Kiri Te Kanawa - Ave Maria

Track # 11, Purcell's "Trumpet Time", is a trumpet solo by Crispian Steele-Perkins, and there is also a good and jolly trumpet on track # 11, Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim" from "Samson", which is the piece Dame Kiri sang in St. Paul's Cathedral for the Prince and Princess of Wales, at their wedding in 1981, and has become one of her most often requested songs.
This recording was made in 1984, at the All Saints' Church in Tooting, England, and the sound is not great but quite adequate. The boys of the Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral sing like little angels, and the English Chamber Orchestra is led by Barry Rose. Total time is 47:40.
This would make a nice change of pace CD during the Christmas Season, and for fans of this wonderful soprano, hearing her voice is a joy any time of the year.


I AM A SIMPLE WOMAN   February 8, 2003
10 out of 14 found this review helpful

I LEARNED TO PLAY CHOPSTIX AND THE RIGHT HAND PART OF BLUE MOON FROM MY FATHER WHEN I WAS LITTLE. I LEARNED TO SING FRERE JAQUES FROM HIM TOO AND WE SANG IT TOGETHER IN ROUNDS. I KNOW WHERE MIDDLE C IS ON THE PIANO AND THIS IS THE EXTENT OF WHAT I KNOW ABOUT MUSIC. SO YOU EXPERTS CAN JUST GO TO THE NEXT REVIEW IF YOU LIKE AND I WONT BE OFFENDED. I AM A KNUCKLEHEAD BY YOUR STANDARDS AND I WOULDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO ME EITHER IF I WERE YOU. BUT FOR THE REST OF YOU, LET ME SAY THAT THIS WOMAN'S VOICE IS LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER HEARD. THE MUSIC SHE CHOSE TO SING FIRST OF ALL, IS BEATUIFUL, JUST BEAUTIFUL. YOU'LL GET GOOSEBUMPS. BUT HER VOICE IS THE THING. IT'S LIKE GOOD COLD SPRING WATER. IT'S CLEAN AND CONFIDENT, NO FUZZY EDGES OR BIG SHOWY SWOOPS. IT'S SOFT AND STRONG AND BIG AND TINY JUST WHEN IT SHOULD BE, I THINK. YOU WILL JUST FIND YOURSELF LISTENING AND SOMETIMES YOU WILL JUST BE HOLDING YOUR BREATH, HARDLY BELIEVING YOUR GOOD LUCK THAT YOU ARE HEARING THIS. I ACTUALLY SHUSHED MY HUSBAND AND TOLD HIM TO STOP TRYING TO TALK TO ME WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID I WOULD MISS SOMETHING. I LOVE A GOOD VOICE AND/OR A GOOD SINGER. THEY AREN'T ALWAYS THE SAME THING. SO I WILL ADD THIS WOMAN AND HER MUSIC TO MY COLLECTION OF FAVORITES THAT INCLUDE THE MUSIC OF JANIS JOPLIN, NINA SIMONE, JONI MITCHELL, CECILIA BARTOLI, MARIAH CAREY, MR. PAVOROTI AND SOME OTHER GOOD GIRLS AND GUYS. AND POUR YOURSELF A GLASS OF WINE THE FIRST GO AROUND...


Kiri is Perfect - Sound level leaves something to be desired   August 17, 2001
Mark R (Hamptons, NY USA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

For anyone who loves Kiri and opera, this CD is superb. The music is gorgeous - glorious, as is KTK's voice in its prime. However, the volume level of the recording is peculiarly low. If you listen to this CD as a stand-alone event you can just turn up the volume to a normal level. The problem arises when you mix this album, or tracks from this album with other albums, and the low volume level of this album becomes readily apparent. If your other albums/tracks are at a comfortable listening level, tracks from this album will be virtually inaudible. If you increase your system's volume to bring tracks from this album to normal levels, the tracks from other albums will be uncomfortably loud.