Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor

Mark-T

Well-Known Member
I've been listening to this today while I work. There are some very beautiful interpretations here! In some ways, this disc may have been what some expected of the RPO album- very different arrangements with Karen's lead vocals.

Karen's vocals elevate any song and make it more listenable - but Richard's beautiful piano work here is lovely.
 
I have the CD but I never listen to it. Maybe one time when I bought it but I can’t get into it. It’s much different than say the Karaoke cd that I really like.
 
I have the CD as well. Unfortunately Richard Clayderman, who also released a CD of his take on Carpenters songs in 1997, and I prefer his CD, because it’s so much brighter sounding. Clayderman’s CD sounds like a bright sunny day, whereas Carpenter’s CD is a dark, gloomy day.

But one interesting thing is that “All Those Years Ago” is from the ‘Veronique’ album, just with the vocals muted.
 
In case anyone is interested, there is presently a vinyl-45 for sale ($5.35) on Amazon:
of Veronique Beliveau's House Of Love / All Those Years Ago.

I am glad Mark brought this Richard Carpenter offering to the fore. I like it. It is soothing (my age is showing) and strangely compelling.
In any event, as with his previous solo album (Time), one can pick and choose according to one's taste.
And, comparison's to any Carpenters' album is simply misguided. Comparing apples to oranges, and all that.
 
But one interesting thing is that “All Those Years Ago” is from the ‘Veronique’ album, just with the vocals muted.

This is not true and anyone who's ever accompanied a vocalist on piano should be able to hear the difference. I don't deny that the arrangement is identical, but the recordings are different. Veronique's vocals speed up and slow down as vocalists will do, and Richard's piano follows along as it should. In the PACC version, Richard's piano is the lead voice and isn't subject to the whims of the vocalist.

The arrangements are so close though, as to make it sound as though they are identical. For all I know, they may have been recorded at the same sessions.
 
I haven't heard the entire work but I have heard Karen's Theme and I must confess it was so beautiful it brought me to tears. Now that I have a Spotify account I can download the whole thing and give it a good listen.
 
I bought this CD when it came out. While the music was mostly top-notch, I was really disappointed because I was expecting something new, not instrumental versions of The Carpenters all time hits.


Danny
 
I still have my copy and being a fan of instrumental music all my life this was a very welcome addition to my collection given that Easy listening instrumentals had disappeared from radio completely the time of release in 1997 and the supply of such recordings becoming even more scarce until the mid 2000s this was and still is right up my alley
 
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