Sarajevo to Belfast

Vedran Smailovic, Tommy Sands

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 19, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Appleseed Records
• ASIN: B00001T3JG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,142 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide

"A wonderful tribute to those lost in civilian attacks and to hope for the future. Musically excellent, and culturally relevant."

Product Description

"Sarajevo to Belfast" brings together two incredible musicians from countries rent by deadly internal strife. Singer Tommy Sands grew up amidst the devastating "troubles" in Northern Ireland, and cellist Vedran Smailovic was a resident of Bosnia, which suffered direly from the fragmentation of the former Yugoslavia into separate warring territories.

The violence and pain these men witnessed and experienced has been transmuted into a compelling swirl of world, classical and folk music on this CD, which contains many songs serving as pleas for peace in these and other war-torn lands. Pete Seeger’s "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," with vocals by Sands, fellow Irish singer Delores Keane, and a chorus of Catholic and Protestant children, was played outside the peace negotiations between Northern Ireland and England for three years, and was also used as an anthem of peace in Northern Ireland when it was played by both sides after the 1998 "Real IRA" bombing in Omagh that killed 29 people. Serbia’s 1992 shelling of a breadline in Sarajevo, resulting in 22 civilian deaths, inspired Smailovic to bring his cello to the bombsite and perform "Albinoni’s Adagio" (heard here in a studio version) at 4 p.m., the time of the deadly attack, for the next 22 days. The image of the seated, formally attired "Cellist of Sarajevo," playing the mournful composition was seen worldwide, drawing the attention of the media and anti-war advocates such as Joan Baez, who later joined him in the street to demonstrate for peace.

Both Seeger and Baez appear on this CD. Pete joins Sands in singing their co-written "The Music of Healing," which has been called "a new anthem of healing for our times" by John Hume, leader of Northern Ireland's Social Democratic and Labour Party and co-recipient of the 1998 Noble Peace Prize for his reconciliation work. Joan and Sands share the vocals on the stirring "Ode to Sarajevo," which bears the chorus, "Sarajevo, Sarajevo, the whole world sings your song."

The impact of war and the yearning for peace color various other tracks. The instrumental "Bembesa" replicates the tranquility of the Serbian river after which it is named, while the classical "Waltz" is interspersed with the sounds of gunfire and military drums. Sands’ "Child of 2000," written in 1995, paints a pastoral picture of a peaceful future that has yet to materialize.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wars should not kill civilians, January 30, 2000

By	Dorothy A Keville (Cohasset, MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This beautiful, heartwarming, hopefilled album should be a welcome addition to spiritfilled people who oppose wars. In an NPR interview, we are reminded by the artists of the 1000th day of the bombing that wars kill civilians standing in bread lines....that those at the front lines should bring musical instruments with them and everyone play their own songs. Better than hearing guns killing people. Mothers throughout the world should unite to oppose all wars. We saw unity at midnight Jan 1st 2000, let this music propel us to hope for a world without wars.

5.0 out of 5 stars sarajevo to belfast, September 13, 2005

By	Joann M. Bonafede - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

a little over-produced. Smailovic playing an electric cello on one track, reverb on another. All in all, still inspiring

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A testament that, February 6, 2000

By	Sonja Knezevic-kong "sonja_njonja" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These songs are a testament that there is still some humanity left in this human race. It is a consolation that such beautiful and inspiring music can come from events that caused so much sadness and destruction. If only everyone who wanted to pick up a weapon picked up a musical instrument... Imagine!