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Cirque du Soleil - Ka

Mr D. | Cave Creek, Az United States | 01/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're in the mood for non descript, extremely pleasant music, the various soundtracks of Cirque du Soleil, always seem to be a good choice. I find that the mellow, easy going, low key, mellow deliveries of Cirque du Soleil to be therapeutic and relaxing. It also serves as excellent background music for reading or writing.



I have, or have heard about eight of the Cirque du Soleil scores, either the CD or from the DVD and when it comes to the music, my latest purchase, Ka is a shinning star in the heavens. Epic sounding in nature, KA has sixteen wonderful varied tracks, including two bonus tracks, running the gamut from exotic tribal sounds, to ethnic melodies, to gorgeous mainstream compositions. The music of KA comes from the show KA, currently in production at the MGM Grand hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.



My favorites are "Pageant," a catchy ethnic melody with a syncopated beat and strong orchestral and choir backing the remarkable vocal talents of Elise Velle; "Storm" starts out with a cello introduction segueing into a full choir anthemic sound augmented by violins and strong percussion; "Pursuit" opens with the sound of ancient horns and drums joined by the men's choir the full choir in a frantic up tempo piece that truly lives up to it's title; "Love Dance," Opens with a sad violin joined by the full complement of violins and orchestra in a lovely melodic instrumental with subtle choral backing; "Battlefield," is another song that fits the title, since I can imagine a frenetic battle taking place in my mind. The music has a varied pace but is mostly medium fast sung entirely by the choir while the entire orchestra seemingly participates; "If I could reach your heart," Is a lovely airy ballad, performed by Elise Velle, ably backed by the choir; "We've been waiting so long," is another pretty ballad with a catchy melody but a with different singer - Nitza. Their voices are similar but Nitza's is a little lower.



While the music is obviously in the same realm as previous Cirque shows, they have obviously assigned more importance to the music in Ka. With a symphonic orchestra of 57 musicians and a choir of over 40 singers, the score of Ka has a grander fuller sound.



The entire score was written, arranged and produced by Rene Dupere, a person I had not heard of but had apparently participated in many previous Cirque productions.



When it comes to Cirque du Soleil; if the music makes the show, the most enjoyable music of Ka makes the show even better.

"

BEAUTIFUL MEMENTO

Cj D. Vries | CapeTown, RSA | 03/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD to try and recapture the magic of the Vegas show, which I saw twice in one week. But when listening to the CD on its own I realized how extraordinary beautiful the music is , even without a show to accompany it. I would classify it as the most outstanding Cirque du Soleil soundtrack you can buy right now. Very well produced and beautifully performed, this CD will be played for a very long time in my humble abode. PS -Make an effort to see "Ka" and "O" at least once in your life... the best two shows in the world."

Best Cirque Music Ever Produced...

LadyJ | 08/24/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My love of Cirque shows and their soundtracks began several years ago when I was introduced to Quidam and Dralion in French class. Since then I have had the pleasure of watching several of the shows on DVD and one live. I have always enjoyed Cirque music and during the past few months it has been my goal to explore more of it. I recently got to "KA" and was astounded by its beauty. Though a matter of opinion, I believe it is one of the best--if not THE best--scores yet composed by Cirque. I was instantly bitten by the "must see this" bug (currently the show resides in Las Vegas and is not available on DVD, but for those who cannot travel, "KA" was professionally filmed and aired one time in France and Germany, and can be found on most torrent sites).



After seeing the show (the televised version) I was pleased that the CD generally matched, moreso than some other Cirque shows (Quidam is a excellent example). A review of each track follows. Some are out-of-order as they appear in the actual production, and can be easily re-arranged on one's iPod.





---DVD PERFORMANCE ACTS---



The Pageant

The Storm

The Deep

The Archer's Den

The Washup On Shore

The Shadowplay

The Climb

The Blizzard

The Flight

The Twin Brother In Captivity

The Forest People

The Slave Cage

The Battle Begins

Aftermath





---CD TRACKS---







1. O Makunde: True to the live version and very enjoyable to listen to. Actually taken from the theme of "Aftermath," the last scene in the show.



2. Pageant: Theme of "The Pageant". Lovely rhythm and we are introduced to the main singer (whose name I do not know). Her tone is beautiful. Sometimes I'll listen to this twice in a row.



3. Koudamare: Though this may be featured in the live show, it is not in the televised version. I do not care for it at all. Seems slightly out of place.



4. Storm: Theme of "The Storm". Brilliantly written and no need to see the act to envision the storm taking place. I catch the word "Poseidon" several times (could be my imagination but I doubt it.)



5. Deep: Theme of "The Deep". The music during which the female twin swims underwater to retrieve her Nursemaid. Absolutely beautiful music, simple and emotional. Do NOT listen to the accompanying song at the end or it may ruin it. It is best heard by itself with no vocals or additions.



6. Shadowplay: Theme of "The Shadowplay". A slight disappointment. The main melody makes an all-too-brief appearance here, whereas in the show it goes on much longer. I often play this track several times so I can hear the oboe at the length it is in the show. The melody is simple and elegant and peaceful.



7. Pursuit: Theme of "The Climb". A great "edge-of-your seat" piece, during which the archers scale the cliff after the female twin and her nursemaid/valets. Very true to the live version.



8. Forest: Theme of "The Forest People". One of the CD's highlights with a changing melody and the excellent performance of the female singer. Nearly identical to the show.



9. Flight: Theme of "The Flight." My favorite track by a MILE. This is beyond gorgeous, one of several songs sung by a young soprano boy. I could hear it over and over again and never tire. Had "Flight" been cut from the CD it would have received a single star review. You cannot have "KA" without this piece (or "Love Dance").



10. Threat: An odd combination of a missing track and "Love Dance". Would have been great as a bonus, but not at the expense of the Archer's Den theme.



11. Love Dance: Theme of "The Twin Brother in Captivity". Another essential of the album. The theme of the Archer's Daughter as she performs her baton routine. The cello and violins are stunning. Listen to them carefully; each time they repeat, the music jumps an octave. One of the most stirring pieces in the show.



12: Battlefield: Theme of "The Battle." Very intense. Not particularly enjoyable to listen to (though great during the show) but hey, at least it's included.



13. Aftermath: Theme of "Aftermath". The female singer makes another welcome appearance and the song grows in beauty as it progresses. Short but well-written and very pleasing.



14, 15, 16: In short, a total waste of space and detriment to the album. There are reviewers who enjoy these songs, so I won't tear them to pieces, but they remind me of a "classic anime" song that you might hear during Sailor Moon or "Cirque Gone Animated". I hated them and deleted them from my playlist.





(For those wishing to re-arrange their music true to the live show, it would be as follows):



#2

#4

#5

#7

#9

#6

#11

#8

#12

#13

#1



Omit #3 (unless this is in the show and I don't know about it), #14, 15, 16









---TRACKS CUT FROM CD---



The Archer's Den: Deadly, fast-paced, and everything a "bad guy" needs as far as a soundtrack goes. Admittedly a bit fragmented and not necessarily conducive to a CD, but the mixer could have done a better job of adding in bits and pieces rather than the strange techno "Threat" that exists in its place.



Wash-Up On Shore: The "clown" routine. This is a super fun part of the score and I'm perplexed why it wasn't included. Sorely missed.



The Blizzard: Very short in the show, but cute and very "Cirque-ish" with the twangy strings. Would have been possible to add this in right before "Flight" and it would have lightened the feel of the album.



The Slave Cage: A nice feature of the electric guitar and a wonderful beat. It absolutely should have been added to the CD.







---FINAL TAKE---



My 4 star rating comes from the following:



Missing pieces from the show

Three wasted tracks of added vocals

Cuts in existing tracks (like Shadowplay)

Out of order from show schedule



That said, this is a Cirque du Soleil album that CANNOT be omitted from your collection. It is worth it just for Flight, Love Dance, and Forest, and the other tracks are very enjoyable as well. In my opinion, worth every dollar. And if you ever get the chance, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see it live, either.





"