A jewel in the crown
Dag Kyndel | Hölö, Sweden | 12/28/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is just so wonderful! I know ABBA's music very well, even if most of my records (thousands) are classical. Please excuse me, Leontyne Price, Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson and other giants on the scene; now it is "Let the music speak" that counts. I cannot resist it, I do listen to it every day. This is a record to turn to when a bit sad, when feeling alone, when tired after work, when unable to sleep, or at cosy and/or romantic moments! It fits in everywhere. Key words are: Beautiful music, dedication, love, simplicity - and a very, very beautiful voice. Be aware that the disc has a hidden track 12, not mentioned on the sleeve or disc! There is 40 seconds of silence between track 11 and 12, so it is very easy to miss track 12!
Thank you for the music Ms. von Otter, and thanks to DG for giving us this jewel among CD:s!"
Delightful Interpretations on Andersson's Classics
Jeffrey R. Dunn | Chicago suburbs, IL USA | 11/15/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having waited for this release throughout this year, I'm very pleased with result overall! I feel like these songs have been given a very refreshing new life. And although Anne-Sofie's voice is more suited for opera than pop, the clarity and warmth in her delivery really make these simple arrangements shine. The only song I'm not fond of is her interpretation of "I Am Just A Girl." And for those diehard Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Frida fans like me, remember that Benny Andersson himself not only approves of this project, but also appears on 2 selections!"
Who the hell is Anne Sofie von Otter?
Cecil Fox | Little Rock, AR United States | 06/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My current understanding of the state of mezzo sopranos or sopranos in general may be a bit primitive. When a companion in Stockholm sent me this CD I stuck it in a stack of other discs and fed them into a player. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The ABBA songs I remembered seemed transformed by the voice. Flash backs of predawn candles in a flat in Östermalm and the sound and smell of the [ASIN:B001AGXBR2 Gevalia Kaffe] coffee filtering through. Franska bullar, the sour sweetness of leaving, once, or forever and the wistfulness of a full grown woman, an incredible woman, stepping off the stages of World Opera and revealing feeling that transcends arias or divas, no matter how famous. Oh Yes! You dont have to have been there when it happened the first time, after the Schlager Fest and Momey, Money, Money was a song. You don't need to know that Anne Sofie rules opera and performance. Her killer looks don't matter. What does matter that she is a passionate and committed woman who can move you. It may be subterfuge but it works! The only thing more I would want before I die would be for Anne Sofie to do two CDs with Willie Nelson."