Jonas Kaufmann, it seems, is in search of an album that will make him, not just a great tenor but a household name, and
The Sound of Movies represents his latest attempt. The album certainly has some pieces that deliver the compelling vocals that have made
Kaufmann such a beloved figure. Sample his
Edelweiss from
The Sound of Music, one of a couple of tracks that benefit from the presence of guitarist
Milos Karadaglic. The album is quite a mixed bag of material, with a few film music favorites but other tunes that are quite obscure, and at times, it is hard to divine what the sequencing principles behind the program might be. There are songs in English, German, Italian, and Spanish, and
Kaufmann may do well, or less so, with any of these. He generally has a German accent in English, and this may be preferable to tense efforts to avoid it. However, the effectiveness of the songs depends less on their language than on their degree of American rhythmic content.
Kaufmann is a good deal more relaxed in
Moon River, for instance, than in
What a Wonderful World (which makes the cut due to its presence in the film Good Morning, Vietnam). Many listeners will find that the sheer beauty of
Kaufmann's tenor will override any objections, while for others, he will be a fish out of water.
Kaufmann gets clean support from the
Czech National Symphony Orchestra under conductor
Jochen Rieder. It is a safe bet that his fans will find this a satisfying release. ~ James Manheim