Customer Reviews

Different Light

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The latest release from the 21st century's Renaissance woman spells pure pleasure. Following Anne Dudley's label debut "Ancient and Modern," which showcased her classical bent, here is a palette of some of her most extraordinarily successful endeavors as selected by the composer.

Among the newly arranged eleven selections are Dudley's scores for "The Crying Game" and "American History X" (including "Two Brothers"). Plus an 11 minute revamping of her great Art of Noise dance club smash "Moments In Love." From the film "Tabloid" there is "The Club With No Name" and the title track.

Both mesmerizing listening, "American History X" and "Two Brothers" are offered in chamber music style for piano quintet, while "The Club With No Name" seques to a bluesy, moving jazz beat featuring a first-rate flugel solo by Derek Watkins.

Taking center stage on "A Different Light" is the string orchestra punctuated by a poignant violin solo. Carys Lane's soprano vocal on "Pie Jesu" (from an animated Russian film on the life of Jesus).

A graduate of London's Royal College of Music, Dudley won an Academy Award for her score for "The Full Monty," and as orchestra/conductor for Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance," she played a major rolel in turning this music into an astounding global success.

"Sometimes it's a good idea to sit back and reflect, and so this album is a kind of stock taking," the gifted Dudley said. "I've had a look at various pieces from different periods in my life and have tried to see them, as the title would indicate, in a different light."

The compact elegance of these pieces suggests their role as incidental music. So, she has taken some of her better-known work and scaled it down a little. The melodies and dynamics are intact, but there's a new intimacy in these tracks.

The beefed-up piano and violin make the "Crying Game" suite less mournful, and more charming. It sounds more like a PBS detective movie score in this version. "Pie Jesu" is gorgeous, and the musical structure allows the soprano vocal to hold our attention. "Turbulent Serenity" has appeal similar to the first track, though it doesn't rely on a repeated melodic line. "Moments in Love" is fantastic, and would be even more beautiful if no other instruments were added to the piano. The second half of this track shows the playful synth and percussion elements that arise in a few other spots, similar to Stewart Copeland's film/TV work.

Oddly, the two "American History X" pieces lose a shade of their original power in their less "epic" treatments on this album. Here, it doesn't sound like an underworld orchestra competing with a choir of angels as it did in the film.

"The Club With No Name" is an exotic, trip-hop blend of Mychael Danna and Angelo Badalamenti. "A Different Light" is, for me, the high point of the album - beautiful, melancholy and slow. The e-minor drama of this piece evokes images of someone standing in a vast farmland field at dawn, trying to cope with the tragedy of the night before. "A Kind of Clue" is jazzy fun, with great use of a muted trumpet. "An Inspector Calls" has a strong Sting flavor, "Blue Turtles"-era.

In all, this is a great showcase for Dudley's skill at weaving emotion into her scores, and for her sophistication. She had the benefit of extensive pop exposure as a member of The Art of Noise. "A Different Light" is a good marriage of classical and pop.

There's a leanness and intelligence to all of the pieces here. I find myself drawn into it everytime I put it on. Its a very hard album to pidgeon hole. Its a bit neoclassical, a bit minimalist, and even a touch electronic. But it also carries some real emotional content. Very fresh and non-derivative. Try it you won't be disappointed.

This was a pleasant surprise. I found this album quite by accident. Anne Dudley's music has almost always been compelling to me. On this recording she reworks pieces from her career - from Art of Noise to commercial work to film scores. It's a wonderful life and she has lived a full one.

The strings on this release are lovely. The solos beautiful, the new arrangments stirring. I highly recommend this record for those who are lovers of all types of music.

I first heard this album when I got a copy for review from the record company. (I was writing reviews for my publication.) I absolutely LOVED it. I played it so much, and took it everywhere, that eventually the disc got damaged and couldn't be played. It took a while before I found another copy for sale on Amazon (as it had been out of print for a few years), so I am thrilled to have it once again. This time I'll be safer with it. Anne is one of the great composers of our day, if under-noticed. Her works are haunting and memorable, with melodies that will stick in your head for days (or years, in my case). There are a couple of personal favorites on here, but I would simply say that the entire album is nothing short of brilliant. "Different Light" is actually a collection of compositions that Anne had done for various film and TV soundtracks over the years. Thus, it is a "best of" album. Which would explain why every track is excellent. Of course, mine is just one person's opinion, but I definitely recommend this disc to any classical music lovers / purists, and those who enjoy soundtrack music.

this is her best by far no question. you could listen to this 12 times and hear different tones each time.