A Winter Symphony - Dark Publications

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Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

A Winter Symphony November 4, 2008
28 out of 36 found this review helpful

Never let it be said that Sarah Brightman doesn't know her fans. This is exactly the kind of record that fans of the opera-crossover artist (and Christmas) should enjoy. Brightman is, of course, an incredibly talented singer, and that's no less true on this release than it has been on any album she's put out. Essentially, there's little to say about this record other than that if you like holiday music and Sarah Brightman, you will like A Winter Symphony. Her voice is powerful as always, and the arrangements are bright and spry, making it a solid winter-season record. If you're not a big fan of either Brightman or the holidays (you Grinch), then bloody stay away. It really is as simple as that.

7.7/10

5 out of 5 stars

A Very British, Very Enjoyable Christmas Album! November 16, 2008
26 out of 30 found this review helpful

Before you decide to buy this very wonderful and unique album of Christmas music be forewarned that this is NOT your typical album of American Christmas music, nor is it a "new age" Christmas album. If you are buying "A Winter Symphony" to satisfy those kinds of urges...be warned that this will work will probably not satisfy them!

BUT if you want a very different, very unique and yes...spiritual experience and are willing to embrace some European/British Christmas traditions then jump on in and buy "Winter Symphony."

Sarah Brightman did something which is by all standards quite a bold move...and that is to create a distinctly European and specifically British Christmas Album and release it overseas.

The songs on this album are songs most often heard in Europe/Britain...and NOT the USA. In fact, some of these Christmas songs I haven't heard since I moved back to America. Note: I mean BRITISH...songs British people listen at holiday time to: not songs Americans THINK the British listen to. Now let's deal with the album itself.

You can see just how European this album is with the very first song, which was co-written by the men from ABBA. Being a Japanese-Swedish-American I was struck by how Swedish the first song, "Arrival" is. In fact, "Arrival", reminds me a lot of a talented Swedish folk-singer, Merit Hemmingson, (who sadly is unknown outside of Sweden.) Given that this folk tradition is unknown outside of Sweden, "Arrival" is a pretty bold inclusion and shows you that this album is going to start out strong and it just gets better from there.

If you analyze the content of the album you can see that once again, Sarah Brightman and Frank Peterson imagined an album of music that would work like a themed "mini-musical." More specifically, and more exciting is the fact that they tied this "Winter Symphony" in with Sarah's most recent album "Symphony." The two albums deliberately compliment each other: even the art work on the two albums is inter-related with Sarah in "Winter Symphony" looking like the White image of herself that soars above the dead Red image who died in the labyrinth in the "Symphony" album.

I won't bore you with dissecting each song on the album, other than to say that both versions of "Ave Maria" on "A Winter Symphony" are distinctly different from each other and also from the more famous, controversial earlier version of "Ave Maria" that Sarah released previously. I particuarly like the first new version duet with Fernando Lima because of it's distinctly Hispanic flavor (I live in Southern California and can imagine someone singing this version in an old Mission at midnight on Christmas eve.)

Some reviewers criticized Sarah in this album for singing in a very high register...obviously these people never went to a C of E (Church of England) service. Sarah nails the classic C of E choir technique in what is most likely a nod to her childhood. (Again, that very British theme of the album.)

Sarah also includes some really lively songs. like "I Believe in Father Christmas" that remind me of songs you'd hear on the radio in London around Christmas time...the British version of our Fifties Christmas songs.

In closing, knowning just how polarized things have gotten over the years in America, let's address the issue of whether or not a non-Christian fan of Sarah Brightman's can enjoy this music. Being raised in an inter-Faith family of C of E'ers, Swedish Lutherans and Buddhists I can say...yes...both Christians and Non-Christians can enjoy this album.

A non-Christian fan of Sarah Brightman's should not be afraid of this album, even if there are some classic Christian religious songs in it. The religious songs in this album are very classical and very beautifully done...I especially like her version of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." Her "Ave Maria" with Fernando Lima is...well...I'm a Buddhist and I think it's awesome.

Conversely, a Christian fan of Sarah Brightman's should not fear this is some kind of "new age" perversion either. A Christian fan can also enjoy this album not fearing the inclusion of secular songs because these songs are in the European Yule tradition from whence all our current Christmas traditions sprang. In fact, I'd even venture that it might make an American Christian appreciate the European traditions more and slow down and not make their Christmas a frenzied, frantic shopping spree coupled with equally frenzied "Joy of Christmas" religious pagents.

Sarah Brightman's done something quite extraordinary...and that is to create an album of Holiday music which EVERYBODY, regardless of their religion (or lack thereof) can enjoy. Sarah's life the past few years has been challenging to say the least, and she's overcome those challenges in a most amazing manner which has been reflected in the joint "Symphony"/"Winter Symphony" albums. Like all true artists, she's taken her personal life with it's triumphs and tragedies, integrated it into her works and once again given her fans a transcendent experience that allows us to rise with her into a more hopeful future.

Sarah Brightman once described herself as being "very, very British" and that's reflected in her very, very British, very, very enjoyable "A Winter Symphony." And yes...I'd say an American can enjoy a very British album of Christmas music. So if, you're curious, buy the album, jump on in and have a Merry Christmas.

4 out of 5 stars

A Merry Winter Solstice!!! November 8, 2008
21 out of 23 found this review helpful

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.

1 out of 5 stars

What is Sarah doing? November 11, 2008
17 out of 25 found this review helpful

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Sarah fan. But what was she thinking when she recorded this CD? When the singing started I thought I was listening to a young untrained girl's voice beginning the song (a duet perhaps?). Then I realized it was her! She is trying to use her "not so operatic voice" which is a huge mistake. The thin, shallow weak sound on every single track had me wanting to crawl out of my skin. The high B (or Cb depending on the key in which it's written) in Gounod's Ave Maria is reasonably well pitched but is very thin and made me run for cover. It's no wonder that you can't hear the preview clips on this site. No one would buy it if they heard the preview. Sorry Sarah...but you can do much better.

3 out of 5 stars

Pretty, but...where's the joy? November 5, 2008
14 out of 19 found this review helpful

I have to agree with the reviewer who found this album lacking in holiday spirit. It was a bit of a letdown for me as well. If you're more the melancholy Christmas type, there is a lot to enjoy here. Not to say the album isn't pretty...it is. It's just not quite what I was expecting. Sarah's voice seems a little strained throughout and only truly soars on a few occassions, most notably "Ave Maria". I would recommend picking up the Barnes and Noble "exclusive" version though. For a few dollars more, you get 3 extra songs (the duet with Mario Frangoulis is beautiful) and a dvd.
I am still a huge Sarah fan and will be seeing her live next week in Orlando!

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