Hot Products > Classical Music > Opera & Vocal

Divenire (Special Edition, BONUS DISC: 3 Brand New Remixes)

Wonderful easy listening, 2007-12-27
I picked this up after I was transfixed by the track Otremare which was used in the film This Is England. I'd read that most of the music by Einaudi sounds similar, yet each track is unique. I couldn't agree more. This is hughly addictive stuff. Mostly piano with the occasional string instrument thrown in, this makes for a great listen while pottering about or just winding down. I don't listen to a great deal of music like this generally so I can't really compare it to anything else or even claim to understand why I like it. But I do really like it.

Serenade

Can Katherine do no wrong?, 2007-10-24

Serenade, released in 2006, is the 4th album (excluding imports, which are largely the same as the UK versions) by Katherine Jenkins. Just like her previous albums this too enjoyed huge commercial success, reaching No. 1 in the classical charts, and in its first week of release sold 50,000 copies making it the fastest selling classical CD in the UK.

But these are just sales figures, which reflect only the popularity of an artist, so what of the selection of songs for this release?

The general theme of the last three albums has been retained - a selection of opera, classical, popular and traditional music, and while such diverse range of music will inevitably mean some listeners find something they don't like, it also helps capture a wider audience than, for example, an entire opera-themed album would. Some will say it's a case of playing safe, while others will welcome the opportunity to diversify their musical appreciation.

For me this is easily Katherine Jenkins' most accomplished studio album to date. The opening track is the Bryan Adams massive 1991 hit `(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' and is sung in Italian (with Adam's on acoustic guitar) to great effect. This is so much more suited to her voice and style than some of the choices (for example `I Will Always Love You') on her previous albums.

The modern classics such as `Nella Fantasia' and `Granada' are here, so too the traditional such as `Green Green Grass of Home' and `Lisa Lan' (folk song, Welsh of course), and they are sung with the usual effortless grace we've come to expect from Katherine.

The highlights, and they really are special I think, are the `The Flower Duet', which is sung to brilliant effect with Dame Kiri Te Kanewa, and the dreamy `Canon' by Pachelbel which is expertly transcribed by Simon Franglen for keyboards (which he plays), instruments and vocals. There are actually two vocal lines on this track, one high one low, both by Katherine, and the overdubbing is so carefully recorded that it works to spectacular effect.

For me there's only two minus points with this album, the first being one of the opera choices, `Chanson Boheme' from Bizet's `Carmen', which Katherine seems to struggle with on the `Tra la la' chorus. It's surprising really, for I've seen her sing this piece live and didn't notice any problems, but given her stunning appearance in flamboyant flame-red dress perhaps my concentration lapsed for a moment (!).

My only other issue is (again) the cover photo and enclosed sleeve artwork, which are credited to Bryan Adams. Bryan's a great songwriter, a great guitarist and can take lovely candid photos of Katherine. But world class fashion photographer he's not, and that's what the CD cover needed.

That aside, this is a brilliant album, her best so far I think.

Tales from the Greek Legends (Junior Classics)

Keeps the kids happy on long car journeys, 2006-08-02
We purchased this CD on the basis of another Amazon review and weren't disappointed. Ths kids (aged 8 & 6) love the stories (Heracles, Theseus, Perseus, Jason and the Argonauts among others) and the CD is requested on every car journey! It's a painless way of getting a bit of knowledge/history into us all. The stories are re-told in modern language with some music thrown in for effect at key points, which all adds to the effect. The narrator has a pleasant voice (important when these CDs are played repeatedly!) and even though we all know the stories backward now, enjoy them still.

Handel: Messiah

Golden oldie, 2004-12-10
This is a CD version of an 80's recording which is so good I've stuck with it rather than going for a newer one. The LSO chorus are excellent, light-footed and accurate; Colin Davis takes them through some of the numbers at high speed but they make it sound easy (it isn't, as anyone who's sung Messiah will know). Helen Watts is a beautiful and moving alto soloist and John Shirley-Quirk is also outstanding.

Songs of Joy and Peace: Deluxe Edition

Essential Carols - The Very Best of King's College, Cambridge

Very professional, 2008-12-13
Lovely singing and a great price make this a very good buy.

But, for me, the singing is too professional and clinical - somehow lacks the joy of a parish church, packed with school-kids and slightly tipsy parents, hammering through the carols.

Classic FM Anthems 2008

Long Live Classical Music, 2008-10-12

Classic FM has attempted to provide the classical music version of `rock anthems' to shake your head and punch the air to, an equivalent of Rainbow's `Long Live Rock 'n' Roll' anthem of the 1970's. Does it work? Yes of course it does because the Classic FM marketing team are in touch with the needs of today's classical music listeners.

The track list is comfortably predictable - Ride of the Valkyries (Wagner), Carmina Burana (Orff), Jupiter (from Holst's Planets), Pomp & Circumstance (Elgar's Land of Hope and Glory), A Night on a Bare Mountain (Mussorgsky) and many, many more.

Those `many more' include three outstanding performances - Alfie Boe's version of Nessun Dorma, David Garrett's virtuoso (and breathtakingly fast) violin performance of Flight of the Bumblebee, and a truly patriotic version of Rule, Britannia! by mezzo soprano Sarah Walker from the days when the Last Night of the Proms was bold enough to host a flamboyant, Union Flag clad woman displaying true unabashed patriotism.

Now THAT'S what I call an anthem, great stuff!

Carols from King's

Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies

Tchaikovsky: Ballet Suites

Outstanding Tchaikovsky disc, 2003-10-23
Outstanding versions of Tchaikovskys three popular ballet suites. The Berlin Philharmonic is in glowing form and Mstislav Rostropovich on the rostrum sounds inspired as none else. Warmly and dynamically recorded, with plenty of orchestral detail, this thrilling disc may stand as a criterion from the analogue era.
If you only need the suites, or if you think this music no longer holds any surprises for you, this is the CD to go for. Highly recommended.