Christopher Boscole: “Dawn of Love”
Album Review by Dyan Garris for New Age CD and Zone Music Reporter
“Love has many facets and depths. So it is with Christopher Boscole’s new album, “Dawn of Love,” which is perfectly enchanting like the first light of love itself. This is excellent solo piano for all lovers of love.” —Dyan Garris
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Christopher Boscole is a versatile pianist and composer in the New Age, Neo-Classical, Jazz, and Contemporary Instrumental genres. Christopher released his first album in 1986 and over 30 years and through 12 albums of mostly original music, has established his own unique style of piano sound that contains elements of his background in Jazz, New Age, and Classical traditions.
Popular in radio, his last five solo piano albums have charted in the top 10 as reported on Zone Music Reporter (ZMR). Formally trained, Boscole has a Master of Music in Jazz Piano Performance, Master in Teaching, Bachelor of Arts in Music and also studied privately with Gary Peacock. Christopher is also a featured Whisperings Solo Piano Radio artist.
“Dawn of Love” features 15 inspirational solo piano arrangements of both classical and popular music favorites, along with two uplifting original songs by Christopher Boscole in the New Age and Neo-Classsical genres. These two originals are the title track, “Dawn of Love,” and “Simply You,” both of which are outstanding piano pieces, clearly illustrating his own refined, identifiable style.
The album opens with the title track, “Dawn of Love.” Melodic and flowing, this song showcases both his piano playing ability and compositional skills. Full of passion and emotion, this is a wonderful original composition and the perfect album opener, as there we are, poised at the very beginning of love with all its first rays of blossoming promise.
The album is a love story. We may wonder, “Where do we go from here?” Love may require some risk of the heart and we may not know exactly where we will end up. But Christopher leads us masterfully through this journey.
“Simply You,” the other original piano piece on “Dawn of Love,” is simply gorgeous. At just over 6 minutes, this is one to listen to again and again. Perfectly paced, heartwarming, romantic, melodic, and just one to love.
So many others to love here:
One of my favorite Beethoven pieces, and easily recognizable to most, is “Ode to Joy – Theme from Symphony no. 9” by Ludwig van Beethoven. This uplifting song is beautifully paced and played as well. “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring Cantata no. 147” by Johann Sebastian Bach is one of Bach’s best loved works. Often played at weddings, this one will also be easily recognizable to most.
No love story would be complete without its inherent ups and downs. Hence, “A Time for Us from Romeo and Juliet” (Snyder, Kusik, & Rota). I like that this is a somewhat simplified arrangement. This is another classic favorite played gently, tenderly and wistfully. Beautiful.
“Amazing Daisy” is an exquisite combination of one of the most popular hymns in the world, “Amazing Grace” and “Bicycle Built for Two (Daisy Bell)” by Harry Dacre. “Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do, I’m half crazy all for the love of you. . .” This is very nicely done. Now, if you are at all knowledgeable regarding the history of the hymn, “Amazing Grace,” you will doubly appreciate the combining of these two songs. I think it’s brilliant artistry.
Another piece of brilliant artistry, in my estimation, is that there are two “Ave Maria” tracks on the album. One is by Johann Sebastian Bach & Charles Gounod. The other is “Ave Maria, D 839, Op. 52, No. 6” by Franz Schubert. And in between is the hymm, “Angels We Have Heard on High.” It’s beyond the scope of this review to get fully into it, and you can delve more into it in an online search, but suffice it to say, the history of “Ave Maria” is complicated. Like love, eh? See? Brilliant.
Also noteworthy is “Consolation No.3 in D-Flat Major, S. 172” by Franz Liszt is breathtakingly beautiful. Truly touching to the soul. “The Swan: Carnival of the Animals: XIII” by Camille Saint-Saëns is just delightful and was originally composed by Saint- Saëns for fun. I love this.
The album closes out with “Time to Say Goodbye (Con te Partiro)”by Sartori & Quarantotto, was originally sung by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.
“Time to say goodbye
Horizons are never far
If I live on this life with pride
Holding eternal love. . .”
This is again played with great feeling and emotion in Christopher’s polished style. So…did these lovers say goodbye or is this just the end of the album? In any case, yes, love is eternal. And “Dawn of Love” by Christopher Boscole is indeed “love-ly” from beginning to end. Infinitely beautiful.
Get “Dawn of Love” here: http://christopherboscole.com
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All selections arranged, performed, and produced by Christopher Boscole
The Piano: 9’ Steinway D
Digital Mastering by Joe Bongiorno at Piano Haven
Radio Promotion:
Contact: Sherry Finzer
(602) 903-0348
https://www.higherlevel.media
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