Customer Reviews

Echoes: The Einaudi Collection

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It is the first cold, rainy morning of the fall season, and I'm sitting here listening to one of the most beautiful piano albums I've heard in awhile. Italian composer/pianist Ludovico Einaudi is something of a sensation in Europe, especially in The UK, where his music is featured on Classic FM. The first fourteen tracks are from Einaudi's four previous releases; the last three are new and were recorded live in London earlier this year. The music is complex, but very accessible. It would make a wonderful backdrop for other activities, but deserves active listening to enjoy the beauty of the music as well as Einaudi's evocative playing.

All of the pieces are strong and individual, and several include other instruments besides the piano; one, "Calmo," is a harp solo. The collection opens with "The Waves (Le Onde)," a gorgeous solo inspired by Virginia Woolfe's book of the same title. With gently rolling chords, Einaudi captures the ocean at peace. The theme recurs several times, a little differently each time, just as the ocean is constantly changing and yet is always the same. I absolutely love this piece! "Out of the Night" is piano and strings, and is a bit darker and more brooding, born at the end of a period of frustration and writer's block. "The Dark Line" comes from the Woolfe book again, and describes the place on the horizon where clouds and the sun meet the sea. Rather melancholy and mysterious, it is also deeply passionate. "Eden Roc" is quite different - Celtic in flavor - with piano, guitar, and string quartet. It is livelier and more upbeat, with a pensive melody on strings and a dancelike rhythm on guitar - a very interesting piece! "Nefeli" is a real gem. Composed for an energetic little girl, the piece is flowing, slightly melancholic, and absolutely gorgeous. "Tonight" was inspired by the 16th century French folk songs Einaudi's mother played for him as a child. Romantic and hopeful, this is one of the more upbeat and dynamic tracks with a brilliant left hand accompaniment that sounds like a guitar being strummed - very beautiful! "Odd Days" is another big favorite. Describing "one of those days," the piano and string quartet blend wonderfully in a darkly passionate mood piece that would work well as a film theme (Einaudi has done a lot of work in films as well as other media). "Behind the Window" is one of the newer pieces, and describes the moment when you are looking out a window and something grabs your attention. Light in mood with lots of open spaces, it is a bit less structured than some of the other pieces.

It is fascinating how "Echoes" has a variety of moods and styles of music, and yet carries a pretty consistent mood of calm introspection. This has become one of my favorite albums, and I hope more of Ludovico Einaudi's work becomes available in the US. I give it my highest recommendation.

Every once in a while, a CD comes along that blows me away with its brilliance. This is one such CD.

"Echoes" is a 78 minute collection containing 14 of Einaudi's most beautiful compositions, selected from four previous albums. In addition, there are three bonus tracks recorded live in London during the Summer of 2003.

Some tracks are piano solos, others are orchestrated. What is consistent, however, is the melodic beauty which shines throughout this disc. It is a joy to listen to from start to finish.

The CD insert contains notes about the origin of the pieces.

This composer has recently become a big hit in England, topping the Classical charts, and performing a very successful tour. Find out why Einaudi is causing such a stir over here in the UK.

I can't recommend this CD highly enough. It is destined to become a classic.

Recently, I saw the movie, Giuseppe Piccioni's "Light of my Eyes (Luce dei miei occhi)" and just fell in love with the score, written by Einaudi. It's just a simple score, a theme played mostly on piano that runs through the movie. But it touched me, had such an emotional effect. So far I've been unsuccessful at getting a copy of it, if it even exists. "Echoes" was my attempt, my hope at capturing something similar...and though it doesn't attain the same emotional hold as that simple theme from the movie, it is still beautiful music...it too is able to stir emotions.

And that's what comes across in the music...emotions. It will carry you away and take you places, memories that you want to relive. And that's a nice thing, a beautiful thing for music to do. And based on that, I reccomend it...

Ludovici Einaudi is one of the most gifted composers active today. This collection contains many pieces of quiet beauty. I am tempted to describe his music as a cross between George Winston and Philip Glass, although that is perhaps not fair to all three composers, as they each have unique musical talent. However, I think the comparison works: Einaudi's music does possess the elements of repetition that is Glass's hallmark, but it also has stronger melodies than does Glass's music, hence my comparison to Winston.

Most of the pieces on this collection are solo piano, although there are a couple with other accompanying instruments. My favorites are "Le Onde," "I giorni," and "Melodia Africana III." But there is not a disappointing track on the entire CD.

New age music often gets a bum rap of being "elevator music" or syrupy pap. Einaudi is proof that new age music can be intellectually complex and emotionally satisfying. I predict his work will stand the test of time, and I recommend this album to anybody who enjoys solo piano.

Echoes, The Einaudi Collection is a CD filled with beautiful classical piano music. It is so relaxing, and fills my home with beautiful music. I heard this music on my local classical music station, and had to buy it for my own collection. If you love classical, relaxing, and beautifully played piano music, this CD is for you!!

This is beautiful music. Very soothing and melodic. I had heard a selection of this CD on a classical music station (KDFC in the Bay Area) and was not disappointed in the other pieces. I can recommend this to music lovers of all kinds.

What a great buy! A friend from Italy first introduced me to Einaudi's music and I instantly fell in love. Perfect for contemplating and relaxing at home or for entertaining company. Great collection and among my very favorietes. I highly recommend it.

His music is beautiful, it's mellifluous and it leaves you breathless, I highly recommend it and play it regularly for my baby girl at night before she sleeps.

It's nice to hear classical music from a newly discovered (in the USA) artist. I can not pick a favorite track as they are all beautiful. The thread that connects all of them is a serenity that wraps itself around you as you listen to each piece.

Enjoy!

Recently, I saw the movie, Giuseppe Piccioni's "Light of my Eyes (Fuori dal Mondo)" and just fell in love with the score, written by Einaudi. It's just a simple score, a theme played mostly on piano that runs through the movie. But it touched me, had such an emotional effect. So far I've been unsuccessful at getting a copy of it, if it even exists. "Echoes" was my attempt, my hope at capturing something similar...and though it doesn't attain the same emotional hold as that simple theme from the movie, it is still beautiful music...it too is able to stir emotions.

And that's what comes across in the music...emotions. It will carry you away and take you places, memories that you want to relive. And that's a nice thing, a beautiful thing for music to do. And based on that, I reccomend it...

I originally bought this CD in 2004. I lost my copy when moving to the US and absolutely HAD to buy another. The next 2 paragraphs are taken from my review on Amazon.co.uk. It is still all perfectly true.

"I first heard Einaudi's music on ClassicFM and was immediately hooked. After listening to the radio almost non-stop for 3 days to find out who this amazing composer was I immediately set out to get hold of his music for myself, and so I got "Echoes". What can I say? It's simply one of the most sublime CD's I've ever listened to. Yes, I can see where some people think the music can be a bit too 'pretty' or 'fluffy' at times but that is really not a problem for me. My favourite track on the CD is Track 13 "Odd Days" which I tend to play over and over again.

The best thing for me though when I listen to this CD is that I can physically feel the weight being lifted from my shoulders, and it just takes me away from everything. "Echoes" is one of the best relaxers and de-stressers I have come across in a long while (music-wise at least). Even my husband who generally only likes music he can mosh to said that I could leave "Echoes" playing on the CD as it was "kind of nice"- high praise indeed."

We listen to this CD a lot. I mean A LOT over the last 6 years. Both me and my husband have this CD on pretty much nonstop in our bedroom. It helps us relax. It helps us get to sleep. It helps us just put the day behind us :-)