Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: orchestra

  • Nocturnes

    Nocturnes

    Nocturnes is a beautiful dreamy and rich series of journeys into the world of classical concepts created by Michael King via Dream Cloud Orchestra, which is both enriching and delightful, beginning with the evocative A Twilight Walk which establishes the beauty of the various works on the ten track album.

    Immediately transporting both the mind and emotions into a place of magic is A Twilight Walk followed by the intriguing Night Clock Waltz, a deliciously romantic piece that evokes the subtle, sensual emotions encapsulated within the delicate steps of the dance; dancers swirling and swooping through the haunting shadows of the night.

    King, as a teen involved with musical theatre, was fascinated by the almost immediate lift the addition to a musical performance a live orchestra made, realizing that music alone can tell a story and when added to a story, changes the vibrancy of the storytelling immensely.

    The amazing world of Silent Movies with the accompanying live music, also had a profound impression on King, as these movies demonstrated comprehensively the immense power of music and storytelling.

    As a more mature musician he wanted to explore the ability to tell stories though the many nuances of the orchestra, which has resulted in his debut album full of magic and mystique. Summer Night Wonders captures this perfectly.

    Traversing the Darkness changes the ambience as it a little darker, more hesitant; the shadows of the night everywhere to be seen, the eerie nature of the unknown that is hidden within nocturnal obscurity. The chanting of voices adds to the ghostly layers.

    Each of the pieces is considerably lengthy but none the less, well worth becoming immersed in the music, allowing the story you wish to tell to be woven. A dog lying asleep nestled at your feet, the switching on of the stars in the night skies, the slumber of refreshing sleep and the echoes of times past and still to arrive are all there, yours to enjoy as you drift gently through the night.

    To awake wiser than when having first gone to sleep could be wondrous thing and on occasion can indeed occur; the ethereal Slumber’s Wisdom takes you to this place of profound knowledge allowing you to choose, to enjoy, to relax and let the pieces coalesce into a whole.

    Nocturnes created by Dream Cloud Orchestra began as a project for Michael King and has arrived as a beautiful, fully fledged, in his words, “cinematic neoclassical work (with) a touch of ambience’’ which describes the work to perfection.

  • Surrender (Orchestrated Version) – Single

    Surrender (Orchestrated Version) – Single

    A small six minute piece, Surrender from pianist Pam Asberry offers a rich, melodic kaleidoscope of cinematic sound that is beautiful, captivating and full of deep emotion, reborn as an orchestrated version of her solo piano piece released on her album The Presence of Wonder, in 2019.

     Strong and passionate to commence the work softly segues into a timeless sense of peace, of acceptance and renewal, which captures the essence of looking backwards to allow looking forward to commence.

    The word Surrender means to accept defeat, to stop resisting, but as a word it fails to note that often, to surrender, means that a specific kind of peace can eventually be obtained and in doing so creates a strength of purpose, an acceptance, a time of moving on to fresh new beginnings, all of which has been beautifully captured within the orchestration.

    This seems to be a lot of emotion for one small single but the depth of feeling, coupled with the richness of the enveloping orchestration, demonstrates in a gentle and loving manner that Surrender can be a time of gentle rebirth.

    Pleasurable and immensely enjoyable Surrender the single, is one well worth adding to the playlist.

  • The Flying Orchestra

    The Flying Orchestra

    The Flying Orchestra is a beautiful, whimsical and totally charming book which is out to impress from several different perspectives. Clare McFadden, not satisfied with creating a fantastical storyline, has capped it off with exquisite illustrations that simply capture the imagination and go straight to the heart of the story.

    ‘Some days are so windy that even the angels lose their balance from the top of City Hall’ begins a story in the round of listening to the varied, everyday sounds of our world as if The Flying Orchestra has arrived in town, to perform just for you.

    The mournful sound of the train leaving the station without you on it, a plane arriving at the airport, bringing travellers, noise, happiness, joy and sorrow, the deafening roar of touchdown and departure adding to the vibrant sounds.

    The wonderful sounds of the ocean at play, the beauty as the dawn breaks, the sound of the of the wind as it roars into town, ducking, diving, twisting and turning; the simple joy found by The Flying Orchestra as they simply stop, play and create wherever and whenever they arrive somewhere else, anywhere else.

    Couched amongst the magic is the very salient reminder to make time to stop and simply listen to the music there in the everyday ordinary, as we rush madly about the world we have created, without stopping for just a minute to appreciate that which is all around.

    Enchanting and immensely enjoyable, this book offers so much for readers of all ages, as it uses an orchestra to carry the message, the angels to attract attention and the wind, the very mischievous wind, that is sent to create disturbance and bring The Flying Orchestra into town, until it is once again time to leave and the sky is filed with peaceful magic once again.

    For music lovers there is a section at the end of the book titled Music to listen too which offers lovely classical piece to illustrate the many reasons why The Flying Orchestra comes to town as well as introducing children to the many and various aspects of classical music

  • Guide Me

    Guide Me

    In a broad immensely powerful introduction to Guide Me, the second album from Samer Fanek he shouts, ‘here I am, listen to me’ before proceeding to enchant and impress with the volume of feeling, a richness of sound, a delicate tribute, which is all encompassing, beautiful and totally enjoyable from the first, to the final note.

    In his return from the dark days, this award-winning musician has created an album of immense beauty as he takes a musical journey through life, from announcing his return in Grand Opening, as if he were a showman for life itself, in what could be considered a panoramic piece with its depth and richness.

    Deliberately structuring the tracks to rebuild life journeys, he offers a lovely piano solo in Long time Ago, a nod to the time before birth, a time of waiting, pausing to reflect, before moving into Newborn, celebrating the beginning of new life with a more comprehensive and intricate mix of piano and orchestra; a glorious and upbeat song.

    As the music unfolds the story of growth is revealed in the lovely pieces Now You See followed with Guide Me, the signature title and one that comes with the understanding that all of life is given, but needs guidance to be able to learn and understand; a quirky piece which brings with its memories and a smile, sometimes wry!

    Before Dawn which enchanting with its elegance, and freshness heralds in new beginnings, a fresh start, hope and joy before Chasing Time arrives, deeper, perhaps more personal and yet one of the pieces that could be very significant in this majestic work, as it showcases the very real talent of Samer Fanek.

    In dedication to his mother Lila, is the richly robust For Lila, a vibrant piece with a rich orchestral sound of strings is without a doubt a glorious tribute of love. In complete contrast is the funky track Sense of Purpose, as if finally, life is presenting a focus, a reason, a destination: Powerful, fast and full of amazing layers this piece offers an upbeat sense of fun, freedom and rebirth.

    Finally, the last track arrives all to soon in Back To Hometown to complete not just this album, but offers an immense desire to return someday to his native Jordan, to the place of his birth; the long journey home and the feelings of homesickness, the desire to return to be able to reflect and renew are all presented in this beautiful solo piece, drawing this interesting, intriguing and glorious work to a close.

    Samer Fanek is indeed a talent in the New Age genre of music, one of a new style of musician and composer creating what many refer to an elite division within the entire scope of modern music. They have no boundaries, they create with the wonder of modern technology and time after time, deliver the goods to an exceptional standard. Here’s hoping Faner follows his dream, to be able to create his amazingly rich sound on the stages of the world with a very real, full orchestra.