Paradiso


Decca Records (0028947830870)
Movie | Release date: 10/24/2011 | Format: CD, Download
 

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# Track   Duration
1.Gabriel's Oboe (Whispers In A Dream)4:28
2.Cinema Paradiso ~ Profumo di limone3:10
3.La califfa4:12
4.Once Upon A Time In The West4:00
5.Metti una sera a cena4:29
6.Cinema Paradiso ~ Would He Even Know Me Now?4:11
7.Per Natale (L'esprit de Noël)2:53
8.I Knew I Loved You (Deborah's Theme)3:40
9.Lezione di musica2:33
10.Da quel sorriso che non ride piu7:13
11.The Edge Of Love3:44
12.Amália por amor6:06
13.Here's To You3:40
14.Malena4:09
 58:28
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Paradiso - 08/10 - Review of Anthony Aguilar, submitted at
Paradiso: an apt title for an album of beautiful themes brought together by mesmerizing vocals. Italian maestro Ennio Morricone, of course, needs little introduction, having composed some of the most gorgeous scores of cinema and otherwise for decades. The man is truly a legend. Hayley Westenra is a vocal artist who seems to be on a remarkably exponential rise to fame. She is, of course, no stranger to film scores, having contributed vocals to Lesbian Vampire Killers and The Flood as well as performing songs for films, my personal favorite being 'Listen to the Wind' from Horner's The New World. She is a classical crossover artist with one of the most beautiful voices to have ever graced an already vast and impressive arena.

The collaboration of Westenra and Morricone might seem like an odd pairing at first, but all doubts will most certainly be put to rest upon first listening to 'Gabriel's Oboe (Whispers in a Dream)', the theme from the classic The Mission. Westenra, fueled by her own lyrics, sings with all of the grace, innocence and passion that Morricone's theme requires. It is a stunning introduction that really showcases her vocal control. Many vocal artists use their vibrato too quickly when holding notes longer, which has always been annoying to me. Westenra, however, wisely chooses to harness her vibrato and the track is all the better as a result.

Things continue quite nicely with Profumo Di Limone (from Cinema Paradiso) and La Califfa. Both are relatively slow pieces that emphasize Westenra's talent for singing what are essentially romantic tunes (the album is littered with them). The wordless vocals and gorgeous theme in Once Upon a Time in the West will leave you spellbound.

There are some more fast-paced pieces, but many have just something 'off' about them. It is perhaps the orchestration (or possibly the tunes themselves) that makes some sound a little dated. The talent from both artists is still on full display, but I tend to skip these tracks in favor of the more slow-going ones. There is a glorious exception found in Lezione Di Musica, though. The lightning-fast pace with which Westenra seems to effortlessly move from note-to-note is captivating, to say the least. Her intense vocal control is again on display here and the piece is an entrancing listen filled with joy and passion.

Other highlights include 'The Edge of Love', 'Deborah's Theme', and 'Would He Even Know Me Now?'. Malena, the final track, is second only to the first in terms of quality. Morricone's pleasant theme is full of pathos and makes for spectacular listening. Westenra's amazing vocal range is put to the test here and she rises to the challenge spectacularly. There could not have been a better conclusion to an already great album.

Besides the 'dated-ness' of some of the faster-paced tracks, the only other knock against the album would be the fact that some of the orchestral arrangements are a little on the dull side. So much more could have been going on from time to time, but it could be said that the utterly uncomplicated arrangements make room for Westenra's amazing vocals. The lyrics can occasionally be quite sappy as well, but that is hardly a major gripe.

Overall, the meeting of these two amazing talents is like a dream-come-true for many like me. Morricone's ability to craft the most beautiful, romantic, full-of-pathos themes is a perfect match for Hayley Westenra's passionate and utterly gorgeous vocals. If you are a fan of either or both of the artists, then this album should be a no-brainer. If you are uninitiated and seek an introduction to either artist then there are far worse places to begin. This album comes highly recommended.


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