Gustave Charpentier, Gaetano Donizetti, Gabriel Faure, George Gershwin, George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann II Strauss, Ambroise Thomas, American Traditional, Spiritual Traditional - The Best of Kathleen Battle
Band: Gustave Charpentier, Gaetano Donizetti, Gabriel Faure, George Gershwin, George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann II Strauss, Ambroise Thomas, American Traditional, Spiritual Traditional Title: The Best of Kathleen Battle Rating: Release Date: 09 November, 2004 Media: Audio CD
Tracks: 1: Summertime 2: I loves you, Porgy 3: Porgi amor 4: Welche Wonne, welche Lust 5: S'altro che lagrime 6: Una donna a quindici anni 7: Depuis le jour 8: E pur cosi / Piangeri la sorte mia 9: Oui! pour ce soir... Je suis Titania 10: Ah! tardai troppo... O luce di quest'anima 11: 4. Pie Jesu (Sopran) 12: Voices of Spring, Op.410 (Frohlingsstimmen) - vocal version 13: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Ride Up in the Chariot 14: Witness "Oh, Lord, what manner of man is dis?" 15: Talk About a Child 16: He's got the whole world in His hands
Customer Reviews A great collection of works by one of the best voices of our time Her sweet tones radiate through these pieces. Kathleen Battle is the owner of one of the best vocal instruments of our time. Two of my personal favorites are #5 S'altro che lagrime and #10 Ah! Tardai troppo. . . O luce di quest' anima. This is definitely a collection worth having and is an excellent addition to her stellar discography. Even my friend who's not really into a lot of opera and classical music wanted to borrow this from me. Say what you will about her, her recordings rock!!.
The art of Kathleen Battle She has a rich lyric soprano voice--who can also sing the coloratura repertoire effectively. This represents a good introduction to Kathleen Battle's talents. That is a pleasing combination. Some of the contemporary coloratura sopranos, such as Natalie Dessay, may essay the ornamentation better than Battle, but the richness of Battle's voice helps counterbalance that. Both are very effective, but their strengths are somewhat different.
Her version of "Porgi amor" from "Le Nozze di Figaro" is delightful. She sings this smoothly with her rich lyric voice. This is poignantly rendered. Very nice indeed.
"Je Suis Titania" is a wonderful coloratura piece. Battle sings this in animated fashion. The work calls for vocal agility, and Battle has that. She displays good ornamentation. There is a harsh high note toward the end. Her trilling is adequate, but not great. Overall, though, a very nice version indeed.
Then there is the delightful "O luce di quest'anima" from Donizetti's "Linda di Chamounix. " One issue when anyone sings this is the standards set by sopranos such as Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, and Sumi Jo. And Battle does not compare badly at all! The cabaletta is well sung, with nice agility and good florid singing. After listening to Battle, I listened to Jo's version. While I think that Jo has better coloratura technique and has a preferable version, Battle, nonetheless, does not compare badly.
For fun. . . . Strauss' waltz, "The Voices of Spring. " Another nice comparison, this time with Natalie Dessay. Battle's version is done well. She has the requisite agility to make this work. Her trills are okay; good staccato singing. Comparing with Dessay? Maybe apples and oranges. Dessay's final high note is stunning. Battle's is fine, but not much comparison here. Battle's voice is richer and more attractive, but Dessay has a more typical lighter voice for coloratura works. Dessay's version is more animated and more spirited. In the end, though, Battle fares well in such a comparison.
"Swing Low Sweet Chariot" is sung well. It is a ravishing version and wonderful to listen to.
One of the fun things to do, with the ready accessibility of CDs, is to compare singers with one another. Here, comparing Battle's art with that of Dessay, Sutherland, Sills, and Jo is useful. In the final analysis, Battle compares pretty well.
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A wide presentation of the work of an amazing artist
First of all, there's THAT voice. This CD provides a sampling of Kathleen Battle's voice and interpretive abilities from coloratura virtuousity (Voices of Spring) to the simple, heartfelt spiritual (Talk about a child). You hear a voice that is uniquely angelic and capable of expressing a wide range of moods. You hear a voice that glitters like a diamond, skips happily and effortlessly (and in impeccable tune) from note to note like it's nobody's business, one that that reminds you of moonbeams and early morning dew on pink rose petals. You've simply got to her it to believe it.
On this CD, the listener is provided with the the works/composers for which she's well known: Handel Opera (E pur cosi / piangero la sorte mia), Mozart Opera (S'altro che lagrime), Bel Canto Opera (Ah, tardai troppo. . . ), French Opera (Depuis le jour), spirituals, and a few popular songs for sopranos such as Gershwin's Summertime and Faure's Pie Jesu
If you're just popping the CD in, try: (1) Ah, tardai troppo, (2) Voices of Spring, (3) Talk about a child, (4) I loves you, Porgy, and (5) Pie Jesu.
I suppose if you are a fan of heavy, dramatic voices, Kathleen Battle may not be to your liking. But I suspect that if you listen to her, you still might be amazed.
Gustave Charpentier, Gaetano Donizetti, Gabriel Faure, George Gershwin, George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann II Strauss, Ambroise Thomas, American Traditional, Spiritual Traditional menu:
