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| Symphony | 
 enlarge | Artist: Sarah Brightman
Label: Manhattan Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $9.81
You Save: $9.17 (48%)
New (40) Used (16) from $8.48
Avg. Customer Rating:  170 reviews
Sales Rank: 147
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.3
MPN: 46078
UPC: 094634607827
EAN: 0094634607827
ASIN: B000TSQCHS
Release Date: January 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Gothica | | • | Fleurs Du Mal | | • | Symphony | | • | Canto Della Terra (w/ Andrea Bocelli) | | • | Sanvean | | • | I Will Be With You (Where The Lost Ones Go) (w/ Paul Stanley) | | • | Schwere Träume | | • | Sarai Qui (w/ Alessandro Safina) | | • | Storia D'Amore | | • | Let It Rain | | • | Attesa | | • | Pasion (w/ Fernando Lima) | | • | Running |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Japanese pressing of the famed vocalist's 2008 featuring one bonus track: 'Forbidden Colours'. Symphony is Sarah Brightman's first studio album for five years. Recorded in Germany, Symphony features all new songs and is created with Sarah's long-time producer Frank Peterson. The repertoire ranges from beautiful ballads 'Symphony', 'Fleur du Mal' and epic power rock scores 'I Will Be With You' to interpretations of the work 'Jupiter' from Holst's The Planets on 'Running' to Faith Hill's 'There You'll Be' sung in Italian as 'Sarai Qui' and many more. On this album Sarah reunites with Andrea Bocelli to sing 'Canto Della Terra', as well as singing duets with Fernando Lima (Mexican tenor) on 'Passion' and Paul Stanley (Kiss) on 'I Will Be With You (Where The Lost Ones Go) '. The album showcases Sarah linguistic vocal skills by singing in Spanish, Italian, French and for the first time German. EMI.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 165 more reviews...
 Awesome Sarah Brightman Release January 29, 2008
88 out of 97 found this review helpful
I simply love the CD. Picked up my copy this morning and popped it into the CD player. Wow, totally worth the 4-year wait! I was more than thrilled to hear the eclectic array of songs Sarah has chosen for Symphony. There's an edge to the album, which was coming sooner or later, and I'm relieved to finally hear something a little more close to home, rather than her fully themed albums from before. Symphony offers a little something for everyone. The songs which caught my attention are: Gothica, Symphony, Sanvean, Attesa and, surprisingly, Running. "Sanvean" is a Dead Can Dance cover tune, which is beautiful. Even though I reviewed the MP3 of "Running" and bashed it, I've grown to liking it because of that tribal beat which pops up around the middle of the song. I still think that Gustav Holst's original (Jupiter, from "The Planets") should've been left untouched, but Sarah has put her touch on that such classic just the same.
Symphony is voluptuous and living proof that Sarah is truly the best-selling Soprano of all time. Sarah uses a lot more of her higher, not necessarily operatic range on the album, which is pleasing to the ears, cos she's got a really lovely pop voice too. I haven't heard some notes she belts out, in a long time! The whole ethereality of the photos throughout the digipack & booklet are really nice, though some clever editing & airbrushing has been done, giving Sarah a truly different appearance in the photos. Her blonde wig is interesting with that braid across the front top portion of her head. I don't think she makes a great blonde, compared to her long, cascading raven tresses. And the backdrops...how ethereal and lofty everything seems. I like it. It's theatrical and playful at the same time. Sarah has picked up on a totally different fashion style. I love that white angelic number she wears, looking down upon her altar ego in the red dress down below.
Glad to know that Andrea Bocelli has been brought back to Duet with Sarah on "Canto Della Terra". So pretty and breathy and really packs a wallop of sound! I don't really care for Paul Stanley's voice on "I Will Be With You", compared to the original SB version, sung with Chris Thompson. His is a more soothing, smooth voice. But I realize Sarah was going for something a little more edgier, so I presume that is why they settled with the Paul Stanley version for the album.
Tracklisting is as follows:
01. Gothica - 1:20
02. Fleurs Du Mai - 4:10
03. Symphony - 4:47
04. Canto Della Terra - featuring Andrea Bocelli 3:59
05. Sanvean - 3:50
06. I Will Be With You (Where The Lost Ones Go) - featuring Paul Stanley - 04:31
07. Schwere Träume - 3:22
08. Sarai Qui - featuring Alessandro Safina 3:56
09. Storia d'Amore - 4:03
10. Let It Rain - 4:17
11. Attesa - 4:26
12. Pasion - featuring Fernando Lima
13. Running - 6:09
I don't know about the American edition, but my Canadian edition (the cd itself) is glossy red with silver lettering. It's very pretty and unlike any of Sarah's previous discs. I highly recommend purchasing Symphony, because it's really a wonderful album with a lot to offer.
Bonus material is available, through visiting Sarah's official website, once you've purchased the CD.
She's Back To What Shes Good At! January 29, 2008
30 out of 41 found this review helpful
This album surprised me, I am not going to do a long review like my good friend Tony did but this album is far and above better then the last studio release "Harem". Maybe except for the first two tracks & the last track which is part of a reprise of the first track & hidden after track 13. This album goes back to her classical releases. Don't get me wrong, I liked the first two tracks & reprise but really think they would have fit on a "Harem" single "B" side. So not to take your time up reading my review, go & get this album if your a Brightman fan & if not check it out anyway, you'll be glad you did for sure.
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Oh, how it pains me to do this... January 30, 2008
26 out of 39 found this review helpful
...but alas, I must *for the first time ever* give my beloved Sarah's SYMPHONY a rating below her worth. I don't know if it's just because I've grown away from the classical crossover genre and am therefore not in the right mind-set for such an album but on first listen it did absolutely nothing for me. Luckily after a few more spins it is starting to grow on me; however, the songs did not touch me on quite as profound a level as say EDEN and LA LUNA. It's still nice to hear new material from the angel of music, though. Sarah Brightman is and always will be my favorite singer. She's got such a light, ethereal quality to her surprisingly powerful voice that just fills me with an indescribable feeling of warmth. She's an equally great performer and I look forward to seeing her live again.
SYMPHONY is, as ever, a diverse piece of work. "Gothica" is a wonderful interlude into the symphonic metal ballad of "Fleurs Du Mal" which made me think I was listening to Nightwish until Sarah's siren voice chimed in. "Symphony" is a lovely pop song that leads into my favorite song on the album, "Canto Della Terra" with Andrea Bocelli. It's spellbinding and epic, and I personally enjoy this duet of theirs more than the overplayed "Time To Say Goodbye" (albeit they're both very good).
Unfortunately the slower classical numbers didn't do much for me as they usually do, but other favorites include her edgy pop/rock duet with Paul Stanley on "I Will Be With You (Where The Lost Ones Go)", initially released with Chris Thompson on last year's Pokemon soundtrack, as well as the hypnotically gorgeous "Let It Rain". I even enjoyed her daring cover of Dead Can Dance's "Sanvean" which is one of my all-time favorite groups. At first I was skeptical, and by no means is it better than the original, but I never listen to a cover song comparing it to the original. There's absolutely no way to compare her voice to Lisa Gerrard's anyway because like night and day they are completely different, so for what it's worth Sarah has hauntingly made it her own with beautiful, breathy vocals and lush, atmospheric strings.
Overall, not her best work to date but enjoyable all the same. And inside you'll find Sarah in an angelical white corset-styled dress with her darker alter ego in a sinful red gown, all amidst a very fantasy-esque backdrop ala Lord of The Rings. Not sure I care for her as a blond too much but that is irrelevant. :)
 Highly Disappointing January 31, 2008
17 out of 33 found this review helpful
I am graciously giving Sarah's newest release two stars simply because I have long loved her voice. If I based my decision on any other factor, there would be even fewer stars.
The song selection is dismal. Everything sounds the same...there is none of the innovative, invigorating music that I am used to from Sarah. For those of you who loved La Luna, Eden, or Harem, don't expect much from this CD. It wallows in slow-paced breathyness, which is a sound I do not prefer from Sarah. For such a great singer, I cannot understand why she has chosen to use a "young" or even untrained sound for most of the songs on this album. Sarah, you have a beautiful voice. Use it. I don't mind it, if she uses it appropriately and in an appropriate song, but not as an overarching voice theme for an entire CD.
Likewise, many of the songs are reminiscent of material Sarah has already recorded, as if she got lazy or didn't feel like attempting a new endeavor. It reminds me very much of the previously unrecorded songs from Classics, which I was also not fond of. I cannot make this point salient enough. I felt so disgusted by the blandness of the songs, that even the first time I listened to the CD, I found myself skipping to the next track after I had only listened to half of a song. There were only 2 or 3 that were good enough to continue listening to the whole song. This album will definitely sit and collect dust on my shelf.
Had I previewed this album before rushing out to purchase it on the 29th, I would not have paid what I did. For avid Sarah fans who, like me, insist on having a copy of every song she has ever recorded, get this music only to complete your collection, but not for its quality. And for those who like Sarah for her interesting style, don't waste your money.
1. Gothica: An interesting introduction, though Sarah doesn't sing...AT ALL. Seems like she tried to replicate the feel in Eden and La Luna.
2. Fleur Du Mal: Perhaps the best song on the album. I like the Carmina Burana-style chorus towards the end.
3. Symphony: Pretty Melody; breathy pop-style song with a bit of confusing romance built in.
4: Canto Della Terra: In this song I imagine Sarah, 3 feet tall, whispering in a corner, while Andrea's voice completely blows her away. This is one of the times when I don't understand while Sarah chooses a weaker voice style. It sounds small beside Bocelli.
5. Sanvean: Haunting, beautiful melody for the first 30 seconds, then it just goes on and on and on. Sarah is SO breathy in this song that it sounds like she is suffering from a past tracheotomy and air is escaping from the hole in her neck.
6. I Will Be With You: Reminds me of the Fly duets, though the music itself is not nearly as interesting in this case. You can barely hear Sarah when she sings the tenor part in the chorus with Paul Stanley.
7. Schwere Traume: SLOW and, again, breathy. I've skipped this one every time. There is nothing there to grab my attention.
8. Sarai Qui: Hasn't Sarah recorded this song before? No? Oh, could've fooled me. Sounds familiar. She sounds like a CHILD, a very foolish use of voice beside Alessandro's powerful tenor.
9. Storia d'Amore: SLOOOW. Breathy. I skip it. Would have been better on Classics.
10. Let It Rain: The keyboard is beautiful in this song. Soothing, but sad and slow. Sarah, voice-wise, offers nothing new.
11. Attesa: SLOOOW. Breathy. I skip it. Would have been better on Classics.
12. Pasion: Slow love song. Beautiful Guitar. Probably the best duet on the album, as Sarah's and Fernando's voice qualities are more closely matched than any other duet on the album.
13. Running: This album's version of the aria from La Wally or Question of Honour, except not nearly as impressive.
Symphony of Dark and Light: Brightman's Homage to Baudelaire and the Flowers of Evil. February 13, 2008
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
For fans of Sarah Brightman this latest album may be something of a shock. Unlike earlier works, it is dark, brooding, and at times deliberately uneven. So before you buy, some explanations of what Sarah is doing here might help you appreciate it better. Unfair criticisms have been leveled at Sarah that she is trying to "re-invent" herself here. People making these criticisms fail to realize that Sarah and Frank Peterson, her manager/partner, have always visualized her projects as being separate stand-alone mini-musicals. Eden was themed around Africa/and Nautical motifs. La Luna had a mythological Moon-Goddess theme. Harem was the Arabian Nights. In order to understand this latest work of Sarah's, a fan needs to read Baudelaire's controversial set of poems "Les Fleurs du Mal" (the Flowers of Evil.) In particular, they need to read a poem entitled, "Femmes Damnes" (The Women who are Damned.) Unlike Sarah's earlier works, Symphony is a soul-searching journey through mid-life crisis, mirroring Sarah's own journey through the past couple of years (unfortunately this hasn't been the happiest of times for her on a personal level.) If you read "Fleurs du Mal" (you can order it from [...] for a reasonable price) you will be amazed to see how well Sarah and Frank tied the whole album into the poems, including the cover art and the souvenir booklet insert. Once you acquaint yourself with Baudelaire, the album, art work and photos will make sense to you. So when approaching this latest work of Sarah's remember: 1. It's themed on "Les Fleurs du Mal" by Baudelaire. 2. It's more soul-searching than previous works probably because Sarah had to do some soul-searching herself. 3. It's a stand-alone work, like all of her previous ones, since each album is intended to be a mini-musical of sorts. Fans of Sarah may need to listen to it a few times to get used to her journey here...but the effort will be well worth it. Incidentally, least you worry about Sarah, not all is darkness. Like any dark stormy day, there are flashes of light through the clouds. One song in "Symphony," her version of "Where the Lost Ones Go" by Sissel, was used as the official theme song for the Tenth Pokemon film, "Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkai." So, despite some personal tragedies, Sarah still obviously is maintaining the same sense of gentle wit and humor which her fans have always loved.
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