Photograph by John Fitzgerald
If you enjoy majestic choral work conducted by Robert Shaw, this CD is for you. Grand and Glorious: Great Operatic Choruses is one fine collection. I am partial to the Pilgrim’s Chorus, Chorus of Hebrew Slaves, Prisoner’s Chorus, and the selection from Carmen. Here is one positive review from an Amazon listener.
“I’m not a big opera fan – generally I’m glad when the fat lady sings! But, I love classical music, and a lot of the MUSIC of opera. That said, I really enjoy this disc!
The Atlanta Symphony and Chorus, under the baton of the late, great Robert Shaw, enjoy a well-deserved reputation as one of the preeminent choral organizations. It’s just wonderful to hear such a large choir with such command of dynamics – they can shake the room, and they can whisper. The TELARC recording is up to the usual excellent quality – they have captured those dynamics.
I purchased this disc for one reason – because it has Wagner’s “Pilgrim’s Chorus.” And it’s magnificent – what a transcendent piece of music! Other selections range from the obscure-but-lovely, to the melodies that have been whistled by everyone at one time or another. Personal favorites include Moussorgsky’s “Coronation Scene” from Boris Godunov, Bizet’s “Les voici” from Carmen, and the awe-inspiring “Regina Coeli” from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana. There are definitely no “dud” tracks in this collection. It will surely be appreciated by the opera and choral buff, but also by rubes like me, who like the music but don’t have a clue what all those foreigners are carrying on about!”
Just a bit more about the photographs I’ve been featuring. John Fitzgerald, a good friend, is also launching a blog where you can view more of his photographs. Check out his blog and photographs at this site.