BT Fasmer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Heartwarming Collection of Music
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said that: “It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun.” Christopher Boscole’s new album “Dawn of Love” seems to confirm this. You don’t know right away that a song is about love. After a while, though, a realization sets in; this is a love song. You know it in your heart. “Dawn of Love” contains an inspired mix of both classical and popular song, plus two original pieces, which all describes this moment of awareness; I’m in love! If there ever was a heartwarming collection of music, this is it.
“Dawn of Love” is pianist and composer Christopher Boscole 12th album. Christopher also explores creative relationships between nature, sailing adventures, photography, and music through multi-media concerts. He holds a Master of Music from University of Miami and Master in Teaching from City University. He has been a professional music educator and performing musician for over 20 years.
Dawn of Love
The album starts with the title track, which also happens to be one of the original pieces. Boscole captures every aspect of a newfound love; the overwhelming feeling of hope, expectation, and desire. I enjoy how the melody rises and takes form, illuminating that this is a new day, there’s not a cloud in the sky and the world is your oyster. There are both high and low notes, illustrating the complexity and frailness of a new relationship. What a fabulous album opener!
Talking about fabulous pieces; Next out is Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the theme from symphony no. 9. Boscole plays this simple piece like a true virtuoso. Louis Lortie doesn’t do it much better. The same goes for “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” cantata no. 147 by Johan Sebastian Bach. Each note is charged with a deep sense of love – and not just romantic love, but love for creation and existence itself.
A Time for Us (from Romeo and Juliet)
The Romeo and Juliet soundtrack “A Time for Us” fits nicely after these two undying classics. Filling the void after Beethoven and Bach is always demanding. “A Time for Us” is not telling about a sugar-sweet kind of love. No, this is about finding the time to build a lasting relationship, which can be a challenge. Boscole’s playing is, as always, dynamical and passionate. I love the song’s thoughtful twist.
“Simply You” is Boscole’s second original piece on the album. Perhaps the most important thing of all in love is to accept the other person for who he or she really is. There’s a wonderful hint of melancholy in the beginning, like an acceptance that the person is not going to change. The following part of the song is much brighter, which represents the realization of how amazing “simply you” is. It is a fabulous piece that fits perfectly together with the classics.
Walking in the Air
Howard David Blake’s “Walking in the Air” (from “The Snowman”), Harry Dacre’s “Amazing Daisy” and Consolation no. 3 in D-flat major by Franz Liszt give time to reflect on how love affects our lives. The selection of songs is terrific. “Dawn of Love” is just as much for active listening as it belongs in the background, giving any gray afternoon a romantic glow.
Other well-selected pieces here are “You are Everything” by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, and “To a Wild Rose” by Edward MacDowell. Amorous and poetic, but never overly sweet, these songs instantly connect with our soul on a deep, meaningful level. I very much like the selection near the end as well, which offers different perspectives on love – before the magnificent “Time to Say Goodbye” (Con te Partiro), by Sartori and Quarantotto, concludes the album. Boscole’s playing is so passionate that I almost don’t miss the vocals of Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli. That is a major accomplishment.
In conclusion: “Dawn of Love” by Christopher Boscole is a triumphant solo piano album. The selection of classics is a real “best of the best.” We all know these songs, yet it is never dull thanks to Boscole’s inspired playing. The two original songs, “Dawn of Love” and “Simply You,” are terrific and bind the album together.
New love is an inspired feeling. It makes you more creative, more willing to be vulnerable, more alive. “Dawn of Love” is a perfect soundtrack to any occasion when these qualities are needed.
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Dyan Garris
5.0 out of 5 stars Album Review by Dyan Garris, New Age CD
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2019
“Dawn of Love” by Christopher Boscole | Album Review by Dyan Garris
“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
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 hymn, “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.
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Kathy Parsons
5.0 out of 5 stars From MainlyPiano
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2019
"Dawn of Love" is pianist/composer Christopher Boscole’s twelfth album since 1986 and is a fascinating collection of original and classical pieces, medleys, film music and couple of pop songs. Recorded on a 9’ Steinway D grand piano, all fifteen tracks are solo piano. Boscole is an unusually versatile musician and composer who excels in the new age, jazz, contemporary instrumental, classical and pop music genres - something that is very evident in this album. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Boscole has been living and sailing in Hawaii for the past several years and explores creative relationships between nature, sailing adventures, photography and music through multi-media concerts and videos. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, Master of Music in Studio Music and Jazz, and a Masters in Teaching degree.
"Dawn of Love" begins with the title track, an original piece by Boscole. I find it interesting that the melody is rather simple and calm but the accompaniment has an energetic flow that gives the music a peaceful kind of electricity. Listen to it - I think you’ll hear what I mean. Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” from his 9th Symphony comes next. Originally an orchestral work, this is obviously Boscole’s arrangement. Both classical and contemporary, it exudes bright optimism. Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” is another well-known classical piece and there are many piano arrangements of it, but Boscole gives it his own special touch. “A Time For Us,” the theme to the 1968 movie version of "Romeo and Juliet," has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Boscole emphasizes the beauty of the melody, keeping the left hand fairly simple - a lovely arrangement! “Simply You” is the other Boscole original and is one of my favorite tracks. Heartfelt and very sincere, there is an intimacy in the music that feels deeply personal and in-the-moment. I also love “Walking In the Air” from the 1982 film, "The Snowman," and Boscole’s arrangement is light yet gently poignant. “Amazing Daisy” combines “Amazing Grace” and “Bicycle Built For Two,” one of the more unusual juxtapositions I’ve encountered in a medley! The pieces fit together and the medley works seamlessly - it’s just an odd combination and I’m sure it’s played with a smile! Liszt’s “Consolation #3 in Db Major” is expressively and sensitively played - always a favorite! “You Are Everything” is a gorgeous arrangement of The Stylistics’ 1971 hit. The original melody is there, but this solo piano version is completely different from the “golden oldie.” I remember the original song well, but this version is amazing with flowing broken chords that shimmer elegantly and magically - also a favorite! The next several pieces are classical with some played pretty much as written and others more arranged: “To A Wild Rose” by MacDowell, “The Swan” by Saint-Saens, the Bach-Gounod “Ave Maria,” Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and the Christmas hymn “Angels We Have Heard On High,” all played beautifully. The album closes with a wonderful arrangement of “Time to Say Goodbye” that is sure to touch your heart.
"Dawn of Love" is one of Christopher Boscole’s best albums to date!