Posts Tagged ‘Nightingale’


http://www.mainlypiano.com/2015_Reviews/Hoppe_Giuditta-Nightingale.htmlEPSON002

Nightingale
Music by Michael Hoppé; Lyrics by David George; Sung by Giuditta
2015 / Spring Hill Music
57 minutes

Michael Hoppe’s incredible music has gone through many incarnations over the years – in collaboration with piano, flute, cello, harmonica, symphony orchestra, behind recited poetry and prayers, etc. Nightingale, his newest release, came about purely by accident – or destiny. Hoppe and lyricist David George had co-written a number of songs and had been searching for the right voice to sing them for a long time. Hoppe made his singing debut on his 2013 release, Grace, singing “Love Overflows,” but the other songs remained unreleased. When Hoppe and his wife were in Tuscany the summer of 2013, they visited the town of San Gimignano. While on an afternoon walk, they heard a woman strumming her guitar and singing “in a most beautiful voice.” She was selling her CD of Tuscan folk songs and Hoppe bought one, leaving his business card and contact information in her basket. When Hoppe and his wife returned home, they had an email from Giuditta, who had researched Hoppe’s music online and asked if she could record “Love Overflows.” Her version was so beautiful that they decided to do a whole album of music by Hoppe and George, produced by Giuditta’s producer/guitarist husband, Alessandro Bongi. The results are stunning!

Giuditta’s voice is perfectly suited to Hoppe’s heartfelt melodies as well as George’s poetic lyrics. Known as a folk singer in Italy, Giuditta Scorcelletti’s voice is strong yet delicate, passionate and pure, and without affectation. The instrumentation is simple and is mostly acoustic guitar, but a few of the sixteen tracks have subtle flutes, keyboard, bass, cello, and others. However, it is always Giuditta’s voice that is front and center.

Michael Hoppe has been one of my very favorite artists since the late 1990’s, so some of these songs are very familiar as he has created different versions of some of them, but Giuditta’s fresh interpretations make them sparkle as if brand new. David George’s poetic lyrics cover many subjects and Giuditta’s lovely voice brings the words to life. This album is a rare treat for the senses, and one that came about through what Hoppe calls a miracle – it was just meant to be! Sure to be one of my Favorites for the year, Nightingale is available from SpringHillMedia.com, Amazon and iTunes. I give it my highest recommendation!

Kathy Parsons
MainlyPiano.com

5/12/15

Advertisement

Now here’s something that neither of us could have predicted. It’s an illustration of how the internet has truly made the world a global village.

Michael Hoppe and I were neighbors and met in Los Angeles some years back. We are both ex-pats from England via Canada & both in the Music business; his instrumental CD Solace was nominated for a Grammy.

After he moved to Portland, Oregon, he told me he had collaborated with lyricists in the past, but it had rarely if ever worked out, “Would I like to have a go?”. He emailed me an mp3 of a melodic, beautiful tune he’d written.

Like everyone else, I was riveted to the Egyptian uprising that was unfolding daily on the news. Tahrir Square was filled with non-violent demonstrators. Aerial shots of Cairo police confronting protesters on the bridge at night was particularly moving. It was like the moon was watching.

Around 2AM, headphones on…I cranked up the volume, Hoppe’s music surrounded me and I wrote…I Am The Moon:

(more…)