Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19057 in DVD
• Model: VIDVUS 135
• Released on: 2001-04-03
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Amazon.com
Exotic locales and famous monuments! Adagios and waltzes! Spectacle and bombast! A didgeridoo and an orchestra too! Yanni's amazing hair!! All this and much more make Tribute a feast sure to be eagerly devoured by the Greek composer-keyboardist's legions of fans--and it's not hard to understand why, as it is an impressive achievement. The DVD chronicles Yanni's 1997 concerts at India's Taj Mahal (the first concert staged there) and Beijing's Forbidden City (the first-ever performance there by a Western artist), and these splendid settings are certainly shown to good effect throughout this well-directed, great-sounding program. As for the music, well, that's all a matter of taste; what might be schlocky to one person will be beautiful and majestic to another. But regardless of one's musical leanings, no one can dispute that the 90-minute concert, combining numbers from both locations, provides a healthy and representative dose of Yanni's New Age-cum-classical-cum-world music sounds, and they are well played by the international cast of nearly 50 musicians and singers (violinist Karen Briggs and guitarist Pedro Eustache acquit themselves especially well among the soloists).

And that's not all, as the DVD is loaded with bonus features. Principal among them is "No Borders, No Boundaries," a beautifully photographed, hourlong film narrated by actor Christopher Plummer; part documentary and part travelogue, it contains musician profiles, Yanni biographical material, some Indian and Chinese history, and information about how the concerts came about. Other features include a lengthy Yanni interview and discography, as well as audio options. In the end, Yanni detractors are unlikely to be converted, but then, they can always put on their Limp Bizkit CDs instead. --Sam Graham

From the Back Cover
A remarkable, unprecedented project, and a PBS special, Tribute was produced during the first concert staged at the Taj Mahal, and the first performance by a Western artist at the Forbidden City. In the midst of these global treasures, Yanni debuted his first new works since 1992. Also included, as a bonus, is the 56-minute companion to the PBS show, No Borders, No Boundaries, narrated by Christopher Plummer. This is a unique film journal describing the extraordinary effort, purpose, and achievement of these groundbreaking performances. Tracks: Deliverance, Adagio in C Minor, Renegade, Waltz in 7/8, Tribute, Dance with a Stranger, Nightingale, Southern Exposure, Prelude, Love Is All, Niki Nana (We're One), Santorini.

Customer Reviews

A Masterpiece!!
I didn't know what to expect when I put this DVD in my player. I had never heard Yanni's music before but my brother told me it was a MUST HAVE. So I got myself a copy too and let me tell you that this is a MASTERPIECE! Yanni breaks borders and boundaries in this remarkable concert filmed in India's Taj Mahal and Beijing's Forbidden City. All the musicians are truly gifted and there performances really add something special to Yanni's compositions. If your looking for the ULTIMATE concert DVD look no further! A previous reviewer complained that there is a slight pause (or "freeze" if you prefer) during one of the songs. This is because the disc is DUAL LAYERED with the layer change occurring right on the beginning of the 4th song. It is quite a good change that doesn't interfere with the overall flow.

With the Concert and Additional documentary spread over a dual layered disc the results are a superb picture quality that is clean and sharp. I won't complain that it isn't widescreen because what we get here is a high definition fullscreen picture free of noticeable defects. The Sound is also incredible! Included is both Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks that are clear and well defined (and not "over cooked" as one reviewer claimed). Also included is the documentary "No Borders, No Boundaries" which takes an intriguing behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Tribute and Yanni's travels throughout these two fascinating countries. Bonus features also include a recent interview with Yanni and footage of the artist at work in his state-of-the-art recording studio.

Overall this disc is reference material even down to the animated menu's that are some of the best I've seen! You have to get this DVD and witness the musical genius that is Yanni!!

A Musical Fairytale on DVD
Already owning the CD and the video, I was glad I could buy the DVD version of Tribute. Deliverance is without a doubt the best track on this DVD, combining great rhythms, string orchestra, chants by the female vocalists and marvellous melodies and native instruments into a beautiful composition. This track alone is more than worth the price of the DVD.
Adagio In G Minor is a very soundtrack-like piece with piano and string orchestra. Renegade is sort of a soprano saxophone/violin duet.
Dance With A Stranger is a piece where various instruments play a short solo. A very relaxed and laid-back piece. Tribute is another highlight with vocals in the intro, followed by some beautiful violin playing accompanied by a choir. Very classical oriented.
Prelude a short piece with native instruments. After a couple of minutes this piece goes into Love is All, which is one of the two only tracks with lyrics on the album. Accompanied by Spanish guitar this is a rather radio-friendly tune with great soulful vocals and the full choir.Southern Exposure starts another laid back tune with female backing vocals, saxophone and violin. Later on in the song things get more rhythmic and swinging with nice interplay between the violins and female vocalists. Next in line is Waltz In 7/8 then. Great piece of work with flutes, latin influences and a keyboard solo. Nightingale is probably one of the quietest songs on the DVD.It features some bird like flute-playing with a slight Japanese feeling. Of course the big string orchestra is present as well.
Niki Nana (We're One) starts with the native sounds of a didgeridoo. After about half a minute the electric band picks up, a flute plays and the vocalists start. Marvellous song. In addition to the CD version the DVD and video version end with the track Santorini, from the Live at the Acropolis album, which equals the track Deliverance for me in giving me goose bumps all over my body. The DVD as well as the video contains also "the making of" and this part is really well worth watching because it shows more of the ecstatic reactions of the audience itself and gives you insight in Yannis life. The whole show itself is a pleasure to watch. The fun the members of the band have in performing their music is great to see and gets you in a good mood as well.The only thing I see as a disappointment is the fact that the DVD was not released in the Dolby 5.1 surround mode. That could have lifted up the experience in seeing, hearing and feeling this music to the ultimate top.

One of my favorites
This is one of my all-time favorite music DVD's. There are so many reasons why this is a great show to watch. The music is all original, written by Yanni and played by a proffessional symphony orchestra. The setting is in both India's Taj Mahal and the Forbidden City in China. It was the first live concert ever played in the two settings, and there was a lot of red tape that the producers had to go through in order to get the authority to play in front of these monuments.

Also featured are violinist Karen Briggs and woodwind instrumentalist Pedro Eustache. Both are superb improvisational soloists and really add to the entertainment factor of the show. There are also four female singers, all of whom are excellent in their own way, and are featured both as soloists and providing background harmony.

Yanni's talent, along with being a prolific pianist, composer and arranger, is bringing great musicians together and directing them in a way to fully exploit each musicians unique and individual sound. His band contains musicians from all over the globe, and is something of a "United Nations" band.

For these reasons, I enjoyed this DVD much more than any other Yanni's other material. Most of his albums that I have heard thus far are just him playing, using synthesizers and drum machines to try to get the sound that he wants. Where this gives him the opportunity to explore the art of composing, there is nothing like hearing the music come alive with real musicians and orchestrations of what he wants to do.

I also compare this album to "Live at the Acropolis," and feel that buying this DVD would be a much better purchase. I think that Yanni's music was still in the developmental stage when he recorded at the Acropolis; with "Tribute," he has had a chance to try things out, and this is the culmination of all his years of hard work as a composer and arranger. I don't know if Yanni himself will be able to top this performance, let alone any other musician.