CD - Hayley Westenra Pure

THIS 16 year old from New Zealand made a recording intended for family and friends at the age of twelve, but it created such a stir that she was handed a recording contract at fourteen.

This, her debut album, is well named, as Hayley's voice has a resonance and a purity about it, together with a maturity far beyond her tender years.

Her voice is truly beautiful and the musical arrangements excellent as well as very good input from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the choirs involved, which all helps to promote her very well.

I get the impression that whoever is advising her is trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, to what used to be referred to as the "Radio 2 listeners".

But a lot of the songs were just too middle of the road for me and her lovely voice was wasted on them, notable exceptions being River of Dreams and Dark Waltz.

She truly came into her own with the more classical tracks, such as Carl Orff's In Trutina and particularly Benedictus, which was outstanding.

Perhaps now she's made her name internationally she may be able to concentrate on what suits her voice best. Whatever, I predict very big things in the future for Hayley.

LM

First published on Wednesday 22 October 2003:

Info courtesy of Keith S