Romanza - Andrea Bocelli

Okay, I’ll have to admit that I’m NOT Italian, but I do enjoy Andrea Bocelli’s music....almost. This was my first Andrea Bocelli album purchase. It was made about a month after I saw him on A Night in Tuscany. Soon after, I went out to get practically all his other albums, but for now this one is still his best, making the others sound less-than-compelling by comparison (no offense to Andrea). Five out of the 15 songs on here were taken from Il Mare Calmo Della Sera, ten from Bocelli, and one from a special event (more on that later). Lack of vocal power and emotion are drawbacks, but this doesn't affect the quality of the songs here.

Why Mr. Bocelli wanted to choose the ever-popular Con Te Partirò to start it off was his decision. After all, it spent many weeks at No. 1 years ago, and it shows, what with that lovely melody getting listeners into an intimate mood. No wonder it is still his signature song. It spent even longer at No. 1 when he and Sarah Brightman re-recorded the song as the duet Time To Say Goodbye with members of the London Symphony Orchestra (the people behind Sarah’s best-selling 1997 CD of the same name) for Sarah’s now retired friend, Henri Maske, in late 1996. And it’s no surprise to see both versions of that song together again on here! The Canto Della Terra and even Sogno would never hold out against the likes of Con Te Partirò. Vivere, taken from Il Mare, is charming. As for Per Amore, what with its sexy Irish-like instruments and sure-fire melody (and awesome vocals by Bocelli), it’s fantastic. Man, I just love to sing along to that number, which is why it has become my personal favorite. Il Mare Calmo Della Sera, as featured on the 1994 debut, is pretty, too, although there are distinct differences in the singing on this version and the original 1994 version (maybe he had to sing this song again for this?).

Some of the other songs that follow have a stylish crossover bent. “Caruso” is a pretty piano piece accompanied by an even more haunting vocal by Andrea. I like the part when Andrea lets out a haunting echo before the second chorus. Macchine Da Guerra is gentle, perhaps too gentle. “Le Tue Parole” is one of two songs with Latin influence, enhanced by an electric guitar solo and an extended vocal range by Bocelli. Vivo Per Lei is an enjoyable duet with Andrea and Giorgia this time (this version is recorded entirely in Italian). This song was also subsequently re-recorded with Marta Sanchez in Spanish as Vivo Por Ella, which is featured on the Spanish telenovela Vivo Por Elena. Not to mention a French version of the song with Hélène Segara.

This brings us to “Romanza,” the emotional Mauro Malavasi piece. I enjoy singing along with that song, even though its melody is so moving that it occasionally brings me to tears. Andrea included this on his Night in Tuscany TV special. I am moved so deeply by the part after the second chorus where he goes “Ah, forse culpa mia, forse culpa tua,” where he sings it with pure emotion and heartache. So lovely. The most intimately beautiful song on the album, in my opinion, is “La Luna Che Non C’è,” which has a very sexy melody. But then it makes Per Amore, the CDT, et all off my books. You may have not noticed it, but I wrote the words The Moon That Is Not There in parentheses next to La Luna Che Non C’è. I wrote this because that is the English title, and I thought that it would fit perfectly as the re-title of that song, should Andrea ever decide to re-record the song in English, which I very much doubt he ever will. “Rapsodia,” which comes before “La Luna” on the album Il Mare, is very smooth. The predominant elements of the song are the atmospheric sounds, the acoustic guitar, and Andrea’s haunting read at the beginning, when he speaks the lyrics then sings them in an extremely high register. The same goes with “Voglio Restare Così,” only with a percussive organ, a string arrangement, and a harmonica as accompaniments. Why? Reminds me of Stevie Wonder.
Maybe Andrea knew how to play the harmonica in addition to the piano, the flute, and the sax? Or maybe someone else plays on it.

The last three songs remind me of earlier tracks. “E Chiove,” for one thing, sounds almost identical to “Le Tue Parole,” only its Latin influence is much lighter. Miserere, this time around, was re-recorded with John Miles for Night at the Proms 1995. Now, Miserere is great, but it isn’t what the other songs on here talk about, and John appears to work Andrea very hard (no offense to him). But Time To Say Goodbye, the closer, saves the day.

Some Bocelli fans will insist that this is Andrea’s definitive collection. Others will not. A number of people have said that on here, Andrea only wants to be a good singer, whereas on Sogno, it is said that he actually is a good singer. Not to mention Aria. Well, to tell you the truth, he does his best no matter what, because he, as Rob Thomas and Carlos Santana would say, is so smooth.