IL DIVO Takes over #1 on Classical Crossover On BillBoard

Andrew Manze and English Concert Have Two Discs on Billboard Classical Chart (But André Rieu Has Four)

By Matthew Westphal

14 Nov 2006






As the beloved Baroque violinist Andrew Manze and The English Concert make their final American tour together, they have two discs on the latest Billboard US classical chart.

Their most recent CD, of four symphonies and a cello concerto by C.P.E. Bach, landed at no. 8 on the tally released late last week, while their rendition of three Mozart violin concertos, issued earlier this year, returned to the chart at no. 11.

Meanwhile, the crossover violinist André Rieu has the best-selling of the new entries on the chart: his Christmas Around the World has debuted at no. 5. Rieu has three other titles on the chart as well: The Homecoming! at no. 3, The Flying Dutchman at no. 23 and New Year's in Vienna at no. 25.

The other new arrival on the Billboard classical chart is A KDFC Classical Christmas 3, a holiday sampler compiled by San Francisco classical radio station KDFC and issued by Naxos. The disc features performances by such local ensembles as the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Philharmonia Baroque, the San Francisco Girls' Chorus and the Berkeley Chamber Chorus; proceeds from the sales of the CD go to the KDFC Music Matters Foundation, which funds music programs in Bay Area schools.


Mitsuko Uchida's recording of Beethoven's final three piano sonatas on Philips Classics, released last April, returned to the chart at no. 22.

Songs From the Labyrinth, the recording of John Dowland lute songs by the rock star Sting, and Joshua Bell's Voice of the Violin remained in the top two slots on the classical chart. Paul McCartney's oratorio Ecce Cor Meum slipped to no. 6, while Gloryland, Anonymous 4's second disc of American folk hymns, rose to no. 7.

There were no new entries on the Billboard classical crossover chart, though two discs by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Then Sings My Soul and Love Is Spoken Here, returned to the chart at nos. 14 and 16, respectively. The operatic boy-band Il Divo saw its self-titled debut disc rise to no. 1, dislodging tenor Andrea Bocelli's Amore. Gospel Goes Classical by vocalists Juanita Bynum and Jonathan Butler rose to No. 2, while musical theater star Sarah Brightman's Diva: The Singles Collection slipped to no. 5.