Dream in Red: The Music of Peter Gabriel

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
No "Sledgehammer" or "Big Time" here. Rather, Dream in Red is the American Rock Orchestra's soft-pedal homage to composer/performer/WOMAD honcho Peter Gabriel. Selections hearken back to Gabriel's 1980 third self-titled record with "Biko" and "Games Without Frontiers." The former, one of the era's most enduring protest anthems (immortalizing slain anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko) benefits aesthetically and contextually from the vocal line of the Los Angeles African Choir. From Gabriel's So comes "Red Rain," "Mercy Street," and "Don't Give Up." ARO's skillful musicianship fits nicely with that of the London Session Orchestra. What prevents Dream in Red from being remarkable, however, are some cheesy elements (wailing sax that is neither hot nor cool) and a dated stiffness borne of staying too close to Gabriel's original arrangements. --Paige La Grone

Dream in Red: The Music of Peter Gabriel,Various Artists,Koch Records,Meditation,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop

Tracks:

Solomon: Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
The Four Seasons: Autumn: Allegro
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral': Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No.41 'Jupiter': Menuetto Allegro
Fair At Sorochintsy: Gopak
La Gioconda: Dance Of The Hours
Carnival Of The Animals: Aquarium
La Mer: Play Of The Waves
Humoresque
Sheep May Safely Graze
Masques Et Bergamasques: Ouverture
The Gadfly: Barrel-Organ Waltz
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra: Fugue
Symphony No.104 'London': Allegro Finale

Tracks:

Orpheus In The Underworld: Can-Can
William Tell: Overture
Four Overtures: Rakoczy March
Perpetual Motion: A Musical Joke
Pizzicato Polka
Minute Waltz
Concerto For Two Horns: Vivace
Pomp And Circumstance
Parade Of The Sandwich Board Men
Thunderbird Suite: Wolf Song
Indian Scenes: On The Jocko
Lieutenant Kije
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro
Radetzky March
The Tale Of The Tsar Sultan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Walkyries
The Bartered Bride: Dance Of The Comedians

Tracks:

Gayane: Sabre Dance
Carmen Suite: March Of The Toreadors
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 In D Minor (Excerpt)
Suite No.2: Badinerie
Fireworks Music: Allegro Finale
Children's Corner Suite: Golliwog's Cake Walk
Parade Of The Tin Soldiers
Carnival Of The Animals: Fossils
Sleeping Beauty: Sleeping Beauty Waltz
Giselle: Allegro
Giselle: Gallop
Peter And The Wolf: Peter In The Meadow/The Bird
Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet Of The Chickens
Masquerade: Gallop
Sylvia: Pizzicato
Italian Polka
The Red Poppy: Russian Sailor's Dance
Shepherd's Hey
Emperor Waltz
Peer Gynt: In The Hall Of The Mountain King
A Night In The Tropics: Festa Criolla
Hungarian Dance No.5

Customer Reviews:

Listen,Learn, & Grow: Playtime.......2007-05-14

The music is excellent, with high quality sound. Not irritating as some classical music can be. Plus the tempo's are varied which is great depending if you need something fast paced or more slow. Best of all, the kids enjoyed it!

Grandkids love it!.......2007-01-03

How to gently insert a little culture into the grandkids' lives without Mom freaking out.....send this set of CDs for Christmas. Dad's into heavy metal and Mom, although she has a long history of listening to Classical music as a child, is now into Country. Nothing wrong with that, but how are the three little ones going to hear any of the Classics with Grandma living more than 600 miles away? "Play this in the background while they're having creative time," said I, "and see if they don't enjoy it." When I talked with them a week later the 4 year old couldn't wait to tell me how much he liked the "playtime music" I'd sent him. The quality of the recording is good and the variety of rhythms and tempos make it interesting. Yes they're a little trite and you're going to have to explain that the theme to "the Bad News Bears" really is Classical, but that's okay. If they skipped the genius of Mozart as an infant, or even if they teethed to "the Magic Flute", these CDs will give them a taste of a variety of good music and who knows how far into the Classical realm it may send them as they mature?

Dream in Red: The Music of Peter Gabriel

Average customer rating:

Well Done Tribute to Peter Gabriel
An average tribute
A beginning...

Dream in Red: The Music of Peter Gabriel
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Leaves From the Tree: A Tribute to Peter Gabriel

ASIN: B0000584V6
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Don't Give Up
Red Rain
Engu Biko
Washing Of The Water
Mercy Street
Prelude - Jeux Sans Frontieres
Games Without Frontiers
Here Comes The Flood
Biko
Blood Of Eden
Don't Give Up (Acoustic Mix)

Amazon.com

No "Sledgehammer" or "Big Time" here. Rather, Dream in Red is the American Rock Orchestra's soft-pedal homage to composer/performer/WOMAD honcho Peter Gabriel. Selections hearken back to Gabriel's 1980 third self-titled record with "Biko" and "Games Without Frontiers." The former, one of the era's most enduring protest anthems (immortalizing slain anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko) benefits aesthetically and contextually from the vocal line of the Los Angeles African Choir. From Gabriel's So comes "Red Rain," "Mercy Street," and "Don't Give Up." ARO's skillful musicianship fits nicely with that of the London Session Orchestra. What prevents Dream in Red from being remarkable, however, are some cheesy elements (wailing sax that is neither hot nor cool) and a dated stiffness borne of staying too close to Gabriel's original arrangements. --Paige La Grone

Customer Reviews:

Well Done Tribute to Peter Gabriel.......2002-06-07

I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of tribute albums unless the songs are being performed by other artists that I'm a fan of. However, that is no reason not to give lesser-known artists a chance. _Dream in Red_ is a fitting tribute to Peter Gabriel done by The American Rock Orchestra, with Felicia Sorensen on the majority of vocals and the Los Angeles African Choir on "Biko". Several of the renditions would make nice background music - very soothing, nothing too ground-breaking, but there are lively productions as well. "Red Rain" is given a very modern production and features a strong vocal performance from Alfreda Gerald. "Mercy Street" is jazzed-up and therefore is more upbeat than the original version that appears on _So_ - but this is not a bad thing as it works well. The saxophone on "Here Comes the Flood" also works well. "Games Without Frontiers" is not that different from the original arrangement. It is notable that the artists have done their homework - "Washing of the Water" and "Blood of Eden" not only work from the blueprint of the studio versions but also from the versions found on _Secret World Live_. All in all, if you're a big Peter Gabriel fan, you'll find several things to like on this tribute album, and there's nothing that will turn you off.

An average tribute.......2001-10-21

Peter Gabriel is one of the most influential artists of our time, yet it seems like the rest of the world has yet to recognize this fact.

This album is a nice tribute in thought or effort, yet it still misses the boat in many ways. Some of the tracks seem too commercial to the point that I am surprised that Peter even allowed this album to be produced. Aside from a couple of tracks, this album is basically designed to be listened to in a doctor's office or on an elevator.

This is an album that can be listened to once or twice at best. Other than that, the only time you will hear it is when you are in a waiting room.

A beginning..........2001-03-05

An interesting and rather compelling collection. Surely not the definitive tribute to Gabriel's music, but a very capable start. It would be exciting to hear a more diverse gathering of musicians formed to create a tribute album rather than simply having one group do the entire thing, as this album does with the American Rock Orchestra, but nevertheless it is a fascinating work and a must for any hardcore Gabriel fan.

Highlights:

Biko: An upbeat rendering of this classic utilizing the Los Angeles African Choir to sing out the lyrics. A tight piece all around (I think the distortion tone for the guitar is more suitable for the song than what is on the original version).

Prelude-Jeux Sans Frontieres/Games Without Frontiers: The "Prelude" is a wonderful haunting intro to this version of the song which is quite well done.

Red Rain: Alfreda Gerald presents a low-key, nearly rap-like style for the verses while soaring for the chorus.

Guitar credited to a Pat Buchanan (at least he's keeping busy).

[Low]lights:

The two versions of "Don't Give Up." Neither one of them really captivating (except possibly the outro of the first version).

Felicia Sorensen's voice is a little too whispy to really handle some of the vocal bits, but a good singer otherwise and someone you could imagine Gabriel working with (i.e. kinda kooky like Toni Childs, Paula Cole, Joy Askew, Stella Katsoudas, etc.).

"Here Comes the Flood"....eh.

Pop Music: