Classical Editor: Rob Barnett


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JOHN DAVID THROWER Requiem for a Princess   Pop Vocals: Dennis Dubbin Classical Vocals: Raymond Sepe (tenor) Dana McKay (soprano) Sandra Graham (mezzo-soprano) DIGITAL AUTOMATIC MUSIC - RESONANCE RES-CD 002
available on sale from www.mp3.com [37.00]

 





This CD is clearly an item of promotional merchandise for the Canadian composer John David Thrower's Requiem for a Princess. The princess of the title is Princess Diana. As the 9 minute interview with Mr Thrower makes clear the Requiem is based on material drawn from an incomplete 'Diana' (not the same Diana) opera on which Thrower had been working for some years before the death of the Princess of Wales.

The excerpts here may not be fully representative. The presenter explains that the work is in a pop-classical 'crossover' style. Going by the two pop tracks the approach is similar to a Disney musical. Strangely enough the most acceptable singing on the disc is by pop vocalist Dennis Dubbin.

The classical vocal tracks (4 of the seven - and remember one of the seven is the interview) are pleasant although somewhat swamped by the overly operatic vibrato-clouded style adopted by the soloists. A reduced orchestra is used and the chorus has been cut.

The interview with Thrower is a pretty direct plea for a producer for a performance and recording. One of the classical tracks is an arrangement of the Holst (Planets) choral song I Vow To Thee My Country.

I wish I could be more enthusiastic about this material and will be interested to hear the complete Requiem (with full orchestra and chorus) as and when a performance or recording is mounted. Until then I can only work on the basis of what I hear; what I hear does not inspire.

Reviewer

Rob Barnett

NO STAR ALLOCATION

Note from CD producer: This CD is enhanced. In a PC (sorry no Mac) a little multimedia presentation opens up. For the Requiem CD this is interesting because the credits and lyrics are then available. Of course, the CDs work in a normal CD player too. Background material about the artists is available at resonances.com and mp3.com:

There is an article on mp3 recordings

Reviewer

Rob Barnett

no stars awarded



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