What people search:
 | Title : Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Author : Lloyd Webber, Andrew
Release Date : 20021126
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $18.98
Amazon.com Price : $9.50
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Editorial Reviews :
Need more evidence of the record industry's obsession with youth? Consider that budding Welsh diva Charlotte Church was a ripe, old 16 when this, her first greatest-hits anthology was released. Spanning her first four releases, as well as some outside collaborations and unreleased material, this 18-track collection underscores the soprano's seemingly boundless potential--as well as some potential career obstacles ahead. Her crystalline, still-maturing voice is best showcased on classically oriented works like Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Pie Jesu,' Franck's 'Panis Angelicus,' and her now-ubiquitous rendering of Delibes' 'Flower Duet.' She also excels on folk traditionals such as 'She Moved Through the Fair' and 'My Langan Love.' But overwrought productions like the already-dated 'Dream a Dream' and 'Habanera,' a faux-flamenco take on Bizet, nearly get the best of her. Still, her promising duet with fellow young phenom Josh Groban on 'The Prayer' and her mature, dreamy reading of A Beautiful Mind's 'All Love Can Be,' as well as strong performances on the previously unreleased 'It's the Heart That Matters Most' and 'Bridge over Troubled Waters,' are ample evidence of her potential for rewarding pop crossover--if she doesn't retire by 21.
Buyer Reviews :
The most positive aspect of this album by Charlotte is that there are an abundance of songs. The most glaring negative aspect is that the song selection brings out the Worst of Charlotte Church. To include Habanera, a song which was written for a Mezzo, and on which Charlotte floundered badly, both on this CD and live, is insanity. Its the last song I thought I would ever see her associated with again. Secondly, to include 'The Prayer', a beautiful song, with the brilliant Josh Groban joining for a duet, only serves to exacerbate the fact that Charlotte no longer has the power of voice she once had. The result sounds as if a middle-school vocal student is in a duet with her teacher.
I am also miffed by why Carrickfergus, the one bright spot on an otherwise dull 4th album was omitted from this collection. The inclusion of My Lagan Love serves as somewhat of an offset and the inclusion of the bouncy La Pastorella reminds us of just how far Charlotte dared to proceed down the road of Opera.
While Pie Jesu remains her theme song, I believe that she would be better off leaving it alone seeing that her voice is no longer able to generate that level of high-octave volume.
All things be considered,including her age at the time, in my opinion, she would have been better off, re-issuing Voice of an Angel with a few added tracks, as for all practical purposes, that was The Best Of Charlotte Church.
(by Mary LaStant)
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