Rhydian's classical edge

It is wind down time again. The Christian world is preparing for a joyous Easter with some peace and quiet on the last days of the Lenten Season. As it has been the case since ages ago, all merrymaking is put on hold and even the music we listen to take on a solemn tone. And when we think solemn, we turn to classical music, which we equate with worship songs or at the very least, classically trained voices.

Popwise, the biggest among these at the moment is Josh Groban. He also seems to be the only American to make the grade. Il Divo has one American member but is considered European. It is a different case in the UK though where the Brits have not stopped giving these young lyrical singers a chance at stardom. As of now, there are several tenors and baritones too young for opera but actively recording and performing as pop artists.

Their names may not be as big as Groban’s but they are doing quite well. Paul Potts, the mobile phone salesman who wowed with Nessum Dorma, is one of them. Another one is Will Young, a Star for a Night winner who is doing quite well. Among the newer ones are X-Factor winner Leon Jackson and the guy who came in as runner-up Rhydian Taylor from Wales.

I do not know if Jackson’s album is available here but Rhydian by Rhydian Taylor is and it might be a good choice as a wind-down sound this Holy Week. Rhydian is Welsh and easily recognizable for his shock of white hair and uppity looks. He has been singing since he was three years old and trained in opera. He created a sensation with his take on Phantom of the Opera in the X-Factor show and remained in the competition with crowd-pleasing renditions of pop classics like Bridge Over Troubled Water, Somewhere and The Impossible Dream all of which made it to his debut CD.

Losing the contest did not stop him from getting a record deal. In fact, it was the famous Simon Cowell himself who signed him up to Sony Music. The American Idol judge who is also behind some of Britain’s leading reality shows, saw a potential big seller in Rhydian’s crystal clear singing voice. And he was right. Rhydian was released late last year and became one of the biggest selling CDs of the year in the UK. The kid from Wales is now ready to take on the US of A and hopefully other parts of the world.

Save for the original I’m Coming Home Again, Rhydian is made up mostly of covers. Since we have already heard most of them in various versions, To Where You Are is very much identified with Groban, the thing to focus on in the album is Rhydian’s voice. His singing is flawless and he has a kind of sweetness rarely found in baritones. You will admire how effortless he is in What If, a duet with Dina Menzel, The Prayer, There Will Be A Time, I Believe and Who Wants To Live Forever. But since I like classical singers with a rock edge, my best choice is his take on Diane Warren’s Not A Dry Eye in The House.

The Priests tops US charts

Christmas has been long over but the Holiday tinged CD The Priests by The Priests remains the No. 1 selling classical album in the US charts as per Billboard Magazine. Here are others you might want to consider listening to during the final days of the Lenten Season.

The other CDs in the Top 10 are: Amore Infinito: Songs Inspired By The Poems of John Paul II by Placido Domingo; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto: Souvenir D’un Lieu Cher by Janine Jansen and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra of Harding; In Principio by Arvo Part; Vivaldi: The Four Seasons by Joshua Bell and the Academy of St. Martin In The Fields; Greatest Hits by Andre Rieu; Chant: Music For The Soul by The Cistercian Monks of Stift Helligenkreuz; Bach Concertos by Julia Fisher and The Academy of St. Martin In The Fields; The Duets by Luciano Pavarotti; and Bel Canto Spectacular by Juan Diego Florez and the Orquestra de la Communitat Valenciana.