Grand & Glorious: Great Operatic Choruses

George Frederick Handel (Composer), Henry Purcell (Composer), Modest Mussorgsky (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Richard [Classical] Wagner (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Robert Shaw (Conductor), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (Orchestra), Christine Brewer (Performer), Karl Dent (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Christine Brewer, Karl Dent
• Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
• Conductor: Robert Shaw
• Composer: George Frederick Handel, Henry Purcell, Modest Mussorgsky, Georges Bizet, Ludwig van Beethoven, et al.
• Audio CD (March 29, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B000003CZ8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,609 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Baroque (c.1600-1750) > Composers > Purcell, Henry
  • #23 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Songs & Lieder
  • #31 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Oratorios

Editorial Reviews

Grand & Glorious: Great Operatic Choruses

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't know what they're singing, but I like it!, May 9, 2000

By 

Steven H. Hulme "Idaho Spud" (Boise, ID USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grand & Glorious: Great Operatic Choruses (Audio CD)

I'm not a big opera fan - generally I'm glad when the fat lady sings! But, I love classical music, and a lot of the MUSIC of opera. That said, I really enjoy this disc!

The Atlanta Symphony and Chorus, under the baton of the late, great Robert Shaw, enjoy a well-deserved reputation as one of the preeminent choral organizations. It's just wonderful to hear such a large choir with such command of dynamics - they can shake the room, and they can whisper. The TELARC recording is up to the usual excellent quality - they have captured those dynamics.

I purchased this disc for one reason - because it has Wagner's "Pilgrim's Chorus." And it's magnificent - what a transcendent piece of music! Other selections range from the obscure-but-lovely, to the melodies that have been whistled by everyone at one time or another. Personal favorites include Moussorgsky's "Coronation Scene" from _Boris Godunov_, Bizet's "Les voici" from _Carmen_, and the awe-inspiring "Regina Coeli" from Mascagni's _Cavalleria Rusticana_. There are definitely no "dud" tracks in this collection. It will surely be appreciated by the opera and choral buff, but also by rubes like me, who like the music but don't have a clue what all those foreigners are carrying on about! Know what I mean, Vern?

Total time - 68:35

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly enjoyable, June 29, 2001

By 

DWPC (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Grand & Glorious: Great Operatic Choruses (Audio CD)

This is a very enjoyable album performed by one of the best American choral ensembles. All the selections are excellent, and well recorded. My 4-star score is because of Shaw's score of the Pilgrim's chorus from Tannhauser; one of most moving choral works ever written. Shaw has the male chorus sing the straight melody through most of it, with what I'd describe as a glee club sound. While wonderfully sung with remarkable control, it lacks (until near the end) the power I've heard in other performances using greater range of choral harmonies available from such a wonderful ensemble. The "Regina Coeli" is truly a gorgeous performance.