Distant Light | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 20, 2017 | |||
Recorded | February 10–13, 2016 | |||
Venue | Konserthuset, Stockholm, Sweden | |||
Genre | Classical | |||
Length | 53:24 | |||
Label | Decca | |||
Renée Fleming chronology | ||||
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Distant Light is an album by American soprano Renée Fleming. It was released on January 20, 2017, by Decca Records.
Richard Morrison of The Times described Distant Light as an "ambitious album" featuring "superbly reimagined arrangements" by Hans Ek that "show how much stylistic overlap exists between experimental pop and postmodern classical". [1] Gulf News described Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" as "a perfect fit for Fleming's silvery, soaring soprano". They also noted the "textured, emotional soundscape" of Hillborg's The Strand Settings and the "contemporary" sound of Björk's songs. [2] Alexandra Coghlan of Limelight magazine stated that the album plays out like "a coherent and convincing recital programme" that "quietly dissolves divisions between genres to rather wonderful effect". [3]
David Patrick Stearns of Gramophone magazine described Distant Light as a "haphazard" collection of music, where Barber and Björk struggle to sit alongside Hillborg's song cycle. [4] Associated Press opined that Fleming's performance of "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" was "long overdue" but "misses the mark" due to conductor Sakari Oramo's "inconsistent" tempo and phrasing. [5]
Chart (2017) | Peak position |
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UK Classical Artist Albums Chart ( OCC) [6] | 4 |
US Top Classical Albums ( Billboard) [7] | 17 |