Treasure / Celtic Treasure - Reviews

[milewalker]

Hi Roger and Dave

As far as that is concerned, I agree - it would have been better had he told us why. It is an opinion more than it is a review and I would tend to discount it were it on the "metascore" thread. Unfortunately, his opinion still counts to the extent that he has influence over his readership.

Jon

[Stephany]

Hi everyone
New review from Singapore.
Best wishes,
Stephany

The good, the bad, the ugly
27 April 2007
Business Times Singapore
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

Hayley Westenra - Treasure (Universal)

Hayley Westenra may be missing the rest of her Celtic Women on her third studio album, but she proves she is a confident soloist nonetheless. Like a Kiwi Charlotte Church, she soars across 16 songs, which purport to trace her musical influences and include a duet, a version of Danny Boy, Maori tangi (funeral song) E Pari Ra and One Fine Day, from Madame Butterfly, which, along with Puccini, you probably know better as Un Bel di Vedremo.

[Martin]

stephany said:

Hi everyone
New review from Singapore.
Best wishes,
Stephany

The good, the bad, the ugly
27 April 2007
Business Times Singapore
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

Hayley Westenra - Treasure (Universal)

Hayley Westenra may be missing the rest of her Celtic Women on her third studio album, but she proves she is a confident soloist nonetheless. Like a Kiwi Charlotte Church, she soars across 16 songs, which purport to trace her musical influences and include a duet, a version of Danny Boy, Maori tangi (funeral song) E Pari Ra and One Fine Day, from Madame Butterfly, which, along with Puccini, you probably know better as Un Bel di Vedremo.

The title of this very short review couldn't have been more apt.

It's GOOD that this paper has publicized Treasure, the review is extremely BAD and the reviewer is probably very UGLY.

Seriously though, the reviewer is totally out of touch with Hayley's relationship with Celtic Woman and to compare Hayley to a Kiwi Charlotte Church is unbelievably inept.

Martin

[milewalker]

Most newspapers only have one music critic - so perhaps it should come as no surprise that in many cases they are reviewing an album from an artist who they barely know exists, containing music they hardly ever listen to. This being the case, this review seems cautiously "good" to me.

We must always remember that reviews are almost never written for the fans of an artist - they are supposed to inform the mainstream who to a large degree know nothing about Hayley. Given this, is the comparison to Charlotte Church (assuming of course she means the Enchantment era CC) all that misplaced in terms of the type of music a listener might expect on this CD?

Jon

[Stephany]

This review taught me at least one thing.
I didn't know that "E Pari Ra" was originally a song played for funerals.

PS : Martin, congratulations for your 400th post

[Dori]

Hey, you're absolutely right, Stephany, I had no idea it was played at funerals either!! Now it makes sense why they kept playing that song (traditional version) on Anzac day....
Dori

[Gene]

Dori, what a fantastic report! The picture of you with Hayley is BEAUTIFUL! Two beautiful ladies. All of the pictures are great. Thank you for posting all of them for us to enjoy!
Regards, Gene

[Stephany]

gene said:

Dori, what a fantastic report! The picture of you with Hayley is BEAUTIFUL! Two beautiful ladies. All of the pictures are great. Thank you for posting all of them for us to enjoy!
Regards, Gene

Hey Gene, I think you posted that in the wrong topic. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[Stephany]

Hello everyone,
This is a new review of "Treasure" coming from South Africa (source : Pretoria News).
Stephany

Hayley Westenra "Treasure"
Decca - June 06, 2007

Peaceful music to go with an angelic voice

On Treasure, Hayley Westenra celebrates her musical roots with a collection that includes classic arias like One Fine Day (Un del bi from Puccini's Madama Butterfly) and Irish folk tunes like Danny Boy.

With her pure and soaring soprano, Westenra navigates through songs like a skilled veteran. The rich orchestration in songs like Shenandoah provides a nice backdrop for her delicate voice.

Westenra does misstep, however, midway through the disc, when songs blend in together. She breaks up the monotony with a beautiful acoustic piano version of the folk song, Sonny.

Westenra helped write four of the tunes on the disc. She shows promise in the pop-leaning Let Me Lie, which is perfect music for meditation with its ethnic flutes, but Summer Rain sounds like it was ripped straight from Enya's songbook.

In Abide With Me, the music fades and her gorgeous voice is the last instrument heard. At only 20, Treasure establishes Westenra as the next great classical songstress, in the vein of Sarah Brightman.

- Daryl Paranada

[Stephany]

The review posted in the previous post and the following one can be added to Hayley's Metascore[/url].

Treasure
Artist: HAYLEY WESTENRA
(Universal Music/Decca)
The Star Online
Reviewer: JT

Hayley Westenra is back with her third album and it’s no different from her previous efforts really.

Despite not breaking any new ground, I still found Treasure to be a great production.

So what if Westenra’s voice isn’t as powerful as that of fellow chanteuse Charlotte Church or Katherine Jenkins? Hers is one that will soothe the beast … the type that’s great for lullabies and meditation.

Songs on the album are a mixture of old and new. Some of them are penned by Westenra herself and I must say she isn’t a bad songwriter.

The first track on the album, Let Me Lie, is an ode to mother nature. Though beautiful and haunting, the melody tends to overpower her breathy delivery.

Her performance on other numbers, like Santa Lucia, is better. I remember this tune from a Tom and Jerry cartoon with Jerry singing it in a very squeaky, mousey way. Thank goodness Westenra does not emulate that and her rendition is excellent and pure!

She also includes some of her Irish grandmother’s favourite tunes such as Danny Boy and Shenandoah.

There may be arguments about the origins of Danny Boy but what’s certain is that Westenra does it very well. Shenandoah is another great one, and I suppose Irish passion is strong here.

But don’t expect this to be another of those great classical albums; this one is peaceful at its best.

[flip8]

Quick question that's only marginally related to the above article: what does a musician/singer have to do for one of their albums to be declared revolutionary?
More to the point, what does the reviewer mean by 'great classical albums'? Beethoven, Bach, and co. were composers, not singers, so I doubt he/she was referring to them.

[roger]

Hi flip8,

You ask good questions. Exactly what the reviewer meant is something that only they will know. By "revolutionary", I imagine they are looking for something that breaks new ground. However, if it did that to any great degree, Treasure would probably not qualify for inclusion in the classical charts.

I would define a "great classical album" as one which sells in vast numbers over a very prolonged period of time - many years, in fact. However, what the reviewer meant is anybody's guess.

Roger

[postscript]

That South African review is superb (233). To quote her as the next thing after Brightman I think is a great tribute. Brightman is a stayer and long-lasting. I hope the reviewer was bearing those thoughts in mind.
Peter S.

[meldy]

postscript said:

That South African review is superb (233). To quote her as the next thing after Brightman I think is a great tribute. Brightman is a stayer and long-lasting. I hope the reviewer was bearing those thoughts in mind.
Peter S.

I agree with you Peter. Not really comparing Hayley to Sarah Brightman, but comparison career-wise is something good.

Meldy

[Stephany]

A new review of 'Treasure' was posted last week on a South African Entertainment website.

Stephany

HAYLEY WESTENRA

Treasure
Henrie Geyser
Thu, 12 Jul 2007

Born 20 years ago in Christchurch, New Zealand, Hayley Westenra reached stardom at the very tender age of 16 — and hasn’t looked back since then.

Her first major international album, 'Pure', jumped to number one position on the UK classical charts and at the last count it has sold more than two million copies.

Since then she has recorded a string of albums, appeared at international concerts and live charity shows, and established a huge international following.

Many of her fans — including yours truly — were for a long time under the impression that she is Irish. It didn’t help the confusion when she joined group Celtic Woman last year.

'Treasure' also has a strong golden Irish feel about it, both in her song selection and presentation. But it is more than just a collection of instantly recognisable Celtic classics.

She balances 'Danny Boy' with a superb rendition of 'Le Notto Del Silenzio', and 'Sonny' with 'Abide With Me'. And her voice is pure angelic, magical, mystical and absolute five-star pleasure to listen to.

There are 15 songs on this album which has all the makings of money and success about it. It helps, of course, that she is also a stunner to look at.

A few reviewers have suggested that there is a slightly boring “sameness” about her presentation. I certainly disagree.

'Treasure' is that rare species of modern album that one will never tire of. It’s absolutely grand, as my Dublin drinking mates would say.

If you enjoy fine music, some of it with a strong Celtic lilt, then don’t miss this one. The title 'Treasure' could not be more fitting.