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Elgar: The Light of Life
$18.98
The Light of Life, an oratorio that was premiered in 1896, is the first of a trilogy (followed by The Apostles and The Kingdom) that features texts from the New Testament. This one in particular tells of a blind man whose sight returns through Jesus Christ. The text may be cliched, but the music is a wonderful experience. True, it seems a bit more operatic than other oratorios from other composers, but the heavenly meditative orchestrations make you want to sit back and enjoy without any distractions whatsoever. The soloists give incredible performances (especially Shirley-Quirk as Christ himself). The late Richard Hickox (R.I.P.) keeps the London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra moving without anything standing in their way. He also manages to balance both voices and instruments almost perfectly, and I think the top-notch sound quality from Chandos really helps.

The Light of Life may not be liked by everyone, but I can still recommend it to those who admire English classical music and choral music in general.

Messiah: The Dream Cast
$11.98
I own the "completes" from which these excerpts were taken so the disc doesn't fill a crying need from my perspective. As to whether this is truly a "dream cast" individual tastes will dictate whether the title lives up to the hype.

From my perspective, the reason to acquire this disc is the opportunity to hear Leontyne Price singing in repertory outside her usual fach. Her "He shall feed His flock" is full of expression and sung with a smoky, almost baritonal, timbre that may not be to everyone's liking but which I find very affecting. If you've heard her old recording of Barber's "Knoxville, Summer of 1915" you will understand when I say she brings a personal take to the music that is treasurable. It makes you wonder what she would have done with the complete soprano part, which I do not believe she preserved for posterity in the studio. The thought of what a soaring note of triumph that wonderful upper register in its prime would have brought to "I know that my redeemer liveth" makes me long for what might have been.

For my money, she makes the disc worthwhile.

Mendelssohn: Elijah
$11.98
Quite simply, this is a towering masterwork, first on a performance level; a great orchestra, a truly great conductor (I heard him conduct again recently here in Cincinnati---and he is still great--over 40 years after this recording was made), as well as several of the most magnificent voices of the 20th century---all at their respective peaks.

In addition folks, it is ultimate realization of both the art and science of the grammophone--this is analog recording high-art. The Fruhbeck de Burgos recording of Elijah will never be surpassed---ever---because musicians are rarely trained in this era to aspire to the level of greatness that one hears on this disc.----Just buy it---and it will never leave you!!

Beggar's Opera / Polly
$19.98
This is a more than competent CD transfer of acoustic recordings of Sir Nigel Playfair's legendary 1920s revivals of The Beggar's Opera and its sequel Polly. Quite sufficiemt to show why the Beggar;s Opera production, meant to fill a few weeks' gap at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, ran for three years. And while Gay's sequel was like most sequels, not up to the original, this recording is the only source for the second-best ballad opera.