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By Matthew Westphal
02 Aug 2007
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Masters and Commanders: Music from Seafaring Film Classics, a Telarc release by conductor Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops, is this week's new arrival on the Billboard classical chart, making its debut at no. 9. This disc features selections from the scores of such films as (among others) Pirates of the Caribbean, The Sea Hawk, Mutiny on the Bounty, Captains Courageous, and, naturally, Master and Commander.
Returning to the classical chart are three titles: Gloryland, Anonymous 4's second collection of early American folk hymns (no. 14); Górecki's String Quartet No. 3, subtitled ... songs are sung ..., performed by the Kronos Quartet (no. 23), and violinist Janine Jansen's rendition of Vivaldi's Four Seasons (no. 24).
Sting's John Dowland album Songs from the Labyrinth remains at the top of the chart, while cellist Yo-Yo Ma's Appassionato has climbed back to no. 2, leaving "Music for Compline" by the young vocal ensemble Stile Antico at no. 3. Osvaldo Golijov's Oceana continues at no. 4, followed by Joshua Bell's Voice of the Violin in fifth place.
Pianist Jon Nakamatsu's Gershwin disc with conductor Jeff Tyzik and the Rochester Philharmonic has risen five notches to no. 7, while the Emerson String Quartet's recording of Brahms chamber music with pianist Leon Fleisher went from no. 14 to no. 10. Tenor Mark Padmore's collection of Handel arias, As Steals the Morn, has climbed four notches to no. 17, while Ian Bostridge's similar title, Great Handel, has slipped 10th to 13th place.
The newly-released recording of the world premiere performance of Strauss's Four Last Songs, sung by Kirsten Flagstad and conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler, at no. 15 last week following a debut at no. 20, has slipped off the chart.
String quartet tributes to rock bands, regularly found toward the bottom of the Billboard classical crossover chart, have a particularly strong presence this week. The current new arrival, at no. 25, is dedicated to the band Tool's Aenima; re-entering the chart at no. 24 is a tribute to the group Evanescence. Remaining on the chart are string quartet tributes to Three Days Grace (no. 21) and Hinder (no. 23).
At the top of the crossover chart, as usual in recent weeks, is Josh Groban's Awake, followed (not in this order) by two Il Divo CDs, three by Andrea Bocelli, the soundtracks to the films La Vie en rose and Pride and Prejudice, Juanita Bynum and Jonathan Butler in Gospel Goes Classical, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Broadway album, Showtime!.
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