Live at the Acropolis

by Yanni

Overview

It's no surprise that Yanni is most identified with this amazingly powerful experience (also presented as one of PBS' most popular concerts ever), because it seems like the musical project he was most destined to make. After making millions stateside, he returns to the historic ancient Acropolis of his Greek homeland to share his sweeping music with his countrymen. One of the most impressive aspects of Yanni in this live setting is the way his beautiful piano passages blend with the occasional boom of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Shardad Rohani). Whereas it's easy to complain that his studio recordings are overly reliant on synthesized strings, here it's the real deal. "Santorini" epitomizes the musical balance, opening with several minutes of percussive string fanfare, then allowing Yanni to be simply expressive on the acoustic piano as the orchestra tones down and provides a caress of accompaniment. "Until the Last Moment" flows along tenderly with the same effect. Even songs like "Keys to the Imagination," which are played on synth, are taken to more emotional levels with the dramatic swells of the orchestra. The concert features its share of familiar tunes ("Swept Away," "Reflections of Passion"), but surprises in spots with more drawn out, thoughtful dishes of exotica like "Acroval/Standing in Motion," which begins with atmosphere and chime effects, then evolves into an adventurous orchestral and synth explosion more ambitious than anything Yanni has attempted on his studio recordings. The sticker on the original disc release also informs listeners that it's recorded in 48-track digital sound. The same sticker calls it the event of a lifetime. It's an amazing concert, but more the core event of Yanni's life and career than anyone listening to this recording. [Private's 1995 edition included one bonus track.] ~ Jonathan Widran

Product Details

Release Date:	12/11/2007
Label:	Sony Music Distribution
UPC:	0010058212225

Tracks

1. Santorini
2. Keys to Imagination
3. Until the Last Moment
4. The Rain Must Fall
5. Acroyali/Standing in Motion (Medley)
6. One Man's Dream
7. Within Attraction
8. Nostalgia
9. Swept Away
10. Reflections of Passion
11. Aria

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Yanni   Primary Artist
Karen Briggs   Guest Artist,Vocals,Violin
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra   Guest Artist
Bradley Joseph   Keyboards
Charlie Adams   Drums
Michael Bruno   Percussion
Shardad Rohani   Conductor,Violin
Julie Homi   Keyboards
Ric Fierabracci   Bass
Sherdad Rohani   Vocals

Technical Credits

Norman Moore   Art Direction,Design
Lynn Goldsmith   Photography
Andy Rose   Engineer
Shardad Rohani   Arrangement Preparation,Transcription,Orchestration
Chris Bellman   Mastering
Richard Boukas   Transcription,Arrangement Preparation
Yanni   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer