Charlotte Church

by Church,Charlotte

Overview

Charlotte Church's debut album Voice of an Angel won a large crossover audience -- an audience much larger than the average opera record gets, let alone a record made by a 12-year-old. So, for her second album Charlotte Church -- which followed the debut by a matter of months in the U.S., showing just what a huge hit it was -- it would have made sense to simply offer more of the same, since that would satisfy her large audience. And, to a certain extent, that is what the second album does. However, the opera pieces are now not the focus of the record; they're just part of the tapestry. Pop standards like "Summertime" and traditional songs like "She Moved Through the Fair" rub shoulders with Brahms and Puccini. Most notably, the record kicks off with "Just Wave Hello," a new age crossover item underpinned by a vague trip-hop beat that was borrowed from Enigma. Written by her producer Danny Beckerman, it is a clear bid for a new, even larger audience -- one who normally doesn't buy opera albums but likes classy, quality singers. Of course, that's Church's audience, but this time she and her colleagues are reaching for an even broader base, and on those terms, they succeed. Naturally, that will just irritate the classical and opera purists who were ready to criticize her anyway, given that they believe she, at her tender age, simply isn't mature or skillful enough for much of this material. They may be right -- she doesn't really offer interpretations as much as readings, and for how charming and pretty her voice is, she's not really schooled. The thing is, that doesn't distract from the effectiveness of Charlotte Church. Yes, "Just Wave Hello" already sounds dated, but the rest of the record boasts accomplished, professional (albeit mainstream) production and arrangements and, lest we forget, a very gifted, endearing vocalist called Charlotte Church. She has a sweet, pure soprano voice that will charm and win over listeners who don't consider themselves opera fans. Whether it wins opera fanatics is another matter entirely, but this album wasn't made for them anyway. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/16/1999
Label:	Sony Classical
UPC:	0074646435625
Rank:	7968

Tracks

1. Just Wave Hello (Ford Global Anthem)
2. La pastorella dell' Alpi ("Son bella pastorella"), song for voice & piano (Soir¿¿es musicales)
3. Les contes d'Hoffmann, opera in 4 acts~Barcarolle (Night of Stars)
4. Gianni Schicchi, opera~O mio babbino caro
5. Rinaldo, opera, HWV 7~Lascia ch'io pianga
6. Guide me, O thou great Redeemer
7. The Holy City, sacred ballad for voice & piano (or orchestra and chorus, ad lib)
8. Plaisir d'amour, for voice & piano (or orchestra)
9. Summertime, song (from Porgy and Bess, opera)
10. Faust, opera~The Jewel Song
11. Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), opera, K. 492~Voi che sapete (Tell Me What Love Is)
12. She Moved through the Fair, folk song
13. Songs my mother taught me (Als die alte Mutter), song for voice & piano (Gypsy Melodies), B. 104/4 (Op. 55/4)
14. Bist du bei mir, aria arranged for voice & continuo (after Gottfried St¿¿lzel), BWV 508
15. 'Tis the Last Rose of Summer
16. Ymdaith Gwyr Harlech (The Men of Harlech)
17. Wiegenlied ("Guten Abend, gut Nacht"), song for voice & piano, Op. 49/4

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Charlotte Church   Primary Artist,Soprano,Soprano (Vocal)
London Welsh Male Choir   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
London Promenade Orchestra   Primary Artist
London Symphony Chorus   Choir/Chorus
Rhodri Davies   Harp
Gareth Davies   Flute
Haydn James   Musical Director
Jane Atkins   Viola
Paul Edmund-Davies   Flute
Frank Gallagher   Low Whistle
Sian Edwards   Conductor
Stephen Westrop   Choir Director
Mick O'Brien   Uillean Pipes
Timothy Hugh   Cello
Colin Paris   Double Bass
Janice Graham   Violin
Janet Atkins   Viola

Technical Credits

William Williams   Text,Text
Ira Gershwin   Text,Composer
Charles Harbutt   Engineer,Recording,Post Production Engineer
DuBose Heyward   Text,Composer
Jean Lenoir   Text,Composer
Roger O'Donnell   Composer
Hugh Syme   Design,Photography,Art Direction
Porl Thompson   Composer
Padre Giovanni Battista Martini   Composer
Vladimir Meller   Mastering
Gioachino Rossini   Composer
Charles Mackerras   Arranger
Simon Gallup   Composer
Jacques Offenbach   Composer
Antonin Dvorak   Composer
Johannes Brahms   Composer
Ellen Fitton   Editing
George Frederick Handel   Composer
Public Domain   Composer
Carlo Pepoli   Text
Giacomo Puccini   Composer
Dorothy K. Heyward   Text
Florence Hoare   Text Translation
Grace Kristopher Row   Producer
Giovacchino Forzano   Text
Robert F. Wolff   Editing
Lorenzo da Ponte   Text
Andreas Meyers   Editing
Peter Williams   Text Translation,Translation
Tobi Corney   Photography
Julian Smith   Arranger
Tina Ruta   Language Coach,Language Consultant
Dimo Safari   Design,Photography,Art Direction
Thomas Moore   Text,Composer
Jeremy Caulton   Executive Producer
Joe Lizzi   Assistant Engineer
Roy Moore   Arranger
William Carlos Williams   Text
Robert Wolff   Editing
Haydn James   Arranger
Dorothy Heyward   Text,Composer
Michel Carre   Text
Andreas K.W. Meyer   Editing
Natalie MacFarren   Text Translation
Florence Daguerre de Hureaux   Language Coach
Trevor Horn   Producer
Traditional   Composer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart   Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
Robert Wolf   Editing
Boris Williams   Composer
Jake Jackson   Assistant Engineer
John Hughes   Composer
Lol Tolhurst   Composer
Nick Ingman   String Arrangements
Charles Gounod   Composer
Frank Gallagher   Arranger
Eric Enjem   Editing,Digital Editing
George Gershwin   Text,Composer
Vlado Meller   Mastering
Robert Smith   Composer
London Welsh Male Choir   Performer
David Foil   Liner Notes,Biographical Information
Tim Weider   Mixing
Andy Granger   Technical Supervisor
Stephen Saper   Engineer,Authoring
Danny Beckerman   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Recording,Choir Arrangement
Louise Ryan   Language Coach,Language Advisor,Language Consultant
Peter Gayle Williams   Text Translation
Geo L. Zalva   Orchestration
Thomas Moore's American Dream   Text
Jules Barbier   Text
Stephen Adams   Composer
Frederick Edward Weatherly   Text,Composer
Andrew Granger   Technical Supervisor
John Ceiriog Hughes   Text
Giovanni Rossi   Text
Jeremy Sams   Translation,Text Translation
Andreas Meyer   Editing
Robert Whitney   Editing
Grace Row   Producer