Sarah Brightman 'Classics' review

organ
organ Posts: 4,969
edited March 2004 in Music & Movies
I've had this CD for quite a long time now but decided to write the review now because I love this album so much and consider it one of my reference disc.

Sarah Brightman is a great soprano. One of my favorites. Her voice has the most 'air' and I find it the most relaxing, beautiful and a joy to listen to.

The songs in 'Classics' are the classical/opera stuff taken from her albums up to 'La Luna' plus 7 new tracks.

What you will find in the booklet are some nice steamy pics of the soprano goddess with the usual info. No lyrics.

All the tracks are wonderful but some of the stand out tracks are: 'Winter Light', 'Anytime, Anywere', 'Alhambra', 'Dans la Nuit', 'La Luna', 'Nessun Dorma'.

Winter Light is one of my favorite on this album. A very relaxing song that gives you a feeling of joy and sadness at the same time. Her voice was beatifully recorded in this song.

'Anytime, Anywhere' is pretty much Albinoni's famous 'Adagio' with lyrics and some catchy percussions. This song can also be found in her 'Eden' albm.

'Nessun Dorma' is a great song that builds up to an unforgettable climax both music wise and db.

Those of you who have heard her voice will agree that it's very unique. She sounds wonderful whether she's singing opera or classical. Production is great except for 'O Mio Babbino Caro'. There were times when her voice sounded distorted.

This album is one of my favorite 'mind filter' music. It really brings out the emotions and I'm sure I'll be listeng to this CD until I'm an old man.

If you love great female vocalist, try to give this album a try. I guarantee you won't be dissapointed.

Traks:
1. Ave Maria*
2. La Wally
3. Winter Light*
4. Anytime, Anywhere
5. Alhambra*
6. Lascia Chi'o Pianga
7. Dans La Nuit*
8. Serenade/How Fair This Place
9. O Mio Babbino Caro*
10. La Luna
11. Pie Jesu*
12. Figlio Perduto
13. Nessun Dorma*
14. Bailero
15. Time to Say Goodbye (solo version)

*New recording

Maurice
Post edited by organ on
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Comments

  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited March 2004
    Thanks Maurice. I will pick this up tonight for my drive home from work.

    I saw her at the Ahmanson theater in LA. She played "Christine" in ALW's "The Phantom of the Opera". Her voice is chillingly beautiful.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    I'm sure you'll enjoy it. You're so lucky to have seen her perform. I plan to buy both her concert DVD's.

    Did they release that PotO version with her on CD?

    Let me know what you think of the album.

    Maurice
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  • John K.
    John K. Posts: 822
    edited March 2004
    Maurice, thanks for the suggestion. Since you also obviously love beautiful recordings by female vocalists, let me strongly recommend RCA 7831, an older recording but with sound good enough to reveal some of the most beautiful singing and wordless vocalizing I've ever heard . Anna Moffo, supported by Stokowski and his orchestra, does the Rachmaninoff Vocalise plus selections from Canteloube's Songs of the Auvergne and the Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No.5.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    John,
    Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look for that. My favorite old time vocalist have to be Maria Callas. Some people say her voice is 'ugly' but I love the nasally quality of her singing style.

    Maurice
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited March 2004
    Picked up the last copy Best Buy had last night. Have been listening to it pretty much non-stop.

    First off, "Winter Light" is one of my very favorite songs. Discovered it back when I saw "The Secret Garden" in theaters back in 93. Sung by Linda Ronstadt. Having Sarah Brightman preform this is worth the purchase price alone.

    Along with that some of my other favorites that stand out are;

    ~Anytime, Anywhere
    ~Figlio Perduto
    ~Nessun Dorma

    The entire CD is excellent with not a bad song on the disk. Thanks for the excellent recommendation Maurice. I'd forgotten how wonderful her voice is.

    There is no CD with her singing PotO, which is too bad. I felt she did a much better job than that of the original. (I forget her name at the moment).


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Ron,
    Glad to hear you're enjoying it as much as I am. If you decide to get another one of her albums, I highly recommend "Eden". "La Luna" is also wonderful. I enjoy "Harem" as much as the other three but there's less opera/classical singing in it and it sounds more modern. You can listen to some of her songs on her official website. I still need to purchase her other albums prior to "Eden". Can't wait to hear them.

    I had no idea "Winter Light" was taken from "The Secret Garden". I saw it many, many years ago and can't remember anything.

    Another great vocalist I'm really enjoying is Charlotte Church. I borrowed her "Enchantment" album from my mom and it sounds great.

    Maurice
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited March 2004
    Originally posted by organ
    Did they release that PotO version with her on CD?

    Maurice

    Yes, the 'London version' is on CD< has been for a few years now. This is the original casting with Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford as Phantom...really awesome release...

    I had the privalege of seeing this live with the original cast.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited March 2004
    CDs I have are great:

    Eden
    Harem
    La Luna
    Time to Say Goodbye
    don't have the classics disc though...

    The la Luna concert DVD is cool as well.

    IMO she has the best voice of any singer alive today...
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Polkmaniac,
    Does the "La Luna" DVD include music videos, extras, etc?

    I plan to get that and the "Eden" DVD.

    Man, you HAVE to get "Classics". Like Ron said..."Winter Light" alone is worth the purchase price!

    Maurice
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited March 2004
    Yes, the 'London version' is on CD< has been for a few years now. This is the original casting with Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford as Phantom...really awesome release...

    Any chance you know where I could land one of those CDs? I had no idea a CD with her doing PotO was available.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Missed that post about the PotO CD. I'd like to know where I can purchase it too. I'll start looking for it after school. If I find it anywhere, I'll post the link here.

    Maurice
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  • dylan
    dylan Posts: 453
    edited March 2004
    This one? Free shipping.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited March 2004
    Originally posted by dylan
    This one? Free shipping.

    Yep, that would be it...now only if that were out in DVD..
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  • John K.
    John K. Posts: 822
    edited March 2004
    PM, that isn't available, but this is probably the complete DVD list.
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited March 2004
    Just used the Buy-it-Now feature on ebay for a mint condition copy of the 2-disk set for $14 with free shipping.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited March 2004
    Originally posted by John K.
    PM, that isn't available, but this is probably the complete DVD list.

    yep, that looks like all of 'em...
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited March 2004
    Originally posted by Ron-P
    Just used the Buy-it-Now feature on ebay for a mint condition copy of the 2-disk set for $14 with free shipping.


    Peace Out~:D

    Cool, you'll like it. That's one of the best showcases of her voice I've heard...and she's still fairly young on that recording...
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,520
    edited March 2004
    Cool, you'll like it. That's one of the best showcases of her voice I've heard...and she's still fairly young on that recording...

    Oh, I know. Like I said above, I saw her at the Ahmanson theater in LA playing Christine in the PotO. We had center stage seats in row 24. It was awesome. I just did not realize that she had a CD out of that.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    THANK YOU, Dylan. I'm going to order a copy tonight.

    Maurice
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