What I'm Listening to Today: 2/19/04
Nicholas Maw, Joshua Bell, Sir Roger Norrington, London Philharmonic Orchestra - "Violin Concerto" - 7:30 A.M.
"Celtic Treasure II - The Living Legacy of Turlough O'Carolan" - 8:50 A.M. - I enjoyed the first song, with an interesting percussion instrument keeping the rhthym, but the rest of the Celtic songs seemed to dwindle me into a state of boredom. I was just listening to it more as "background" music instead of really getting involved.
Lisa Gerrard / Pieter Bourke - "Insider" soundtrack - 1:00 P.M. - I'm a huge fan of Lisa Gerrard's projects. She's collaborated before with Bourke and I've enjoyed the two of them together, especially on the "Duality" album. Some songs are from her other albums but there are still some beautiful treasures to be found, here. I never made it through the movie, but personally, I could make it through this album a multitude of times! Thanks to Zack for giving me this album! Song #2, "Dawn of the Truth," is an extremely sensual song with a very mysterious Middle Eastern rhthym. Songs #1 and #3 can be found on Gerrard's other albums. Track #4 is plain awesome; too bad it's so short! Great drum beats, hypnotic chants. It leads nicely into track #5 which reminds me of walking into a windy dark tunnel, not knowing what lies a few steps away... further down the tunnel a rusty door hinge creaks as the old door is opened by an unknown presence, waiting for me to come closer. *shivers* (Had I watched all of The Insider, I never would have imagined this, but instead had seen some whistleblower talking about cigarrettes. Thank GOD I didn't watch the movie!) The simple piano melody in track 12 is serene and calming. Fans of Lisa's former band, the Dead Can Dance, might be slightly disappointed as there are really only two songs of DCD flavor. But for those who are attracted to the style of music that is Bourke's and Gerrards' combined will be drawn to this album for its "New Age" qualities. There are just so many different ethereal sounds to be heard! The good thing is that there are plenty of interesting melodies mixed-in with those sounds.
Charlotte Church - "Voice of an Angel" - 4:00 P.M. - I'm trying to determine if I've had enough of Charlotte Church. I have a hard time enjoying music that was once considered a fad. And, Charlotte, the young girl whose voice stole the hearts of thousands of listeners, is now not the little girl she was and is somewhat "out-of-style," I guess. But, is it really good music or was it just a novelty? That is what I'm trying to determine by listening to this album again. It's been a few years since my last go. I've heard so many people perform "Pie Jesu" that I could probably do without Church's performance on this one. Already yawning on track 2. I'm getting closer to the belief that I have outgrown Charlotte Church. Basically this album is uninspiring and rather unemotional. Take a robot, give it a voice, and you have "Voice of an Angel." I have another album of hers with me and we'll see if I still feel the same way about a more matured Church performance. I'll keep you posted.
Charlotte Church - "Enchantment" - 5:00 P.M. - Oh good. Well, there does indeed remain a bit of charm to Charlotte Church. I can just put her "Voice of an Angel" CD aside forever and just keep this one as a reminder that the girl really can perform music with some emotion. Also, the instrumentation is more grand and richer in this album and that helps keep the listener awake, as opposed to the previous Church album that I listened to today. "Voice of an Angel" might have been a good intro for the little girl that came into the classical music industry, but its charms didn't last long, and I'm thankful she developed musically enough to come out with an album as sweet as "Enchantment." And, it really is enchanting. Sometimes when little girls grow up, it's for the better.
