Customer Reviews

Private Collection

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Private Collection" is an apt title, since I find most of the music of Jon and Vangelis to be a private pleasure, shared with few other people in my life. When I've tried to "connect" friends and family to the sound, I often hear "Oh, that's very pretty"--I've long since figured out that you either "get" Jon and Vangelis or you don't, there's no middle ground. From the opening track, "Italian Song," it is clear this is a very quiet, gentle work, with Jon Anderson's voice beautifully complementing Vangelis' rich aural landscapes. It is only gradually that the power and intensity of the CD becomes apparent. "And When the Night Comes," the second track, evokes the sweeter, softer portions of "The Friends of Mr. Cairo," especially in the borrowed lyric: "So just remember this, / A kiss is just a kiss, / A smile is just a smile." Anderson's lyrics often suggest a love of cinematic fantasy, as we had already sensed in "The Friends . . ." album. Lest the second track become overly maudlin, it ends with a sexy, sultry saxophone sound (reminiscent of the saxophone in the "Blade Runner" soundtrack). The third track, "Deborah," is classic, beautiful, emotional Jon and Vangelis. It doesn't really matter that I happen to think it is the best track Jon and Vangelis have ever created: the song is like the very essence of wistfulness and longing. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest love songs I've ever heard, and gives me goosebumps every time I hear it (particularly the keyboard work which closes the piece). Amazing! The fourth track, "Polonaise," starts off very gently and understated, and slowly builds to a crashing, multi-layered, percussive crescendo, before tapering off to a quiet, very personal coda. There are religious references aplenty in the song, and all over the CD, but the song is really about finding peace and harmony. The fifth track is the long, syncopated "He is Sailing," another song packed with arcane religious references. It has a lovely fluidity to it, like Vangelis' earlier "To an Unknown Man" or even the "Titles" track from "Chariots of Fire." More than in the other pieces, in "He is Sailing" Anderson's voice is merely one element of the soundscape, not really at the foreground of it.

The sixth track, which is really like the second half of the CD, is the 22-minute "Horizon," which is darker and more foreboding than the previous five tracks. It opens with a rhythm similar to the intriguing titles for "The Bounty." The message of this long, meandering piece can be summed up in the repeated refrain "Peace will come / Come true Horizon." The pseudo-religious elements are reflected in the overlapping choral layers, stabs of organ-like keyboard, and pealing bells in the song. Midway through the track, the insistent background layers fall away, the tempo slows and becomes more ethereal. Perhaps this is the musical equivalent of reaching the horizon described. There is a gorgeous keyboard solo as in Vangelis' earlier "Heaven and Hell," which included one of his first collaborations with Jon Anderson. The slower, more spare arrangement perfectly suits the mood of this very "private" CD, as Jon Anderson's vocal returns. At this point, the lyrics express it best: "Sweet music, and your secret heart, / Both have the healing grace." The songs pivots on this lyric, and suddenly grows darker and more brooding, and almost seems to stop. Anderson's vocals return, full of hope and desire. In the final two minutes of the track, all of the disparate elements come together in the urgent, heartfelt sentiment: "All in all I just can't help but believe there is a way / For us to give. A way for us to live." This CD is a remarkable musical achievement, and that it wasn't a commercial success like "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" surprises me.

Whenever these two musicians get together, magic happens. Jon Anderson's wonderful voice and lyrics were made to go with Vangelis' incredible music. From the first notes of Italian Song to the last of Horizon this album shines with a positive and uplifting brilliance. Jon Anderson is so flexible that he can move from the large band sound of Yes to a more intimate and personal sound as on Private Collection with no problem. Horizon is an incredible epic that really makes you feel that perhaps there is a spark of hope in this world where "no reason seems to exist." If you love Jon Anderson, you will adore this album. He and Vangelis work very well together. I also strongly suggest you try their other three albums, Page of Life, The Friends of Mr. Cairo, and Short Stories.

That's right, ALBUM! I bought this as an album in 1983. After wearing out three vinyl copies, it was my very first CD purchase. Jon Anderson's angelic, atmosperhic vocals are some of the best he has ever recorded. Vangelis layers the large number of keyboards with such subtle texture. This is by far the best work that this collaboration has produced. Best Song - He is Sailing contains beautiful imagery and promise of a messiah figure. Close your eyes and escape . . .

Everyone knows of Jon Anderson from YES and of Vangelis from Chariots of Fire and Bladerunner. The several Cd's that this duo has produced are pure magic. However, Private Collection is the Mt. Everest of their collaboration. From the short etudes of the first side (vinyl-ly speaking), it has all been moving toward the ultimate magnum opus - Horizon. Bringing together the best of the epic stylizations of YES at its best and the incredibly rich textures of Vangelis' keyboards, Horizan stands as a beacon of hope and love for a world that can rise above itself and become all it can be. I defy anyone to listen to the central instumental section and the finale and not have a lump in their throat. This should be a integral part of any person who is looking for a glimmer of hope in this modern day world.

This is quite simply one of the 10 best Cd's isuued during the 80's. As usual, Anderson's voice is as much of a musical instrument as the rich textures of Vangelis' synth's. This is one to turn off the lights, close your eyes and immerse yourself in melodic experience. I find this to be the best of the Anderson/Vangelis colaberations

This is the best collaboration between Jon Anderson of "Yes" and Vangelis. The songs are beautiful with a wonderful blend of the music and vocals. The last track is especially good.

Another beautiful album to add to your collection of music, providing you like mellow gentle moods. Neither the texture of this music nor the sound of its recording and production are spectacular, but there is a definite unique gentle mood Private Collection contains. Our focus here is on the poetic words of Jon Anderson, not nearly as obscured as his Close To The Edge of comprehension, but more refined and poetic than a lot of his later, accessible thoughts of Yes. Some of the most spectacular expressions of Jon Anderson I find here on this album in And When The Night Comes. Horizon and Polonaise contain some great lyrics as well. Private Collection is my favorite album born out of a surprising (us back then) collaboration of Jon Anderson (vocalist of Yes) and Vangelis (by then of the masters and most prolific creators of electronic music). Their first album Short Stories came to life in 1980, was followed by The Friends Of Mr. Cairo in 1981 and by Private Collection in 1983. I really feel that although they are all interesting the best music is on Private Collection. Please watch out, this music is very soft and mellow (even when compared against their other albums) and many of you will dispose it as something below the elevator music. Those who don't mind such moods will notice that now, over 25 years later this music is as powerful as it was back then. This is truly one of these albums which fly above time that affects a lot of other music. That is because the style of these songs is hard to classify and was not carried by many. I guess they could be called electro-acoustic ballads. If you play this album on repeat for a few hours you may end up in sort of a trance which would be hard for you to believe when you first listen to these songs. Nevertheless this music does posses some strange power of putting you in front of the voice and meanings of Jon Anderson if you surround yourself with it and only with it for a while. That is the best way to listen to this album and to get to really know it at first. My favorite ones are Horizon, 23 minute long ballad which musically involves us the most and And When The Night Comes which contains one of the most powerful, accurate and wise lyrics I know. Both these songs are totally worth the price of this album. They are spectacular and very different from one another.

My Profile: 42 yo (2006) sales engineer.

Please refer to Mr. Kamisnky's beautiful and accurate review of this wonderful album.

As and admirer of Vangelis extense and diverse work, I followed with curiosity his partnering with Yes vocalist Jon Anderson and was not at all impressed with their previous work until Private Collection. In here we are faced with heavenly music (on the vinyl record it was side A) which reveals inspired lyrisms and romance (Deborahs song), yet the true masterpice lies in Horizons (Side B), here we have a monumental masterpice where Vangelis shows us what he is able of and takes us through various stages (..like a shakesperian play..)taking us to heights we only envisioned in Bladerunner... in conclusion, for all of you who were not convinced with Jon & Vangelis this is the work you need to hear

The first time I bough this record was a LP, it got so used that I bough it again as LP, and I was constantly looking forward to the day it came as CD, I bough it again now as CD and I can no get tired of the voyage every time I listen it. Every friend I introduced to this recording got hooked instantly.

I bought this album becuase the Deborah song. The song its very artistic. The other song such us Horizon is take 22 minutes and good for you while you working your homework. Its stimulate you do you work.