Customer Reviews

Hayley Westenra

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is one of two Hayley Westenra albums that are still not commonly available in the US (The other is My Gift to You, equally good, and is primarily holiday music). Unlike Pure, which is heavily produced, this album represents a more pristine sound, one which lets the naturally beauty of her voice come through clearly. For those of you have not heard her before, Hayley has a very clear and flowing high range, with sensitivity and control well beyond the norm for her age.

For the most part this album contains classical (two 'Ave Marias' and Webber's 'Piu Jesu') and show music (Cats, Phantom, and Les Miserables). It is the latter which really demonstrate that her skill is far more than a technical one. Songs like 'Memory' or 'All I Ask of You' take a certain maturity of vision to present and sound like more than memorized music. Whether this is innate in Westenra or she is being well coached is moot, the result can be compelling. I cannot begin to imagine what Hayley's voice will be like if she continues to develop it at this pace.

It's hard for me to pick out a song that isn't a favorite. Westenra's taste in this album reflects my own romantic roots - 'Memory', 'Somewhere', 'Love Changes Everything', and so on. Perhaps her Pie Jesu, beautiful as it is, takes second place to Sarah Brightman's - purely due to vocal coloring rather than ability.

In fact that leads to my only quibble - just because a singer can sing the incredibly high notes doesn't mean that they should make a habit if it. When Westenra forces a note she hits it, but it becomes slightly edgy. Sometimes this works, and sometimes it doesn't. Compare the aforementioned 'Pie Jesu' with 'Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,' which is only slightly lower in range, and you will see what I mean. Both are excellent, but the latter is more flowing and natural.

That aside, Hayley Westenra has what may very well be one of the voices of this century, full, an astounding range, and an ear for what makes beautiful music. She seems at home with a remarkable range of music - to the point were one can only look forward to here further efforts with a sense of stunned delight.

Looking at the song selection on this album, which compelled me to get this following the stunning Pure, I can see how Christchurch, New Zealand's classical crossover prodigy, Hayley Westenra has gone the Sarah Brightman/Charlotte Church route, even being touted as being the new Church. Her soft lilting voice may not be as robust as Charlotte Church, but there's a smooth crystalline quality about it that's equally home doing church hymns, pop, and songs set to classical melodies. As for the arrangements, piano and a maximum of four violins feature greatly, with some emphasis on synths as opposed to an orchestra.

From the get-go, her sweet and soaring vocals and the violins make "Walking In The Air" and the Celtic-like "The Mists of Islay" dreamy experiences.

She is notable for doing two "Ave Maria"s. The first is the one adapted by Bach's First Prelude, which Church does on Voice Of An Angel. The other is the more familiar one by Schubert, which is a staple during Christmastime and which benefits from a nice violin arrangement and Hayley's angelic voice.

Five of the songs here are Andrew Lloyd Webber tunes that Sarah Brightman has covered on her ALW Collection CD. She hits a splendid higher register in the first pre-chorus verses and final chorus "Memory" from Cats. Her best rendition of an ALW song? With help from Shaun Dixon, she then does the song that pushed Cliff Richard and Sarah Brightman to the top of the UK charts in the 80's, "All I Ask Of You" from Phantom Of The Opera, and her high notes are superlative here without being strained. Dixon works well as a junior sort of Josh Groban. Also from Phantom is "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," set to some light drums that make it a trice quicker than Brightman's version. With her cover of "Pie Jesu," from ALW's Requiem, the number that pushed Charlotte Church to fame and which has been done by Brightman makes another voice singing for the orphans of the civil war in Belfast. And finally, from Aspects Of Love, is "Love Changes Everything," with a rat-tat-tating snare drum in the background.

The song that prompted me to get this was her cover of Mike Batt's "Bright Eyes," the song in the movie Watership Down that Art Garfunkel covered. The synth arrangements don't make it as tearful as the strings in Garfunkel's version, but her high vocals still do great justice to this song.

From Les Miserables, comes the forlorn "I Dreamed A Dream," the heart-rending number of despair when a life of troubles has killed those dreams. One of the standouts here. And she does a splendid "Somewhere" from West Side Story.

Two bonus tracks include her rendition of the patriotic hymn ballad "God Defend New Zealand," featuring piano and guitar, and some organ-like synths towards the end. She sings in both English and Maori here. The album ends with a live cover of "Amazing Grace," the studio version of which can be heard on Pure.

With Charlotte Church's conspicuous absence, I say a la Yoda, "No, there is another," meaning someone who could succeed Sarah Brightman in the realm of classical crossover. 4.5, rounded to 5, as her followup, Pure, tops this one, but her voice is pure all the same.

Hayley has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. And combined with beautiful music, this album is a winner. It's hard to believe that this is a debut album at points because Hayley's technique is wonderful. Most of the songs on here are taken from musical theater, and there are a few traditional songs, too. There is one live track, 'Amazing Grace'. I also like how Hayley sings a tribute to her home country, New Zealand, in 'God Defend New Zealand'. This is a great album for fans of musical theater and classical crossover. Hopefully this spring, with the release of her worldwide debut album, Pure, in the USA, Hayley will get the superstardom she deserves.

I Love Charlotte Church and Haley is such a great discovery for me I think her voice is a more elegant and pure sounding than
Charlotte's but I don't think she can hit the notes that Miss.Church can hit.I would call Haley's vocal capabilities as a cross between Charlotte,Enya & Sissel (closest
to Sissel & Enya).
I would highly recomend her her Cd's.A voice of another angel.

Following a limited edition CD that was only ever made for friends and family, this was Hayley's first commercially available recording, but even this was only ever released in New Zealand.

The recording sessions took place in 2001 when Hayley was still only 13 years old, yet her voice sounds so mature and rich and she displays such wonderful voice control. Overall, this recording allows the listener 47 minutes of absolute bliss.

1. Walking In The Air (Words and music by Howard Blake)
This was once a hit for Aled Jones and remained popular for years. Now, with an intriguingly mystical introduction and a gently cascading theme between verses, Hayley's gorgeous voice always sounds strong and vibrant.

2. Ave Maria (Bach)
With its omnipresent and highly recognisable tripping piano accompaniment, Hayley sings this beautifully. With perhaps a greater level of reverb than usual, it sounds as though she is singing in a huge cathedral.

3. Memory (from 'Cats')
This begins with an arrangement for piano and vocal only, which enables the listener to concentrate fully on Hayley's wondrous voice. A full instrumental backing then becomes rich and powerful before gradually subsiding to allow Hayley's vocal part to once again transcend all expectations.

4. All I Ask Of You (from 'Phantom of the Opera')
This is sung in duet with Shaun Dixon, a New Zealand tenor aged 23 (at the time of the recording). They alternate the lead and blend together perfectly when they sing together.

5. Somewhere (from 'West Side Story')
Although 'Somewhere' might be a slightly uninspiring title, the opening line, 'There's A Place For Us', generates instant recognition. It is, however, a particularly memorable song from the pen of Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It never sounded more lovely than when Hayley sings it. Her voice is so perfect that you want every note to be held for half an hour or more to enable you to wallow in its beauty.

6. The Mists Of Islay (Music by Wishart Campbell; Lyrics by Gavin Creed)
This sounds for all the world as though it is a traditional song but, in fact, it isn't. In places, the melody is reminiscent of 'The Skye Boat Song' and 'Scarborough Fair'. The island of Islay lies just below Jura off the west coast of Scotland - a place that evokes a feeling of peace and tranquility. So does the song and, particularly, Hayley's interpretation of it which is quite delightful.

7. Ave Maria (Schubert)
This is enchanting and begins so peacefully it makes one want to drift off to sleep. It sounds a very ambitious work for someone so young to attempt but, Mr Schubert need have no fears. Hayley did not let him down!

8. Bright Eyes (Words and music by Mike Batt)
Of course, we do not know how much time elapsed between the recording of the last track and this one or even that they were recorded in the same order as they appear on the end product but the change in style from classical to popular is magical and seamless, displaying Hayley's eclectic tastes and her great versatility.

This song, originally from the film 'Watership Down' was made popular by Art Garfunkel. It is so well known that any other version will inevitably be compared to it and familiarity usually tends to win. Not so here. Hayley's voice is utterly sensational. It was always a lovely song but, sung by Hayley, has become an eternal favourite. There is a delightful vocal fade-out at the end. Lesser singer's voices can sound frail when singing softly but Hayley's is still strong even as it fades gently away.

9. Pie Jesu (from 'Requiem')
We return to the classical genre. At least it sounds as though we do, but this was written in 1985 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Those piercing high notes send shivers down the spine. Hayley is surely capable of taking the lead in some future Lloyd Webber production. Are you reading this, Sir Andrew?!

10. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (from 'Phantom of the Opera')
Hayley reaches the low notes in this song easily. What an incredible range she has. The instrumental break from violin, cello, piano and cymbals is haunting and delightful but, at the same time seems to demand the return of the vocal. It comes. The final note is so high, so pure, so perfect.

11. I Dreamed A Dream (from 'Les Miserables')
A fabulous song which never sounded better than this. The central section contains some notes so low that I wouldn't have expected Hayley to reach them. But she does so easily and they sound so rich. The whole song is sung with such feeling and passion that I defy anyone to listen closely to Hayley's voice especially during the final few lines and not be deeply moved.

12. Love Changes Everything (from 'Aspects of Love')
This is probably my favourite Andrew Lloyd Webber song anyway. It once occurred to me that it would be wonderful to hear Hayley sing it. I did not know then that she had recorded it. Here, sometimes singing two tracks in harmony with herself, it sounds quite magnificent. Two Hayleys - heavenly. And that top note at the end, perfectly held and controlled for seven seconds. Awesome.

13. God Defend New Zealand (Music by John Joseph Woods; English lyrics by Thomas Bracken; Maori lyrics by Thomas Henry Smith)
This song and 'God Save The Queen' share equal status as the National Anthems of New Zealand but, in the absence of the Queen or a member of the Royal Family, only 'God Defend New Zealand' is used. The words were written in the 1870s and set to music a few years later when a competition was held for that purpose with a prize of ten guineas!

The first verse is arranged simply for vocal with piano accompaniment. The second verse is for vocal and acoustic guitar. Throughout these two verses Hayley's voice sounds quite majestic. Finally comes a synthesiser sounding for all the world like the majesty of a cathedral organ above which her voice sounds triumphant. Throughout, it is a joy to hear.

14. Amazing Grace (Traditional)
Unlike the rest of the album, this song was recorded during a live performance in Hamilton, New Zealand in February 2001. We hear the announcement, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Hayley Westenra'. The welcoming applause dies away as Hayley begins to sing the ever popular 'Amazing Grace'. It features the pipes and drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The arrangement would sound magnificent as an instrumental but is enhanced by a 13-year-old Hayley whose voice sounds mature beyond her years. Such feeling. Such control. Such emotion. Utterly perfect. As we hear in the closing announcement, it was "absolutely fantastic. Thank you very much, Hayley.'"And so say all of us.

Hayley, if anyone told you at the time that your CD was a success, you tell them they were wrong. It was absolutely magnificent.

I saw Hayley in Concert on PBS and was thrilled. When I got her PURE album I was overcome with her beautiful voice. I have 4 Charlotte church albums and consider her as an equal. I also have a Sarah Brightmon album. Sarah is great, Charlotte does have the voice of and angel and Hayley's voice is so pure-wonderful. River of dreams is probabley my most favorite, but I love them all. Wuthering heights is my least favorite. Hayley and Charlotte definitely sing beyound their years. God blessed them with beautiful voices and I thank them for sharing them with us.

This is my partner Judy's favorite album. The first track 'Walking in the air' is so crystal pure and haunting it sends shivers down your spine. All the eclectic mix of songs on this album highlight the joys of a magnificant voice uncomplicated by vocal trainers coaxing her into warbling vibrato, or would be producers smothering the sound in instrumentals. Wonderful, wonderful album. Enjoy.

I really loved this CD. Hayley has a very sweet, soft, clear, haunting, fresh, and natural voice.

I think that people should listen to Hayley as herself and not just compare her to Charlotte, or say she's the next "Voice of an Angel." Charlotte was the one and only "Voice of an Angel." I advise fellow Hayley fans to think up their own title for Hayley.

This is truly a great CD, with nice variety, including show tunes like "Memory" from 'Cats', "Somewhere" from 'West Side Story', and "All I Ask of You" from 'The Phantom of the Opera.'

Charlotte fans like myself will notice she sings four songs that Charlotte also sings. "Pie Jesu" seemed to me a rather dangerous song to try, but she handles it very well, hitting some incredibly high notes very easily.

Definitely one of the best songs here is "I Dreamed a Dream", from 'Les Miserables.' A very sad, but very beautiful song. "Ave Maria(Schubert)" was also lovely, but I think I have to single out "Bright Eyes" for my favorite.

This is an amazing CD, and Hayley has a wonderful voice. I hope she will keep singing for a long, long time.

I first saw and heard Hayley Westenra during an OPB broadcast of "Celtic Woman" in concert. Of the five woman who comprise the singers of Celtic Woman, I thought Hayley's voice was the most pure and angelic. This CD is a testament to her ability as a great singer. Her voice fairly sails through the stratosphere with the ease of a seasoned performer. Yet she possesses the innocence and beauty of youth. What you'll hear is stellar quality presented in a freshness of youth. This young woman will go far in the industry if she can keep herself apart from the ugly side of things. Good luck, Hayley. Keep it fresh.

I purchased this CD because of Hayley's voice - it is so "pure," as others have stated, and rich. So my review of this CD is that you can tell her voice and command of her voice are still developing - it is not as rich as it is now. In addition, I feel she is just singing the songs and not really feeling the words within the songs like her other CDs along her live performance. The songs are wonderful but my recommendation is her later CDs. I also highly recommend her live performance on DVD, especially since there are songs that you can not hear any where else. I hope this helps.