Lesley Garrett - The Gold Collection
Two attractive compilations and a concept disc that threatens to submerge the soloist
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Traditional, (Charles) Hubert (Hastings) Parry, William Henry Monk, Frank Bridge, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gabriel Fauré
Genre:
Vocal
Label: EMI Classics
Magazine Review Date: 1/2003
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 70
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: 5 57403-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Greensleeves, 'Alas! my love' |
Traditional, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir Traditional, Composer |
| Jerusalem |
(Charles) Hubert (Hastings) Parry, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra (Charles) Hubert (Hastings) Parry, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir |
| (The) Sky above the roof |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Ralph Vaughan Williams, Composer Tiffin School Boys' Choir |
| Pavane |
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Gabriel Fauré, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir |
| O waly waly |
Traditional, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir Traditional, Composer |
| Love went a-riding |
Frank Bridge, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Frank Bridge, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir |
| Scarborough Fair |
Traditional, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir Traditional, Composer |
| My lagan love |
Traditional, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir Traditional, Composer |
| Abide with me |
William Henry Monk, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Philip Ellis, Conductor Tiffin School Boys' Choir William Henry Monk, Composer |
Composer or Director: Giacomo Puccini, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Albert Hay Malotte, Karl Jenkins, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonín Dvořák, Giuseppe Verdi, César Franck, Franz Schubert, Giulio Caccini, George Frideric Handel, Engelbert Humperdinck, Gabriel Fauré, Vincenzo Bellini
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Victor
Magazine Review Date: 1/2003
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 62
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: 74321 96300-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Ave Maria |
Giulio Caccini, Composer
Britten Sinfonia Giulio Caccini, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| (La) Bohème, 'Bohemian Life', Movement: Donde lieta uscì (Mimì's farewell) |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Giacomo Puccini, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor |
| (7) Gipsy Melodies, 'Zigeunerlieder', Movement: No. 4, Songs my mother taught me |
Antonín Dvořák, Composer
Antonín Dvořák, Composer BBC Concert Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor |
| (The) Lord's Prayer |
Albert Hay Malotte, Composer
Albert Hay Malotte, Composer Britten Sinfonia Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| (La) forza del destino, '(The) force of destiny', Movement: ~ |
Giuseppe Verdi, Composer
Britten Sinfonia Britten Sinfonia Chorus Giuseppe Verdi, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| Serse, 'Xerxes', Movement: Ombra mai fu |
George Frideric Handel, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra George Frideric Handel, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor |
| Hänsel und Gretel, Movement: ~ |
Engelbert Humperdinck, Composer
Britten Sinfonia Engelbert Humperdinck, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| Bachianas brasileiras No. 5, Movement: Aria: Cantilena |
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Composer
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Pleeth Cello Ensemble (Anthony) |
| Ave Maria, 'Ellens Gesang III' |
Franz Schubert, Composer
Britten Sinfonia Franz Schubert, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| Tosca, Movement: Vissi d'arte |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Giacomo Puccini, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor |
| Panis angelicus |
César Franck, Composer
Britten Sinfonia César Franck, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| Don Giovanni, Movement: Vedrai, carino |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer |
| Requiem, Movement: Pie Jesu |
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Britten Sinfonia Gabriel Fauré, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| Ständchen, 'Horch! Horch! die Lerch' |
Franz Schubert, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Franz Schubert, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor |
| Norma, Movement: ~ |
Vincenzo Bellini, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano London Voices Peter Robinson, Conductor Terry Edwards, Conductor Vincenzo Bellini, Composer |
| He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven |
Karl Jenkins, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Karl Jenkins, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Peter Robinson, Conductor |
Composer or Director: George Gershwin, Jerome (David) Kern, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Frideric Handel, Arthur A Penn, Traditional, Giacomo Puccini, Arthur (Seymour) Sullivan, Friedrich (Adolf Ferdinand) von Flotow, George Forrest, Sigmund Romberg, (Marie) Joseph Canteloube (de Calaret), Charles-François Gounod, Richard Rodgers, Victor August Herbert, Johann Strauss II, (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Oscar (Greely Clendenning) Hammerstein II, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Carl Orff, Antonín Dvořák, Francesco Cilea, Ivor Novello, Jacques Offenbach, Alfredo Catalani
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Decadance
Magazine Review Date: 1/2003
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 148
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: DECTV006
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Lakmé, Movement: ~ |
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Cats, Movement: Memory |
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra |
| Gianni Schicchi, Movement: O mio babbino caro |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Giacomo Puccini, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (The) Phantom of the Opera, Movement: All I Ask of You |
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer Chris Corcoran, Singer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra |
| Carmen Jones, Movement: Dat's love |
Oscar (Greely Clendenning) Hammerstein II, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Oscar (Greely Clendenning) Hammerstein II, Composer Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Porgy and Bess, Movement: Summertime |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (The) Man I Love |
George Gershwin, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra George Gershwin, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor |
| (An) American in Paris, Movement: Love is Here to Stay |
George Gershwin, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra George Gershwin, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor |
| Requiem, Movement: Pie Jesu |
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| (La) Wally, Movement: Ebben?...Ne andrò lontana |
Alfredo Catalani, Composer
Alfredo Catalani, Composer Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Chants d'Auvergne, Movement: Baïlèro |
(Marie) Joseph Canteloube (de Calaret), Composer
(Marie) Joseph Canteloube (de Calaret), Composer Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Madama Butterfly, Movement: Un bel dì vedremo |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
Giacomo Puccini, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Rinaldo, Movement: ~ |
George Frideric Handel, Composer
George Frideric Handel, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Roméo et Juliette, 'Romeo and Juliet', Movement: Je veux vivre (Waltz) |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Charles-François Gounod, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Carmina Burana, Movement: In trutina |
Carl Orff, Composer
Carl Orff, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (Die) Fledermaus, '(The) Bat', Movement: Look at how I look (Adele's laughing song) |
Johann Strauss II, Composer
Ivor Bolton, Conductor Johann Strauss II, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Kismet, Movement: And this is my beloved |
George Forrest, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor George Forrest, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Bohème, 'Bohemian Life', Movement: Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
Giacomo Puccini, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Messiah, Movement: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion |
George Frideric Handel, Composer
George Frideric Handel, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Ave Maria |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Amanda Thompson, Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano |
| (The) Phantom of the Opera, Movement: The Phantom of the Opera |
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Composer Dave Willetts, Singer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra |
| (The) Enchantress |
Victor August Herbert, Composer
Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra Victor August Herbert, Composer |
| Spring Is Here, Movement: With a Song In My Heart |
Richard Rodgers, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor Richard Rodgers, Composer |
| Danny Boy |
Traditional, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor Traditional, Composer |
| Smilin' through |
Arthur A Penn, Composer
Arthur A Penn, Composer BBC Concert Orchestra Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor |
| Roberta, Movement: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes |
Jerome (David) Kern, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Jerome (David) Kern, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor |
| (Les) Contes d'Hoffmann, '(The) Tales of Hoffmann', Movement: Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour (Barcarolle) |
Jacques Offenbach, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Jacques Offenbach, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (The) Dancing Years, Movement: Waltz of my heart |
Ivor Novello, Composer
Ivor Novello, Composer James Holmes, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra |
| Martha, Movement: ~ |
Friedrich (Adolf Ferdinand) von Flotow, Composer
Friedrich (Adolf Ferdinand) von Flotow, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (Le) nozze di Figaro, '(The) Marriage of Figaro', Movement: Voi che sapete |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer |
| (Les) Filles de Cadix |
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| (The) Mikado (or The Town of Titipu), Movement: The sun, whose rays are all ablaze |
Arthur (Seymour) Sullivan, Composer
Arthur (Seymour) Sullivan, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Cover Girl, Movement: Long Ago (and Far Away) |
Jerome (David) Kern, Composer
BBC Concert Orchestra Jerome (David) Kern, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Bateman, Conductor |
| Samson, Movement: Let the bright Seraphim |
George Frideric Handel, Composer
George Frideric Handel, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (6) Songs, Movement: No. 6, None but the lonely heart (wds. Mey, after Goethe) |
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer
Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| (The) New Moon, Movement: Softly, as in a morning sunrise |
Sigmund Romberg, Composer
James Holmes, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Sigmund Romberg, Composer |
| Rusalka, Movement: O, moon high up in the deep, deep sky (O silver moon) |
Antonín Dvořák, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Antonín Dvořák, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Bohème, 'Bohemian Life', Movement: ~ |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
Andrew Greenwood, Conductor Giacomo Puccini, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| (La) Rondine, '(The) Swallow', Movement: Chi il bel sogno di Doretta |
Giacomo Puccini, Composer
Giacomo Puccini, Composer Ivor Bolton, Conductor Lesley Garrett, Soprano Philharmonia Orchestra |
| Adriana Lecouvreur, Movement: ~ |
Francesco Cilea, Composer
Francesco Cilea, Composer Lesley Garrett, Soprano Paul Robinson, Conductor Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
Author: John Steane
As we have known for many years now, Lesley Garrett is a gifted and accomplished light soprano, good in Handel and Mozart and eminently successful in giving to a public which otherwise would probably be alienated or indifferent a taste of the enjoyment to be found in popular ‘classical’ music. Her singing is scrupulously clean in style, and in itself never sullies the repertoire in the way favoured by some other popularisers or modernists. If there is a general criticism, it is (surprisingly) that the voice and the artist’s expressiveness are in fact rather lacking in character; still, a thousand times rather that in this kind of context than an overload of personality.
The two CDs comprising the ‘Gold Collection’ and the single disc titled ‘Tranquility’ make pleasant listening in practically every item except the brash, tabloid vulgarity of the title-song from The Phantom of the Opera. When it comes to such emotional arias as those from La Wally, Adriana Lecouvreur and Tosca, the voice and the passion it commands are too slight, but the ‘Doretta’ song from La rondine goes well, and so, for that matter, does ‘Casta diva’.
‘Vedrai, carino’ from Don Giovanni adds a livelier grace to ‘Tranquility’, ‘Rejoice greatly’ (but for its heavy-footed bass) enlivens the first ‘Gold Collection’ CD, and Delibes’ Les filles de Cadix is a beguiling presence (plenty of character in this one) in the second. Another attractive feature of ‘Tranquility’ is the excellence of the various accompaniments, including (for Villa-Lobos) the Anthony Pleeth Cello Ensemble.
‘The Singer’ is another matter. Here, despite the title, the singer is almost submerged by presentation. With evocations of the great outdoors, it is glossy and lush, with about as much fresh air in it as the inside of an old-style super-cinema. Everything is dressed up in somebody else’s clothes. Greensleeves is fitted out with orchestration on loan from Canteloube’s Auvergne. Jerusalem acquires three percussion players whose ostinato makes the climax of Ravel’s Boléro sound delicate. Fauré’s Pavane, heaven help us, becomes music for Arabian Nights.
Sometimes one can admire the ingenuity and even its results, as in the transformation of Let it be into a chorale-prelude, with some stylish piano playing. The trouble then is that one has time to wonder why ‘let it be’ should be considered ‘words of wisdom’ when, depending on what ‘it’ is, they can equally well be words of folly, and quite frequently mean something entirely different (as when junior is trying to throttle the cat). In that last sense, ‘let it be’ has a very present relevance. Somebody should have taken these arrangers of Fauré, Parry and the rest aside and perhaps whispered the words of wisdom to them.
The two CDs comprising the ‘Gold Collection’ and the single disc titled ‘Tranquility’ make pleasant listening in practically every item except the brash, tabloid vulgarity of the title-song from The Phantom of the Opera. When it comes to such emotional arias as those from La Wally, Adriana Lecouvreur and Tosca, the voice and the passion it commands are too slight, but the ‘Doretta’ song from La rondine goes well, and so, for that matter, does ‘Casta diva’.
‘Vedrai, carino’ from Don Giovanni adds a livelier grace to ‘Tranquility’, ‘Rejoice greatly’ (but for its heavy-footed bass) enlivens the first ‘Gold Collection’ CD, and Delibes’ Les filles de Cadix is a beguiling presence (plenty of character in this one) in the second. Another attractive feature of ‘Tranquility’ is the excellence of the various accompaniments, including (for Villa-Lobos) the Anthony Pleeth Cello Ensemble.
‘The Singer’ is another matter. Here, despite the title, the singer is almost submerged by presentation. With evocations of the great outdoors, it is glossy and lush, with about as much fresh air in it as the inside of an old-style super-cinema. Everything is dressed up in somebody else’s clothes. Greensleeves is fitted out with orchestration on loan from Canteloube’s Auvergne. Jerusalem acquires three percussion players whose ostinato makes the climax of Ravel’s Boléro sound delicate. Fauré’s Pavane, heaven help us, becomes music for Arabian Nights.
Sometimes one can admire the ingenuity and even its results, as in the transformation of Let it be into a chorale-prelude, with some stylish piano playing. The trouble then is that one has time to wonder why ‘let it be’ should be considered ‘words of wisdom’ when, depending on what ‘it’ is, they can equally well be words of folly, and quite frequently mean something entirely different (as when junior is trying to throttle the cat). In that last sense, ‘let it be’ has a very present relevance. Somebody should have taken these arrangers of Fauré, Parry and the rest aside and perhaps whispered the words of wisdom to them.
Lesley Garrett - The Singer
Lesley Garrett - Tranquility
Lesley Garrett - The Gold Collection
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