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''Westenra has an absolutely stunning voice, the sort that really can send goosebumps up and down your spin.... Westenra has a truly special voice - one that could be listened to all day in fact. --Music O.M.H
''Both thoroughly enjoyable stories are read beautifully and precisely by [Redgrave and Fry], but the enthralling part is the expressive and passionate music composed by Debbie Wiseman..... These two wonderful, swirling compositions are full of wonderful phrases and passages that take over from the narrative for extended periods and are never far from centre stage.'' --'Music from the Movies' on Oscar Wilde: Fairy Tales
''Both thoroughly enjoyable stories are read beautifully and precisely by [Redgrave and Fry], but the enthralling part is the expressive and passionate music composed by Debbie Wiseman..... These two wonderful, swirling compositions are full of wonderful phrases and passages that take over from the narrative for extended periods and are never far from centre stage.'' --'Music from the Movies' on Oscar Wilde: Fairy Tales
CD Description
'''How about composing a new Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra?'' suggested Ian Maclay, the General Manager of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I've always loved composing for full symphony orchestra, so this was a challenge that simply had to be met! I conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the first live performance at London's Cadogan Hall with Hayley Westenra adding her special touch to the song and Stephen Fry narrating in his own inimitable fashion. The result of that live performance is this CD. It was a truly memorable and exciting experience, and I hope you enjoy listening to Different Voices as much as I enjoyed composing the piece.' - Debbie Wiseman
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I pretend I am playing this one to educate the children,
But the trut is I enjoy it a lot myself ! Hayley Westenra is magic !
Every home and school should have at least one copy of this
But the trut is I enjoy it a lot myself ! Hayley Westenra is magic !
Every home and school should have at least one copy of this
Format:Audio CD
Anyone who wants to introduct their children to musical instruments will find this cd very useful. The story is a bit wobbly in the middle but there is opportunity for lots of discussion. Would be a great stocking filler. My 4 and 2 year olds loves it. And its a good price.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
Gorgeous little gem... pity it's incomplete.
10 Oct 2009
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first came upon this album on Amazon when searching for Hayley Westenra albums. As a fan of hers, of Stephen Fry and even of Peter and the Wolf I was immediately intrigued by this little hidden gem of an album. The concept is a concert performance and narration to introduce children to orchestral music via catchy tunes and a fun story.
I'm a huge soundtrack fan, from John Williams to Ennio Morricone, Howard Shore to James Newton Howard. Who on earth is Debbie Wiseman and how can I have missed her music before. The music of Different Voices is just plain wonderful. OK, it's written for children and brings to life the tale of a parentally-ignored young girl who makes new friends and saves her beloved city park from mean old property developers. But if she can do such wonderful work for a childrens story I MUST check out her dramatic scores for movies. Stephen Fry is delightful as always and brings his own unique style to the narration. The album was recorded live at a concert performance so there are the usual coughs and background noises in quiet spots.
The music is just superb. I love listening to it with my GrandSon and by myself. Wiseman has incorporated wonderfully whistleable tunes with plenty of happy and sad, raucous and poignant moments. The biggest letdown is the absolute waste of Westenra here. She has one chorus, not even a song and it's repeated too often in exactly the same form. The finale gives some respite but it's the weakest aspect of an otherwise super concert. Sadly, the major disappointment for me is that whole sections of the story and narration are missing. The action is hard to follow in places as events unfold in unexplained directions. I don't know if the narration was complete on the night and just cut to fit the album or perhaps the narration was still a work in progress. Whatever, I would love to hear the entire thing and so would my GrandSon :-)
If you're a fan of Peter and the Wolf or Young Persons Guide... this is a no brainer. Debbie Wiseman is a damn fine composer.
I'm a huge soundtrack fan, from John Williams to Ennio Morricone, Howard Shore to James Newton Howard. Who on earth is Debbie Wiseman and how can I have missed her music before. The music of Different Voices is just plain wonderful. OK, it's written for children and brings to life the tale of a parentally-ignored young girl who makes new friends and saves her beloved city park from mean old property developers. But if she can do such wonderful work for a childrens story I MUST check out her dramatic scores for movies. Stephen Fry is delightful as always and brings his own unique style to the narration. The album was recorded live at a concert performance so there are the usual coughs and background noises in quiet spots.
The music is just superb. I love listening to it with my GrandSon and by myself. Wiseman has incorporated wonderfully whistleable tunes with plenty of happy and sad, raucous and poignant moments. The biggest letdown is the absolute waste of Westenra here. She has one chorus, not even a song and it's repeated too often in exactly the same form. The finale gives some respite but it's the weakest aspect of an otherwise super concert. Sadly, the major disappointment for me is that whole sections of the story and narration are missing. The action is hard to follow in places as events unfold in unexplained directions. I don't know if the narration was complete on the night and just cut to fit the album or perhaps the narration was still a work in progress. Whatever, I would love to hear the entire thing and so would my GrandSon :-)
If you're a fan of Peter and the Wolf or Young Persons Guide... this is a no brainer. Debbie Wiseman is a damn fine composer.
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