|
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Review
Hayley Westenra shot to attention five years ago at the age of 16. Since then she has released seven albums into various national and international territories and contributed to a dozen others, out of which two permutations of greatest hits compilations have also been gleaned.
River of Dreams is the first such compendium targeted at the UK market and if you are a fan of the still-young New Zealander, you'll know what to expect here and, more than likely, you'll be more than satisfied with what you get. Initially touted as a classical soprano, Westenra quickly (and wisely) moved away from the operatic towards a more eclectic repertoire to showcase her distinctively flutey, helium-high, gravity-free, crystal-sharp, emotion-free vocals.
Sensibly, the classical element is downplayed and disguised here, not least in the title track where new-age lyrics are layered over a heavily re-arranged version of Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and in Never Say Goodbye, which re-works Ravel's Pavane to wistfully watery effect. The approach to Puccini's O mio babbino caro, Bach's Ave Maria (one of three new tracks on the album) and Karl Jenkins's Benedictus all err on the side of botox-smooth textures (such as they are).
The other new material includes album closer Now is the Hour, adapted from a tradition Maori tune, and Fleetwood Mac's Songbird, popularised more recently by Eva Cassidy, on which Westenra is pleasantly airy and clearly away with the dewdrop-drunk faeries.
If the epic American folk song Shenandoah loses much of its heart-stopping grandeur, it gains in places from Westenra's trademark brittleness, as does the traditional Irish gem Danny Boy, and the cover of the Enya-penned May It Be from The Lord of the Rings' soundtrack. The same cannot be said for Amazing Grace which has the most peculiar vocal tick 2'55" in that launches itself out of the speakers at you like a Banshee on heat.
In truth, this is a critic-proof album. With machine-tooled, nothing-left-to-chance production, on its own terms it succeeds, and it will undoubtedly sell by the van load this Christmas. Whether it deserves to, on its singular musical merits, is another matter altogether. --Michael Quinn
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It is without doubt by no coincidence that Hayley decided to call this album River of Dreams. It is a tiver of dreams. Each track explains a personal journey in Hayley's musical and personal life, and I believe it is the best Best Of one can produce. Each song was carefully selected, and the songs were without doubt my favorite from the start. So I was extremely pleased to see the tracklistings. I am also more than impressed with the three new recordings. Songbird is one of the best version I have ever heard, and Now is the Hour is yet again one of Hayley's best Maori songs. I believe Hayley's best songs are in sung in Maori, and there is no exception for Now is the Hour. The new recording of Ave Maria displays Hayley's purity of her voice, and how she has contained it over the years. The three new tracks are very well selected, as the album itself is great, and the new tracks prove that she has more. I am very pleased with this album, and am so glad she produced a Best Of. I can now listen to Pure, Odyssey and Treasure all at the same time! If you likes her three international albums, then this is for you. You will not be disappointed.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is worth the price for Now is the Hour on it's own.
A beautiful Maori song (Po Atarau / Harere Ra) that was a huge hit about 1948 sung by Gracie Fields,
This version of Now is the Hour by Hayley is my definitive version of the song, sung with an intimate understanding of the Maori culture and language, just melts the heart with it's beauty, What a gorgeous voice !
Should also bring back some great memories for the older listeners, My Da just loves it :-)
Gorgeous version of Christine McVie's Songbird on this as well.
Two versions of Ave Maria the Bach/ Gounod version and the Caccini version.
17 tracks in all you won't need the remote to skip over any tracks on this collection, You may need the remote to press repeat a few times as some of the music on this album just massages the soul about as deep as a female voice can !
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
A beautiful Maori song (Po Atarau / Harere Ra) that was a huge hit about 1948 sung by Gracie Fields,
This version of Now is the Hour by Hayley is my definitive version of the song, sung with an intimate understanding of the Maori culture and language, just melts the heart with it's beauty, What a gorgeous voice !
Should also bring back some great memories for the older listeners, My Da just loves it :-)
Gorgeous version of Christine McVie's Songbird on this as well.
Two versions of Ave Maria the Bach/ Gounod version and the Caccini version.
17 tracks in all you won't need the remote to skip over any tracks on this collection, You may need the remote to press repeat a few times as some of the music on this album just massages the soul about as deep as a female voice can !
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Just love this album! The beautiful voice of Hayley is like a clear crystal brook rippling over smooth pebbles, fresh like the trees that grow alongside the river banks, delighting the senses of all you happen to come by, refreshing them with every note she sings. Beautiful Hayley,you refresh me and lift me up, thank you.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fantastic!
A beautiful album, Hayley's voice is outstanding, very happy : -) This is a very good price for all of the tracks you get on here.
Published 7 months ago by Carolyn
Brilliant Collection
This is a really good introduction to Hayley for those who have not heard her work before and a great collection for long term fans like myself. Read more
Published 12 months ago by S. Croft
mediocre
I bought this album on a recommendation without having actually heard Miss Westenra sing.
She has at best a mediocre voice, something like the "also rans" one would hear in a... Read more
She has at best a mediocre voice, something like the "also rans" one would hear in a... Read more
Published 15 months ago by mdp
River of Dreams - CD -Hayley Westernra
Perhaps one of the clearest, pitch perfect, voices I have ever heard. A delightful mix of songs, traditional, maori, and more recent titles, from a young voice that must have years... Read more
Published 16 months ago by AE Wheeler
Best "Best of"
Hayley Westenra is still young but her music gets better every album she produces, what an export New Zealand have! Read more
Published 20 months ago by P. Morriss
Terrific CD only let down by the record company glitch
I came round to Hayley Westenra via a very obscure route. One of the saturday paper supplements had a 'what ever happened to ... Read more
Published 21 months ago by John Davis
Good selection of songs
I actually bought the New Zealand special edition of this album because it has the song 'Majesty' on it (unlike the normal version). Read more
Published 22 months ago by David M
Good selection of songs, inc. 'Majesty'
The reason I bought this NZ special edition is because it has the song 'Majesty' on it (unlike the normal version). Read more
Published 22 months ago by David M
Music to relax to
Although never a great fan of female opera, this CD is very pleasant and relaxing to listen to, with a few stand out tracks, Ava Maria and O Mio Babbino Caro, worth what I paid.
Published 22 months ago by P. A. Vaughan
Thumbs up all the way!
I wasn't really keen on getting this album at first, since I already owned other albums which contained many of the songs on this one, but after receiving the album, I was so glad... Read more
Published on 24 May 2010 by Joanne
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
