Mario Frangoulis - Boston - 21 June 2012

[Bamafan]

Great report Paige! Sounds wonderful.

Jun 26, 2012 0:11:23 GMT Libby said:

Is she forever doomed this way when she performs in the US?

“Doomed?” Really? Have at least a trace of faith for our little kiwi songbird.

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[Libby]

By that, I mean "doomed" to not sing as strongly as we know she can. But I never thought she was off in 2008, as some others here seem to think she was. And someone here seemed very disappointed with her performance last year, too. Somebody who had their family watch it? Wasn't that you?

[comet]

Jun 25, 2012 15:09:55 GMT cloudbusting.heights said:

I thought she was a tad bit nervous for "Whispers in a Dream." Her vibrato was a little more pronounced than usual, like when a singer's nervous and her hands seemed to shake a little. But by the end of the song she seemed much better



~Paige

I am beginning to think this vibrato at the early stages of Whispers in a Dream is deliberate, as Hayley did the same thing at the National Concert Hall in Dublin,

Maybe it is to convey a kind of dreamlike state of mind, that lack of clarity that dreams sometimes have, unsureness, as if coming from "another world" or the subconscious.

[Bamafan]

Yes, that was me, BUT I was not disappointed with her performance. I thought it was wonderful. All those beautiful, crisp high notes and emotion. I was, however, disappointed at my family’s reaction. When it comes to Hayley's music in general, sometimes I feel like my family and I are on two separate planets.

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[Libby]

I will have to wait and see how it is on the show, if PBS does show that song. I hope they do.

But, I just don't think vibrato works with that song, and I don't care for the heavy, slow way she sings it as much as the lighter, more ethereal way Ennio Morricone had her sing it. Her way is too laborious and sad; Ennio's way is more hopeful and exquisite. Of course, her voice still sounds amazing; I'm not saying I don't like it at all. It just seems to make the song drag on too much.

[Simba]

Yeah, that's what I've been saying, these days whenever she performs songs that should be sung in that ethereal manner, she doesn't do it the same way.

Though whatever it is, I don't even think Whispers in a dream should've been the title track of Paradiso. I do not want to go off-topic but with all respect, if someother song was used for advertisement it would have been a bigger success easily. Really music video for that song, and singing that song in every show to advertise the album, I don't know why it was done this way. Because this is the reaction when they hear that song,
1. Sounds too much like Nella Fantasia (Because the music is Gabriel's Oboe! by Ennio)
2. I liked the Italian lyrics way better, it was more magical (I'd call this the original, 'cause Ennio supported this, and edited the piece for vocals)
3. The lyrics don't do justice to Ennio's music (Ofcourse it does! Ennio worked with her on this album and it had his approval!)

So, we cannot sit and explain all this to everyone of them, I'm sure everyone'd realize how amazing Hayley's voice is, but this song didn't help anything more.
This album for all it's quality was supposed to be bigger and grander, and I could easily say this song pulled it down.

I don't think this is completely off-topic (sorry if it is) because her performance of Whispers in a dream is to promote her latest album, and the song is meant to represent the album for all it stands for (though it isn't understood with this song)
And this time when had a chance to sing in the US, she chose this song...

On the other hand, I think Malena would've worked a whole lot better, it's of similar ethereal quality, has a wider range, and she hits really high notes. I personally like it a lot more, and the fact that "NO ONE" has 'sung' that song before would've helped really much. And a music video for that brings in a lot of ideas, like Hayley in a desert, walking alone and such....This album wasn't promoted well :/

[Richard]

George Perris posted this photograph on Twitter: http://https://pic.twitter.com/79wwyMOl



Richard

[Libby]

Jun 27, 2012 10:31:00 GMT Simba said:

Yeah, that's what I've been saying, these days whenever she performs songs that should be sung in that ethereal manner, she doesn't do it the same way.

Though whatever it is, I don't even think Whispers in a dream should've been the title track of Paradiso. I do not want to go off-topic but with all respect, if someother song was used for advertisement it would have been a bigger success easily. Really music video for that song, and singing that song in every show to advertise the album, I don't know why it was done this way. Because this is the reaction when they hear that song,
1. Sounds too much like Nella Fantasia (Because the music is Gabriel's Oboe! by Ennio)
2. I liked the Italian lyrics way better, it was more magical (I'd call this the original, 'cause Ennio supported this, and edited the piece for vocals)
3. The lyrics don't do justice to Ennio's music (Ofcourse it does! Ennio worked with her on this album and it had his approval!)

So, we cannot sit and explain all this to everyone of them, I'm sure everyone'd realize how amazing Hayley's voice is, but this song didn't help anything more.
This album for all it's quality was supposed to be bigger and grander, and I could easily say this song pulled it down.

I don't think this is completely off-topic (sorry if it is) because her performance of Whispers in a dream is to promote her latest album, and the song is meant to represent the album for all it stands for (though it isn't understood with this song)
And this time when had a chance to sing in the US, she chose this song...

On the other hand, I think Malena would've worked a whole lot better, it's of similar ethereal quality, has a wider range, and she hits really high notes. I personally like it a lot more, and the fact that "NO ONE" has 'sung' that song before would've helped really much. And a music video for that brings in a lot of ideas, like Hayley in a desert, walking alone and such....This album wasn't promoted well :/

I disagree somewhat on your viewpoint of Whispers in a Dream. I think it was good using this song, because the promo video is abslolutely exquisite and breath-takingly beautiful; and plus, the song is familiar. Familiarity sometimes works for the better, I think.

However, maybe you're right, and they should have used Cinema Paradiso, but then again, there were different lyrics. However, you wouldn't notice unless you're really familiar with the Italian lyrics. But really, if different lyrics is what people are worried about, virtually the whole album is like that! Yeah, pretty much the whole album is new or different lyrics.

Malena is not that new. The lyrics may be, but some people would recognize it as the song Josh Groban recorded to that tune, called You're Still You. But, that's probably only if you're a Josh fan.

I still just think it would be much better if she sang it the album way.

But she does this with I Knew I Loved You, too. Juliette said Hayley said she preferred singing it with just the piano. I don't. It's too quiet and subdued that way. With the stringed instruments on the album, it was way more dramatic and sweep-you-away-romantic-sounding. With the piano, she tends to, again, make it too slow and heavy.

I think the heaviness may be due to her trying to be more emotional and add more feeling, which is great. I guess she can't really win, though. I never thought she was unemotional before. Or, at the very least, her singing never failed to make me feel emotions before, even if she didn't add as much feeling as she does now.

Having said all this, I would be perfectly happy to hear Hayley sing anything, any way she wants to, at a live concert! In the USA, preferrably!

[Bamafan]

With you there Libby! I'd do anything for her to give a concert around here! And I'd be fine with her singing anything, that is, except rap. Ghastly stuff. But, then again, it isn't really singing, is it?

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[Simba]

Lol Libby, I agree, I said the exact thing somewhere, she has always made me become so emotional and connect to God, without trying hard to add that extra emotion. But with or without she is amazing and still Hayley. I like her Piano renditions of some songs, but doing it always is not okay I think, even when I play the piano and sing, I tend to drag my singing and suddenly make it fast and stuff. Piano is good and bad that way, U can control the tempo, but when ur singing and it doesnt have a defined tempo, it is not likable by all for all songs.

And about Whispers in a dream, I loved hayley's version the best, lol, I'm saying that's just us, others like Nella Fantasia more, and they compare :/

The thing about Malena is, even if you know Josh Groban's version, anyone can say Hayley is much better in that song. I just listened to that song you mentioned, and
1. He made it kinda poppish with drum beats and such, losing Ennio's ethereal touch.
2. The lyrics didn't seem to fit in as well.
3. Hayley's elegant way of singing swayed and flowed with the music perfectly.

So in this case the fact that the song is little known is also good, you're right that familiarity works, but only if its better than everything else (for most people).

I just feel Paradiso deserved bigger success.

[postscript]

Jun 28, 2012 3:26:13 GMT Bamafan said:

With you there Libby! I'd do anything for her to give a concert around here! And I'd be fine with her singing anything, that is, except rap. Ghastly stuff. But, then again, it isn't really singing, is it?

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

I don't think Hayley's experimentation is likely to go that far ever! Don't be panicked, playing around/experimenting is just that, no more.

Peter S.

[Libby]

Jun 28, 2012 10:34:31 GMT Simba said:

Lol Libby, I agree, I said the exact thing somewhere, she has always made me become so emotional and connect to God, without trying hard to add that extra emotion. But with or without she is amazing and still Hayley. I like her Piano renditions of some songs, but doing it always is not okay I think, even when I play the piano and sing, I tend to drag my singing and suddenly make it fast and stuff. Piano is good and bad that way, U can control the tempo, but when ur singing and it doesnt have a defined tempo, it is not likable by all for all songs.

And about Whispers in a dream, I loved hayley's version the best, lol, I'm saying that's just us, others like Nella Fantasia more, and they compare :/

The thing about Malena is, even if you know Josh Groban's version, anyone can say Hayley is much better in that song. I just listened to that song you mentioned, and
1. He made it kinda poppish with drum beats and such, losing Ennio's ethereal touch.
2. The lyrics didn't seem to fit in as well.
3. Hayley's elegant way of singing swayed and flowed with the music perfectly.

So in this case the fact that the song is little known is also good, you're right that familiarity works, but only if its better than everything else (for most people).

I just feel Paradiso deserved bigger success.

Well, of course it did. All her albums did, IMO.

Josh didn't write the lyrics, and that was only his first album. I'm guessing his first album had a heavier influence from David Foster (whom he's no longer with). But actually, it was this song that helped launch his career, because he sang it on the show Ally McBeal. Lots of viewers wanted to know who that singer was. That's why Hayley needs to sing for things like that (more often).

I think I do like Malena better, too. It's a prettier song with Hayley's voice, of course, and the way the music is arranged and all that makes it another elegantly romantic song on the album (in addition to The Edge of Love and I Knew I Loved You).

But just because YSY isn't quite the same as the original melody and lyrics doesn't mean it isn't a good song. It is! I happen to think this way worked better for showing off his vocals, and I love the way the song gradually builds up to the climax, which does include the beat and more crashing of instruments. That one part where he says "I LOOK UP TO..." is just so sweeping and beautiful; I can't help but imagine a beautiful lady being twirled around, in a fairytale-type setting. And you know he had to sing something to appeal to the ladies. But in fact, I think the song was written by a lady for her daughter!

Josh would have sounded fine singing it the way Hayley did (the arrangement), but I think the version he did sing was best for his style and for gaining lots of swooning fans! Which is very important, by the way! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

So, maybe Malena is best, but both versions are great in their own way.

[martindn]

I have no problems with "Whispers", but I take the point about Malena. It is in my opinion one of the best songs on Paradiso, and it seems to have been completely ignored both in the album promotion and Hayley's live shows.

I suppose the think is that lots of singers have done Gabriel's Oboe, some of them very we,, Katherine Jenkins for example. So people may already have formed an attachment to their favourite version of it before they ever heard Hayley's. Hayley's version is distinctive with her own English lyric, but I can well imagine that many people would not be persuaded to go out and buy an album that has yey another version of a song they already have.

So there is a case for using the more ooriginal and distinctive stuff to promote the album. That measn the likes of Malena, Amalia, Lezione, OUATITW. I don't suppose we will ever know whether that would have made any difference to sales.

Martin D

[Simba]

Exactly my thoughts martin, None of us have problems with Whispers in a dream, like I said my fav. version of Gabriel's Oboe is hayley's version.
It's not at all about us fans liking it, us fans will enjoy whatever she sings and buy the album nevertheless, because even if we didn't like the song, we'd definitely listen to other songs and like the better ones.

But my concerns are more towards how people who haven't listened to hayley (but have listened to nella fantasia) will respond to it all. The thing is Nella Fantasia is VERY popular and a lot of people have performed it so people will respond exactly like you said.

And Libby you got me wrong and got a little defensive there, I like Josh Groban and I think he's got one of the finest male voices.
But what I was trying to say is there are some songs that'd suit female vocals better and vice versa, and malena in this case is one.
So basically you being a Josh Groban fan, having listened to that song before Malena still like Malena better with Hayley. Yes I personally like Malena better than Whispers in a dream too. Hayley's range was AMAZING in it, reaching some nice low and highest notes.

I'm not being biased here, btw I'm just saying based on what I heard from people who haven't heard hayley before say about these two songs. It's either
1. I got too used to Nella Fantasia....
2. English lyrics don't seem to fit in...

And such, but for Malena, they're comments don't go 'comparing' but rather complimenting, which is amazing.

Like Martin said, I think OUATITW should've been equally used for promos as well.

I'm developing a game called Zoo Tycoon 2 with a team, and I made a trailer for one of our projects (Marine animal themed thing), and used OUATITW as the background music, knowing nothing else wd fit in better.

And a lot of people were like, "nice animals and video and OMG that voice!!! Its perfect!" and some others "Omg I've heard that voice on Endless ocean! Must check up more about her" "WHICH ALBUM IS THIS!?!"

I purposely used her song to publicize and promote Paradiso, because we have a huge fan base in the zoo tycoon community, and want a lot of people to discover her.

Now that's the type of reaction we need, and not blowing my own trumpet, but the video I made was perfectly flowing and calm and soothing with dolphins swimming (animated ones XD) and such. So that'd have an effect too.

So This song PLUS Malena (for live performances) would've really helped I feel.

[cloudbusting.heights]

Hey guys! I'm glad you all seemed to like the follow up I wrote

Jun 26, 2012 0:11:23 GMT Libby said:

Oooh, so you think Whispers in a Dream was another of her slightly-off performances in the US? Is she forever doomed this way when she performs in the US? I don't like it when she adds so much vibrato to that song, either. I wish she would sing it like she did on the CD, with the light and ethereal mood, instead of the slow, heavy, emotional way she does so often. That's the way it should sound! But oh well, hopefully those who've never heard her before won't know the difference and will still think it's really good!

I don't believe I know the proper pronunciation of his name, either

Libby, when I mentioned about her singing with more vibrato, it seemed more like a "nervous vibrato." I don't know if that makes sense. I just know that when I'd sing for my voice recitals, in front of my high school/college peers for Mass and for Baccalaureate, or things of that nature, my voice tended to get shaky/have more vibrato because I was nervous. I wasn't always a bad nervous, but I didn't really have control over that kind of vibrato.

Like I said, her hands were shaking a bit too. But after the instrumental interlude her hands didn't shake as much and her vibrato was less pronounced.

Oh, and the President of Horatio Alger Assoc. almost said "Marco" instead of Mario lol

I personally think Lezione Di Musica, Per Natale, Here's to You, Malena, and/or The Edge of Love would have been better suited for promoting the album. I think Gabriel's Oboe-Whispers in a Dream was chosen to promote the album mainly because 1) it is one of Ennio Morricone's most recognizable and famous compositions and 2) Hayley wrote the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, I love the lyrics, but I just don't think it's the best choice of song to promote the album

~Paige