Inspirato Explained
Inspirato is the fifteenth studio album by Yanni, released in 2014. To create the album, Yanni collaborated with opera tenor Plácido Domingo and producer Ric Wake to select distinguished vocalists to perform songs that Yanni had previously released over his career.
Content and production
The album's tracks are based on selected songs from throughout Yanni's career, but have newly created lyrics sung by distinguished vocalists having opera backgrounds. The dominant language of the album's lyrics is Italian.[1] The album, with its lyrical and classical elements, was characterized as reflecting a radical change in Yanni's style.[1] Despite the album's use of opera singers, Yanni emphasized the album was "not opera."[2]
Yanni collaborated with tenor Plácido Domingo and producer Ric Wake to match Yanni’s songs to the respective vocalists. In part because of the distinguished vocalists' schedules,[2] the project is said to have required four years to complete.[3] [1]
Contributors to album
The following individuals contributed to Inspirato (listed alphabetically).
Track listing
Inspirato includes the following tracks.[3] [4]
Except for the adaptation Ode À L'Humanité (Aria), all songs were written and composed by Yanni.
Production
- Produced by Yanni & Ric Wake
- All music composed by Yanni, except "Ode À L'Humanité". The song is loosely based upon a short, but beautiful part of the 19th century French opera, Lakmé, by Léo Delibes.
- Engineered by Yanni & Travis Meck
- Arranged and mixed by Yanni
- Orchestrations by Yanni & Colin O'Malley
- All music recorded at Yanni's Private Studios
- Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Los Angeles
- Executive Producers: Yanni, Plácido Domingo, Ric Wake & Don Franzen
- Art Direction & Design: Norman Moore, DesignArtLA.com
- Cover Photography: Krystal Ann
- Additional Photography: Silvio Richetto & Whit Padgett[5]
Reception
Inspirato peaked at #1 in Billboard's Top New Age Album category for 2014 and 2015,[6] and was Billboard's No. 11 selling New Age album of 2014.[7]
In March 2015, Inspirato received the Best Album of the Year award from Reviews New Age (Spain).[8] The album's extension of Yanni's style into the lyrical and classical was characterized by Reviews New Age's Alejandro Clavijo as being an overwhelming success.[1]
See also
Notes and References
- Clavijo . Alejandro . Yanni – Inspirato . Reviews New Age . https://web.archive.org/web/20140521061454/http://www.reviewsnewage.com/2014/04/26/yanni-inspirato/ . May 21, 2014 . April 26, 2014 . live .
- News: Frost . Caroline . Yanni Tells HuffPostUK About Juggling Stars' Schedules for Inspirato - 'The Album Took Four Years' . Huffington Post UK . https://web.archive.org/web/20210918133046/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/22/yanni-album-royal-albert-hall_n_5191546.html . September 18, 2021 . April 22, 2014 . live .
- Billboard staff . Yanni, Inspirato: Exclusive Album Premiere . Billboard . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426132959/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/yanni-inspirato-exclusive-album-premiere-6062720/ . April 26, 2022 . April 22, 2014 . live .
- Web site: Inspirato - Yanni / Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards . AllMusic . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120124519/https://www.allmusic.com/album/inspirato-mw0002640678 . January 20, 2022 .
- Inspirato. Yanni . 2014. CD liner. Sony Music. 8-88430-37922-0.
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/inspirato-mw0002640678/awards Yanni / Inspirato/ Awards (tab) / Billboard albums
- http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/new-age-albums "YEAR END 2014"
- Web site: Yanni, ganador del RNA Award a Mejor Álbum del Año por su trabajo Inspirato (Yanni, RNA Award winner for Best Album of the Year for his work Inspirato) . Reviews New Age . https://web.archive.org/web/20150218205551/http://www.reviewsnewage.com/2015/02/16/yanni-ganador-del-rna-award-a-mejor-album-del-ano-por-su-trabajo-inspirato/ . February 18, 2015 . February 16, 2015 . live .