Symphony

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Binding: Audio CD EAN: 5099952060328 Label: EMI Manufacturer: EMI Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: EMI Release Date: 2008-04-14 Studio: EMI
Related Items Dive Harem Music Of The Spheres Classics: the Best of Sarah Brightman In Concert with Andrew Lloyd Webber & Andrea Bocelli (CD+DVD)
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: This is not opera but sarah can sing Comment: I was very disapointed with this CD. The title Sympony lead me to believe it would be a classical CD-well as classical as Sarah can be. We all know she isn't an opera singer but more stage and pop. I have to admit I really enjoyed her Classics CD as I do feel Sarah can sing although I didnt enjoy this CD at all. The music is much more mixed and there is no theme to it. If you are intrested in buying a Sarah CD buy Classics instead. Customer Rating: Summary: An intriguing step forward for Sarah, with some fabulous fresh experiments...alas for the loss of her original operatic charm... Comment: Well, like many people, I adore Sarah Brightman. She is a rare gem of a modern soprano. To begin with, I was allured by her theatrical background with 'Phantom of the Opera'-I'm only sorry that, being born in 1989, I wasn't around to see her as Chistine Daae with Michael Crawfords Phantom. Well, after listening to her albums 'Time to Say Goodbye', 'La Luna', 'Surrender' and 'Classics', I bought 'Symphony' expecting to hear Sarah's original, breathtaking soprano melting into classic orchestra, and then levitated with bursts of contemporary sound such as electric guitars and synphasizers. I have always admired Sarah's flexibility and unique style of soprano, which is both modern and classic, but 'Symphony' is obviously a step away from that towards that god-awful, unholy genre we call 'pop'. I don't know why Sarah would want to be a part of the pop world, where everything is so over-commercialised, over-sexed, meaninglessly fashionable and insubstantial...she already has an enormous amount of fans all over the world; does she think by converting to pop she'll get more than she needs? Symphony isn't all that bad, if you want to hear classic opera. I loved 'Schwere Traume' and 'Attesa', and 'Fleur du Mal' was another of Sarah's classic rock meets classic opera moments, which I loved. But I-HATED-'I Will be with You', because it was just so clearly pop-inspired. I would have thought that Sarah Brightman meets KISS vocalist Paul Stanley would have equalled absolute musical ecstasy, but it wasn't so! I was very dissapointed-and another thing that made 'I Will be with You' so god-awful was its close ties with the latest Pokemon movie. Sarah, how could you stoop so low!? Numerous dull, disappointing, uninspired, pop-songs later I was at the end of the album, listening to 'Sarahbande', and I was on the verge of falling in love with it-Sarah's classic soprano sound had returned! When all of a sudden it started getting all techno, like a nightclub dance anthem!? I wondered what on earth somebody as evidently cultured and artistic as Sarah Brightman was doing even THINKING about playing with such vulgar sound effects! I asked myself, "what on EARTH are you doing Sarah?! You're a gorgeous soprano, and you're forsaking your great talent just to sound like a plebs dream???" So, I don't want to condemn this album-picking it up in HMV in its glistening, sumptuous packaging was a joy in itself, and some part of me likes Sarah's 'Within Temptation'-inspired photo shoot/album art. I don't usually like that kind of thing, having lost interest in gothic opera years ago, but then again whats wrong with it? It is a little unusual to see Sarah doing it though-I'm getting the impression that she's going out like Madonna, donning different appearences and 'themes' each time she makes an album. Thats not a bad thing-Sarah is extremely beautiful, and I love a lot of her photo's, but she shouldn't aspire to be like Madonna the pop-icon...she doesn't need to be a pop-icon; shes Sarah Brightman. Buy 'Symphony' if you want Sarah Brightman at her most contemporary; if you want classic opera buy her 'Classics' album. Customer Rating: Summary: Symphonic Feast for Fans and Non-Fans Alike Comment: Possibly Sarah Brightman's best album to date where her Phantom roots are certainly showing on the neo-gothic/classical tracks. And how very welcome they are! Sarah has a wonderful gift in her pure soprano voice which is surely blessed by the angels. These tracks will not only delight those who have all her previous works on CD - and I count myself among them - but also a new audience who might be seeking something beyond the bland. Here is mystery, passion, power and purpose wrapped in a symphony of sound topped with a truly beautiful voice at the high end of the soprano range. Thirteen tracks of sheer magic plus a bonus (Sarahbande) which leaves the Romantic satiated until her next venture into the world of song. Well worth the wait! Customer Rating: Summary: Quite disappointing Comment: I've waited a few weeks before writing this review as I wanted to give myself chance to fully appreciate this new album. Sadly, whilst there are some outstanding individual tracks, I do find that the album is unfulfilling as a whole. I agree with a previous reviewer;(from the original US version released Feb 08) for some reason the tracks just don't quite gel together. It seems that there are two different albums here crammed together onto one solo disc. The opening 2 tracks are superb and really got me excited about what was to come. But then it just gets a bit soppy and the 'classical crossover' stuff is a bit lazy and was executed far more imaginatively on Eden and La Luna. For me, Sarah's masterwork was 'Harem' and this just doesn't touch it. I own the UK version of 'All Good Things' by Sissel and I hate to admit it but her version of 'Where the Lost Ones Go' blows Sarah's out of the water. Sissel's version is strong and exciting and conveys much emotion, whereas this version is limp, listless and has been phoned in. It's a real shame as it's been 4 years since Sarah's last release. A lot of this album seems formulaic; the first instrumental intro, followed by the main belter (same as Dive, Fly, Eden, La Luna,), and 'Running' is obviously an attempt to recreate the peculiar crossover that was 'A Question of Honour'. I feel that it doesn't quite work; too europop. However, 'Attesa' and 'Pasion' are lovely, but the real strong songs here are 'Fleurs du Mal', 'Symphony' and 'Let It Rain'. I just feel that 3 songs out of 13 isn't really good enough. I would really like to give the album 3½ stars, but as I can't I have to give it 3 cos I can't really justify 4. It's not a bad album, it's just nowhere near as good as the others. But I agree with other comments; it's worth buying the album just for the stunningly beautiful pictures. Customer Rating: Summary: Absolutely wonderful Comment: This is the first time that I've actually listened to Sarah Brightman properly. A mixture of classical and gothic rock, it sends goose bumps up your arms, in particular when you raise the volume and the music envelopes you. I wanted something different and that it certainly is. The best music I've listened to in a long, long time. Buy the album and treat yourself. More Reviews