Customer Rating:  
Summary: Sarah For the Holidays...
Comment: English soprano Sarah Brightman returns with her unique blend of classical opera/pop crossover for the second time in 2008 with A Winter Symphony, a companion CD to previous 2008 release, Symphony.
Despite the absence of the words "Christmas" or "holiday" in the CD's title, that is what A Winter Symphony is: a Christmas CD thinly masked as a "winter" CD. Yet, as a Sarah Brightman fan, I was thrilled to see that she was finally releasing a Christmas-oriented CD. Sarah's angelic soprano voice would be perfectly suited to many holiday classics, yet I found surprisingly small amount of these classics on the album.
Winter Symphony's track listing is somewhat obscure and unexpected for a holiday/winter/Christmas album. Each song is a cover of a previous holiday/winter song, but many of them are not familiar to the average listener. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," "Silent Night," "Ave Maria," and "Amazing Grace" are paired with "I Believe in Father Christmas," "In the Bleak Midwinter," and even the Abba song "Arrival." This eclectic list of songs has the potential to bring a stronger sense of originality to the album, but threatens to scare away potential listeners because of the unfamiliar territory.
This CD takes risks, but the risks ultimately pay off. Brightman delivers exquisite vocals that paint a beautiful motif of winter. I truly could feel the snow falling from the sky and the cold winter opening around me. There were even moments I could have sworn that I smelled the faint scent of pine. Each song in the album also manages to have a distinct sound, which tends to be a problem when it comes to holiday/ChristmasCDs.
Even though at times the music borders on the cheesy, A Winter Symphony appeals to a wider range of listeners than all of Brightman's previous albums and carries the potential to be her best selling one yet. Fans of Brightman will eagerly snatch up her latest creation, while fans of Christmas music will flock to it. This is an ideal album for getting in the holiday spirit without having to listen to yet another rendition of the same Christmas carols.
Customer Rating:
Summary: it is beutifull
Comment: this cd itis the # 1 ,very very nice i never seen something like this
Customer Rating:
Summary: With this Xmas can only be good...
Comment: With this holiday album Sarah is making Christmas her own and inviting us in the most eloquent way to join in her celebration. The selection of songs are inspired and even with standards (silent night) never cliche. The more
I listen to the album the more I love it: that beautiful voice soothes and sails over magnificent orchestrations. Don't even think about it - just buy it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Joy of Holiday's Desiring
Comment: 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 two 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."
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 ths 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!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Another great album!
Comment: I love this album! I own all of Sarah Brightman's albums and this one is just as good as the others. I did feel the joy and the Christmas spirit when I heard 'Child In A Manger', 'I Believe In Father Christmas', 'When A Child Is Born' and 'War Is Over' - the last track on the Barnes and Noble version of this album. Those are my favorite songs on the album along with 'Arrival' (I can't stop playing this one). All of the songs are beautiful.
I do wish she would have included 'First of May'. It's one of my favorite songs and I always feel the Christmas spirit when I play it. I know it's on the Japanese verson - I may get that one when the price goes down.
I also have to say that all of Sarah's album covers are beautiful but this is the best one yet. She looks stunning on the cover.
Sarah is my favorite singer. It's awesome to have two great new albums from her in one year! Yay.
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