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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing album, January 13, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Classical Album 2: China Girl (Audio CD)
CHINA GIRL blew me away and made me a big fan of Vanessa-Mae. People who talk about her technical ability and/or her pop-star personal style are missing the point. It is her musical creativity that is so amazing, and this album demonstrates it better than either her pop albums or her other classical albums. This was the sixth or so album from an artist who was only 18 at the time, and two of the three works are her own compositions. It is neither a traditional classical recording nor real Chinese music. I disagree with those who say that Takako Nishizaki's recording of The Butterfly Lover's Concerto is better than Vanessa-Mae's. I find Vanessa-Mae's interpretation to be more emotional and giving a better sense of the tragic story that is the program for this music. Vanessa-Mae's Fantasy on Turandot does for Puccini's opera what Sarasate's famous Fantasy on Carmen did for Bizet's: capturing the essence of a long opera and giving us the best of the music in the form of a viruoso violin solo. This is a very moving piece of music. Happy Valley is one of those rare musical works which seems to come of the blue sky, without any obvious influences and completely unlike any other music before it. It has Chinese vocals, but it is definitely not traditional Chinese music. Military-like themes on a violin?!? Its upbeat, enthusiastic nature is a nice contrast to the other two, more solemn, works. The only thing wrong with this album is that it is only 45 minutes long, too short for a full priced album. But it is a really great and stunningly innovative album, which I think will be around for a long, long time. Buy it!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classically simple and intimate, June 18, 2004
This review is from: Classical Album 2: China Girl (Audio CD)
As you've read from the other reviews, there are only three compositions on this album. The quality, spiritedness, and passion in each of these pieces leaves the listener wanting more. I loved the initial novelty of Vanessa-Mae when she first came out; she provided a sultriness and edge to The Violin Player through her own compositions and renditions of traditional classics. Sometimes, that novelty can wear off... for example, with Bond. What I love about this album, and her previous Classical Album Part 1, is that Vanessa-Mae gets back to the basics and really shows us that she is indeed a classically trained artist at heart. She is able to take these traditional pieces and (to borrow a phrase from American Idol) truly make them her own. She is not just some manufactured phenomenon. The inlay of the CD is are essays from Vanessa-Mae that explain to the reader her intent for doing this album: to get in touch or pay hommage to her self-admittedly neglected Chinese roots. The sincerity in the writing is very refreshing and honest. I love all of the 3 pieces: Butterfly Lovers, Turandot, and Happy Valley. Each are different styles which VM pulls off extremely well. Both Butterfly Lovers and Turandot sing with emotion and intensity. Happy Valley builds an image of joy and excitedness that surrounded the HK-China Reunification. In each song, you are truly able to sense and feel VM's passion and emotion that just sings from her violin. I have heard a different version of Butterfly Lovers, and this one is definitely better. It has VM's unique touch to it. Truly a worthwhile purchase, and finest album from VM to date. I give it 4-stars because I wish she included more content!
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Listen to the harmony of the violin and Chinese exotic music, May 24, 2002
This review is from: Classical Album 2: China Girl (Audio CD)
This CD consists of three Chinese related works.Vanessa Mae, a young Chinese violinist did a great job on the CD. 1.Butterfly Lovers is based on Chinese folklore. This work has unique and exotic melody which recall China. Vanessa Mae plays delicately and sweetly and expresses the feeling of young couple of this story very well. 2.Violine fantasy on Puccini's Turandot is based of Puccini's Original Trandot and composed for violin. This work is well condensed of famous parts of Opera version. Vanessa Mae plays not only artistically, like other classical music, but also exotically,like chinese music. "Turandot as a violin music" is also interesting. 3.Happy Valley is the composition for re-unified hong Kong with China. This music is played by orchestra, violin and chorus. Compared with other two, this one places a emphasis on joyful aspects rather than artistic aspects. We can imagine the situation that not only musicians, but also listeners enjoy this music and celebrate the re-unification. As a whole, the works of this CD give a impressive for the Chinese unique and exotic melody. Vanessa Mae plays the merody, expressing Chineseness and artistic aspects. Needless to say, this is one of the best her works. You must listen to it.
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