Customer Reviews

Bjork 2001: Vespertine Live: R

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This video is a visual feast, and has nineteen beautiful songs that won't let you breath because of the excitement. You should discover for yourself the stream of emotions that will lead to a solace, to a place where everything is possible, like a musical universe of utopia. The makers of this beautiful universe are; Simon Lee and the Novecento Orchestra, Matmos, Zeena Parkins, The Inuit Choir and of course Björk.

The performance of the orchestra is remarkable because they give enough profundity and drama to the songs so you can actually feel the academic side of Björk.
Matmos add the beats and the organic noises to the show in a very original way that makes more effective the connection between them and the orchestra creating a perfect dialog of different elements.
Zeena Parkins is an important companion of Björk in the entire concert; the sound of the harp creates an atmosphere of romanticisms through slow and fast melodies, and there's a musical connection between Björk and Zeena that can be felt in songs like 'Generous Palmstroke' or 'Pagan Poetry'.
The Inuit Choir is spectacular, they are like "extensions of Björk", they're like beautiful angels from heaven that have come to tell you little secrets, in this case, secrets of hidden places of solace.
Björk; She is the force that holds all elements together in a system that could only work with desire, passion, creativity, instinct and love for music. She's like an angel with a message to tell, and that message is waiting for you to be heard.

Bonus features:
<Touring Vespertine>
<Programming> Interviews with Björk and Matmos
<Zeena Parkins, Simon Lee>
<Singing> The Inuit Choir>

this dvd really blew me away.
1.quality- unbelievable
2.length- plenty of bjork +extras
3.beauty- bjork
if your a bjork fan you won't be let down here.
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Seriously, I love this so much ! I can't add much to the other great reviews here, but I'd like to add my agreement and say how happy this DVD has made me.

I have always liked Bjork but would not have called myself a big fan. It took me a long time to get into Vespertine, but I made time to listen properly and then learned to love it. Then this came along.

I have watched this so much in the last month I better stop before I spoil it for myself. But the music and the amazing performance just makes me smile so much and I keep being drawn back. Not fair to pick out favourites, it is all excellent. The first half is (deliberately) cooler but no less beautiful than the warmer second act.

I love this, it's one of my most prized possessions now, I really recommend it to you. Thanks Bjork, you are marvellous !

Imagine Classical and Electronic music mixed with the famous Bjork talent and a nice Choir from Greenland. You get a live performance I think I never had before. An amazing experience where harp, violins and tiny Electronic, computerizing sounds are living a nice relationship.It's simply magic.Most of the songs are from her last album Vespertine.I am just in love with this album and I am amazed how nice it has been done on stage. It's unbelievable.Listen Vespertine. I was thinking that those songs played on stage, will be certainly a bit difficult to do.
I was wrong. Bjork is a genius and she has known how to make them interesting and even surprising by gathering together musicians from different musical worlds. Bravo !

Like so many others I truly enjoyed this Björk: Live at the Royal Opera House DVD. The performances are mostly from her Vespertine album, and like the beautiful Vespertine album this is a very intimate experience. The concert also includes some classic Bjork songs from her past albums. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is truly amazing, which I would describe as a mesmerizing 3D audio experience that envelops the listener and takes you on your own emotional journey. BJORK is a rare and original artist who touches a person like very few artists can do. All the performances are awesome, but my personal favorite performances are: Hyperballad, Joga, Human Behavior, Harm Of Will, It's Not Up To You, Hidden Place, and Unison. I highly encourage any one who appreciated Bjork to buy this beautiful Björk: Live at the Royal Opera House DVD.

The Songs Performed are: Frosti, Overture, All Is Full of Love, Aurora, Undo, Generous Palmstroke, An Echo a Stain, Hidden Place, Cocoon, Unison, Harm of Will, It's Not up to You, Pagan Poetry, Possibly Maybe, Isobel, Hyperballad, Human Behavior, Joga, It's in Our Hands

This DVD also includes BONUS features such as, on the Vespertine World Tour with: Matmos, Zeena Parkins, Simon Lee, and the Inuit Choir, along with an interview with BJORK. The DVD is in widescreen not fullscreen as the editors review claims.

Truly a wonderful DVD!

Can one really contain the beauty and intimacy of Verspertine on a Live DVD. Yes, and this DVD is the prime example of such a case. I've watched this performance countless times and with every viewing I can feel the intense and remarkable emotion that is Bjork. With every viewing I become more moved and awed in her art. This is a perennial DVD to any Bjork fan.

first thing you need to go and get your audio into 5.1 or 6.1 surround sound
then sit between the speakers and enjoy
this is an experience dvd
great songs great music electronic and classical at the same time
best experience: Human behaviour and cocoon

Before I bought the DVD I had some doubts if the instrumentation (electronic music duo, classic orchestra, Inuit choir, harp soloist)
was a little bit too excessive for a live performance. Bjork's album "Vespertine" has certain tendencies in the direction of being
overloaded, though being a masterpiece anyway due to Bjork's unique voice. But will that stuff work on a stage?

Yes, it works ... and better than on the album, in my opinion. Ever since her magnificent MTV unplugged concert I recommend her as
the leading female European pop artist. She is able to balance jazz-like club and electronic music arrangements of her compositions,
and a string orchestrations as well. So she did during her Verpertine tour.

Some examples: the performance of the "Ouverture" (from "Dancer in the Dark") really evolves a dramatic attitude of composers like
Bruckner and Mahler. And then, in contrast, her very ethereal "All is full of love"! My personal favourite of the DVD is the pair
"Unison" and "Harm of will". Much better than the album versions, Bjork gives those songs a presence that is breathtaking. It combines
simply the best of her.

And, last but not least, after several contemplative moments and an outstanding "Pagan poetry" you can make sure that her old songs
are vital as ever. The concert ends with a tremendously powerful "It's in our hands" which combines Bjork's voice, electric harp and
electronic sounds over a mesmerizing rhythm and bass pattern. Modern music style at its best.

Thanks to Bjork ... and her fabulous co-musicians.

The technical side of the DVD is more than acceptable especially the sound is great. The combination of such an amount of electronic
and acoustical sound sources is quite difficult but the 5.1 sound direction well balanced the different parts. Though there are some
minor problems with illumination the pictures get across the atmospere of the concert ... and reveal that Bjork's still a very beautiful
woman.

So I recommend the DVD as a "must have" for Bjork fans .. and also for all those people which have any interest in music which is
more than simple mainstream pop.

I had the opportunity to see Bjork at Radio City Music Hall when she toured with Vespertine. Bjork has replicated the sound and feel of the album in her live show. From the swell of "Overture" being played by a full orchestra to Bjork playing a music box the show is lush and opulent.

You also get a better look at exactly what Matmos is doing to create the sounds that are heard in the songs. Zeena Perkins and the Inuit choir are fantastic.

Compared to The performances on "Vessel" and "Shepard's Bush" Bjork is reserved and seemingly contemplative. Even though the the venue is large, Bjork creates exacty the mood that Vestertine was meant to have. One of intimacy and creating 21st century chamber music.

Though I'm not as big a fan of her Vespertine material as her prior work, but this concert is nonetheless enjoyable!

The first half drags a bit with pretty much all songs being performed off the Vespertine (with the exception of "Overture" and the fabulous "All is Full of Love") album, but the second half picks up steam and really delivers a one-two punch!

"Possibly Maybe" is performed in a more electronica format with hints of tropical/Hawaiian sounds mixed in. Bjork really shines on "Human Behavior," a song which would normally be stale if it were attached to any other performer, however Bjorks adds in a strong mixture of electronic bleeps and buzzes as well as an orchestra that builds and builds until the end crescendos with strings and horns. For this song alone, it makes the DVD a must-own!

My only complaint is that I would love to have seen a few songs performed off of Selmasongs, her soundtrack to Dancer In The Dark. It is a near crime that "Scatterheart" and (the Oscar nominated) "I've Seen It All" are absent.