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Snowflakes are dancing | 
| Artist: Tomita
Label: High Performance
Category: Music
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £6.98
You Save: £3.01 (30%)
New (37) Used (5) from £4.79
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 6142
Format: Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Running Time: 52
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 63588
UPC: 090266358823
EAN: 0090266358823
ASIN: B00003OP6X
Release Date: February 7, 2000
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 5 to 9 days
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| Tracks:
| • | Snowflakes Are Dancing | | • | Reverie | | • | Gardens in the Rain (Estampes, No. 3) | | • | Clair de Lune | | • | Arabesque No. 1 | | • | Engulfed Cathedral | | • | Passepied | | • | Girl with the Flaxen Hair | | • | Golliwog's Cakewalk | | • | Footprints in the Snow | | • | Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun" |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Back in the 70s, the rapid development of synthesisers and electronic keyboards had a huge impact on popular music, with Isao Tomita among the leading exponents of multi-media, surround-sound events associated in Western Europe with such very different musicians as Rick Wakeman and Jean-Michel Jarre. The present disc has less grandiose aims, being a well-balanced selection of, to quote the original liner notes, "Virtuoso electronic performances of Debussy's beautiful tone paintings". It's easy to scoff at the concept behind Tomita's approach--take some of the most poetic music around and give it the consistency of aural cotton wool--yet there's no denying the skill with which he translates Debussy's sound world, preserving the harmonic interest of the piano originals, and bringing out many subtleties of texture. Inevitably the slower numbers come off best--"Clair de lune" or "Reverie" could easily become "chill-out" favourites. "Preludeto the Afternoon of a Faun", however, is not so much a travesty as a vaporisation of the orchestral masterpiece. A mixed bag, but with enough musical interest to make Tomita's "sound clouds" of more than just curiosity value. --Richard Whitehouse
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
A Tomita masterpiece. May 25, 2008
Everyone who has reviewed this album so far remembers where they first heard it, which says a lot for it's impact. My own awakening to Tomita's extraordinary interpretation was at Vancouver Planetarium in 1977. Some of the tracks accompanied a wonderful show, and I was so impressed that I asked the operator to tell me the name of the artist. I bought the vinyl edition in Vancouver and still have it. I am delighted to find a remastered CD available. Debussy's music is normally delicate and sparkling with sunlight. Tomita gave the themes operatic depth which, to me, swell the richer colours while preserving Debussy's magical qualities. As a frustrated film-maker i'd love to use these versions as a background to romantic scenes.
The perfect 'reverie' ... blissful June 11, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
What a complete delight to hear an old favourite sounding so good on this high definition remaster, after years on end of rather nasty vinyl pressings !
After first hearing this as a teenager in 1974 it introduced me as I'm sure it did countless others to the music of Claude Debussy. Once there I tended to disregard Tomita's interpretations in deference to the 'real thing' but actually eventually came full circle some years later realising, having listened to so much more Debussy meantime - that Tomita's arrangements are in fact profoundly sensitive and true to the 'feel' of the music, despite the textures and timbres being produced by more modern means. I've yet to hear this be done quite as successfully by anyone since.
An inspired technical achievement that hit the nail squarely on the head, with some heart-wrenchingly beautiful music as the end result.
Taught me to appreciate "proper" Debussy... September 23, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Scoff you might, but I knew little of Debussy's music back in the mid seventies. The (sometimes cheesy) sonic flavours here didn't appeal to traditionalists (and still don't I'm sure), but the beauty here in "Clair de Lune", "The Girl With The Flaxen Hair" and the humour in "Gollywog's Cakewalk", for example, still shine brightly to me.
Now I know and love the original pieces, I can still listen to the tracks as presented here with great affection (and thanks to Tomita), as without this album, I'd never have investigated these pieces as originally intended..
The recording is very much of its time, a bit distorted in places, but it's not too bad and doesn't get in the way of the music.
This (and many other Tomita albums) is a must for any lover of "analogue" electronic music.
RECOMMENDED!
Incredible March 29, 2005
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
Tomita's 'Snowflakes Are Dancing' is a wonderful interpretation of Debussy's music, produced entirely on a synthesiser. When I first heard this, way back when L.P.s were still the norm, I was not convinced that it would work. Being a huge fan of Debussy I didn't think the music would sound right played on anything other than a piano...goes to show how wrong you can be. Featuring some of the composer's best-loved pieces such as 'Girl With the Flaxen Hair', 'Golliwogs Cakewalk' and 'Arabesque' this is a fantastic addition to the collection of any lover of classical music.
Nostalgia March 19, 2005
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
Way back in the early 1970's there used to be HiFi Exhibitions at Earls Court in London. I visited the JVC sound studio of which no two sides were the same size. JVC demonstrated their new discrete 4-channel hifi and played ARDI-0488 Snowflakes are Dancing to devastating effect. I left that sound studio totally in awe. 30+ years later with modern hifi or computer 5.1/6.1 sound systems this CD is a must. Since my JVC hifi expired many years ago I have not heard Snowflakes, now I will make up for lost time!
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