‘Dreamchaser’ reviewed

Sarah Brightman’s eleventh studio album Dreamchaser is a diverse mix of songs which represent well her description as a ‘classical crossover’ artist.  The 11 tracks on the CD (Universal 3732715) take in a variety of styles from the more traditional Song of India by Rimsky-Korsakov, and the contemporary  minimalism of the Lento è Largo of Gorecki’s Symphony No 3 opus 36 (Sorrowful Songs), to ‘pop’ songs by Elbow (One Day Like This),  Venus and Mars by McCartney and McCartney.

Brightman creates  a mood of lightness and flight, not unlike her  distinctive voice itself –  a soaring soprano often with minimal text, plaintive at times.  Big instrumentation provided by orchestra conducted by songwriter Sally Herbert, additional guitar, pianos and chorus, create the drama where required. Some of the arrangements, draw on the aesthetics of world music – One Day Like This and Ave Maria (co-written by Herbert, Mike Hedges and Brightman)have a distinctly eastern sound., which contrasts rather curiously with the less informed Orientalist style in which the Song of India was composed – although the Song of India does provide a showcase for Brightman’s style of singing.

There are plenty of melting moments on this CD which reached No 1 on the US Billboard’s list of Classical Albums.

 Shamistha de Soysa for SoundsLikeSydney©