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Product Description
CD Description
For the last forty years Rick Wakeman has immersed himself in music. Leaving the Royal College of Music Rick has worked with some of the biggest names in rock and pop music playing on some of the biggest hits by artists as diverse as Cat Stevens, Marc Bolan and David Bowie. Likewise he has played with one of the biggest rock bands in the world. As a member of Rick played some of the biggest arenas in the world and released massively successful albums. In 1973 he released his first proper solo album The Six Wives Of Henry The VIII following that album up in the seventies and eighties with other hugely popular and successful albums. In the eighties Rick also recorded albums in the then popular genre entitled "New Age" Releasing such popular albums as The Aspirant Series of recordings (Aspirant Sunrise, Aspirant Sunset and Aspirant Sunshadows) It would seem perfectly logical then that Rick would also record music by some of the world's finest composers leaving his own individual stamp on these recordings. For centuries, composers of all nationalities have been taking existing musical themes from other composers and rewriting them by putting their own twists and turns into the music and in the process, often giving a completely new slant to that of the composer's original intentions. Continuing in this age-old tradition, Rick Wakeman has created his own musical variations, purely for piano of many different genres of music, which stretch from choral work to full orchestra and folk songs and even rock with a version of Stairway To Heaven. Always With You contains compositions from the new and the old all of which have been recorded by Rick in his own inimitable style. Always With You is an album of accomplishment and melody and an album that will bear repeated play. With tracks such as Ave Maria, The Piano Messiah, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and the title track Always With You this album will appeal to a wider audience than Rick usually appeals to through his rock releases mixing as it does the contemporary alongside the traditional.
Product Description
2010 studio album! Piano-based reinterpretations of material by Bach ; Handel ; Led Zeppelin ; Schubert and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this CD entirely on the strength of hearing the MP3 samples, and am highly impressed. I've always thought very highly indeed (as many people have) of Rick's piano style, particularly on any of his 70s work - whether solo, in a band, or on other artist's material. However, I did wonder if that solo magic could last the length of an entire album.
Indeed it can - and does! To discover here that his wonderfully playful, emotional, and instantly recognisable style is totally present and correct on every single track was indeed a real pleasure. The tracklist may look rather suspect on paper (as admittedly it did for me) but, when you hear the results, it actually all makes perfect sense - there are no duff, cringeworthy, inappropriate or boring selections here!
It also all fits together very nicely, as well as his piano having a deliciously warm and naturally recorded analogue sound, which I found important, and which is exactly how he sounded in the 70s. These days, piano recordings often have a very clear, but rather cold or harshly digitized tone. But that's definitely not the case here.
I'm not sure if this album would be everybody's cup of tea, but if, like me, you would equally adore Rick's amazing style, with the natural sound of a well-recorded solo piano, then this album is highly recommended.
I can already picture myself listening to this many times, both on long country walks on an i-pod in summer, and as a perfect fireside companion on a cold dark night in winter.
Enjoy - and well done, Rick!
Indeed it can - and does! To discover here that his wonderfully playful, emotional, and instantly recognisable style is totally present and correct on every single track was indeed a real pleasure. The tracklist may look rather suspect on paper (as admittedly it did for me) but, when you hear the results, it actually all makes perfect sense - there are no duff, cringeworthy, inappropriate or boring selections here!
It also all fits together very nicely, as well as his piano having a deliciously warm and naturally recorded analogue sound, which I found important, and which is exactly how he sounded in the 70s. These days, piano recordings often have a very clear, but rather cold or harshly digitized tone. But that's definitely not the case here.
I'm not sure if this album would be everybody's cup of tea, but if, like me, you would equally adore Rick's amazing style, with the natural sound of a well-recorded solo piano, then this album is highly recommended.
I can already picture myself listening to this many times, both on long country walks on an i-pod in summer, and as a perfect fireside companion on a cold dark night in winter.
Enjoy - and well done, Rick!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By R. S. Bright
Format:Audio CD
I've alweays enjoyed Rick's music but when I first heard about Always With You, I was worried as it contained many of my favourite melodies that didn't seem to be Rick's thing. I was wrong. They are beautifully handled-different but well worth listening to. Thank you so much.Ron Bright
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By roastpilot
Format:Audio CD
Just Rick and piano. But he creates musical magic of some favorite classics.
Friends have actually said, "Wow! What beautiful music", when they overhear it.
And it grows on you. The more often you listen the more you like it.
Also it arrived sooner the Amazon forecast; A nice surprise!
I just wish we could get the downloaded version Always With You down here in the colonies of the Antipodes.
Please work on that Amazon!
Friends have actually said, "Wow! What beautiful music", when they overhear it.
And it grows on you. The more often you listen the more you like it.
Also it arrived sooner the Amazon forecast; A nice surprise!
I just wish we could get the downloaded version Always With You down here in the colonies of the Antipodes.
Please work on that Amazon!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is great to play while relaxing in the bath or while driving as it's just restful and calming - you wouldn't really want to "listen" to it but it's soothing to have on in the background.
By J. Evans
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Heard him on the radio and bought this. Incredibly talented pianist and this CD is superb to listen to over and over again.
By music lover
Format:Audio CD
I bought this from another supplier. What have I been missing all my life? Simply superb! All piano work by Mr W, no synthesisers. Every cd collection must hold a copy of this. Why is it only 1 cd? He could carry on playing like this all day long and it would still be a shame when he stops.
By Stephen
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have always admired Rick Wakeman and his piano style, so I bought this CD on faith, as it were. It's very enjoyable.
Having said that, it is not a 'heavyweight' album. It's good but not great. Basically, it is glorious melodies - with fiddly bits!
The recording is warm, almost intimate. The microphone was clearly close to the piano as it is possible to hear the instrument creaking as the pedals are pressed. That's what you might hear in a live recital, so it's realistic.
A super CD for driving to, for having on in the background. It is probably not the one, though, that you will choose over and over again to listen to on the hi-fi on a spare evening. You will have other CDs in your collection that you turn to in preference.
What I would have liked Wakeman to do is to take fewer melodies - possibly even just one or two - and write a series of variations on them, rather than just one variation per selection. That would be an approach more befitting his talents as a performer and composer and it would be much more interesting. He could then have introduced more variety: faster, slower, simpler, more complex.
In many ways the strongest tracks are Wakeman's own, especially the title track. That said, the treatment of 'Stairway to Heaven' is first rate and brings the album to a satisfying close.
Worth buying? Yes. The melodies he has chosen are a good selection and his style is inimitable. It's not the best work Rick Wakeman has done, but it's different and it's enjoyable.
Good rather than great, so four stars.
Having said that, it is not a 'heavyweight' album. It's good but not great. Basically, it is glorious melodies - with fiddly bits!
The recording is warm, almost intimate. The microphone was clearly close to the piano as it is possible to hear the instrument creaking as the pedals are pressed. That's what you might hear in a live recital, so it's realistic.
A super CD for driving to, for having on in the background. It is probably not the one, though, that you will choose over and over again to listen to on the hi-fi on a spare evening. You will have other CDs in your collection that you turn to in preference.
What I would have liked Wakeman to do is to take fewer melodies - possibly even just one or two - and write a series of variations on them, rather than just one variation per selection. That would be an approach more befitting his talents as a performer and composer and it would be much more interesting. He could then have introduced more variety: faster, slower, simpler, more complex.
In many ways the strongest tracks are Wakeman's own, especially the title track. That said, the treatment of 'Stairway to Heaven' is first rate and brings the album to a satisfying close.
Worth buying? Yes. The melodies he has chosen are a good selection and his style is inimitable. It's not the best work Rick Wakeman has done, but it's different and it's enjoyable.
Good rather than great, so four stars.
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This within a few weeks has become my favorite CD Rick Wakeman at his very best every track is perfect for easy listening, in the car, at home chilling out could not be better. Saw him on Songs of Praise he is a star.
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