Customer Reviews

Lover: Love Poetry of Carl Sandburg

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Having never purchased a spoken word CD before, I was eager to hear what Michael Hoppe had up his sleeve this time! Listening to THE LOVER was like finding a hidden treasure. Tim Wheater's tender reading of Carl Sandburg's poetry is like poetry itself. Each verse takes the listener somewhere, some place in time and by the end, one can't help but smile. The romantic blend of poetry and music is subtle, soothing and engaging.

The haunting and sorrowful "Mag" has stayed with me since the first listen. The interludes, composed by Hoppe, are a special treat as well. In particular, "Jude's Theme" is a luscious, heartwarming close to yet another exceptional work by Hoppe. In addition, the packaging is lovely and the inclusion of each poem made the experience all the more satisfying.

I have long been a fan of Michael Hoppe and just discovered this excellent album. Michael has gone beyond his great talents in this album. His arrangements,combined with Tim Wheater's reading of Carl Sandburg ,are moving beyond belief. Although I've only known Tim Wheater as a flautist, I was completely stunned by his mellifluous voice reading these poems. It was soul-stirring to hear his words against the backdrop of Michael Hoppe's tender arrangements. After each 3 poetic tracks there is a haunting solo interlude of Hoppe's music, which is totally poignant and heart-moving!.This album can send you to undreamed of heights.. I think this is one of his finest albums. If you don't like the spoken word this album is not for you, but you just might be pleasantly surprised if you dare take a chance.

Combining music and read poetry, The Lover stands out at one of the most romantic albums of the year. Just in time for Valentine's Day, this heartfelt, evocative, melancholy, and haunting album stirs the emotions. A particular mood is conveyed with each piece, and the spoken poetry adds the dimension of your imagination to the piece. I could picture in my mind's eye, the scene the poet was invoking. The lovely and yearning music only heightens and completes the experience. All of Michael Hoppe's other music affects one the same way, but this is truly a unique offering from the heart and soul of an important composer.

January 24, 2001

The Lover

Delicate beauty of a perfect diamond. Both the scent and appreciation of a tiny English garden at daybreak. Simplicity of light and sound as one, creating that sunset above the ocean's calm.

Every nuance, pause, syllable and note emanating from "The Lover" is a symbiosis of shouts and whispers to create tranquility, ecstasy and passion.

Michael Hoppe's quietly enchanting compositions are at one, perfectly with Tim Wheater's depth of voice and breadth of expression. Each has truly enhanced the exquisite, yet simplistic brilliance of Carl Sandburg's words.

"The Lover" is indeed a gift to be listened to, pondered over, and shared. May it become a contemporary success with its poetic message, eloquent voice, and masterful musical composition.

Tim Wheater and Michael Hoppe have done it again....beauty...I give this cd to friends, and especially friends that are undergoing cancer treatment because it is so wonderful. Their music takes you somewhere else and I love it. I'm also not a fan of the violin but #4 with Lily Haydn's playing is beautiful.

I must warn you that "The Lover" is so utterly classy that you will feel you should dress up to listen to it! Originally released in time for Valentine's Day shopping, this mostly spoken-word CD is wonderful at any time of the year. Michael Hoppe has created loving backdrops of washes of music to enhance Tim Wheater's reading of the love poems of Carl Sandburg. I have been a longtime fan of Wheater's flute playing, but had no idea he has such an incredible voice - a rich, deep baritone full of strength and tenderness. This CD came into being because of Hoppe's earlier collaboration with cellist Martin Tillman, "The Poet". That album was Hoppe's music composed to go with photographic portraits his grandfather, E.O.Hoppe, had taken of various poets, including Carl Sandburg. Sandburg's granddaughter, Helga, discovered the album and shared it with Sandburg's biographer, Penelope Niven. None of the Sandburgs or the biographer had ever seen E.O. Hoppe's portrait, and Niven was compelled to learn more about the photographer. This quest brought the biographer and Michael Hoppe together to discuss the fusion of poetry and music. Hoppe then asked Wheater to read some of Sandburg's poems aloud so he could listen and begin to compose. The result is an incredibly beautiful package that includes a booklet with the poems written out. The poems themselves are short, and range from the love of an elderly mother for her son to a husband wishing he had never met his wife. The emotional span is wide but never melodramatic, and the background music is very quiet and unobtrusive. Hoppe also includes six "interludes" which are musical pieces without any words over them. Three of these pieces are from other Hoppe albums or compilations, and complement the poems beautifully. They also refresh the ear before going on to more spoken voice. Michael Hoppe is one of my favorite artists, and this album is one more reason why. The collaboration of three artists of such a high caliber is always breathtaking, and this is no exception! Highly recommended.