Customer Reviews

Barcelona

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

All I can say is, WOW. This amazing album defies categorization. The only thing that can unarguably be said of it is that it is absolutely excellent music. My personal favorite on this album is "La Japonaise", which has a beautiful melody, complimented by some truly gorgeous harmony. "Ensueno" is, quite simply, perfect. "Guide Me Home" is a heartfelt appeal for the serenity of a peaceful end to a long, wearying journey, seguing into the lovely "How Can I Go On". The voices of Caballe and Mercury complement each other marvelously; no one would regret having this work of beauty in their collection. And for all of us who've always said Freddie should have been in opera, this glorious piece of music is a gift we've waited for all our lives.

I love opera. I've loved Montserrat for a while. She has always have a magnificent way of floating up to the very high notes--a way that never sounds screechy or straining--just a beautiful, gentle floating that gives me goose bumps. When I first heard this album, I thought "Freddie is no match for her." But as I listened to it more and more, I grew to love their sound together, especially on the unbelievably beautiful "Guide Me Home" and "How can I go on?" Both masterpieces of music. "Ensueno" is haunting and Freddie's baritone is a treat, "The Golden boy" is an amazing mix of music with its soulful choir sound in the middle, and "Barcelona" is an incredibly powerful piece of music. I love Queen's music, too, (I was listening to Bohemian Rhapsody before I was in kindergarden--when it came out, actually, so you know how old I am!) I'll not all that thrilled with Freddie's other solo work--with the exception of the Barcelona album. What an achievement for him! If you like opera or Freddie at all, you should have this. And if you like both, like me, you'll be in heaven.

Talk about rock opera! This is the only CD I know of where a rock star and an opera star recorded an entire album of duets. Oddly enough, it works. Of course, Freddie Mercury was always a bit operatic, with "Bohemian Rhapsody" being the most obvious example. In this instance, he really displays his love for opera, and although he doesn't have a classically trained voice, his vocals are really impressive here. Montserrat Caballe, on the other hand, does have a classically trained voice, and her vocals are even more impressive. Freddie and his song writing partner Mike Moran came up with some good songs for the duo to sing together. I think most Queen fans will enjoy this album, if they are open to hearing another side of Freddie. This is a lot different from a Queen album (no guitar solos here).

Barcelona is a soaring work of art. After many listenings, it is clearly the saga of a soul's journey through this life, with all of its irresistable pulls and temptations. But, ultimately, it is of a soul seeking salvation and union with God. -- The reality of Freddie creating and performing this, as he was facing his departure from this world, makes Barcelona almost unbearably beautiful. If I could take but one CD onto the proverbial desert island, it would be this one, without a doubt.

I have been searching for this disk for years ever since hearing a bootleg tape copy of it 6 years ago.

This is a must own disk for any fan of Queen! Wow!

I truly believe this disk is among the best work Freddie Mercury ever put out. I think this was Freddie's last recording. I have heard that he was supposed to perform it live at the opening ceremonies of the Barcelona Olympic Games in '92, but died a few months before. (Instead, I have heard it was performed there with Queen band members and Julio Iglesias filling in - as a tribute to Freddie.)

Despite his failing health during this recording, you would never know it to listen to it. Freddie's voice is as strong (and the songs are as well written) here on his last recording as on Queen's earliest disks from the 70's. Unbelievable.

Freddie literally put his all into this recording. When you hear this you will know fully what a tragic loss his early death was. He clearly would have gone on reshaping the world of popular music had his life not been cut short. This album demonstrates his genius was unwavering even at the end. Freddie's end was tragic, yet the music on this disk is not sad, but triumphant. It was after all Freddie's final gift to the world.

He left us as he had always lived his life - not with a whimper but a bang and a shout. This disk deserves wider recognition.

Rating: 6 STARS ****** and a standing ovation.

A truly inspirational album! Freddie Mercury demonstrates the wonderful possibilities in synthesizing classical and rock styles. I love the complex harmonies and the wide range of emotions ranging from the sublime to the powerful. He even sings in Japanese in La Japonaise!

Freddie, your music is immortal!

After nearly 19 years, the Barcelona album remains a hidden gem in the Queen/Freddie Mercury legend. While present-day music critics finally give Mercury and Queen the justice they so deserve, Mercury himself continues to be recalled mostly as the fantastic showman he was, with the musician taking a back seat. Barcelona gives us Mercury the musician. No lycra bodysuits, no half-mic stand, no day-ohhhhs. Just the voice, the words, the orchestration. And it stands up tall, big, dramatic, moving. And drastically different from the works of Queen.

Caballe of course is spectacular, though definitely not annoying or screechy as (in my experience) some opera can be. She functions as the perfect partner in crime for Mercury as they both held each other in awe and reverance, even after they became acquainted.

Every song is complex, layered and utterly brimming with emotion. Though Mercury went on to record two more albums with Queen (with Innuendo being one of the best of the entire Queen catalog), Barcelona stands in my mind as his crowning musical achievement.

Freddie Mercury shows his brilliance on this album. I love the title track, and "La Japonese" is quite astounding. Mercury's and Montsserat Caballe's voices sound wonderful together, they're a perfect duo: rock and opera.

Had he lived, and taken care of himself, Freddie may have been in demand for opera recitals, musicals, etc. Who knows? This is a great swan song for Mercury, and the Freddie fans and the Queen fans will love this. Vive Barcelona! Vive Mercury!!

The naysayers are wrong if they think that Freddie Mercury needed Roger and Brian to back him up. Anybody who even conciders this is not a fan of Freddie Mercury as they do not really know where he was at. This is Freddies Pet Sounds and the best album hands down of any of the Queen Members to go solo from the overrated Brian May to the underrated Roger Taylor. Freddie returned to some of his best songwriting and played more piano then before and made more complex music more organic and his voice was just as strong as ever. This is very much like Freddies work with Queen (nevermind guitar solos) with its vocal extravaganzas and classical influenced piano playing (played mainly by Mike Moran with Mercurys style in mind).

I didn't know jack about Queen and even less about Mercury or Caballe but this has turned into some of the most inspiring music I have ever heard. Something so gloriously triumphant - something makes my eyes tear up at hear such perfectly placed harmonies and tight arrangements in this alchemy of pop and classical music styles. Awe-inspiring. Buy it - or at least download it!