Customer Reviews

Terror & Magnificence

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

 

 

John Harle's Terror + Magnificence album will transport you hauntingly and melancholy and beautifully outside yourself .

Many times listened to, Elvis Costello, becomes an extremely credible medieval minstrel - with that feeling of having come off the dusty track to regale you with say 'Mistress Mine', all the more convincing as he struggles to get his tongue round the challenging Shakespearean lyrics - hard to think who could emulate that style better.

The title work will tear you to pieces with its occasional disharmonies and dissonance; you will feel to applaud the when the foot-tapping dance rhythms catch your heart and toes in great relief - watch out you might actually get up and dance... such is the joy.

Sarah Leonard's immaculate voice carries you through 'Since first I saw your face' to 'How should I my true love know?' (music to make love to??) and you must keep hearing them, the same goes for John Purefoy.

This leaves John Harle's amazing saxophone; personally I love best when his instruments melt seamlessly into voices. All in all: PLEASURE!!!

I had a hard time tracking down this recording because I couldn't remember the title at first. I had heard about it on NPR, and I was fascinated to hear yet another new venture by Elvis Costello. This CD definitely grows on you. The music is haunting, and Elvis's vocals are phenomenal. I picked this one up because I think EC is a great musician, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn about another talented performer, John Harle. I definitely recommend this one for hard-core EC fans. As always with his music, be prepared to have your preconceived notions of music challenged. The music has an eerie, almost ethereal quality. It reminds me a lot of Joe Jackson's Night Music--the combination of musical instruments is different, but the overall mood is very similar.

I first heard some of this music in the soundtrack of "A History of Britain", which featured Sarah Leonard's beautiful performace of The Three Ravens.

I was given this CD as a gift. I wasn't really expecting much as it is very difficult for people to truly to anticipate what I will like. However I found this to be a beautiful, evocative and haunting album. Elvis Costello's rendition of When That I was and a Little Tiny Boy is simply beautiful and is a song I can listen to again and again. Mistress Mine is also very good. Some of the music will transform you to an older time and some is strikingly different and new. Be prepared for an unusual experience, well worth buying.

I just listened to "Terror and Magnificence" and I was blown away.
It is one of the best albums I have ever heard.
The music, the singing, the composition are beautiful and brilliant.

It is encouraging to realize today's music is not only MTV, but there are still real artists like John Harle and Elvis Costello. This CD has been issued by a classical label (Decca), and for a good reason - Harle shows fantastic compositional skills. The songs are delicate and beautiful. A great CD, especially for classical music lovers looking for something different.