Angels of Venice

This CD is perfect for relaxation. I am a pre-K teacher and use it during nap time. The kids who don't sleep enjoy listening to the music. The songs are absoutely beautiful and unique.

J'ai beaucoup aimé ce cd, relax et très bien fait. Les arrangements sont excellent et la qualité sonore impecable.Pour ces raisons, je lui donne un 5*.Je le recommande sans hésitation.I'M 52 years old.

I really like the way the instruments blended together on this disc. Definitely soothing music, to take you to a heavenly realm.

this is a really good CD...i can listen to it over and over...the sound is very smooth...and well blended...you will enjoy it!

I am usually a voice-oriented music listener and for that reason it is a huge surprise how much I loved this instrumental album! Everything about this gentle CD is a treat. I wish there were a picture here of the cover, because it is worthy of being framed. First your disc arrives, and you see this beautiful painting on the front. Then you tear off the plastic and open it, to find that the disc itself also has a beautiful painting on it. It feels like a birthday present! Then you stick it in your CD player, and the most lovely sound comes out.

Gentle instruments play instrumental melodies that even those of us who normally prefer lyrics can really get into. It is one happy, gentle, strangely familiar tune after another. It absolutely transforms the atmosphere of your house into a happy, magical place, full of gentle cheer.

When the lovely album is over, you just want to slip it carefully back into all that beautiful packaging, give it a kiss and place it carefully on a prominent place on your CD shelf for everyone to see. It's the sort of album that will never wear out or grow old. You'll want to pass it on to your grandchildren!

Most Christmas albums are either ho-hum, annoyingly peppy, mess up the arrangement of good, traditional songs, or have a poor selection of songs. This one is none of those things! The arrangements are true to the original, but yet have some variation that ADD to the song, not detract or compromise it's value. The music is absolutely beautiful. I play this album all throughout the year because it is just so lovely and not overly "Christmasy". The instruments are woven together nicely and the inclusion of some vocals add to the variation. I have been looking for a compilation of great traditional songs for a long time and have mostly been dissapointed. Not this time!

"Sanctus" is a rich, shimmering tapestry of carols for Christmastide. The arrangements have an exotic feel and the performances sparkle like the season. With Carol Tatum in the lead, The Angels of Venice have once again created an engaging, almost mystical listening experience. It's a gorgeous album for any time of the year, but especially Yuletide.

-- Walt Haake, host and producer, The Mists of Avalon, WDVR,www.themistsofavalon.com

This is an excellent collection of music! Unfortunately, the sound clips aren't attached to this page. Go here to download some samples from this CD:
http://artist.amazon.com/theangelsofvenice

It's been a while since AOV/Carol Tatum provided us with some more music! Sanctus is a well selected collection of pieces that to me is more than just a "holiday cd." I think I'll be listening to this in all seasons. Overall the instruments and blending of sounds are very much "AOV". If you are already a fan, you will like it. But if you haven't heard AOV, this may be a good place to start, because it's a refreshing alternative to "typical" holiday cds out there. It really stands out.

I love this artist and her work is sublime . . . peaceful, relaxing, lushly beautiful yet never overdone. Some of the most lyrical and beautiful pieces the ear will ever have the pleasure of hearing.

This album with a deceptively simple title is actually a rich and provocative tour de force by Carol Tatum, harpist and guiding force behind the Angels of Venice. Here, the innovative composer and one-woman-band performs all the accoustic and MIDI instruments herself, overdubbed track upon track to create an orchestra of sound around her clear, clean harp-playing. Depthful, mysterious and mellow, her mature compositions are consistently rewarding, affecting the listener on a deep and personal level. The style of her elegant, smooth and often spooky pieces is much like the gentler work of the full Angels of Venice ensemble, but nothing is missing on this solo release. I don't normally care for covers, but Tatum's arrangement of "Nothing Else Matters" is perfectly suited! "Parson's Farewell" is a moody, semi-exotic, modern arrangement of a Renaissance dance, something that Tatum does very well both here and on her other albums. "Starshine Lullaby" and "Non Allegra" are more straightforward harp songs, reminiscent of the sweet style of harpist Lisa Lynne. The apt title of track #2, "Persentio", is Latin for "to deeply feel" and that is how I like my music, whether as a player or a listener--deep and heartfelt. These qualities are Tatum trademarks and one of the reasons I so enjoy her work! To hear more of her lovely and intriguing compositions, try also "Angels of Venice", "Awake Inside a Dream" and "Music for Flute, Harp and Cello" by the Angels of Venice.

This is a wonderful album! Very peaceful and relaxing. Perfect for soaking in a hottub with wine and a friend... I won't bore you with details but the track Nothing Else Matters is worth the price alone!

Refreshing sound of traditional instruments of flute
(recorder?), harp, violin and piano.

After several weeks of playing carol's music, I still look forward to the next opportunity to listen.
She provides an unusually relaxed, yet provocative atmosphere. I eagerly await any new releases of hers.

I've had this album ( and Music For Harp ) for a while, and while it's not in my daily playlist, I'm mesmerized when I take the time to listen to it. Today I'm listening to it in some nice headphones and I'm hearing soft whispers of sound I'd totally missed on previous listens. I'm left with an urge to write some beautiful fantasy.

I love the Angels of Venice, but this is not one of my favorite recordings by them. The music on this CD feels a little uneven; the lyrical beauty of pieces such as "China Moon" seem almost too melodic compared to more vocally twisting pieces like the rather eerie lullaby, "Nana." But eerie is very much the feeling that Carol Tatum seems to be focusing on: the sharp steely vocals on "Nana" seem to be the rule rather than the exception -- "Three Nightingales," and "Awake Inside a Dream" carry hallmark haunting voice and speech renditions.

"China Moon," "Lionheart," and "Chanter Mer" (also a vocal piece) are definitely the shining gems on this CD. The other pieces are all rather similar sounding, but still interesting, and worth a listen.

"Exotic" and "Poetic" are actually the two sections into which this CD is divided, and the wonderful arrangements therein for harp, flute and cello are just that. The "exotic" numbers are exciting and mysterious, while the poetic selections are simply lovely. The rich sound of these three instruments is wonderfully suited to such divergent styles, lending beauty and grace to all. Featured on this album are the original Angels: Carol Tatum on harp, Suzanne Teng on flute, and Peggy Baldwin on cello, with a host of guest artists rounding out the sound, including Greg Ellis on percussion and Azam Ali on vocals. Two of the "exotic" numbers and one from the "poetic" section were re-recorded for the group's Windam Hill debut, but the rest of the material is unique to this release. The duplicate pieces are some of the Angels' best, though, so they're certainly worth hearing again! The Angels first, mellower release is called "Music for Flute, Harp and Cello". Flutist Suzanne Teng went on to release a CD of her own, "Mystic Journey", and Carol Tatum recently put out her own album, "Music for Harp". All are dreamy, lyrical and nothing short of intoxicating. Those who enjoy the Angels' innovative work might also appreciate that of Nana Simopolous in her releases "Daughters of the Sun" and "After the Moon".

Carol has performed in our area several times. I acquired three of her CD's and I just love them. You need to be in certain pensive mood to fully appreciate this wonderful music. Otherwise, just listen to pop, rock or country. Her music is magical, simple yet profound, relaxing yet compelling and inspiring. I would highly recommend any of her albums. Her latest - just her on harp with her keyboards added later - is delightful.

A very good album. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes exotic instrumental music. It has me listening for hours.