PROLOGUE

This is the first album by Renaissance II after "Illusion", as well as their new definitive line-up with the remarkable "debut" of Annie Haslam, helped by Michael Dunford in the choice of the classical arrangements (often in the vein of Chopin and the music of the 19th century) , being supported even by the lyrics of Betty Thatcher, a remarkable poet. After all the present work is more ambitious in comparison to the old tunes belonging to the early line-up without Annie. In fact her first appearance was a true surprise, thanks to such an important project which attracted her, along with their purpose to improve the old immature style of the previous album. At the end They were able to accept the compromise between an elegant pop music-genre and the symphonic arrangement, in the direction of the folk/light symphonic progressive-genre, then developed within "Turn of the cards" and "Scheherazade". Therefore I think of "Ashes are Burning", whose affinity with "Prologue" is not a surprise (not only for the sounding-piano a bit "Rachmaninov-oriented"). In fact by means of this latter album They began to settle their own style, characterizing the best season of such a romantic folk-symphonic prog in England!!

It's an historical "witness" regarding the birth of a new era, so you can add another half star at least, perhaps four stars is the top evaluation if you consider the fantastic title track (the "quintessence" of true prog music) as well as the beautiful song entitled "Kiev" (note: the future "pearl" inside their album "Turn of the Cards" is entitled "Mother Russia" and it's a strange coincidence- obviously by considering Kiev part of the former U.S.S.R.!!)