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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Joy of Holiday's Desiring, November 17, 2008
I've read a lot of mixed reviews on this CD, from Brightman fans and non-fans alike. But in my personal opinion, it's a superb album, and I'm thrilled she finally produced a holiday CD.
I'm giving it 4 of 5 stars because I do believe it could have been better, but that by no means implies that I hate the CD in anyway. I've just followed Sarah for the past 10 years since I was a little girl. This woman was my introduction to opera and classical cross over music! That being said, I know what the "best" and "most" could sound like from her; this isn't it.
I really wish three things would have been done with this CD: Sarah singing, "The First of May" (as she did on the Symphony tour, for pre-Christmas dates), and she also included a version of her singing "Carol of the Bells" or her opera-arranged version of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" (another pre-Christmas Symphony tour song).
A few notes:
"Arrival" -- based off of the ABBA track by the same name, it opens the CD in a very unqiue and interesting fashion. I never thought the day would come when I would hear my favourite soprano covering the quartet from Sweden. The thing is, she doesn't do it in a corney fashion either. It's tasteful and I think she does ABBA justice. Her voice also lends the track an unearthly fantistical ring to the track, making you "see" the song as you "hear" it.
"Colder than Winter" -- if you ever had your heart broken by anyone for any reason, you will releate to this song. Enough said.
"Ave Maria" w/ Fernando Lima -- I seriously think this woman loves this song, because this is the THIRD (or more, who knows/remembers) arrangement she's has recorded of it. I have all of Sarah's releases and, while I welcome this addition to the CD, I seriously wish she would just CHILL on the hail Marys. I don't think Fernando Lima has a great voice, it's acceptable, but he's no Andrea Bocelli or Josh Groban, and he's completely not a Nick Garrett or Russell Watson by any stretch of the imagination. So what saves this track? The arrangement. It's beautiful and DIFFERENT. The last minute of the song, especially. Peterson is this verion's saving grace! Take the "Ave Maria" you think you know, to a new place. It's either really fantastic, or really brave. You be the judge.
"I Believe in Father Christmas" -- she also sings this on the "Symphony" tour before the holidays, if you are lucky enough to see her in person. It's fabulous! Oh I love love love this song. It's a unqiue addition to any Christmas CD that doesn't get played enough, and for Sarah, that's a blessing for her album!
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33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Merry Winter Solstice!!!, November 7, 2008
This is a great album you can listen to during the winter months. Sarah has created it so that you are not stuck with it for the holidays only, you can well listen to this into January and February. I think this album is alot like Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong", in that it's got a few Christmas tunes, but it is not really a "deck the halls" sort of album.
The music is very beautiful and flows nicely. I miss winter, and this does help in that I can meditate and see the wintery landscape, in particularly with track 6 "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring". I do agree with some of the other reviews in that I wish Sarah would not sing in that new "Wispy" sound she's done with the "Classics", "Symphony", and now this album. But variety is what she is known for, and she'll make many more beautiful albums such as this one. Add this to your "Wintery Collection", you'll love it.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's Sarah. It's Winter. The Christmas is mostly missing..., November 11, 2008
I must agree with another reviewer that this CD, although beautiful, is not a cheery Christmas album. It's all about Sarah Brightman. One thing that also really 'bugs' me about this album is the vocal mixing. In an effort to make Sara's voice seem more ethereal, they add reverb to it. This, coupled with a too-loud instrumental mix makes the words mostly unable to be understood. I feel this has been done on other of her albums also, notably 'Time to Say Goodbye'. Please, please get rid of the excess reverb and put the instrumentals a little farther back. As a long time musician and former choir director, I was constantly telling the choirs that the words are the message. The music is there to help, not hinder.
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