17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Towering Musical Achievement, October 28, 2003
This review is from: Catrin Finch: Crossing the Stone (Audio CD)
While biographies disguised as reviews are tiresome, some background is in order, in this case. At the age of 23, Catrin Finch has been playing the harp for 18 years. She was appearing on British television and with major orchestras by the time she was 10, and was appointed the Royal Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales (a.k.a. Prince Charles) at the age of 20. Bottom line: This lady has more than enough credentials to be regarded as a major musical talent.
But does having a long list of credentials translate to making a great album? In this case, you bet it does. On "Crossing The Stone," Catrin Finch combines piles of technical expertise with surprising and even stunning musical choices. Sure, she covers classical music (such as Bach's 'Prelude from Partita #3' and Handel's 'The Arrival of The Queen of Sheba') brilliantly, but you'd expect that from an alumnus of The Royal College of Music. But would you expect to hear a piece by jazz pianist Dave Grusin done on the harp? How about music by guitarist Pat Metheny, or a Chick Corea composition?
Catrin Finch is an incredible talent, and she has created a beautiful, eclectic album that demands (and will receive) repeated listening. Unfortunately, it's also an album that you probably won't find in your local music store. This album has not received a lot of publicity, and I have yet to walk into a CD store and find it sitting on the shelf. Save yourself a lot of tedious shopping: buy it here and now.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Harp Album, August 25, 2003
This review is from: Catrin Finch: Crossing the Stone (Audio CD)
I first heard Catrin Finch on a free sample CD I received and when I listened to it, I couldn't believe that the instrument that she was playing was the harp! It was so vibrant and full of life. It felt like I had opened the windows and let the sun shine in. The harp is the world's oldest - and most difficult instrument, but in Ms. Finch's power it is sounds both contemporary effortlessly played. It is a wonderful buy for any appreciate of music, and the most electric harp album ever produced.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Catrin Finch and Palladio, April 2, 2009
I first heard Palladio by Karl Jenkins on WCPE ([...]). The composition is a breath of fresh air. Jenkins has spanned several genres with his work, and the result has been what I regard as a new style, unique to him, with hope of many more compositions to come. That led me to look for Palladio on YouTube. I found this video: [...] I often watch this video several times a day. Not only does she play well, but she smiles; she's really having fun! Based on the ELECTRIFYING performance in this video, I have ordered this CD. If her other performances are anything like this one, then she is a real gem, and she will be my favorite performer for a long time to come.
Crossing the Stone
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