

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3 star:		(1)
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Like many others I heard this piece of work on the PBS special about Napoleon. The Napoleonic era is a favorite area of study for me and this CD gives sound to the paintings and books I collect. Anyone interested in the Napoleonic era must pick up this fabulous work. MUST. The steady chorus and orchestrical sounds mingling together truly give one a feeling of what the coronation was like. A strange mixture of the pious religious and the prideful military that all builds up into what must have been a spectacular occasion. We have paintings and literature about Napoleon, now we have music which further brings to life one of the most influential men ever to tread upon this Earth. The music is the epitome of the Emperor's infamous propaganda and perhaps best gives one a sense of how glorious he wished others to percieve him. It works, the music is infectious in its energy and granduer. Simply a must.

I must first inform the reader that I am biased in this review; I harbor an adoration for Napoleon that borders on hero-worship. This naturally figures into my reckoning of this product. That said, I consider this CD to be one of the finest in my prodigious collection. The music is majestic and rousing, as one would expect it to be. My only complaint is minor; the sound field seems to be somewhat distant, and some of the instruments are tinny. In the face of the CD's virtues, however, these flaws are inconsequential. If you, good reader, have any interest whatever in Napoleon and/or great music, indulge yourself and purchase this disc. I assure you, you shan't regret it.

In the tradition of excellent music of chorus, this cd is another collector's item. I heard the Vivat in the PBS documentary Napoleon which a lot of people seemed to have watched. In the documentary it is the piece of chorus that is heard in the opening scenes and during the coronation. I have other great masses which come close to this one including Mozart's Coronation Mass. The music is sublime and perfection in this cd and it is a must have. There is no more to say. Enjoy.

Napoleon Bonaparte himself would adore this recording. Unfortunately, it's out of print or unavailable and that's a pity. The music is glorious and the singing is sublime. This is actual music that was played during Napoleon's Coronation and his Era. This is bombastic and regal music, balanced with a sense of spirituality and religious pomp, like a Catholic Te Deum. This is more along the lines of a box set and contains hours of glorious Napoloen Era Ceremonial Music (early 1800's). The music is played by the St. Petersburg Sate Academic Capella Symphony with Brass Ensemble, chorus and soloists that are all Russian as conducted by Vladislav Tchernouchenko. It opens with a grand March Du Sacre, followed by a Mass, a motet, the divine-sounding Vivat en Aeternum, Tu Es Petrus (beautiful!)and the concluding Te Deum. This is a must have for fans of older music. Many people learned of this recording from the PBS special on Napoleon. This rare and obscure work ought to be better appreciated as classical music.

After viewing PBS's stunning documentary and hearing the music of Napoleon's coronation used as background, I rushed to my computer and looked this CD up. I'm not sure it is the same exact album used, but the music is the same. Full of pomp and circumstance, it takes the listener back to Napoleon's coronation...ahh how glorious it must have been. This CD is a must for anyone who collects royal music. Most excellent!

I ordered this copy of Napoleon's Coronation Mass expecting a more professional presentation in terms of mixing. Particularly during the "Vivat," I found it shrill. The cymbals are a special irritant. They overpower the music and sound powerful enough to be computer generated. The "Vivat" was the main reason I ordered this disc. I still, enjoy it because I can imagine how it should sound. Done correctly, it would be a much more rewarding listen. The male's soloist's portamento during the "Gloria" was sloppy, slding into notes rather hitting them with precision. Most charming is the "Tu es Petrus": no special effects, only the music itself.
Short of the above, I recommend this piece as long as you don't expect excellence and have some idea how each band should sound.

After having seen the PBS documentary "Napoleon" I was taken back by the beautiful music. I purchased the CD to find even more marvelous tracks. As a classical music fan, this work surpasses many of my favorites giving Mozart's Requiem a run for it's money. Track 9 is the title track of the documentary.

I have had this CD on back order with Amazon for the better part of a year, now I see it has been discontinued. Can someone please tell me where to find a copy of this CD, new or used?