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Product Description
CD Description
Overseen by artistic director Danny Boyle, the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games was one of the most talked about and acclaimed events of the 21st-centruy. Its soundtrack, which was curated by regular Boyle collaborators Underworld, was a key factor to its success.
Featuring performances from Frank Turner, Four Nations Choirs, London Symphony Orchestra and Mike Oldfield, Isles of Wonder captures the electricity of this momentous evening. It also contains all of the evening's highlights, including Arctic Monkey's take on "Come Together", Emili Sande's rendition of "Abide With Me" and the soundtrack to the lighting of the torch, "Calliban's Dream".
Featuring performances from Frank Turner, Four Nations Choirs, London Symphony Orchestra and Mike Oldfield, Isles of Wonder captures the electricity of this momentous evening. It also contains all of the evening's highlights, including Arctic Monkey's take on "Come Together", Emili Sande's rendition of "Abide With Me" and the soundtrack to the lighting of the torch, "Calliban's Dream".
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
59 of 63 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
How could you have watched the London 2012 opening ceremony and not find this essential? Memories of one of Britain's proudest nights will be with you forever. The selection here is class. Disc 1 is the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's exquisite production and disc 2 is a sublime mixtape in its own right compiled from the songs that welcomed the athletes to London.
It's not complete. Of course Sir Macca hasn't agreed to let Hey Jude feature, but it's not needed and his stumbling performance wasn't needed on the night either. The likes of Going Underground, Enola Gay and Pretty Vacant, which soundtracked some brilliant moments, are missing as well. That's forgivable here but would be a tragedy if it were to follow through to the much hoped for DVD/Blu-ray release. At least we get Bowie's Heroes - a song which Team GB is living up to as I write this review. The two Arctic Monkey tracks were recorded 'live at the Olympic Stadium' on the 23rd and not the night itself. They're both strong recordings, though, for fans/collectors of that band.
A certain other band is abbreviated to 'F Buttons' on the rear sleeve and in the booklet, proving that we're all still very British about these things. The rest of the packaging is fine. There's an official London 2012 hologram on the back of the case, although I think it should have been on the front and not placed sideways like mine was. Not gonna grumble, though. Inside the booklet are introductions from Danny Boyle and music director Rick Smith and a few photographs.
As someone who would be quite content to never hear Hey Jude again, I am fully happy with this purchase. Now bring the complete Blu-ray on.
It's not complete. Of course Sir Macca hasn't agreed to let Hey Jude feature, but it's not needed and his stumbling performance wasn't needed on the night either. The likes of Going Underground, Enola Gay and Pretty Vacant, which soundtracked some brilliant moments, are missing as well. That's forgivable here but would be a tragedy if it were to follow through to the much hoped for DVD/Blu-ray release. At least we get Bowie's Heroes - a song which Team GB is living up to as I write this review. The two Arctic Monkey tracks were recorded 'live at the Olympic Stadium' on the 23rd and not the night itself. They're both strong recordings, though, for fans/collectors of that band.
A certain other band is abbreviated to 'F Buttons' on the rear sleeve and in the booklet, proving that we're all still very British about these things. The rest of the packaging is fine. There's an official London 2012 hologram on the back of the case, although I think it should have been on the front and not placed sideways like mine was. Not gonna grumble, though. Inside the booklet are introductions from Danny Boyle and music director Rick Smith and a few photographs.
As someone who would be quite content to never hear Hey Jude again, I am fully happy with this purchase. Now bring the complete Blu-ray on.
57 of 62 people found the following review helpful
By R. Sanmugam
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The moment And I Will Kiss started in the Pandemonium scene of the Opening Ceremony, I felt a chill down my spine and for the next 3 hours it remained there. Isles of Wonder has changed forever the style of Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Who needs fireworks, dazzling lights and pyrotechnics to stage a show?? The ceremony was a storyboard of being British - past and present glued together with British sounds some very familiar (Mike Oldfield, Elgar, Bowie) and some not: Underworld. I have already bought their album, Anthology 1992 - 2012 which is great played loud in the car!
Danny Boyle has done us proud and given us a fantastic permanent memory of music to listen to. Well worth the money.
Danny Boyle has done us proud and given us a fantastic permanent memory of music to listen to. Well worth the money.
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By P. Taylor
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a cynical 46 year-old, increasingly grumpy, stereotypical middle-aged man, who every year since turning 40 has increasingly thought the
country was going to hell in a hand-cart, it is no exaggeration to say that the Olympics opening ceremony, its soundtrack and the
whole Olympics event has restored my faith in this country and my pride in being British. I watched and listened to the opening ceremony
and its stirring soundtrack with increasing emotion as long-forgotten feelings of national identity and pride resurfaced in response to
the sheer genius of this soundtrack and the accompanying visual spectacle. It helped that I am a long-time Danny Boyle and Underworld fan,
but even I had not expected such an incredibly powerful and rich cacophony of sights and sounds that captured the essence of being British
and showed this country to be a world-leader in so many respects, not least in creative vision and output. Listening to the soundtrack CD
for the first time, all those emotions stirred again as Underworld's dazzling "And I Will Kiss" powered by the passion and beat of the
Pandemonium Drummers builds and builds, before giving way to the brilliant Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (great to see him so involved).
I had forgotten just how fantastic Vangelis's Chariots of Fire theme was (despite being a massive Vangelis fan) and have not tired of
hearing it over the past couple of weeks. Throw in Emeli Sande, Artic Monkeys, Chemical Brothers, Pet Shop Boys & David Bowie and you
get a fantastic, eclectic cross-section of leading-edge British music at its best. Thanks Danny & your team, thanks Underworld, thanks to all
the musicians and volunteers involved in the opening ceremony & the Olympics in general, thanks to the inspirational athletes taking
part. You reminded me what a great nation this country really is and that I am not quite ready to become a totally grumpy old-man just yet.
country was going to hell in a hand-cart, it is no exaggeration to say that the Olympics opening ceremony, its soundtrack and the
whole Olympics event has restored my faith in this country and my pride in being British. I watched and listened to the opening ceremony
and its stirring soundtrack with increasing emotion as long-forgotten feelings of national identity and pride resurfaced in response to
the sheer genius of this soundtrack and the accompanying visual spectacle. It helped that I am a long-time Danny Boyle and Underworld fan,
but even I had not expected such an incredibly powerful and rich cacophony of sights and sounds that captured the essence of being British
and showed this country to be a world-leader in so many respects, not least in creative vision and output. Listening to the soundtrack CD
for the first time, all those emotions stirred again as Underworld's dazzling "And I Will Kiss" powered by the passion and beat of the
Pandemonium Drummers builds and builds, before giving way to the brilliant Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (great to see him so involved).
I had forgotten just how fantastic Vangelis's Chariots of Fire theme was (despite being a massive Vangelis fan) and have not tired of
hearing it over the past couple of weeks. Throw in Emeli Sande, Artic Monkeys, Chemical Brothers, Pet Shop Boys & David Bowie and you
get a fantastic, eclectic cross-section of leading-edge British music at its best. Thanks Danny & your team, thanks Underworld, thanks to all
the musicians and volunteers involved in the opening ceremony & the Olympics in general, thanks to the inspirational athletes taking
part. You reminded me what a great nation this country really is and that I am not quite ready to become a totally grumpy old-man just yet.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
isles of wonder the opening ceremony of the olympics
bought this for my son. he totally loved the opening ceremony and the music, so thought this would be an ideal gift. needless to say he's always playing it so money well spent
Published 3 days ago by yomama
4.0 out of 5 stars
Emotive music to remember That Stunning Opening...
I think the soundtrack to the Opening Ceremony contributed 50% to the whole show. It was such an important part to each visual shown on screen that when I think back to watching it... Read more
Published 4 days ago by DW
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nostalgic reminder of a great day
Went to the opening ceremony and the music especially when lighting the cauldron was full of atmosphere and expectancy. The music makes it all flood back with a vengeance.
Published 5 days ago by Brian Myrie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Isle of wonder
What great music! The double cd is the music of the Olympics and I have listened to it over and over again. Read more
Published 10 days ago by katirawa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Opening Olympic Ceremony Music
Lovely music and a bit of a keepsake for the Olympics. Arrives shortly after it was released - I pre-booked it. Good value.
Published 15 days ago by Miss C L Deery
5.0 out of 5 stars
PURE JOY & PRIDE !!!
i was one of the 1,000 pandenomium drummers & athletes's marshalls in the opening ceremony so of course I LOVE IT !!!!!!!!
Published 20 days ago by miss yau
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music of Dreams
Who said dreams don't come true, when i saw the opening ceremony to London 2012, I thought brilliant! Read more
Published 26 days ago by mal judson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disc2 what I mainly wanted
Disc1 was something I'll listen to now and again but disc2 was what I was really after. Really does take you back to that memorable night. Read more
Published 27 days ago by H. Gallon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!
Great CD!
It's just a shame I bought it from a company that massively avoids paying tax. It's disgraceful that a company of this size has made £3. Read more
It's just a shame I bought it from a company that massively avoids paying tax. It's disgraceful that a company of this size has made £3. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Christian
5.0 out of 5 stars
Isles of Wonder London 2012 Opening Ceremony Music
Item arrived in good time and well packaged. A definite must have to accompany the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony CD - A Symphony of British Music. Read more
Published 1 month ago by TanEkaha
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