Andrea Bocelli: Vivere
Monday, 12 Nov 2007 13:07
A comprehensive collection of the blind tenor's greatest hits.
Sugar Music/Universal, out November 12th.
In a nutshell...
Beautiful. Vintage. Accessible. Modern classic.
What's it all about?
To mark ten years of hits loved by connoisseurs, critics and commoners alike, Andrea Bocelli is bringing together in one collection various picks from previous albums Sogno, Romanza and Amore.
Who's it by?
Andrea Bocelli needs no introduction. The blind Italian tenor has recorded hit duets with the likes of Sarah Brightman, Stevie Wonder and Celine Dion, and worked with musicians such as Kenny G.
He has sold more than 60 million albums during his career and won a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination for The Prayer, which he sang with Celine Dion for the animated film The Quest for Camelot.
As an example...
"Dare to live! Until the very last/Dare to live! Forget about the past/Dare to live! Giving something of yourself to others.Even when it seems there is nothing more left to give."
While Bocelli's music is not overly reliant upon the lyrics when it comes to his English-speaking listeners, the above from Vivere:
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Despite the mass appeal of his music, Bocelli has not yet been awarded a Grammy. The new songs on Vivere probably do not have enough to bag him this accolade.
What the others say
"This is a great CD (and/or set) for any Bocelli fan: for the fan because it has the five new songs (four new and one alternative version). And [it] is a great set for new fans because it has many of his hits." - Richard D Cappetto, Amazon
"Most of the arrangements on Vivere would prove mildly offensive to many even if heard spilling from the long bar at the back of a cross-channel ferry. But there are some engaging, even captivating techniques in their arrangements which demonstrate distinct skill." - Andrew Mellor, BBC
So is it any good?
Absolutely. Vivere, which means "to live", is an excellent compilation that encompasses the vintage Bocelli loved by millions across the world. After years of comfortably inhabiting the hearts of fans of classical and popular music, Bocelli still has the ability to win over new hearts with an album such as this.
Highlights certainly include old favourites such as The Prayer and Time to Say Goodbye, perhaps two of his most famous duets with Celine Dion and Sarah Brightman respectively.
Title track Vivere, which features Latin singer Laura Pausini, is a new and improved version of the song. Collaborations with sax player Kenny G (on A Te) and classical pianist Lang Lang on Io Ci Saro are new favourites, along with Bellissime Stelle. It is one of the new compositions by 14-time Grammy winner David Foster, who was also the producer of The Prayer.
This greatest hits compilation will complete the collection of ardent fans, while those who are currently distant admirers of Bocelli will find it a moving and beautiful selection of songs that might just start a love affair with the Italian tenor.
9 /10
Karen Moller
"Nice review with the exception of the quote from Andrew Mellor which was nasty and not necessary." - Bobbi Bench
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