Content (by award-chronological order):
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All of my comments on this channel (award) are my personal opinion, have no relation to any organization or company.
This is derivation of SoPeRe Music Award. Contain award winner performances which originated from Europe.
Editor´s remark: Listen music with non English lyrics for many people can be unpleasant. But song with in its original lyrics is expressive and can transmit more feeling.
Toi (You)
SongWriters: Gilbert Bécaud, Louis Amade
Award winner is: Gilbert Bécaud vocal with French lyrics, from Vinyl Toi, 45rpm, Fr. version, 1963, Click here .
In my opinion this song is one of the world best love song. Not because just its lyrics, but because its music. Its special the background vocal, because has no lyrics. Moreover I think sometimes, it possible to perform this song perfectly, because use wide dynamic of human vocal. Its English translated lyrics found at Click here .
But looks like GB is the best performer for this song. My parent has luck to see GB at live performance. I listen many concert and studio recording of. GB´s benefit is not its singing voice. Its benefit is how lightly make a contact with the audience.
GB´s performances mostly filled with humour and just rarely sing with orchestra. But if like this time, then deliver us to another world of music and art. The humour replaced with transmitting feelings. The performance with orchestra just emphasize GB´s art. This special combination deliver an exceptional performance. Other words (if someone understand what I mean) for this song GB transformed to Alain Delon.
The audio recording is near 60 years old, but provide well balance between a leading vocal, background vocal and orchestra, and it is enjoyable.
Gondolj rám (Think on me)
SongWriters: Locomotiv GT (Presser Gábor) 1980
Award winner is: Rúzsa Magdi vocal with Hungarian lyrics, live arena concert, Papp László Arena, 2020.02.22, Click here .
Backstage film: Click here
It is one of the most beautiful song of the Hungarian music world. Its one possible explanation: Anybody has someone, friend, family member or lover who not go with us. Someone you never see again. But what if this someone have a chance to send you a song? Not more, just one song. Then maybe a best choice is Gondolj rám (Think on me).
Strength of this song (like most of all Hungarian song) are its lyrics. Every sentence of start with "think on me" and expand with different expression with a rich Hungarian language. The music from LGT well frame its emotional explanation. Unfortunately there is not English translation of its lyrics.
This song sung by many times by many different singer. RM itself recording it countless time. The key for well performance is lonely of the leading vocal. More than few musical instrument can destroy aura and emotional radiation of this song.
But fortunately this performance of RM are more than any other. The concert setup is provide a clean an simple instrumental environment for this song. The arena with 12T audience is amplify inspiration of a singer. Moreover RM add to this performance many as possible from its RM spice. The result is an extraordinary performance of this song I never heard before.
The audio and video recording is an amateur one. But I must say thanks to Sóvágó Zoltán, because its recording has well audio and video quality, and well reflect atmosphere of this concert and this song.
Egyszer(Once)
SongWriters: Presser Gábor
Award winner is: Rúzsa Magdolna vocal with Hungarian lyrics, Presser Gábor piano, recorded by M1 (Hungarian State Television CH1), 2012, Click here .
Strength of this song (like most of all Hungarian song) are its lyrics. Every sentence of start with "once" and explain what you can need from someone who close to your heart. Every sentence use a rich Hungarian language and a snippet humour to explain line by line all what you can need. The music for (single piano) is simple enough to emphasize emotional content of lyrics. And the highest emotional point of this song is its last words "mintha tényleg léteznél" ("if you really does exists"). This moment turn a hopeful song to a sad one within a second. Unfortunately there is not English translation of its lyrics.
The performance is unique, because RM´s vocal and PG a songwriter at piano. RM one of today´s best Hungarian singer and performer. This performance give chance not just sing but act this song. The result is an exceptional performance.
The song recorded by Hungarian state television. Unfortunately quality of the audio recording are not a best one. But fortunately the video crew done a well job.
Jöjj vissza vándor(Come back Wanderer)
SongWriters: Demjén Ferenc, Latzin Norbert
Award winner is: Demjén Ferenc vocal with Hungarian lyrics, and the Bergendy orchestra, Ünnep ´96 concert live from Budapest Sport Arena, 1996, Click here , On album Ünnep 96´ I.: Click here .
Lyrics of this song use rich expressions of a Hungarian language. Explain turn of seasons where a wanderer take away happy seasons in its bag. At the cold winter we need no more to say "come back wanderer". And with turn of seasons the wanderer is come back, and with a warm of summer. The music well emphasize emotional content of lyrics.
There is many performance of this song. But the best of them is performance for album and concert Ünnep ´96. The orchestra provided by Bergendy. Its highlight is a legendary brass section. The leading vocal is form Demjén Ferenc. The result is an exceptional and emotional performance.
Fortunately there is a recording of this song at concert by Hungarian state television. I favour the AV recorded version even it has not a best audio quality. Maybe someone need better audio quality, then need to be listen album version of.
After the Lovin´
SongWriters: Ritchie Adams with lyrics by Alan Bernstein.
Award winner is: Engelbert Humperdinck, concert Spectacular, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1985, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Click here poor quality .
For me this song is like a vocal-piano song for a nightclub. But fortunately contain enough possibility and a small amount of humour to extend.
This song is performed by more singers, but without doubt is belong to EH. But hard to decide which performance of EH are worth SoPeRe award. Or maybe not. One of the best concert of EH was at RAH 1985 together with London Philharmonic Orchestra and with a good background vocal. The result is a real top performance explain well root of a song and well apply to demand of today´s audience. Moreover performance of EH together with orchestra and background vocals free all feeling hide in a song.
Audio and video quality of a video referred is not a best, but to decide we have a concert recording with LPCM audio. Therefore the SoPeRe award is belong to original recording of a song.
By Strauss
SongWriter: George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, orchestrated by Ferde Grofé.
Award winner is: Elizabeth (Liz) Norman and Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna in production of Attila Glatz, Vienna (Musikveren), 2000, No online source found, some taste Click here or Click here .
Reference for comparison: Tori Darnell soprano, Kathryn Goodson piano, November 21 2016, Britton Recital Hall, University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Click here .
This song is "pays homage" or some kind of salute to Jr. and Sr. Johann Strauss by GG. But fortunately not a dry one, because contain a small amount of humour too. This song has two version, the original (vocal and piano) and the orchestral version.
Other sides, is not an easy task to select the award winner performance. For example TD´s performance on original version is an incredible one. But because it is a SoPeRe award sadly need to select an performance of orchestral version, because the orchestra is indispensable to explain well JS´s music.
But fortunately the award winner performance is an real peak of a music art. First of all EN is an well experienced singer of GG. She´s performance style is able to free emotional content of GG´s songs. But this is an special task. Because need not just perform one of GG´s song, but need to be perform it in JS´s stile! I can say no one in the world can do it well except the Strauss Festival Orchestra. This is some kind of organization (arrangement) goal of AG. The SFO of course perfectly reflect music of JS, and not afraid to use a tin as musical instrument to follow GG´s conception. The result is a spectacular and incredible performance of this song that worth SoPeRe award.
For the audio and video recording have a perfect crew because we are in Vienna and in Musikveren. Therefore the audio and video recording quality is good. Editor´s remark: I miss a LPCM audio recording.
Too Young
SongWriters: Music written by Sid Lippman Lyrics written by Sylvia Dee
Award winner is: Engelbert Humperdinck duet with ??? ; concert Spectacular, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1985, Click here .
The song is known as Nat "King" Cole – Too Young. As song is one of a sensual love song I known. It explain how love overwritten age. Can performed by single vocal or by duet.
This song is performed by more singers, but without doubt is belong to EH. But hard to decide which performance of EH are worth SoPeRe award. Or maybe not. One of the best concert of EH was at RAH 1985 together with London Philharmonic Orchestra and with a good background vocal. This song is performed as part of a medley as duet with ???. The result is a real top performance explain well root of a song and well apply to demand of today´s audience. Moreover performance of EH together with orchestra and background vocals free all feeling hide in a song. Therefore this song is just a "fragment". But this duet fragment is so convicting that worth SoPeRe award.
Audio and video quality of a video referred is not a best, but to decide we have a concert recording with LPCM audio. Therefore the SoPeRe award is belong to original recording of a song.
I Finally Found Someone
SongWriters: Marvin Hamlisch, Barbra Streisand, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Bryan Adams
Award winner is: Cover by Alex Iv (Valexiv) and Virginia Kopustaite, 2014, Click here .
Reference for comparison: Barbra Streisand, Bryan Adams, 1996, Click here .
This song is written for film "The Mirror Has Two Faces". For excellently explain moment of two people who "Finally Found Someone". This song naturally filled with many emotion.
This song officially belong to a BS/BA duet. I was agree over decades until I heard duet of VK/AI. The award winner performance free more emotion hide in a song than the original BS/BA version. Moreover the performance style of award winner performers are naturally fit for emotional content of a song. Even if it is less professional and have less god English than BS/BA performance that worth SoPeRe award.
Who´ll Speak For Love
SongWriters: Burt Bacharach, Tim Rice
Award winner is: Trijntje Oosterhuis, Concert Best Of Burt Bacharach Live, From HMH, Netherlands, Metropole Orchestra, led by Vince Mendoza, Ar: Patrick Williams, 2009, Click here .
This song is exceptionally written by BB together with TR. In theory this is a title song, but not the popular one. Instead this song paint love need to be defend with many emotion.
Without doubt TO performance with MO are the best one. TO is one of a best BB performer, and have high sensitivity to emotion hide in BB´s songs. TO has not just sensitivity but talent too to perform it at high artistic level. Therefore she´s performance worth SoPeRe award.
This concert is provide a best environment (crew) for the video and audio recording.
This House is Empty Now
SongWriters: Burt Bacharach, Declan Patrick MacManus
Award winner is: Trijntje Oosterhuis, Concert Best Of Burt Bacharach Live, From HMH, Netherlands, Metropole Orchestra, led by Vince Mendoza; Ar: Patrick Williams, 2009, Click here .
I think it is one of a masterwork of BB. The "empty house" paint lose of somebody who are close to you in a high artistic way. Not just a lyrics but the music too amplify and reflect this emotion in all song.
Without doubt TO performance with MO are the best one. TO is one of a best BB performer, and have high sensitivity to emotion hide in BB´s songs. TO has not just sensitivity but talent too to perform it at high artistic level. Therefore she´s performance worth SoPeRe award.
This concert is provide a best environment (crew) for the video and audio recording.
That´s What Friends Are For
SongWriters: Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager
Award winner is: Trijntje Oosterhuis, Concert Best Of Burt Bacharach Live, From HMH, Netherlands, Acoustic Guitar: Peter Tiehuis, Ar: Patrick Williams, 2009, Click here .
I think it is one of a masterwork of BB. The all song well describe deep emotional meaning of friendship. Other side is very hard to free emotion hide inside. Need top performer.
This song is performed by many top singer of a world. But in my opinion the award winner is a best of them. The and just voice and guitar make it possible to perform this song in a high artistic way. Message of this song is form one person (voice) alone, and a guitar well framing its emotion.
TO is one of a best BB performer, and have high sensitivity to emotion hide in BB´s songs. TO has not just sensitivity but talent too to perform it at high artistic level. She´s iconic song is this one over decades. Therefore she´s performance worth SoPeRe award.
This concert is provide a best environment (crew) for the video and audio recording.
Forever and Ever
SongWriters: Alec R. Costandinos and Stélios Vlavianós and David Lewis
Award winner is: Demis Roussos, from album Greatest Hits 1983, Arranger: Stelios Vlavianos, Click here .
Reference for comparison: Most popular version Click here
The song itself is excellent work of the Greek songwriters. In my opinion songwriters put in most of two thousand year Greek (song) history in excellent way.
The award winner performance is arranged by SV (instead the most popular version). In my opinion the SV arranged version is more clean and expressive. The arrangement wake forgotten female vocal and musical instrument. Make a song more wonderful and express more feeling. DR´s song interpretation is near perfect. DR´s performance, style and voice base of this song. I believe there is no other artist can sing this song in this perfect way.
And finally reviewer sometimes is worry, because many of a song lost in decade of years and become forgotten. This song is near 50 years old, but according statistic have near 30M view (sum of all version). This mean it is in head of many people (not just in head of reviewer).
The label on disc is some kind of guarantee for excellent audio recording and mix.
The Closest Thing To Crazy
SongWriters: Mike Batt
Award winner is: Katie Melua, Live in Düsseldorf, Philipshalle Düsseldorf, 2006, No online source found, some taste Click here .
This song is originally written by MB for musical Men Who March Away. For me (in my opinion) it is one of a most sensual love song I known. Its lyrics hide many hidden emotional message.
Without doubt the best performer for is KM. But there is endless recording of this son performed by KM. I run over all performance I found, and I must choose the award winner one. For me every performance is significantly different. The band the environment can make it unique. But for this performance flow and break flow of a song by KM make it incredible. I found no performance before and after comparable with this performance.
The video and audio recording done by experienced 3 SAT. Therefore it has good quality.
Nine Million Bicycles
SongWriters: Mike Batt
Award winner is: Katie Melua, Live in Düsseldorf, Philipshalle Düsseldorf, 2006, No online source found, some taste Click here .
This song is inspired by visit of KM and its manager MB in Beijing. The song, lyrics and orchestration well reflect sweetness of a huge city. Its unique is a flute. Make this song much more authentic. Remarkable: This song is generated many scientific discussion because its lyrics.
Without doubt this song is belong to KM and she is a best performer of. But from many recording which one is a best? Based on SoPeRe theory I would say it is the award winner one. May the environment or band shift it this high. But KM´s performance was a best ever, never before or after.
Faraway Voice
SongWriters: Katie Melua
Award winner is: Katie Melua, Live in Düsseldorf, Philipshalle Düsseldorf, 2006, Click here (low audio quality).
For identification: drums is Henry Spinetti, piano is Jim Watson, bass is Lucy Shaw, guitar is Justin Sandercoe, violin and flute and keyboards is Frank Gallagher, directed by Mike Sergeant.
This is a first song written for guitar by KM and dedicated to singer and guitarist Eva (Marie) Cassidy. This some kind of remember filled with many emotions. Simplicity of a voice and guitar song is perfectly reflect what a song wish to say.
This song as performer is belong to KM. From all recording the award winner one is the best. Maybe the environment, maybe the encore status of a song is boost its performance. Other words KM performance is filled with many extreme and deep emotion.
The video and audio recording done by experienced 3 SAT. Therefore it has good quality. Remarkable, the audio crew well recording the guitar and voice of KM, and for all song transmit a balance of them well.
One moment in time
SongWriters: Albert Hammond and John Bettis
Award winner is: Dana Winner vocal, live Liefde Voor Muziek VTM, Click here .
The song itself is a sentimental ballad written for Olympic game.
The popular performance of belong to Whitney Houston. She´s performance win a Grammy Award. But it is some kind of arena version of the performance. Moreover from SoPeRe viewpoint this performance bond to WH´s performance style, and in this way break the flow of music.
Instead performance of DW are more artistic and free more emotion of a song. Not to try to force own style to a song. Just perform it to audience in a (in own) natural way. This is why from SoPeRe viewpoint this performance is a top.
The audio and video quality of this recording is very good.
Last update:
Sep 24, 2023