Ciani, Suzanne

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1994
In this CD, Ciani goes where she has never gone before: piano with the support of a full orchestra. The new songs are fantastic, and the sweeping strings with just the read level of piano in the lead stir the soul to tears
Dream Suite has been Grammy-nominated for Best New Age Album. Recorded in Moscow with the 70-member Young Russia Orchestra, this CD features 10 Ciani compositions for piano and orchestra. A mature and moving work. Bonus digital enhancement showing video footage of Russia and a music video to Riding Heaven's Wave.
As an enhanced CD, DREAM SUITE contains CD-ROM multimedia videos, interviews, and graphics in addition to tracks that can be played on any CD-player.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1989
One reason for listening to this album is to build a sense of how Ciani developed. A classically trained pianist who proceeded to do electronic work for visual media for a decade and a half, she took a long time to mature her own style, and this album is a significant development even though it is by no means her best. It is enjoyable though, and worth picking up opportunistically.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1991
Suzanne traveled to Italy to locate her family's roots. The results: a wonderful family gathering and the inspiration of this album.Suzanne also captured her second Grammy Nomination for new age album of the year. Generally her music is quiet, warm and inviting. Very easy to listen to, very beautiful, very melodic, very pleasant, very relaxing - but often not very flashy or exciting.This CD however is truly an exception. A real stand out. It is just as warm, just as pleasant as anything she has ever done. But unlike many of the others THIS one truly sparkles with excitement from start to finish. It grabs your attention and won't let go. Even the weakest tracks are spectacular.If you have not tried her music before, this is one of the best places to start. If you are familiar with her music, but have not heard this one, then by all means treat yourself to Hotel Luna. You won't be disappointed.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 2012
Lixiviation, a retrospective of unreleased material from electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, will be released on February 28 on B-Music/ Finders Keepers Records.
Lixiviation is a compilation of unearthed gems from one of electronic music's earliest innovators. Spanning nearly two decades from 1968-1985 the 16-track album celebrates Ciani's formative years as a musician as it showcases her early synth compositions alongside her cutting edge commercial work for such companies as Atari, PBS, Ballys and Coca-cola. Lixiviation comes as the result of a new creative archive based relationship between B-Music/Finders Keepers Records and Suzanne Ciani.
Ciani's detailed and academic approach to music and electronics coupled with an impeccable sense of timing and melody (and a good sense of humor) shines throughout this new collection of previously unreleased recordings. Lixiviation compiles and re-contextualizes both secret music and commercial experiments of Ciani made for microcosmic time slots and never previously documented on vinyl or CD.
The album oscillates between Ciani's early experimental electronic compositions and a variety of commercial works. There's her famous "Pop & Pour" for Coca-Cola, scores for ITT and Almay commercials, and the Atari video games logo and corporate tag. There's also the Kraftwerk-esque TV spot for Atari's "Liberator." Interspersed through the compilation is a variety of ultra rare synth experiments, ranging from the otherworldly hums and arpeggiated synth lines of title track "Lixiviation" to the bubbling dreamscape of "Princess with Orange Feet" and the nine-minute ambient finale of "Second Breath."

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1988
Melodic and contemplative, with layers of wispy meaning and meanderings, Neverland never fails to evoke an emotional response of both longing and wonder at how we can become one with the universe. A top choice of the genre. For those who think this music is over-programmed, Ciani has that latin sense that makes her music pure, lively, fresh and with the touch of innocence of her first recordings.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1990
"Pianissimo," her first fully acoustic piano recording. Other than a few original pieces, this live performance draws primarily from Neverland and History of My Heart. The shift to piano makes the inner workings of these pieces far more transparent, allowing more of Ciani's intentions (she talks of "My Italian roots and a sense of melody") to come clear. This in turn allows new ideas to work within the discipline and bounds of the piano's world. The net product is something that sounds familiar, but which is more than a passive adoption of old conventions. Ciani lacks something of the New Age technical brilliance of a Michael Jones or a George Winston, but she has the same ability to deliver a performance that is creative and compelling. This is a connection that I did not feel with some of here earlier work. She has gone on from this point to develop an eclectic style that marries elements of all the worlds she has worked in.
This album is a great example of a musical turning point.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1996
In Pianissimo II, Suzanne performs her favorite songs on a custom-built Yamaha concert grand piano at George Lucas's Skywalker Studio.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 2001
"Pianissimo III" is the third in a series of albums by Suzanne Ciani which are made up of solo piano versions of previously recorded and orchestrated music as well as several (in this case three) new pieces. There are classic Ciani touches, but this piece is a departure for her, at least for her solo piano work. It is exotic, very minor, and has some haunting deep bass accents that give it some punch. "Celtic Nights" makes my fingers itch since it is one of the few pieces in the collection that isn't in print (yet). It is easy to imagine Suzanne sitting at her piano late at night, letting this song be born of recent loss. While not wrenching, the emotions are powerful. "4 O'Clock in the Morning" is the third new piece, and tells about the exact time Ciani wakes up whenever something is bothering her. This piece is less structured and more abstract, and is a fascinating musical description of that time between sleep and tossing around, trying to let your mind settle back into restfulness.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani
P: 1992
This is a best of with one new track.
If you love a cross between new age and light classical music, then this is the CD for you!! Suzanne does a outstanding job with her weaving of light synthesizers and piano and all tracks of this CD are a listener's delight! This CD is like finding a buried treasure that you didn't know existed, it's a MUST have for anyone who appreciates music to relax or set a special mood! Once you have heard this gem you will listen again and again and will want to have this in the car to relax when on a stressful commute, or to have at home to unwind after a long day. Suzanne's masterful blend of piano, synthesizers, and light percussions make this a treat for all to hear. Once you listen to this you will want to listen every chance you get.

Artist: Suzanne Ciani & Vangelis
P: 1991
The title song has become Ciani's signature composition and appears in many wedding music anthologies. A seminal work for the New Age Genre, it has sold over 200,00 copies. Composed, arranged, produced and performed by Ciani on an array of synths with special guest artist Vangelis.