Search - Johann Strauss II, Symophonieorchester der Wiener Volksoper, Sumi Jo :: Sumi Jo - A Tribute to Johann Strauss ~ Echoes from Vienna

Sumi is great, ...by why so many instrumental pieces?

Mathew Calewarts | VA | 06/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sumi Jo gives an absolutely fabulous performance on this CD. The CD overall is odd because singers now-a-days don't release solo recordings of just Johann Strauss' vocal music. They might include a few selected songs, but not a whole album like here. I guess this makes the CD all the more desireable. The "Weiner Blut" is particularly good. I can't say that I've heard any vocal renditions of this song...so I was thrilled and surprised to hear Sumi sing it. She adds character to the piece "Mir ist auf einmal so eigen zumute", she provides a very effective interpretation.The only catch to this CD is that there are a few instrumental pieces thrown in (four or five I believe). The instrumental pieces are good, but when you buy a CD entitled "Sumi Jo: A tribute to Johann Strauss" you expect to hear just Sumi Jo, so that disappointed me a bit, but Sumi is still great. If you totally hate instrumental works..you'd better not buy this CD, but if you can stand them I would definitely recommend the CD, besides Johann Strauss' music is so uplifting, its really a pleasure to listen to."

Brilliant Singing!

M. Ramos | 01/04/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sumi Jo displays again her remarkable voice on this album dedicated to Johann Strauss. These arias and vocal arrangements are ideal for Jo's voice, giving her the opportunity to display her technical mastery in singing scales, stacatto and brilliant high notes. Of the vocal selections, there are two who are particularily stunning: "Spiel'ich die Unschuld vom Lande" from DIE FLEDERMAUS (with great vocal acting, pinpoint stacatto singing and two dazzling high Ds)and "Fruhlingsstimmen Op. 410" (with effortless vocal display and charm). The reason I give four stars is because of the excessive number of orchestral selections. Yes, the Wiener Volksoper Orchestra conducted by Rudolf Bibl is in excellent form, but the CD is mostly advertized as a vocal recital. Instead of having the FLEDERMAUS overture, it would have been great to have Sumi Jo singing instead the other soprano arias from the same work, Adele's "Mein Herr Marquis" and Roslinda's Czardas. Nonetheless, this is still a brilliant CD of Johann Strauss at its most sparkling."