If I Could Tell You

Performer: Yanni
Engineer: Yanni
Producer: Yanni
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Solo performer: Yanni (various instruments). Personnel: Yanni (keyboards). Audio Mixer: Yanni. Photographer: Lynn Goldsmith. Arranger: Yanni. Greek composer/musician Yanni has scaled back his grand musical architecture for If I Could Tell You, a sharp contrast to 1997's grandiose Tribute. The synthesized choral works seem almost sparse and frail, and the elements of world music that have been increasingly injected into his previous works are scaled back as well. Still present, however, are the straightforward melodies and overtly romantic themes that Yanni has been known (and in some cases disliked) for, but these too are less classically inspired and almost atmospheric. Unfortunately, this release may not be sweeping enough for those who fell in love with his romance novel soundtracks, and conversely it doesn't get dreamy enough to attract fans of ambient electronic musicians like Vangelis and Brian Eno. While it is somewhat surprising for Yanni to back away from the richly orchestrated works on Tribute and 1993's In My Time, the move shows a real sense of direction and growth that few give him credit for. ~ Zac Johnson IF I COULD TELL YOU isn't a great departure for Yanni; it's simply a collection of instrumental pop tunes bound to please those already tuned in to his wavelength. "On Sacred Ground" opens with a synthesized wash of orchestral/choral sounds before moving into a syncopated groove, while "The Flame Within" is based around Yanni's piano, adding a little Greek flavoring in deference to the composer's background. Conversely, the ballad "With an Orchid" pursues a somewhat Asian feel, as Yanni's keyboards emulate both the Japanese koto and shakuhachi. "In Your Eyes" begins with the atmospheric sounds of a waterfall, segueing into a semi-classical piano meditation that eventually gives way to a more Yanni-like pop treatment. Things wind to a close with "Reason for Rainbows," which opens gently with what sounds like hammered dulcimer and gradually expands to encompass choral and orchestral tones once more, eventually fading out with the quiet grace that typifies Yanni's musical approach.

One of modern instrumental music's most distinctive and popular composers, Yanni popularized the combination of synthesizers and full-scale symphony orchestra. The Greek performer combined his musical abilities with a flair for flamboyant visuals, coming across like a more dignified, New Age version of Liberace. His mix of music and spectacle made him a star in the 1990s.

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