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Smile UK Store - Jenkins: The Armed Man - A Mass For Peace
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List Price: £15.99
Our Price: £10.98
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Manufacturer: Virgin
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0724381101520
Label: Virgin
Manufacturer: Virgin
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Virgin
Release Date: 2001-09-10
Running Time: 67
Studio: Virgin
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Editorial Reviews:
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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
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Amazon Review a bit off
Comment: I would guess that the Amazon reviewer Warwick Thompson is under 25.
Anyway, he writes as if he is, judging by his use of the English language
("think Goldfinger", eeeeeeeeh!).
He also believes that L'Homme Armee is 16th century. Oh dear.
I find the reviews of the actual buyers much more to the point, wheher positive or negative.
Pity that the text of the Amazon reviewer is displayed at the top.
OK?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Emotional music
Comment: This piece just reduces me to tears - probably because my closet friend served in both the Falklands War and the first Gulf War.
A most moving piece of music - to anyone's ears, if only they've got ears to hear.
I am singing it with my choir this year and find it almost impossible to sing it without welling-up.
Worth every penny of the CD's price.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Meretricious pap
Comment: I'm sorry but anyone who thinks this is good music needs to get out more. At best it's second-rate, at worst it's meretricious pap. For anti-war music listen to Britten's War Requiem, for settings of the mass listen to any one of a hundred composers who have done it better. Stick to Adiemus Karl, you'll never hack it as a proper composer.
Customer Rating:
Summary: surprised
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The worst piece of music I have ever performed.
Comment: I have been singing since I was a chorister at the age of 8 and I am sorry, but 17 years later this the only peace that I would never perform again. It is musically uninspiring and monotonous. I am sorry that I will be accused of being elitist but I know of no redeeming features for this work.
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