Kiri Sings Karl: Songs of Mystery & Enchantment
Karl Jenkins is a composer and arranger whose music is best described as "new-age world," a combination of gentle sounds with Latin or African beats, sometimes backed up by a sort of dreamy chorus. His "Mass for Peace" has become something of a phenomenon and has been performed frequently over the past two years. Here he has composed or arranged music of Argentina, Wales, and a couple of composers--Fauré, Chopin, and Beethoven--and texts have been added, sung by the great soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, in what must be seen as the twilight of her career. The overall effect is hypnotic: mild, soft-edged whisperings by the almost unrecognizable Te Kanawa, singing so indistinctly that it is difficult to tell what language the songs are in, and recorded with a matte finish that lulls the listener into a type of faraway submission. The Beethoven and Chopin are sung in a language that Jenkins has invented. Fans of the diva will be startled by the sound of her voice; this is clearly for those who admire the composer's work.--Robert Levine