Customer Reviews

At Her Very Best

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I initially bought this CD primarily to hear Nana Mouskouri's version of the classical "Ave Maria." Although my favorite version remains the one sung by Mario Lanza, I found Mouskouri's version quite pleasant and entirely listenable. Other excellent classical selections include Habanera (Bizet), The Humming Chorus (Puccini), Song For Liberty (Verdi), and En Aranjuez Con Mi Amor (Rodrigo).

All of the selections, classical and pop, are thoroughly pleasant and very clear. Both Mouskouri's voice and the instrumental accompaniment are beautiful. One thing that stands out on this CD is her versatility. Whether it's something as traditional and classical as "Ave Maria" or something as hip as the sixties rock gospel song "Oh Happy Day," Nana Mouskouri knows how to make it hers. She sings "Oh Happy Day" with convincing energy and enthusiasm. As for "Quand on s'aime" her duet with the French jazz composer, Michel Legrand, it's an enthusiastically sung jazzy number that really swings and is wonderfully done. Her versions of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Trouble Water" and "Scarborough Fair Canticle" are also first rate. No weak selections here. Only beautiful songs that are very well done. Warmly recommended.

This is one of the most beautiful recordings I have ever owned.
Nana and Julie Andrews have the clearest tones in their voices of
any I've ever listened to. Do yourself a favor and add this album to your music library.

Nana Mouskouri has been my favorite female vocalist since I first heard her singing in French during the summer of 1968, while I was in Quebec, re-tooling for a part-time position as a teacher of the French language. The part-time job eventually became a full-time job that ended only with my retirement a year ago. During the intervening years, I have heard Nana in concert on every possible occasion here in Detroit, in Paris, and at venues in between. I think that I have a copy of everything that Nana has ever recorded in French. Until I encountered this new CD, I had thought that I had also heard everything that she had ever recorded in English -- but I was wrong about the English. For example, I had never heard her wonderful version of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," which is listed (probably incorrectly) as dating from 1962. Nor had I heard the "Fields of Love" version of the Offenbach barcarolle or "The Humming Chorus" from "Madama Butterfly." The other 18 cuts are familiar -- and most welcome as a single-CD addition to my vast collection. The title of this album obviously sets an impossibly high standard. If I were naming it, I would call it something like "Nana Mouskouri: A Spectrum." The collection contains such signature songs as "Plaisir d'Amour" (far superior, in my opinion, to a rendition by Beverly Sills); the chorus of the slaves from "Nabucco," which Nana has made into her own sincere ode to liberty in each of her many languages; "The White Rose of Athens: and "Never on Sunday." What I call the "spectrum" ranges not only through the years but through a range of styles: her magnificent rubato in "Try to Remember"; her rare and excellent venture into French opera in the "Habanera" from "Carmen"; her mesmerizing vocalise on "Recuerdos de la Alhambra;" a duet with Michel Legrand on his "Quand on s'aime" that is amusingly reminiscent of the sort of scat that Ella Fitzgerald might have done with Yves Montand; an "Oh, Happy Day!" that would be quite acceptable in the "black" churches of Detroit; and an "Amazing Grace" that would be more than acceptable to any Christian listener. (The only selections that disappoint me are "Fields of Love" and "The Humming Chorus." My disappointment may come more from my musical tastes than from the performances -- recent ones that at least demonstrate the wisdom of supporting an aging voice with a stronger backup than that still fantastic voice needed in its peak years.) To summarize a long critique, let me simply say that this is a recording that I would recommend to Nana fans and that I would gladly give as a gift to any of my friends who might still -- incredibly -- not have heard her great voice.

When Amazon notified me that a new Nana Mouskouri cd was being released I was all set to order it immediately. But then I looked at the song list and saw that I already have eight of the cuts on the new cd on old ones. There are so many songs I'd love to hear Nana do and hoped this cd would have some, I'm disappointed. That said, if you don't have any of her cds then you might get this one, she's terrific.

This album should delight all Nana Mouskouri Fans. It is an eclectic collection of Nana at her best. It ranges from pop to religious to opera with one delightful duet with Michel Legrand. She has the ability of switching from a popluar ballad to a foreign language opera without losing anything -doing equally as well in all categories of song.This album is a must for all of her fans and an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with her.

Truly at her very best as the album title reads.Many of the songs on this album she sang on her recent concert tour of the British Ilses.I was able to get to go to three of those concerts.Each one more magical than the other.Just like each of the songs on this album from a truly remarkable star.Keep singing Nana

I am in love with the music of Nana Mouskouri, no matter in what language she sings. The songs on this album demonstrate her versatility and are all very enjoyable. Nana will grow on you if you are not all too familiar with her music. One of the songs "Oh Happy Day" mesmerized me and I had to play that cut repeatedly. This is a very generous collection and an excellent introduction to Nana's vast music catalog.

I've been a long-time Nana Mouskouri fan ever since I heard her recording of "Ximeroni" ("Daybreak") on a U.N. fund-raising album of the early 1960s.

Fortunately, I was stationed in Greece at the time and found it fairly easy to obtain her records, many of which I still have (including a credible version of that country/bluegrass favorite "Wildwood Flower").

Anyway, here are my comments on a few of the offerings on this album:

"The White Rose Of Athens" was originally a German-language hit for Nana in the mid 1960s. She sings fluently in a variety of languages such a German, French (she lives in France), English and, of course, Greek.

"Try To Remember" was a hit song from a very popular Broadway show, The Fantastics. In this recording, she is backed by a group called The Athenians, whose harmony is often nothing short of magic.

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is from a 1962 Fontana label New York album produced by none other than Quincy Jones. The album's English release was titled "Nana Mouskouri In New York."

"Ta Pedia Tou Pirea" (The Boys Of Pireaus) was the theme song from the movie NEVER ON SUNDAY. In the movie soundtrack, however, Melina Mercouri sang the vocal. This song, along with many of Nana's other records, was composed by Manos Hadjidakis. A somewhat Anglicized instrumental version of "Never On Sunday" was an American hit for Don Costa.

"Morning Has Broken" is, of course, the Cat Stevens song, done in Nana's inimitable style.

All in all, while this by no means a comprehensive collection of Nana Mouskouri material, if you are wondering who Nana is, this set is as good as any with which to start. She has been, for forty years or so, in the best-selling music circles of virtually every country except the United States. This is a shame, since she's such a wonderful artist.

(Added 20-Oct-2007)

My all-time favorite English-language Nana Mouskouri song is "Even Now" from the album ONLY LOVE (also available here on Amazon). On this recording, her voice never sounded better, the vocal and instrumental background are gorgeous (particularly the playing of the fretless bass guitar!), and the song is achingly beautiful. She hits those high notes with such clarity she ought to have a license to sing so well. (She probably does!)

If you're interested in how she sounded in her early years, two albums NANA MOUSKOURI SINGS HADJIDAKIS (two volumes both on Amazon). All the songs are Greek, some are her earliest professional appearances. You may not understand her lyrics, but her singing needs no language interpretations.

The voice is amazing. The talent is phenomenal. "Recuerdos de Alhambra" will give you chills, and therefore, the CD becomes worth every penny.

Nr.1 in every song.What a great Diva!