Beginningsby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Recording label
Credits Grade: 10 Beginnings begins with a short, spoken narrative in a male, English voice over the music that continues once he has finished speaking. The narrative/poem is a bit surreal, and it definitely takes your mind to another place. This CD can be bought with two other new age musical stress relief CDs — Gemini (which I reviewed last month) and Progress ... all of which are beautiful and highly recommended. Violinist Norihiro Tsuru and pianist Yuriko Nakamura are gifted beyond words to create such a wonderful landscape of sound.The music is both rich and soothing, bringing to mind images of springtime, beautiful landscapes, and pleasant memories. This music will touch anyone who hears it; it has a sweet nostalgia that comforting, wraps you in its lilting arms. The artwork is by Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D character designer). His artwork alone is breathtaking. The vibrant colors, flowers, and people on the covers are beautiful, but it is the inside slip cover that really caught my eye — a woman on horseback in shades of gray ... gorgeous. The pieces are beyond compare. There is no way to truly designate a favorite because they each have their own wonderous sound. This music is relaxing without making you sleepy (though it can certainly function as music to go to sleep by), and will help you unwind from a stressful day. It's also quite beautiful in its own right without being thought of as "new age" or something like that. It is a CD that I know I will continue to listen to for a long while yet. Written: March 28, 2004
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