Andrea Bocelli: Verdi

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Classical Music Reviews
With this CD devoted solely to operatic arias--by none less than Giuseppe Verdi, the greatest Italian opera composer of all time--pop crossover phenomenon Andrea Bocelli throws his hat into the operatic ring with the big boys. The hat occasionally fits, and occasionally it doesn't. The beauty of the voice is undeniable, as is the relative ease in all registers. But, regardless of what the engineers do, it is clearly a small voice. For "Celeste Aïda"--Radames's great aria from Aïda--Bocelli opens with fine, as-big-as-possible exclamation and sounds confident; the long diminuendo on the aria's final high B-flat is stunning (whether or not the engineers were twiddling with the knobs, we'll never know). The tenor is more at home with Alfredo's Act Two music from La Traviata; he sings with grace and charm, ending the rarely performed cabaletta (a brief and showy piece that usually follows an aria) with one of the longest, most solid high Cs ever recorded. Elsewhere, there are mixed results: "Di' tu se fedele" from Un ballo in maschera is so free of feeling that it seems digitally produced. A big, unnecessary high D at the close of the Duke's cabaletta "Possente amor" from Rigoletto is screamed, and Bocelli sounds at times as if he's about to collapse from exhaustion during a heavy aria from Ernani. But "Ah si, ben mio" from Il Trovatore is beautiful, as is the Luisa Miller aria; Don Carlo also seems to fit Bocelli well. Needless to say, the singer's fans will certainly want to have this--and it might encourage them to try other recordings of music by Verdi. Newcomers and the curious will find plenty to admire, too. The sound itself remains alluring, and Bocelli has taken steps also towards improving his technique. In short, some nice surprises for the opera lover, and many for the Bocelli fan. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Caccini/Mercurio: Ave Maria
Mascagni: Sancta Maria
Gounod: Ave Maria
Schubert: Ave Maria
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Rossini: Cuius animam
Verdi: Ingemisco
Mozart: Ave verum
Wagner: Der Engel
Handel: Ombra mai fu
Niedermeyer: Pieta signore
Rossini: Dominus Deus
Schubert/Mercurio: Mille Cherubini in coro
Gruber/Mercurio: Silent Night
Wade: Adeste Fideles
Gloria a te, Cristo Ges

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias, the release of which coincides with the first English-language biography of the singer. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful music.......2007-01-12

This is my second copy of this CD, I burned the first one out!!
Andrea Bocelli has a very gorgeous voice that is a gift from above. His voice is not affected or braggadoccio but naturally magnificent. I could and do start my day listening to this spiritually uplifting CD almost everyday. It is a wonderful way to get off to a pleasant peaceful start, but also a nice way to come home in the evening if you have a CD player in your car. I highly recommend it to all.

Andrea Bocelli-Sacred Arias.......2006-08-25

Excellent listening. Voice quality and tone is superb. Brings tears to my eyes when I envision listening to this in a church setting.

An "experience" of sacred arias more than "listening" of sacred arias.......2006-04-28

I bought this CD's special edition with DVD, and I am impressed by bocelli's singing in this album. I have heard many voices singing sacred songs, and christmas songs, but very few singers can achieve the "sacred atmosphere" that bocelli devotes when he sings. He may not have a "strong" voice as opera singers, but I think singing these sacred songs, devoting the "sacred atmosphere" to the audience is much more important, the voice actually is just a tool that helps a singer to achieve the result. For real, I have heard some CD by some chorus that perform sacred arias, but they did not move me as much as this CD does, mostly not even close. Personally I like "O come all ye faithful", "silent night", all "ave maria"'s, "domine deus", "cujus animam" the most. When I listen Bocelli's singing I focus on what he tries to devote in singing more than his voice color, because in terms of voice color he surely cant be compared with pavarotti or domingo, so why compares? The way of listening him and listening real opera singers is different man. But the reason I gave only this CD four stars is that I have heard several sacred arias from this album performed by his voice teacher, the legendary tenor Franco Corelli. I tried not to compare both...but I cant, not because Bocelli sings bad, he is already excellent, just Corelli is TOO excellent that cant be described by human language (well I think even Pavarotti is not even close to Franco Corelli, but this is just my opinion). Anyway if you want to "experience" the true beauty of sacred arias, this CD is highly recommended. And this is also a very good sacred aria album for beginning listeners who want to broaden their musical taste to sacred arias.

amazing talent.......2006-03-25

worth the price the songs are breathtaking and talent is indescribable

Perfect arias for the perfect voice.......2006-03-04

These are just terrific. How does Andrea acheive the range he does, and the power he has, without sounding too heavy or too light? His voice sounds like the perfect voice for these perfect arias.

I have noticed one concern with the CD. I have heard several clicks scattered here and there in the songs -- but the CD is clean and I feel confident it is not the machine. Has anyone else noticed this?

Average customer rating:

A Marvelous Performance of Adeste Fideles
Bocelli never disappoints!
Worst C.D Ever...But still a great artist
the Perry Como of operatic tenors
Absolutely lovely!

Viaggio Italiano / Andrea Bocelli

Manufacturer: Philips
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Binding: Audio CD

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Romanza
Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria
Cieli di Toscana
Sogno
Andrea Bocelli - Amore

ASIN: B0000041OA
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

Turandot: Nessun dorma
L' Arlesiana: Lamento di Federico
Macbeth: Ah, la paterna mano
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
Elisir d'amore: Una furtiva Iagrima
Panis Angelicus
Ava Maria
O Sole Mio
Core n'grato
Santa Lucia luntana
I' te vurria vasa
Tu, 'ca nun chiagne!
Marinarello
Piscatore 'e Pusilleco
Message Bocelli
Adeste Fideles (bonus track)

Amazon.com essential recording

Opera is in fashion, and the woods are full of pop vocalists who think they have the chops to sing arias. The best contender so far is Andrea Bocelli, who at least has a real voice, if a small one, and sometimes manages a really exciting tenor sound. Unfortunately, he is inconsistent in his tone and production, and, despite the fact that he's singing in his native language, he often sounds as though he has only the barest idea of what the words mean. The Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev, plays stodgily. Anyone with a real interest in tenor arias would be much better advised to check out recordings by the young Luciano Pavarotti. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews:

A Marvelous Performance of Adeste Fideles.......2006-11-13

Andrea Bocelli sings magnificently on this CD. Never have I heard Adeste Fidelis sung with such energy, joy, and understanding.

Bocelli never disappoints!.......2006-07-07

I hate to admit it but it has only been fairly recent that I "discovered" Andrea Bocelli, when he appeared on Oprah Winfrey(or was it Dr. Phil?), and American Idol. His voice mezmorized and touched me so much that I HAD to find out more. Over the last few weeks I have purchased apx. 6 of his CD's, and I can honestly say I love them all, including this one. Bocelli does not disappoint, and it doesnt seem to matter if he is singing in french, english, spanish or italian...as the purity, honesty and richness of his voice goes above and beyond various cultures and ethnicities. From a technical level, there are other well-knows (past and present) who are equal to or above Bocelli. However, what makes Andrea stand alone is a certain something that is hard to place your finger on, or put in to words, but all who appreciate him SEE and FEEL this. Some say he sings like an angel, or if God had a voice, it would sound like Bocelli. My own hypothesis is that Bocelli sings with his heart because his eyes cannot see the words. As such, along with his beautiful vocals pours forth his very spirit. It is this very essense that makes him so unique, and has caused so many people from all around the world to love him.

Worst C.D Ever...But still a great artist.......2006-06-22

Reviewed By D. J.P Vergaleto

I just had to write this review. I recently purchesed 3 Bocelli C.Ds and was rewarded with 1 Very good , 1 not bad, n this one that STINKS...IF THE REVIEWERS WERE HONEST I COULD HAVE SAVED SOME MONEY.... I buy a lot from Amazon, ITs a great site, and 99 percent of the time when i read reviews they are on the money and help me out a great deal....With that said

Let me say that this cd entices you with all the big name italian songs, BUT DONT LET IT FOOL YOU..It sounds like it was made in 1 day. Who ever mixed the album has Bocellis voice so loud it sounds like he is SCREAMING ( I THINK HE IS) AND the
orchestra sounds like it is made of 3 pieces as you can only faintly hear it. There is not 1 song on this C.D ID recommend.

But dont worry , if you like Bocelli and dont know what to buy
let me tell you that I Enjoyed (Cieli Di Toscana) The first song Melodramma Rivals Bocellis Con Te Partiro Which is on his ROMANZA C.D AND HIGHLY Recomended, Also Sogno is Another very good C.D. So save yourself money and stay away from this one.
Also his Verdi CD IS VERY well made, not as strong a voice as Caruso , but once you hear Bocelli you wont care. Great Great voice that is very Hypnotic and when you hear him you wont care if he is as good as Caruso because he is Different , totally different and there both great Tenors. Peace

the Perry Como of operatic tenors.......2006-03-25

I found this to be a wonderful cd. This was my first sustained exposure to Mr. Bocelli's art (I first heard his wonderful singing on the Charlotte Church cd "Time To Say Goodbye" -- also strongly recommended) and, on the whole, I enjoyed his singing very much. I also love Perry Como so the comparison above is not meant to be disparaging in any way, but merely to indicate that he's perhaps better in slower tempo pieces where the line of the melody naturally accentuates the richness of his voice. But if anyone doubts his chops, the first selection on this cd should put those doubts to rest -- his rendition of Puccini's "Nessun dorma" is both powerful and dramatic and stands up (dare I say it?) even to Pavarotti's.

Absolutely lovely!.......2006-02-25

Even though it was Andre Bocelli's Romanza CD that introduced me to his wonderful voice, I have to admit that I enjoy his opera offerings more than his popular works. I still enjoy Romanza and his other pop CD's, but it is his opera selections that seem to show the full beauty of his voice.

I am not an opera expert by any means, so I don't get hung up on whether or not someone is techically perfect or not. If I like it, that's good enough for me!

My teenage sons and I were in a pizza place the other day and above the noise, I heard a beautiful song- a male singer- and was shushing the boys, trying to determine who it was. With great patience, my 17 year old son said, "Mom, that's Andre Bocelli. Can't you tell?"

Enough said.

Average customer rating:

Andrea Bocelli - Sogno
Not bad!
pleasure to lilsten
Bocelli - Aria
Why...?

Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romanza
Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung
Cieli di Toscana
Andrea Bocelli: Verdi
Andrea Bocelli - Amore

ASIN: B0000069CO
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Tracks:

Rigoletto: Questa o quella
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Madama Butterfly: Addio, fiorito asil
Andrea Chenier: Come un bel di di maggio
I Puritani: A te, o cara
Der Rosenkavalier: Di rigori armato il seno
Fedora: Amor ti vieta
La Fanciulla del West: Ch'ella mi creda
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Adriana Lecouvreur: La dolcissima effigie
La Boheme: Musetta! - Testa adorata
Lucia di Lammermoor: Tombe degli avi miei - Fra poco a me ricovero
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
La Fille Du Regiment: Pour mon ame

Amazon.com

Andre Bocelli is no opera singer, but he shows far more potential in this album than does another pop-vocalist tenor-wannabe, Michael Bolton. For one thing, he can shake off the crooner mannerisms and really sing when performing music that calls for it. At his best, he has a rich, dark timbre and an easy, unforced top. At other times, however, the tone turns dry and thin and the high notes are constricted, the inconsistency suggesting a lack of technique. Never does one get the impression that he could be heard over a medium-sized orchestra without amplification. This isn't bad singing per se, but there is much better out there, readily available on disc. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Album Description

Exclusive Australian Gold pressing released to coincide with his first public appearance in Australia. He'll be performing at the opening ceremonies and then onto to tour the land down under. His back catalogue will be released & re-packaged in slipcases with his signature on them as well as all of them pressed on gold plated CD's. This pressing includes 17 tracks, all sung in his native Italian Tongue. 1998 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Andrea Bocelli - Sogno.......2007-06-27

I am 45 years old. The reason why this is something I am mentioning, is to let all of you reading my review know what age group I am in. It might be important to the age you are in knowing what I have to say. I have four Andrea Bocelli CD's and they are all wonderful. I love each of them. My mom turned me on to him, and, since I love Josh Groban, I decided to listen to Andrea Bocelli and see what all her fuss over him was about. I'm glad I did. I am half Italian and half Spanish. I don't know either language, but when I listen to both Andrea and Josh, I don't have to. They make the music tell a story, and instantly, you understand something about the words from just the sound of their voices. If you love Josh Groban, then Andrea Bocelli is someone you should give a listen to. His voice is soothing, powerful, and romantic. I am looking forward to getting more of his CD's. Great Stuff!!!

Not bad!.......2007-04-09

What I have heard about Andrea Bocelli is bimodal--some think that he is not up to the operatic repertoire and is way overrated; others see him as a fine singer, from a nontraditional background and career path. What I hear on this CD is fine singing, with some limitations. He was once a law school student; he played in piano bars. He took lessons from the great Franco Corelli. Some examples of his work illustrate his skills:

"Questa O quella" is a nice romp. His smooth voice moves through this aria nicely. His voice is not a big one. On the other hand, his musicianship seems fine (thank goodness none of the sobbing and catches that some tenors adopt).

In Puccini's "Che gelida manina" (from "La Boheme"), he again sings smoothly. He has a nice sound to his voice. The high note is a bit thin, but certainly not as bad as some critics would have it. A serviceable version, in short.

Then, the twin arias from "Tosca"--"Recondita armonia" and "E lucevan le stelle." Both are well sung. His version of "Recondita armonia" compares well with other versions. He certainly has no reason to hang his head. When he amps up the volume, his voice is not quite as rich as many other tenors, bit it is still fine. Top notes, as observed before, are a bit thin, but--again--hardly reason for lamentation. This is nicely sung. My notes for "E lucevan le stelle" simply say "Ibid." That is, one could write a very similar set of comments.

The last piece is from a different tradition--a selection from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," "Tome degli avi miei." Smoothly sung. A bit thin on higher notes. Overall, though, a nice job.

As I listen to his work, I think that Bocelli does a good job in the standard tenor repertoire. Is he a great tenor? No. Is he a good tenor? Yes.

pleasure to lilsten.......2007-01-19

This album is a pleasure. The selections are spirited and well executed. I was very satisfied with this purchse and would recommend it to any one who enjoys opera.

Bocelli - Aria.......2006-11-05

Introduced me to arias that were not known to me, and I find to be
quite beautiful. As usual, Bocelli does not fail.

Why...?.......2006-03-13

Why is there all this continuing controversy after so many years about whether or not Andrea Bocelli is - or is not - Operatically sound? All I know (and that's not saying much for me in this genre), is that after having listened to Amazon.com's sampling of the music on this Audio CD a few moments ago, I wept. Andrea Bocelli always makes me weep - because of his profound spiritual depth. And I don't care what anyone thinks on that issue. All I do know is this. The man sings from his soul...and nothing could surpass that - ever.

Average customer rating:

Not as good as Amore
a voice teacher and early music fan
Verdi
The triumph of mediocrity
no expert

Andrea Bocelli: Verdi
Zubin Mehta , Israel Philharmonic Orchestra , and Zubin Mehta
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria
Cieli di Toscana
Andrea
Romanza
Sogno

ASIN: B00004X16D
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

Il Trovatore: Di quella pira (Il Trovatore)
Il Trovatore: Ah si, ben mio (Il trovatore)
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile (Rigoletto)
Un Ballo in Maschera: Di'tu se fedele (Un ballo in maschera)
Un Ballo in Maschera: Ma se m'e forza perditi (Un ballo in maschera)
Rigoletto: Ella mi fu rapita (Rigoletto)
Rigoletto: Possente amor mi chiama (Rigoletto)
Aida: Celeste Aida (Aida)
La Traviata: De' miei bollenti spiriti (La traviata)
La Traviata: oh mio rimorso (La traviata)
I lombardi: La mia letizia infondere vorrei (I lombardi)
Ernani: Merce, diletti amici (Ernani)
Don Carlo: Io la vidi e il suo sorriso (Don Carlo)
Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido (Luisa Miller)
La forza del destino: La vita e inferno all'infelice (La forza del destino)

Amazon.com Classical Music Reviews

With this CD devoted solely to operatic arias--by none less than Giuseppe Verdi, the greatest Italian opera composer of all time--pop crossover phenomenon Andrea Bocelli throws his hat into the operatic ring with the big boys. The hat occasionally fits, and occasionally it doesn't. The beauty of the voice is undeniable, as is the relative ease in all registers. But, regardless of what the engineers do, it is clearly a small voice. For "Celeste Aïda"--Radames's great aria from Aïda--Bocelli opens with fine, as-big-as-possible exclamation and sounds confident; the long diminuendo on the aria's final high B-flat is stunning (whether or not the engineers were twiddling with the knobs, we'll never know). The tenor is more at home with Alfredo's Act Two music from La Traviata; he sings with grace and charm, ending the rarely performed cabaletta (a brief and showy piece that usually follows an aria) with one of the longest, most solid high Cs ever recorded. Elsewhere, there are mixed results: "Di' tu se fedele" from Un ballo in maschera is so free of feeling that it seems digitally produced. A big, unnecessary high D at the close of the Duke's cabaletta "Possente amor" from Rigoletto is screamed, and Bocelli sounds at times as if he's about to collapse from exhaustion during a heavy aria from Ernani. But "Ah si, ben mio" from Il Trovatore is beautiful, as is the Luisa Miller aria; Don Carlo also seems to fit Bocelli well. Needless to say, the singer's fans will certainly want to have this--and it might encourage them to try other recordings of music by Verdi. Newcomers and the curious will find plenty to admire, too. The sound itself remains alluring, and Bocelli has taken steps also towards improving his technique. In short, some nice surprises for the opera lover, and many for the Bocelli fan. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as Amore.......2007-03-24

This CD came perfectly, I just prefer the Amore CD better.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-14

It is said that from the age of eleven years, Guiseppe Verdi (1813-1901) wanted to write operas. He left his post as organist to study music in Milan, a move made possbile by his patron,Barezzi, whose daughter he eventually married in 1836. Shortly thereafter he composed his first opera 'Oberto" which was so successful that his future seemed secure. However, the death of his wife and two babies some time later forced him into a state of depression. The impressario Mirelli gave him the book 'Nabucco' (Nebuchadnezzar) to read, and he immediately began to write music for it. Therewith he embarked on the career which eventually made him the "Grand Old Man" of Italian opera. In modern slang, he was a "natural".From "Oberto", written in his twenties, to "Falstaff", completed when he was eighty, his characteristic integrity and intensity persisted; as he wrote his 30 operas, his powers of expression broadened and deepened. By the time he wrote 'Aida', commissioned by the Khedive of Egypt, Verdi was 56. 'Aida' is often named as his greatest opera. The live elephants used in the production, the authentic costumes and musical instruments copied from ancient Egyptian tombs made an attractive picture, and his music made a "Celeste Aida" of the whole.
Lets face it; Bocelli is no Pavoratti, and perhaps it was not wise to choose some of the arias associated with tenors of his ilk, but Bocelli makes the best of his talents, which are considerable. And he has done a lot to create interest among young voice students,(male) and as a voice teacher I make use of his appearance and his youthfulness to engage their interest, and he does that!!!!I think his record sales tell the tale.

Verdi.......2007-01-03

Excellent Verdi selections. As usual, top tonal quality with excellent breath control. The best tenor to come along with such diversification as to sing just about anything presented to him. A superb choice for the connoisseur of italian operas.

The triumph of mediocrity.......2006-02-04

No, Bocelli is not an awful singer, he is an awful OPERA singer, and it shows here. His colorless, uneducated and bland voice make me wonder why people like him so much. As a baritone in training I'm able to say that my voice teacher's STUDENTS sing much better than this guy.
His tessitura is nowere near adequate for singing any of the arias from Rigoletto, "La donna è mobile" sounds much like a kid would sing it. "Celeste Aida" is one of the worst selections, and one of the most electronically enhanced, as it requires a precise voice placement (which Bocelli doesn't posses) since much of it lies very high in the register, and a heavier, rounder voice; if the role is not adequate for many REAL tenors, it is much less adequate for a pop singer. The "feeling" raving reviewers talk about is nothing more than a voice coming (incorrectly) from the throat, and the "beautiful" high D in "Possente amor" is a beautifully screamed falsetto, the same could be said about "Di quella pira"'s C; what's amazing about all this is the fact that electronic enhancement doesn't make his voice sound better. Some have ludicrously compared him to the likes of Vargas, Domingo, and Corelli, even saying he's better; this is nothing more than ignorance and bad taste.
Maybe his fans are tired of detractors bringing out the big names in their defense, so let's be honest: he's one of the WORST opera interpreters out there, I wish great singers like Mariusz Kwiecen, Matthew Polenzani, and René Pape received the publicity he gets, though it won't happen; at least some consolation lies in the fact that these people are true artists willingly and GLADLY offering their art to the people in order to make a living; I'm sure if Andrea didn't make so much $$$$ with his opera experiment, he would've dropped this travesty long ago.

no expert.......2005-12-17

I'm not a genuine, dyed-in -the-wool opera fan. The sound of the soprano voice makes me grit my teeth. Some of the great tenors are very pleasing, but mostly I'm just not especially enthusiastic or impressed. Actually, I think it's rather stupid for good singers to abuse their voices by bellowing. This was necessary before the invention of amplification, but not any more.
So, obviously, I'm not in the position to compare Bocelli's arias to those of the tenors considered the greats. I can hear that his voice lacks the robustness of the Pavarottis of this world. BUT - I like many of the famous arias, and to my ear, Bocelli's performances, electronically enhanced or not, are melodic and pleasant to the ear. As a result of listening to Bocelli, I've become familiar with some great music that I would otherwise be likely to ignore.
So I listen and enjoy and really don't care about all the criticism.

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]

Average customer rating:

A spiritual experience

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]
Andrea Bocelli , Giulio Caccini , Cesar Franck , Charles Gounod , Franz Xaver Gruber , George Frideric Handel , Jean-Paul Lecot , Eric Levi , Steven Mercurio , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Louis Niedermeyer , Gioachino Rossini , Franz Schubert , Giuseppe Verdi , John Francis Wade , Richard Wagner , Myung-Whun Chung , and Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra Rome
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Andrea Bocelli - Amore
Romanza
Sentimento: Andrea Bocelli with Lorin Maazel and the London Symphony Orchestra [Limited Edition w/ Bonus Track]
Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria
Cieli di Toscana

ASIN: B0000CE9VO
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Sancta Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Panis Angelicus - Norbert Balatsch
Cujus Animam
Ingemisco
Ave Verum Corpus
Der Engel
Frondi Tenere... Ombra Mai Fu
Pieta, Signore - Norbert Balatsch
Domine Deus
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Norbert Balatsch
Silent Night
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) - Norbert Balatsch
Gloria A Te, Cristo Gesu (The Hymn Of The Great Jubilee)
Agnus Dei
I Believe

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. This new special edition includes two bonus tracks on a CD enhanced with a picture gallery as well as a full-length DVD of Bocelli in concert filmed at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. --Thomas May

Album Description

Special Edition includes enhanced CD with bonus tracks and concert DVD.

Customer Reviews:

A spiritual experience.......2003-11-27

The DVD is the full 77 minute concert with two featurettes previously released alone. The CD is the full 72 minute concert previously released alone, except that two bonus tracks have been added. The audio quality of each one is quite good. (If you have a Dolby Digital stereo, then you must go into the setup menu on the DVD to select Dolby Digital sound. The default music track is the stereo 2.0 sound.) The video quality of the DVD is astonishing.

Tracks:

Con Te Partiro
Piscatore 'E Pusilleco
Romanza
Mattinata
Santa Lucia Luntana
La Donna E Mobile
O Sole Mio
The Prayer
L' Te Vurria Vasa
En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor

Product Description

Tracks:

Sogno
Ideale
Mattinata
Amor Ti Vieta
La Donna E Mobile
Ave Maria
Con Te Partiro'/Time To Say Goodbye
Romanza
L'Abitudine
The Prayer

Product Description

Tracks:

Sogno D'Amore - Andrea Bocelli
For The Stars - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Va, Pensiero - Russell Watson
Memory - Sarah Brightman
Non Ti Scordar Di Me - Luciano Pavarotti
First Drop Off, First Kiss - A Beautiful Mind
Shenandoah - Sissel
September Song - Ute Lemper
Someone To Watch Over Me - Keith Jarrett
Gymnopedie No.1 - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Granada - Placido Domingo
Maria: Tonight Medley - The Three Tenors
Un Bel Di Vedremo - Renee Fleming
Cessa Di Piu Resistere - Juan Diego Florez
Wheels Of A Dream - Bryn Terfel
Rock Island, 1931 - Road To Perdition
Burn It Blue - Frida
Fuego - Bond
Main Title From Star Wars - John Williams

Customer Reviews:

Mostly a decent CD.......2003-10-30

I wonder how many people saw the ad for this CD on TV and ordered it right away without looking further into the contents. Brightman? Bocelli? Pavarotti? Florez? Watson? All Three Tenors? All on one CD? Sounded like a winner in the ad. They don't mention the Main Title from Star Wars. Nor do they mention (even Amazon doesn't show it!), that Anne Sofie Von Otter's performance is actually a duet with Elvis Costello, who simply does not have the chops or vocal gifts that most of the other artists on this CD are blessed with. In fact, that song is positively dreadful, and it's all because of Costello's vocally-strained style. What the hell is he doing on this CD? The rest of this CD is generally fine, but certainly do not expect a CD full of classical music, and be prepared to skip song #2 every time you play the CD.

A Hymn for the World / Bartoli, Bocelli, Chung

Average customer rating:

A Worthy Hymn
A Timeline of God-Inspired Masterworks
Great music for a beautiful event
It's music, not Hollywood
Sorry, this is not for me.

A Hymn for the World / Bartoli, Bocelli, Chung
Antonio Vivaldi , Johann Sebastian Bach , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Liszt , Giuseppe Verdi , Gioachino Rossini , Charles Gounod , Georges Bizet , Cesar Franck , Gabriel Faure , Olivier Messiaen , Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra Rome , Myung-Whun Chung , Cecilia Bartoli , Andrea Bocelli , and Saint Cecilia Academy Chorus
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Bartoli, Cecilia | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Hymn for the World 2 / Bartoli, Bocelli, Terfel, Chung
Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung
Verdi: Il Trovatore (Complete Opera)
Andrea Bocelli: Verdi
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci

ASIN: B0000041NW
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

Gloria RV 589: Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria RV 589: Domine Deus, Rex caelestis
Cantata BWV 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Messiah: 'Hallelujah' Chorus
Ave verum corpus K. 618
Exsultate, jubilate K. 165-158a: Alleluia
Ave verum corpus
Psalm 125: Qui seminant in lacrimis
Requiem: Sanctis
Stabat Mater: Amen
Marche Pontificale
Agnus Dei
Panis angelicus
Requiem Op. 48: In Paradisum
O sacrum convivium
Friedensgebet: Rite Of Reace

Customer Reviews:

A Worthy Hymn.......2005-09-29

I got this CD as a gift and I have to say, seeing "Andrea Bocelli" in my iTunes is a strange feeling, but this album does what it is supposed to do, and I really liked the whole thing. Commissioned for Pope John Paul II, who came to Paris in August 1997 to celebrate an open air mass as a part of the International Day of Youth, this is a collection of sacred music from Baroque to the modern era. The progression is roughly chronological, but the flow of moods and styles works great. The chorus of Santa Cecilia National Academy is totally on, the orchestra, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, enthusiastically joins in, and the two soloists are a strange pair, but they both put in a great performance.
The opening choral movement from Vivaldi's Gloria is fast- not as furiously fast as Rinaldo Alessandrini's take on Gloria, but really fast and energetic. Then Cecilia Bartoli comes in and serves up a killer Domine Deus from the same Gloria- beautiful, just beautiful! No tricks, just glorious singing and great oboe obligato to boot. Then you get nicely done Jesus bleibet meine Freude by Bach and some Mozart: moving Ave Verum, and ecstatic Alleluia from Exsultate, jubilate, sung by supercharged Cecilia. Another Ave Verum and Qui seminant by List and a well done Sanctus from Verdi's Requiem, plus Rossini and Vitali round up Phase One of this album, and set the stage for piece de résistance: Bizet's Agnus Dei, sung by - Andrea Bocelli.
I have no strong feelings about Bocelli, his attempts to sing opera or his crazed fandom which apparently felt this CD was a rip off because it didn't have enough of Divine Andrea singing and wasn't sexy enough- ??? - and all I can say is: he is very good in this piece, closely miked, straight up and quite moving. And, followed by Panis Angelicus, sung by Truly Divine Cecilia- she is too good! Beautiful singing, bordering on ravishing. I had no idea that she could sing a simple piece, without any aspirated heeheehoohoo coloratura, and sound so great.
Serene In Paradisum from Faure's Requiem, a piece by Messiaen and a Rite Of Peace prayer, read by Pope John Paul II, end the album.
The sound is not so great, and it is a live recording, so there are a few rough spots, but it's a very surprising delight, 100% sacred- JPII says so!- and well worth getting your hands on. And if you need more: there is a happy sequel, too, Hymn for the World II and Bryn Terfel joins the ranks of singers.

A Timeline of God-Inspired Masterworks.......2003-11-08

Yes, Andrea Bocelli and Cecilia Bartoli, the tenor and mezzo of the moment, are used sparingly on this CD. Their popularity is rather shamelessly used to promote this music, and their voices aren't much heard.

I don't care! I like the disc's concept: A timeline of spiritually inspired masterworks moving roughly from earliest to latest. "A Hymn to the World" opens appropriately enough with Vivaldi's jubilant ornate Glorias. It passes out of the Baroque period into the Classical for Bach's famous "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." Next comes the Romantic Period, represented by a pair of Liszt compositions. This is followed by the work of composers whose fame rests on opera but are capable of much more: a slice of Verdi's renowned "Requiem" (Mass for the dead) and Rossini's touching "Stabat Mater" (scene of Mary at Christ's cross).

The grandeur of a Gounod march and the tunefulness of Bizet's "Agnus Dei" come next, the latter featuring the warm buttery voice of Bocelli. And Bartoli wraps her famous mezzo around another liturgical piece, the plaintive "Panis Angelicus." Both are highlights, but the disc does not need famous voices to shine.

It closes by whisking us into the 20th century. The final portion of Faure's Requiem, called "In Paradisium," unfolds with all its warm layered lushness. This sampling lead me to the entire Faure Requiem, now one of my favorite works. I must say it's even better to build to "In Paradisium" than hear it in isolation, since it resolves the tension and brightens the darkness of the preceding sections. Its sweetness, I think, has to be earned! Faure himself called his composition a "lullaby of death." Finally, there is Messiaen's "O Sacrum Convivium" which depicts sacred experience as a nu-Gregorian gang vocal in clear simple plainsong. It concludes the journey far from the Baroque flourishes of where it began.

It's a journey worth taking, an excellent tour for the person new to classical and/or sacred music and a solid addition to the collection of the regular classical listener.

Great music for a beautiful event.......2001-11-15

Enjoy this beautiful music performed by wonderful
musicians at an extraordinary event. Per liner notes,
"the visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to
Paris in August 1997, to celebrate an open-air Mass
as part of the Worldwide Days of Youth." You can put
yourself there while listening to these selections
that celebrate life. A surprise benediction touched
me.

It's music, not Hollywood.......2000-10-27

Ok everyone... Get over it, Bocelli and Bartoli only sing 4 of 16 selections. Is it just me, or has everyone lost their mind when trying to review this album!? This is absolutely beautiful music written by brilliant composers and performed extremely well by very well-accomplished musicians. Those of you who feel robbed by the lack of feature soloists obviously haven't experienced the pure joy and ecstacy a good chorale piece can bring because you've automatically closed your minds to the no-names who perform in this album. They are all wonderful musicians, and as such they deserve an enormous amount of credit. Take it from me, these people don't practice a half hour a day. If anyone has experienced life in a conservatory or music school, you'd know these people are practicing upwards of 4-5 hours a day. It makes me sick that people can no longer appreciate the purity of music as it has always been and still is today. Obviously they don't perform with absolute perfection (no one ever has... even Horowitz), but Chung did a fabulous job getting an absolutely gorgeous sound out of the choir which isn't exactly an easy task! Overall, very good album. As a final note: if you must, throw away the CD case documentation to get the picture of Bocelli, Chung, and Bartoli out of your mind. Just sit back and enjoy the clarity of tone and fabulous musicality of the entire album. Allow yourselves to fall in love with the music. Without that passion, there is no way any performer would have made it in the world, and you wouldn't be able to listen to such beautiful music.

Sorry, this is not for me........2000-08-04

I don't even want to get THIS! Sexy Andrea Bocelli only has ONE song on the whole CD: Georges Bizet's "Agnus Dei."

Tracks:

Vespro della Beata Vergine: Domine ad adiuvandum
Mass In B Minor: Qui sedes at dexteram patris (soloist Cecilia Bartoli)
Vesperolemnes de confessore K 339: Laudate Dominum (Cecilia Bartoli)
Requiem: Lacrimosa
The Creation: Stimmt an die Saiten
Mass: Sanctus
Locus iste
Nabucco: Va' pensiero sull'ali dorate
The Well Tempered Clavier: Ave Maria - Bruckner
Requiem: Pie Jesu (Cecilia Bartoli)
Requiem: Libera me (Bryn Terfel)
Requiem: Sanctus
Gloria: Gloria in excelsis Deo
Song For Athene
I Believe (Andrea Bocelli)

Amazon.com

This is the second installment in a recording project originally inspired by Pope John Paul II's visit to Paris in 1997 to celebrate the Worldwide Days of Youth. A surprisingly effective anthology of mostly sacred liturgical music, the selections here occasionally give the impression of "bleeding chunks" (as in the majestic opener from one of Monteverdi's sublimest creations, the 1610 Vespers) but have been chosen with imagination. Chung coordinates his forces in larger choral pieces with power and vertical balance, making a standout of the Beethovenian mystery and drive apparent in the "Sanctus" from Schubert's Mass in E-flat. Contributions by Cecilia Bartoli find the mezzo in top form--listen to her finely spun line interweave with the oboe d'amore in a selection from Bach's B Minor Mass--and as evocative as bright stained glass in Fauré's "Pie Jesu." Bryn Terfel brings charismatic presence to his one selection here (also from the Fauré Requiem). Also included are the interminable "Song for Athene" by John Taverner and a sentimental but earnest performance by Andrea Bocelli in Eric Levi's hymn for the world, "I Believe." --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Just regular.......2004-11-18

I am giving only 2 stars to this CD because, though featuring really "famous" names such as Bartoli and Terfel, the overall sound is not as good as one expects it to be, maybe due to sound technicians, I could not say.
But what I think it's WORST about this album, is the Laudate Dominum (from Visperae de Confessore, by Mozart) performance by the Santa Cecilia Academy Choir. Being a choir alt singer myself and having sang the piece a few times, it pierces my ears to hear the altos out of tune IN THE FIRST LINE OF THE CHOIR SCORE!!!! How could the recording company put this in the market? Did nobody in the recording notice it? And the choir conductor? I would be ashamed of having a recording of my choir out of tune.

Uniformly good, except for one rather nasty exception.......2003-11-05

This collection (Also released as "Voices from Heaven", I believe) provides a nice retrospective of 400 years of sacred music. The choir is strong overall, and Bartoli and Bocelli (in his one song) prove admirable soloists, especially in the "Pie Jesu".

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Terfel, and for the "Libera Me" in general. What was the purpose of Faure carefully cutting most of the Dies Irae and hellfire passages if the singers attempt to put it all back in in an overdramatic rendition?

Knocked My Socks Off!.......2002-10-11

As a choral singer, I am familiar with most of these works, but this recording knocked my socks off when I heard excerpts from it on a local classical music radio station. Not only does this CD group together some of the best music anywhere, but the performances are fantastic. The choral group has a remarkable precision and clarity in their sound that is admirable. And wonderful soloists. In summary, you might have heard many of these pieces elsewhere, but the impact of having these great performances all on one CD is amazing.

Worth One Song.......2001-09-03

This CD is worth having JUST for "I Believe" sung by Andrea Bocelli. Enough said!

ATTENTION, FANS: NEW BOCELLI CD RELEASE IN OCTOBER.......2001-06-16

I'm not actually "reviewing" this album. Andrea's got a new CD debuting in October. Watch out for it. The end.

Music Review: