Wim Mertens "Close Cover (Single)"

Wim Mertens (born 14 May 1953) is a Flemish Belgian composer, countertenor vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and musicologist.

Close Cover is a single released in 1983. 

"Close Cover", one of the most melodic and, in a way, classical pieces of the author.

Hayley Westenra - Ennio Morricone "Paradiso"

Paradiso is an international album by Christchurch, New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra, in collaboration with Italian maestro Ennio Morricone. It was released worldwide beginning 18 April 2011 in New Zealand.

Paradiso features new compositions written by Morricone for Westenra, as well as Hayley performing some of his best-known film compositions in vocalese. Westenra also contributed new English lyrics for some of Morricone's most well-known pieces, "Gabriel's Oboe", "La Califfa", and "Malena". Westenra said she not only was inspired by "Gabriel's Oboe" (the theme from the 1986 film classic The Mission), but also contributed lyrics to Whispers In A Dream (music:"Gabriel’s Oboe") in the spirit of world peace.

Morricone produced all of Westenra's vocal performances and created new arrangements for each track, conducting instrumental sessions with his own 120-piece orchestra, Sinfonietta di Roma. On 18 July 2011, Morricone commented, "When I first heard Hayley’s voice I was impressed and fascinated. I was very pleased when I was asked to compose and arrange the pieces that Hayley sings on her CD and am delighted with the results. I want to mention that this is not just a small anthology but also includes new songs performed and recorded for the first time... I wish our CD great fortune and many listeners and to this beautiful performer, a great career." Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black, Sir Tim Rice, and Marilyn and Alan Bergman also contributed lyrics to the multi-language album (including some English and Italian songs, a French and a Portuguese song).

Paradiso became the 85th local #1 album since the inception of the Official New Zealand Music Charts in 1975. It has been certified gold in New Zealand, and became Westenra's fifth number one album in New Zealand, breaking the record for the New Zealand artist with the most #1 albums to their name announced by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (Rianz) in May. It rose to number one on the Amazon Classical pre-release chart, and topped the HMV Classical pre-release chart.

Paradiso hit #1 on the official UK Classical Charts, as well as the Classic FM chart, after its release in the UK. It also reached #2 on the Amazon.com US classical chart after release in the United States.

Track listing

1. Gabriel's Oboe (Whispers In A Dream) lyrics by Hayley Westenra
2. Cinema Paradiso: Profumo Di Limone lyrics by Ennio Morricone
3. La Califfa lyrics by Ennio Morricone & Hayley Westenra
4. Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics by Ennio Morricone
5. Metti Una Sera A Cena lyrics by Ennio Morricone
6. Cinema Paradiso: Would He Even Know Me Now? lyrics by Don Black
7. Per Natale (L'Esprit de Noël) lyrics by Josephine Drai
8. I Knew I Loved You (Deborah's Theme) lyrics by Ennio Morricone, Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman
9. Lezione Di Musica lyrics by Ennio Morricone
10. Da Quel Sorriso Che Non Ride Piu lyrics by Ennio Morricone
11. The Edge Of Love lyrics by Tim Rice
12. Amália Por Amor lyrics by Joao Mendonca
13. Here's To You lyrics by Joan Baez
14. Malena lyrics by Hayley Westenra

Japan Release:

1. Gabriel's Oboe (Whispers In A Dream) lyrics by Hayley Westenra
2. Cinema Paradiso: Profumo Di Limone lyrics by Ennio Morricone
3. La Califfa lyrics by Ennio Morricone & Hayley Westenra
4. Once Upon A Time In The West lyrics by Ennio Morricone
5. Metti Una Sera A Cena lyrics by Ennio Morricone
6. Cinema Paradiso: Would He Even Know Me Now? lyrics by Don Black
7. Per Natale (L'Esprit de Noël) lyrics by Josephine Drai
8. I Knew I Loved You (Deborah's Theme) lyrics by Ennio Morricone, Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman
9. Lezione Di Musica lyrics by Ennio Morricone
10. Da Quel Sorriso Che Non Ride Piu lyrics by Ennio Morricone
11. The Edge Of Love lyrics by Tim Rice
12. Amália Por Amor lyrics by Joao Mendonca
13. Here's To You lyrics by Joan Baez
14. Malena lyrics by Hayley Westenra
15. Cinema Paradiso: Profumo Di Limone (Bonus Track) [Japanese Lyrics]
16. Amazing Grace (Special Bonus Track)

Disc 2 [SHM-CD Special Edition]

1. Gabriel's Oboe (Whispers In A Dream) Music Video

On 17 July 2011, Westenra talked about working with world-renowned composers on Paradiso when interviewed by Terry Wogan, and performed Whispers In A Dream and "Songbird" live for BBC Radio 2. On 1 September, Premier Christian Radio interviewed Westenra about recording Paradiso with Morricone and his orchestra in Rome. On 15 September, Westenra appeared as a guest star on the popular Italian reality TV show for children "Io Canto" (Canale 5) and sang "Whispers In A Dream" and "Cinema Paradiso: Profumo di Limone" with the show's 2010 winner, Benedetta Caretta. The BBC programme Songs of Praise broadcast "Whispers In A Dream" as performed by Westenra in Salisbury Cathedral. Also, Hayley was interviewed by several American media outlets, including Fox News, to promote the album's release in the United States. On 17 October, Westenra appeared on CNN for an interview entitled "Prodigy Puts Words to Morricone's Classics".

To promote and spread Paradiso, Westenra plans to embark on the Paradiso Homecoming Tour, a tour of the UK, New Zealand, and east Asia.

During the tour, River of Dreams and Paradiso is reentering New Zealand Albums Chart at #6 and #7 on 21 Nov, and Paradiso is reentering #1 on TaiWan classical music chart.

Bond "Born"

Born is the first album released by the classical crossover string quartet Bond, and was produced by Magnus Fiennes and Gareth Cousins. The album was a worldwide success, reaching the top twenty in charts across Europe. The album reached number 16 in the UK charts, spending six weeks in the top 40, and was also number one in the UK Classical charts, but it was subsequently removed from these charts for not meeting all the 'rules' of classical music.

The album was re-released in 2001 with an additional track.

Track listing

1. "Quixote" (Magnus Fiennes) – 4:44
2. "Winter" (Yoad Nevo) – 5:42
3. "Victory" (Tonči Huljić) – 4:40
4. "Oceanic" Magnus Fiennes – 6:42
5. "Kismet" (Gay-Yee Westerhoff) – 5:12
6. "Korobushka" (Traditional, arr. Magnus Fiennes and Brian Gascoigne) – 4:48
7. "Alexander the Great" (Tonči Huljić) – 2:57
8. "Duel" (Tonči Huljić) – 4:20
9. "Bella Donna" (Eos Chater) – 3:15
10. "The 1812" (Tchaikovsky, arr. *Gareth Cousins & Julian Kershaw) – 6:37
11. "Dalalai" (Tonči Huljić) – 4:06
12. "Hymn" (Magnus Fiennes) – 4:50
13. "Victory" (Mike Batt Mix) (Tonči Huljić) – 3:25

The 2001 release also contained:

1. "Viva!" (Vivaldi, arr. Del!) – 3:14

In addition track 2 had been renamed "Wintersun", shortened to 3:26 and had an additional writing credit to Gil Brown.

Vangelis "Portraits (So Long Ago, So Clear)"

Portraits (So Long Ago, So Clear) is a 1996 compilation album of works by Greek electronic composer and artist Vangelis.

The album features some of the most-renowned Vangelis' solo work, as well as songs from Jon & Vangelis, his collaboration with Yes vocalist Jon Anderson.

Track listing

All songs were written by Vangelis, except where noted.

1. "To the Unknown Man" – 6:33
2. "Italian Song" (Vangelis, Jon Anderson) – 2:49
3. "Pulstar" – 5:37
4. "La Petite Fille de la Mer" – 5:48
5. "Alpha" – 5:32
6. "I Hear You Now" (Vangelis, Anderson) – 5:05
7. "I'll Find My Way Home" (Vangelis, Anderson) – 4:26
8. "State of Independence" (Vangelis, Anderson) – 6:07
9. "Himalaya" – 6:50
10. "Conquest of Paradise" – 5:30
11. "Hymn" – 5:05 (unreleased new mix)
12. "Antarctica" – 3:43
13. "Sauvage et Beau" – 3:17 (unreleased track)
14. "Chariots of Fire" – 3:22
15. "So Long Ago, So Clear" (Vangelis, Anderson) – 4:56

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Alien"

The iconic, avant-garde score to the film Alien was composed by Jerry Goldsmith and is considered by some to be one of his best, most visceral scores. Rather than focusing on themes, Goldsmith creates a bleak and dissonant soundscape that fits the film's dark and intense atmosphere, with only a few "romantic" cues.

The music was performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Lionel Newman. However, the music was not originally used or heard as intended. The score was substantially cut for the film's released versions, and some recordings from other sources were added, notably portions of Goldsmith's original score for the 1962 film Freud (which were that film's Main Title, as well as the tracks Charcot's Show and Desperate Case), and the first movement (adagio) from Howard Hanson's 1930 "Symphony No. 2, Romantic" for the film's end credits.


The complete intended score was first released as an isolated track on a 1999 20th Anniversary DVD edition on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (it has subsequently appeared on budget DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film). On November 15, 2007, Intrada Records released this same intended score with additional alternate score tracks and the original LP program in a 2-CD set. This release is the first to publish Jerry Goldsmith's complete score remixed and remastered from the original 1" master tapes.