Customer Reviews

Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of Kathleen Battle's first recitals for EMI/Angel and still one of her best. It has all of the trademarks that make her releases distinctive: immaculate singing, wonderful diction, and unforced, very natural-sounding coloratura passage-work. Hers is a voice tailor-made for Mozart. Her intonation is flawless and she sings "cleanly" (without scooping and other signs of an unrefined technique). The standouts here are tracks 1, 2, 3, and 5. This disc contains THE definitive recording of "Exsultate, Jubilate" which closes with the well-known vocal work "Alleluja." It is here that Ms. Battle demonstrates her mastery of coloratura. I was blown out of my seat by her rendition of "Vorrei Spiegarvi, Oh Dio!" The high-lying phrases of this song (in which she is mirrored by a wind instrument) are heavenly and, I feel, really communicate the heft of the text. To this day, only Natalie Dessay's version surpasses this one as far as accuracy and expression, in my opinion. This is a wonderful CD that no lover of Mozart or Kathleen Battle is complete without!

In this grammy winning perfomance Kathleen Battle is at the peak of her form singing music by one of the composers with whom she has been most associated. Her pure limpid tone along with her enunciation make this recording a true listening pleasure. Her secure technique and interpretation reveal a truly gifted singer. It is no small feat to hit an F above high C as she does with poise in "Vorrei spiegarvi, oh dio" The Exsultate jubilate is full of life and she sings the pants off of the Alleluia to put it in the vernacular. The rest of the recording is simply a delight with an alternate version of "Ch'io mi scordi di te" This recording is highly recommended to fans and those wishing an introduction to this gifted lyric-coloratura soprano

Yeah, she's crazy, but if you're not working with her then who cares. If you're a lyric, light lyric or coloratura soprano and you want somebody you can listen to not only for inspiration but for amazing technique, you need this CD. Don't expect the wide booming Met voice that's taken over too much of the young artists programs these days, rather get yourself ready for perfectly directed vowels and CLEAN coloratura and pitch. Also, this is her only CD with "Exsultate, jubilate...Alleluia", which is a well-liked and impressive concert aria for the college-age singer to start learning.

In my view, this is Battle's best album yet. It was the recording which introduced me to this glorious voice and I continue to listen to it over and over. The most impressive piece is the "Exsultate Jubilate", well accompanied by Previn and the RPO. She has never been more impressive than here and her other interpretations have real character and insight, unlike some of her more recent efforts. If you have kept up with her career at all you know that Battle has a terrible reputation for being difficult to work with (and I witnessed this myself when I saw her in recital in Boulder, Colorado and she stopped mid song to chastise her pianist). However, I would probably think highly of myself too if I had the voice of an angel like she does.

The fact that I didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped is not the fault of the singing, which is inexpressibly lovely.

It's just that there are 2 albums by this title. I really prefer to listen to arias, which this is not. (I have now ordered the __other__ KBSM, which I very much look forward to hearing.)

If you like really long pieces composed for soprano and orchestra, this is a lovely example. Just not what I thought I was getting.

I have owned this CD for many years and it is one of my favorites. Kathleen Battle's voice is probably the most lyric, beautiful soprano voice I have ever heard. Her upper range is superbly controlled, never a trace of a screech, always as light and perfect and pure as a bird's song. I have other soprano favorites also but Kathleen's voice has the most pure timbre at the high end of the scale, which sends shivers up my spine.

All seven of these Mozart selections are great choices. I listen to this CD over and over. It is highly recommended, still fresh after 20 years.

If it looks like an angel and sings like an angel. It's an angel. Kathleen Battle not only sings beautiful ,she looks beautiful. Buy this and don't forget to buy The Magic Flute DVD with her in it.You won't be disappointed. Both 5 stars.

I didn't do justice to an earlier review of this CD, so now I would like to make amends. Kathleen Battle has a great, great voice. It is surprisingly rich, full-bodied, and quite simultaneously pure, ethereal, and simply the most beautiful vocal sound I have ever heard. Another surprising thing she does while maintaining this sound is that she places her notes with wonderful nuance along an elegant line. Some singers, mostly coloratura, tend to hit one note after another with the same exactness throughout the aria, or worse for the entire opera. Another phenomenal addition to her sound is her crystal-clear diction. The conducting of Previn is delicately intense, never drippy or unassuming, and the sound balances seem wonderful. But I cannot go without a disparaging comment. I cannot say that her characterization is even minimal. In the first aria these are some of the translate lines: I want to reveal to you, oh God! How much I am suffering, But fate condemns me...By this harsh duty...Ah, spiteful stars! You are against me. Just reading the lines I hear Callas in my head. But to hear Battle sing these lines sounds like she dying of exaltation in a Victorian manner. That aside, it is an incredibly ravishing set of music...and I come back to again and again.

Kathleen Battle is one in a line of incredibly talented American born sopranos including Anna Moffo, Renee Fleming, Leontyne Price, etc. She has a beautiful voice and perfectly suited to sing Bach, Handel and Mozart. This disc will open your eyes to the beauty of Mozart if you do not already appreciate his work. The standouts here are "Vorrei spiegarvi" which will send chills up your spine, "exsultate jubilate", "l'amero saro costante", "un moto di gioia", and "misera, dove son". Andre Previn does an outstanding job at the conductor's helm.
I was terribly saddened that this great diva's career was sidetracked by supposed temperament difficulties. I'll not fault her too much because we only know the Met Opera's version. Besides, Battle is forgiven for the sheer gorgeousness of her singing. Mozart himself would be so pleased if he heard this cd.

This album was the reason I fell in love with Kathleen Battle. Her voice is clean, beautiful and pure, just the right type of voice for Mozart.