Customer Reviews

My Heart

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was Sissel's second US release and by far her best English language album. It works as a showcase for her lovely voice. It spans classical, jazz and pop. The producers have charted a very safe course. There's something here to please everyone. Some lovely rarities include "Angel Rays" from the film "Evelyn," the soaring hymn "You Raise Me Up," Argentinian composer Astor Piazolla's "Oblivion" and my favorite here, the all too little heard "Deborah's Theme" from Sergio Leone's epic film "Once Upon A Time In America". This haunting, wordless hymn, will forever conjure up in my mind the image of a young Jennifer Connelly (Deborah) walking down the street, haloed in rising mist turned gold by the setting sun, as the little boy who loves her looks on longingly from afar, followed by the final scenes in the film, when as an old man, he realises what he lost when he turned her away.

Sissel's voice has changed noticeably over the past 20 years. It is now richer, with a darker timbre, much more full-bodied and with an immense power when needed. If you can, it is fascinating to compare what she sounded like on her first album with what she sounds like now. In her 1986 debut album, the voice is obviously young, with a crystalline purity and trememdous raw power. Twenty years on, the voice has matured beautifully with the power still evident but tamed by an exquisite refinement.

I do wish Amazon would bring in her earlier Norwegian/Danish albums. She has been issuing recordings since 1986. So far only her eponymous 1986 debut album, the showtune-influenced "Soria Moria" and the Christmas CD "Stilla Natt" are available. Personally I prefer listening to her in Scandinavian (She sings in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish). I think record companies are too cautious and very narrow minded when introducing audiences to new singers. We already have a surfeit of singers in English. It's wonderful to be able to hear singers in other languages. One of the advantages of P2P transfers on the internet, irrespective of their legality is the ability to access music you have never, and in another age, would have never had a chance to sample. I stumbled upon Sissel's music in much this way. It's sad that having sampled most of her lovely recordings as iffy-sounding MP3s, one is unable to purchase the original CDs because the music distributors see no market for them. For those who like her English album, you could try her latest international release, "Into Paradise" or better still, her latest Nordic album, "Nordisk Vinternatt" just released throughout Scandinavia this winter. It's a collection of traditional Scandinavian folk songs from Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. And yes, she sings in all those languages.

I first heard Sissel on a PBS special sometime during the 2003 Christmas season. I was surfing my local cable channels for a football game and was instantaneously mesmerized by a stunningly beautiful voice from an angelic and elegant woman that I have since come to know as Sissel. The remote never did take me to the familiar surroundings of that football game ....instead Sissel took me on a musical journey that I shall not forget. I was moved at the deepest level of my soul in a way that is totally impossible to describe. All I know is that I dared not lay hand on the remote and, after 2 hours of listening, found myself yearning for more of her velvet voice and enchanting smile.

Fast forward a couple of worn out Sissel CD's later to the day I purchased MY Heart. I tell ya, the thing was barely out of the wrapper when once again I succumbed to the beauty of her voice. The first time I listened to O Mio Bambino and Pie Jusu I flat out cried!!!. Although the mixture of pop, folk and opera on this CD may seem odd to some, Sissel succeeds in moving listeners in a truely eclectic way. This is what I think distinguishes Sissel from other artists and makes this CD so special. She is versatile beyond belief. When she sings a folk song she sounds like a great folk song singer. When she sings a pop song she sounds like a Pop star. Now I'm not an expert on opera but I can tell you this, when she sings an Operatic song she sound's as good as any of the many singers I heard during my younger years when my grandmother blasted Italian opera albums in my home...it was like dueling banjoes... old grandma cranking up Pavarotti in the living room while I was blasting Led Zeplin and The Rolling Stones in my bedroom! I guess you could say that Sissel has brought me around to seeing things my Grandmother's way...I can see her now smiling in her grave and saying, " You-a see? I-a told-a you so-a my thick-a headed grandson"!! Hey grandma, you were right!!!

Everything about this woman is beautiful!

I was recently introduced to Sissel when she performed a concert on the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast. As I heard her astounding voice, I thought, "Who IS this remarkable woman?"

Sissel has truly one of the most gifted voices in the world. There are few voices on earth that have the clarity and purity and smoothness of tone that she has. As I was shopping for my first Sissel album, I listened to her singing some of the classical standards from this album along side recordings by Sarah Brightman and Charlotte Church. All three voices are angelic (I've bought their albums, too), but I was captured by the sweet purity that Sissel had and the lack of overly-done vibrato that the other two had. Make no mistake. I'm a fan of them, too. But I literally couldn't stop listening to the incredible purity and clarity of Sissel's voice. It's almost like the clear beauty of a Church bell on a quiet Sunday morning after a quiet winter snow. It stands out in its beauty! I couldn't put her down, so to speak!

I suppose that with a voice like hers, it's no wonder that Bryn Terfel and Placido Domingo travel Europe with her to perform with her. Reviews have called Sissel, "THE female Josh Groban".

Sissel has more than just a flawlessly beautiful voice. She is also easily one of the most versatile vocalists in the world, effortlessly performing as beautifully in the pop realm as in the classical world. I particularly like the jazzy "Oblivion" track (#8) on this CD, although I find myself listening continuously also to Wait a While (track #1) and Deborah's Theme (Track #13).

Sissel is like a draught of pure ice-cold water direct from a crystal-clear mountain stream on a hot day. Her voice satisfies like no one else! And it only gets better every time you listen to it!

Sissel has the extraordinary vocal talent that can encompass both opera and adult contemporary pop. Her voice soars and captures every note with grace and beauty leaving the listerner with a haunting melody. Every note is left with a lyrical quality that is stunning. For fans of Sarah Brightman this a must have. There is simply something for every music affecianado on this cd.

I am hooked to the crystal clear voice that is Sissel and was an instant fan. I purchased this CD because of the classical jems Lascia Ch'io Pianga, Pie Jesu and other popular soprano songs. Tristezze brought tears to my eyes, I didn't know it was the Italian version of my favorite "No Other Love" which I haven't heard for a long long time. I also discovered a wonderful gentleman named Bryn Terfel on the Ave Maria duet - electrifying rendition, I couldn't contain myself on the beauty of this piece. The English pop songs that started and in between are easy and refreshing breaks from the very intense classical Italian pieces. This is a must have, every friend I introduce to this CD went out and bought it right away.

This album really shows off Sissel's voice - from opera to blues. I saw her on a PBS program and both my husband and I were astounded by her talent. We had never even heard of this Norwegian woman. We immediately pledged $120 to the station in return for the DVD of the program. We listen to the CD, My Heart all the time. It is even on my iTune program on the computer.

THIS IS PROBABLY HER BEST CD. SHE HAS AN EXCELLENT VOICE FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC AND I ENJOY HER CLASSICAL NUMBERS EVEN MORE.

We heard Sissel last night with Howard Shore and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra doing music from The Lord of the Rings movie soundtrack. WOW! Her voice is stunningly pure and beautiful- absolutely angelic in quality, and her ability to use that gift is of the very highest professional level. My family agreed she's quite lovely as well-she even signed autographs afterwards and was extremely pretty and personable. Catch a live performance of Sissel if you ever get the chance. I haven't heard her CDs yet but I'm ordering some ASAP!

You might find this album in the classical or the pop section of most music stores this week and quickly realize why. Sissel brings an album that fits both moods and with such a smooth and beautiful tone.

The album, the song choices, the background by the London Symphony Orchestra is amazing. A must buy for all music lovers.

Any CD or tape by Sissel I don't question, I just get it.
We have seen her in PBS concert recently, but have been
collecting her work since at least 1994 and never disappointed.
If you remember the last Winter Olypics held in Norway
(or France), you should remember that magical young woman with
the beautiful voice that was great even on TV.