Showing posts with label Hayley Westenra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hayley Westenra. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Album review: Mike Oldfield's Music of the Spheres (2008)

Mike-Oldfield-Music-of-The-Spheres‘Music of the Spheres’ is a classical album by the British composer Mike Oldfield. It has been over twenty five years since his first album the infamous ‘Tubular Bells’. This album is simply beautiful. From the very first track, it will take you on the spiritual journey beyond our known universe, discover your deepest inner emotions and by heavenly joy, move you to tears. It is rejuvenating and liberating for the soul.

Recorded with full orchestration in Abbey Road Studios with Mike Oldfield on the guitar, ‘Music of the Spheres’ also features the talents of angelic soprano Hayley Westenra and piano virtuoso Lang Lang. The dynamic range of the record is very good, the orchestration translate very well in this record. Producing great imaging and staging in your living room. Audiophiles must have album.

The limited edition features a second CD of live recording of the ‘Music of the Spheres’ concert at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. This recording is great too but the studios recording is rather exceptional already that this second CD does not offer anything different. A DVD record of the concert would have been better choice for limited edition. However, this does not tarnish the great album that is highly recommended to everyone.


Music of the Spheres (Limited Edition)
by Mike Oldfield
4 out of 5 star
Released:November 24, 2008
Genre:Classical
Label:Decca
Length:45:30

Track listing
#TitleLength
01."Harbinger" 4:08
02."Animus" 3:09
03."Silhouette"3:19
04."Shabda"4:00
05."The Tempest"5:48
06."Harbinger (reprise)"1:30
07."On My Heart" (featuring Hayley Westenra)2:27
08."Aurora" 3:42
09."Prophecy" 2:54
10."On My Heart (reprise)" (featuring Hayley Westenra)1:16
11."Harmonia Mundi" 3:46
12."The Other Side" 1:28
13."Empyrean" 1:37
14."Musica Universalis" 6:24

Monday, February 15, 2010

Album review: Hayley Westenra’s Self-Titled Album (2001)

Hayley Westenra self-titled albumHayley Westenra self-titled first studio album features rendition of classic songs like ‘Memory’, ‘Somewhere’, ‘Pie Jesu’ and ‘I Dreamed a Dream’.

The album opens with ‘Walking In The Air’ from the 1982 animated film The Snowman. Hayley’s angelic voice creates the sensation of floating in the air high above the clouds. Her take on this song is magical. Bach’s Ave Maria follows, serene for a moment of meditation and prayer.

The eight track features ‘Bright Eyes’ another animated film theme song, this time from 1978 Watership Down. Like ‘Walking In The Air’, the track is full of dramatisation and emotion that creates highly enjoyable listening experience.

The album concludes with two added bonus tracks New Zealand’s National Anthem and a live version of 'Amazing Grace'. This album has acceptable to good dynamic range.


Hayley Westenra
by Hayley Westenra
4 out of 5 star
Released:April 26, 2001
Genre:Classical
Label:Universal New Zealand
Length:47:16

Track listing
#TitleLength
01."Walking In The Air" 3:15
02."Ave Maria (Bach)" 2:27
03."Memory"4:02
04."All I Ask Of You"3:18
05."Somewhere"3:18
06."The Mists Of Islay"2:28
07."Ave Maria (Schubert)"3:21
08."Bright Eyes" 4:05
09."Pie Jesu" 2:41
10."Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again"3:08
11."I Dreamed A Dream" 3:44
12."Love Changes Everything" 3:31
13."God Defend New Zealand" 3:31
14."Amazing Grace (Live)" 4:18