Born

Bond (Artist), Eos (violinist) (Composer), Magnus Fiennes (Composer), Tonci Huljic (Composer), Gil Nevo Yoad / Brown (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Camille Saint-Saens (Composer), Brian Gascoigne (Conductor), Julian Kershaw (Conductor), Gay-Yee Westerhoff (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Gay-Yee Westerhoff
• Conductor: Brian Gascoigne, Julian Kershaw
• Composer: Eos (violinist), Magnus Fiennes, Tonci Huljic, Gil Nevo Yoad / Brown, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, et al.
• Audio CD (March 13, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00004XQK3
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (135 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,170 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #95 in Music > Classical > Sacred & Religious > General

Track Listings

1. Quixote

2. Winter

3. Victory

4. Oceanic

5. Kismet

6. Korobushko

7. Alexander The Great

8. Duel

9. Bella Donna

10. The 1812

11. Dalalai

12. Hymn

13. Victory (Mike Batt Mix)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Born, the debut album by four conservatory-trained young women, has little to do with classical music. It's a gimmick, fusing a string quartet of frivolous femmes, spicy girls who all want to be "Posh," with dance beats, a big production mixing their violins, viola, and cello with polished electronics. Taking themselves less than seriously--they played the James Bond theme at their Royal Albert Hall debut--pop "Victory" looks assured. This single bounces along with a dash of Rossini's Barber of Seville and a real sense of pop melodrama, in spirit little different from what guitarist John Williams did with his rather less photogenic band Sky in the late 1970s. What may surprise is that tracks such as the frenetic world-dance "Quixote" are penned by the film composer Magnus Fiennes, brother of the more famous Ralph and Joseph. "Winter" adds Jean Michel Jarre-style synth and voice-over to the ghost of Vivaldi and the infectious beat goes on, and on, and on. Sex sells, and Bond's success seems assured. This is a state-of-the-art product, but with a bonus remix of "Victory" by Mike Batt of Wombles fame, just don't expect it to be art. --Gary S. Dalkin

Product Description

14 tracks on the CD includes the bonus track 'Viva' plus the bonus AVCD featuring 7 videos - 'Victory', 'Wintersun', 'Viva' (Asian tour edition), Bond profile, 'Viva' (Del Mix-audio only), 'Viva' (Del Underground-audio only) & 'Korobushka' (live from Royal Albert Hall-audio only). The video part of AVCD is playable on all systems (code 0). Housed in a slipcase. 2002. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply fun to listen tto, April 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Born (Audio CD)

I want to know why critics and reviewers are all worked up that Bond's "Born" cd isn't exactly classical. The Spice Girls on stringed instruments I don't think so. The girls in Bond actually had training and do actually have talent, unlike their sugary confectious counterparts who a) have no talent and b) no training in what they do which is singing. Sure the music isn't 100% classical but that is what makes this cd more interesting, the fact that it is more pop than classical. I love classical as much as the next person but sometimes it is just too dull at times. Bond really livens the whole classical genre by infusing it with pop and techno. I haven't stopped listening to this cd since I received it in the mail almost a month ago.

This is one classical/pop cd I crank my stereo to listen to at home. "Belladonna" is a sweeping 3 1/2 minute epic scored by EOS, the second violinist in the group. Very dramatic and very emotional I think. A perfect song for any soundtrack. It is probably my very, very favorite track on the cd. "Victory" is my other favorite track. The Mike Batt remix is awesome, there is a more techno edge to that track than to the original track. "Duel" and "Winter" are my other two favorite tracks. Oh heck every song on this album are my favorite songs. Very enjoyable album that does not deserve the snobby criticisms from classical music lovers. Perhaps Bond doesn't deserve to be lumped in a genre that attracts music snobs.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh take on classical music, August 13, 2001

By 

"zerogretchen" (Warner Robins, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Born (Audio CD)

...This album offers a new take on classical music, blending orchestral music with dance beats. Hearing the same song over and over again, being played virtually the exact same way, it gets kinda monotonous (quick, name the best recording of Beethoven's Fifth...or how about Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy?). So it seems like four talented classical musicians got bored with their jobs one day, and after hooking up with a production team, they were ready to shock the world. And Bond was born. This album is their concept, with new interpretations of classical music. At times, the strings are covered up by slighlty too much production, but that's okay. The songs are fun, but the first two sound a little bit too generic (as far as the production goes, i.e. bland techno beats), but after that, with Victory and Oceanic, this album kicks it into gear. Oceanic is a standout, sounding like a glorious soundtrack (strangely reminiscent of the introduction to Beauty and the Beast). Track #6 builds up through the first minute and a half, and the ladies' talents really shine on this song (with an orchestra to back them up), with their sense of rhythm ringing out as the song builds and builds...Alexander the Great sounds like it could have been used in The Princess Diaries (or some similar movie), especially since the mood seems like one of awakening, or a new beginning. The rest of the album follows suit, with some more fun and interesting songs, not to mention the most unique version of The 1812 Overture...Hymne sounds a little bit like Finlandia at first, but is very nice. The second version of Victory gives the original a run for it's money, with both songs being filled with tons of energy and power. I can't say enough about the chance that these ladies took to make this album, because their careers as classical musicians might never be the same, but it was a chance well taken, and the results are rewarding. Following in the footsteps of composers and performers that took a chance and presented a new style (gee golly gosh, weren't such greats as Lizt and Gershwin, not to mention the early jazz composers, considered "wild" and "daring?" Music isn't meant to be "pure." It should be explored and experimented upon...), the ladies of Bond have leaped into the musical fray, and compared with the musical talents of most of the other groups out today (yes, musical talent is a requirement to making music...), they stand on top.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pop goes the cello, May 13, 2002

By 

Ted Streuli (Oklahoma City, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Born (Audio CD)

You probably heard Victory or Winter while you were watching the Olympic figure skaters, so a couple of these tracks might seem just vaguely familiar. Of course that Olympic exposure didn't hurt sales of Bond's one and only CD. And unless there's a French judge involved in the scoring, this CD gets a 10.0.
I haven't been this excited about anything musical since Elton John was wearing pink glasses. One BBC reviewer wrote: "With Nigel Kennedy and Vanessa Mae, the classical music scene has been getting raunchier and raunchier in recent years. Now a four piece string quartet called Bond have sent temperatures rising still further."
Personally, I've hemmed and hawed over classical music for at least three decades. Sure "Bolero" can get my battery charged and I'm not above putting a sonata on the stereo while trying to seduce a date. But I bought this CD on purpose. I wanted to listen to it in the car, at home, at the office. It's electrically charged, pun fully intended. It's exciting. It's intriguing. And I may be about to prove that you can sing along to an instrumental piece after all.
The problem seems to be that the four classically trained women who make up this quartet - playing first and second violin, cello and viola - are too good looking. Really. Go find their photos. I'm NOT going to compare them to a 007 conquest. I mean it. But it's going to take great restraint.
So they're beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous. All four of them. I didn't know that when I heard them, but, ironically, it seems to be a handicap. Consider the words quoted by the BBC of UK opera star Sir Thomas Allen: "The recording business is in decline, so it produces all these gimmicks, the wet T-shirts and pubescence."
Well, Sir Thomas was undoubtedly pleased that Bond was banned from the UK's classical charts because their music sounded too pop. Allen claims groups like Bond are responsible for "dumbing down" classical music. Funny, you'd think a classical aficianado might think the word renaissance had some positive overtones.
They've sold more than a million copies of their debut album "Born." And nobody's plunking down $[money] to stare at the cover. The music is wonderful. It's not sure if it's pop or classical, but frankly, who cares?
I ran out to the music store specifically for this CD and didn't know which section to look in (try pop). I couldn't even remember the group's name. I've certainly never done that for the London Philharmonic. Is it dumbed-down classical? Neo-classical? Classically influenced pop? I'm not sure. But I like it. A lot. Even if they are pretty.