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Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a departure from his Adiemus recordings into the more conventional territory of large-scale choral and orchestral writing, though his customary passion for mixing languages remains in full force with texts in English, Latin and French. Jenkins has said that The Armed Man was inspired by the "L'Homme armé" masses which were popular in the 16th century, and he makes this debt clear with passages written in a neat pastiche of Palestrina-style renaissance polyphony. There are also echoes of earlier and later styles, including plainchant, medieval ballads, James Barry-style horn writing (think Goldfinger) and even a direct quote from Rigoletto (the choir imitates wind sounds at one point as in Act 3 of Verdi's opera). The smorgasbord manages to hold together, probably because Jenkins' obvious sincerity shines through every note. The London Philharmonic Orchestra plays beautifully, and treble Tristan Hambleton performs his solo with ethereal clarity. The National Youth Choir sings with vigour and accuracy, even if the young sopranos sound a little thin at the top of their range. If you liked the soundtrack to The Mission, this should press all the right buttons. --Warwick Thompson
  surprised, 2008-04-30
I wasn't keen on Adiemus, and wasn't expecting to like this, though I had heard bits on classic fm that grabbed my attention (while working with the radio on).
However, I do find this enjoyable from start to finish, skipping over the muezzin's prayer (which I could hear out my window in certain locales). Maybe it is not complex, but there are surprising moments and there is plenty of passion throughout.
Obviously this is something that splits opinion, so I must be a prole. Yes, I even like Andrew Lloyd Webber at times. But then I also listen to Arvo Part, to Tavener and others in abundance, alongside the likes of Ali Farka Toure and Santana (in his prime), so... I consider myself to be without baggage but not without ears. It's worth a listen. Make up your own mind.
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List Price: £15.99
Our Price: £7.43
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Artist:
Fron Male Voice Choir
Great way to add to an already surperb collection!, 2008-11-10
The previous two offerings by the Fron Male Voice Choir have been outstanding in quality, and this new release is no different. Featuring a new collection of songs, the excellence that this choir brings to the music world is unbelievable!
Welsh choirs have always been known for their musical talent, and it's certainly no wonder the Fron Choir is on their third release!
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List Price: £16.99
Our Price: £8.95
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Artist:
Andrea Bocelli
Magnificent, 2007-12-07
I purchased this because I was a huge fan of Con Te Partiro and the English language version which is the duet Time to Say Goodbye with Sarah Brightman. The man's voice and vocal range are absolutely outstanding, and the tracks on this album allow him to show that off to full effect. A great album for fans of Bocelli, or anyone who misses Pavarotti.
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List Price: £16.99
Our Price: £4.96
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Artist:
The Fron Male Voice Choir
It's a tale fit for a Hollywood blockbuster: a 60-strong Welsh male choir, originally formed in 1947, plucked from obscurity and transformed into the most unlikely boyband in the world (or at least oldest - the average age is 60, the combined age 3974). In fact, their rise from the fringes to fame is already being primed for a major movie next year (produced by Zygi Kamasa of Bend It Like Beckham and Good Night and Good Luck fame) - but that's another story. First we have Voices Of The Valley, an album that shows us precisely why Universal signed a group originally created to sing goodwill songs to the Welsh communities during the harsh post-war years. Comprised of rousing, traditional songs like "Jerusalem", "Danny Boy" and "Abide With Me", and interpretations of popular tunes such as the opener "Sailing", "Unchained Melody" and "You Raise Me Up", it doesn't take long for the logic of the enterprise to strike: the beautiful, graceful sound of 60 men booming joyously through your speakers and the combination of stirring vocal prowess and orchestral embellishments - is truly overwhelming. --Danny McKenna
Mae hen Wlad fy nhadau yn annwyli i mi (The old land of my fathers is dear to me), 2006-12-24
WHEN LAND OF MY FATHERS IS ON THE HIGHEST VOLUME ON THE HI-FI, THE HAIRS STAND AND THE GOOSE FLESH APPEARS AND THE HAND GOES TO MY HEART. ITS A VERY PATRIOTIC SONG FOR MYSELF AND WELSH MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE. As soon as "Sailing" starts to play i have images of the Falklands War (I wasnt born then, i was here in 87, but my mum always said "ooh, it reminds me of when our lads went to the Falklands, they played this song many times")so as a fellow PARA i feel very proud of our lads in all services of the forces. The whole album is a beauty and should be heard by everyone. and i mean everyone. Phenominal heart wrentching beauty. BLOODY BRILLIANT MUN!
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List Price: £5.99
Our Price: £3.29
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Perfect Christmas Escape, 2003-12-13
Settle down in a comfy chair with a mince pie and glass of wine and turn up the volume - pure escapism from the hassles of Christmas shopping!The collection mixes traditional carols (so you can sing along and relive those days in the choir) with slighly lesser known Christmas fare. As you would expect of King's, all the carols are extremely well executed and with over 76 minutes of playing time you've got the chance to pig out on a good few mince pies. Bliss!
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List Price: £8.99
Our Price: £4.97
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Simply Wonderful Listening, 2001-12-21
I have tried to buy this again for two years and I am thrilled it has been re-released. The CD is filled with many classical tunes that featured as THE Christmas TV tunes in my childhood and teens e.g. the Timex advert. Great tunes combined with good artists and best of all, not what you hear playing in all the supermarkets! A truely "Classey" classic that I would recommend to anyone who likes good music.
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List Price: £4.99
Our Price: £3.97
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Artist:
Salvation Army
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List Price: £16.99
Our Price: £8.98
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The John Rutter Christmas Album brings together most of the composer's Christmas songs and carols as well as several of his festive choral arrangements, including a rousing "Joy to the World" and the energetic "I saw three ships". Most of the 23 tracks have been taken from extant discs on Rutter's Collegium label although two, "Dormi, Jesu" and "Sans Day carol", were recorded especially for this release. Rutter's first two published compositions, written while he was still a teenager, were Christmas pieces for choir, namely the glorious "Nativity Carol" and the infectious "Shepherd's Pipe Carol". Although very different in character, these two carols (for which Rutter also wrote the test) display the composer's sense of joy and wonder at the Christmas story. More than 30 years later, those sentiments are still there in pieces such as the melting "Dormi, Jesu", commissioned by King's College, Cambridge for the 1999 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Under the direction of the composer, the youthful voices of the Cambridge Singers are on sparkling form, as are the City of London Sinfonia and vocal soloists Gerald Finley and Stephen Varcoe. This album deserves to be played over and over--and not just at Christmas. --Rebecca Agnew
John Rutter's Box of Delights, 2002-12-26
This compilation of some of John Rutter's work should be in everyone's Christmas stocking. With sixteen of his own original creations he has added seven arrangements he has made of traditional Christmas music and that written by other composers. What is useful is the grouping of the music into parts - Prologue, The Christmas Story, Christmas Night, Christmas Reflections, Christmas Joy and Epilogue - which allows the listener to select a long or short programme if required.
The performances, drawn from sources spanning the years 1985 to 2002, are sheer delight from beginning to end. The Cambridge Singers, with soloists Ruth Holton, Gerald Finlay and Stephen Varcoe, excel with the various moods and rhythms throughout, and the City of London Sinfonia adds stylish and colourful support. The direction of this wonderful festival of music for Christmas is in the capable hands of John Rutter himself who inspires his singers and players.
If I were to single out any items from the programme, who could possibly resist the lilting rhythms of `Jesus child' and the `Donkey Carol', and the jaunty bounce of `We wish you a merry Christmas'? On the reflective side, the various lullabies all receive sensitive performances.
If you are looking for the perfect combination of joy and reverence, not only at Christmas but at any time of year, you could not possibly rival this CD.
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List Price: £9.99
Our Price: £5.96
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Artist:
Only Men Aloud
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List Price: £16.99
Our Price: £8.98
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Artist:
Fron Male Voice Choir
The success of the Fron Male Voice Choir's debut album, Voices of the Valley, was so vast that a follow up was inevitable. Voices of the Valley Encore is actually much more than a lazy cash-in from the world's oldest boy-band (ages range from 16 to 60). Timed to coincide with the choir's 60th anniversary, the project features erudite direction from Ann Atkinson and instrumental accompaniments from Jon Cohen, and the "boys" once again get to sing their way through a heady mix of pop standards ("Yesterday"), hymns ("Amazing Grace") and even a splash of opera ("Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves" from Verdi's Nabucco). There's also some filmic material ("Exodus") and a rousing West-End style finale in the shape of "The Rhythm of Life," featuring Michael Ball. It's an encore worthy of an ovation. --Danny McKenna
Welsh Voices, 2007-12-02
I bought this album because I enjoyed the first one so much which is everything you would expect of lovely Welsh voices, however I found that this Encore, although it has a good selection of songs and sounds like a good choir, unlike the first, it did not live up to my expectations of a great Welsh Male Voice Choir second time around. It is worth buying for easy listening.
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List Price: £9.99
Our Price: £3.99
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