Search - George Frideric Handel, Giulio Caccini, Charles Gounod :: Andrea Bocelli: Sacred Arias

Toni C. from NASHVILLE, TN
Reviewed on 3/13/2016...

Love this incredible voice. And these songs are wonderful. I have heard better sonic recordings of his amazing voice, but this is lovely!

Bocelli sings well here, even if he can't sing opera

Andre | Twin Cities, MN | 01/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I watched the PBS special sometime around the holdays which featured this album of Bocelli's. Hearing the wonderful acoustics in that glorius church took the somewhat well-known songs to an almost ethereal level. It was wonderful to hear other versions of Ave Maria that I haven't heard performed in a long while. Overall, I guess I can't say much more than what the critic Thomas May wrote. Yes, Bocelli doesn't have much color nor much style of phrasing, but he still has that wonderful quality to transport the human spirit to a different level. He can definitely do it with this album, seeing as it contains many smooth tempoed free-flowing art songs and traditional pieces. The focus on this recording was not on arias, and thus no one should be stating that he can't sing these classical pieces because they hate the way he sings opera. I feel that this compilation of sacred songs(even though some are not) is a good one, with a sweet, lulling voice singing them. Bocelli sings well, and if one does like his voice, they will love this CD. People who don't like him shouldn't even bother listening, because all they'll find is something wrong. If they don't like him, why are they even looking at his recordings?... Anyways, I do digress, this is a wonderful CD."

The Tenor Sings Gregorian

stfrancis | Phoenix, AZ USA | 11/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very fine album which I enjoy immensely. Andre Bocelli's tenor voice is a pleasure to listen to. He has scored 5 Stars with me. His various versions of "Ave Maria" are splendidly performed. It is a best-loved religious song. "Panis Angelicus" is sung so well, so meaningful, which is the way the song is to be sung. The song is from 1871, when Franck was a resident organist at St. Clotilde in Paris. The work was originally scored for tenor, organ, cello, harp, and double-bass. Mr. Bocelli has done an album worthy to be in anyone's collection, especially if you are a 'music lover.' The material that is covered on the album is directly related to 'The Mass' as it has been sung in the past generations of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, most specifically done in Gregorian Chant. The listener is taken back to a time pre-Vatican II. A most pleasing voice has taken me back to my childhood singing in the choir, as I have sung most of these songs also. And, I was pleasured by these wonderful songs then and now. Another beautiful song is "Pieta, Signore." Someone whom may enjoy this album may also enjoy listening to Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavorotti, and also, Michael Bolton. They all are tenors with beautiful voices. The song "Ave Maria" has also been sung by the three above-mentioned artistes. This album is comparable to the other artistes' rendition's of "Ave Maria" that has been sung also by the above. I would highly recommend this album to any one who appreciates the sound of an excellent tenor such as Andre Bocelli."