Yanni is a self-taught pianist who began his musical interest by giving recitals for family members, though he had no formal training and could not read a note. At the age of 18, he attended the University of Minnesota, having moved out of his native Greek to immerse himself into American culture. While a student there, Yanni joined an up-and-coming local group called Chameleon where he met drummer Charlie Adams. Chameleon earned some modest commercial success touring throughout the Midwest. After receiving a B.A. in psychology, Yanni determined that sought a life in music, making it his life's work.
He moved to California in pursuit of opportunities to work on movie soundtrack works. His first solo album, titled 'Optimystique', was recorded in 1980, and it showed his debt to instrumental electronic music of the past as well as other styles such as jazz, smooth pop, and the like. The album saw a general release in 1984. In 1987, he put together a small band which included John Tesh and Charlie Adams, and began touring to promote his earliest works. Other examples of his albums in his early days include 1986's 'Keys to Imagination' and 1987's 'Out of Silence', both of which have recieved retrospective critical acclaim.
The tail end of the 80s saw Yanni's career start to kick into high gear, a result of his determination in promoting his iconic sound. In 1992, Dare to Dream was released. It was Yanni’s first Grammy-nominated album and featured "Aria", a song based on The Flower Duet and popularized by an award-winning British Airways commercial. A second Grammy-nominated album, In My Time, was released in 1993. His music has been used extensively in television and televised sporting events, including the Super Bowl, Wide World of Sports, Tour de France, World Figure Skating Championships, The Olympics, and ABC News.
Yanni's breakthrough commercial success came with the release of his album and video, Yanni Live at the Acropolis, filmed on September 23, 1993 at the 2,000-year-old Herod Atticus Theater in Athens and released in 1994. This was Yanni’s first live album and utilized a full orchestra under the supervision of the Iranian conductor, Shahrdad Rohani, in addition to his core band. Subsequently, the concert was broadcast in 65 countries and seen by half a billion people. It has almost continuously remained on the charts since its release and is the second best-selling music video of all time, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide. A composition from this album, "Acroyali/Standing in Motion", was determined to have the "Mozart Effect," by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine because it is similar to Mozart's K 448 in tempo, structure, melodic and harmonic consonance and predictability.
In March 1997, Yanni became one of the few Western artists permitted to perform and record at the Taj Mahal in India. Later that year he performed at the Forbidden City in China. From these two events he created his next live album and video, Tribute, which was released in 1997. Armen Anassian, Conductor, concedes that he had some doubts about the artist's plans to perform at India's Taj Mahal and China's Forbidden City for Tribute: "To be honest, a few years ago when he was talking about it, the idea was so amazing. I myself was very skeptical, understandably so. But the truth is, it happened. We did it." Anassian describes Yanni as "very optimistic" and has observed that "nothing really fazes him." That outlook carries over naturally to his music. "I don't think it's a goal, per se. He's very honest with his own feelings. His music really comes from the heart. He writes music with ease, the music comes out with relative ease. The feel-good portion of the music is a by-product. It coincides with what the people love to hear." Lighting Designers Lee Rose and David "Gurn" Kaniski received an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries or a Special" for both Live at the Acropolis and Tribute .
In 2000, after a two-year sabbatical, Yanni released his first studio album in seven years: If I Could Tell You.
Yanni also toured in 2003–2004 with the debut of the Ethnicity album extending his "One World, One People" philosophy. This album sparked what would become the 4th largest concert tour of the year ranked by Billboard Magazine.
He kicked off his 2004–2005 "Yanni Live!" tour at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his next live album and video, Yanni Live! The Concert Event was released in 2006.
In 2008, in collaboration with producer Ric Wake, Yanni showcased vocal artists singing his songs on Yanni Voices. On March 24, 2009, Disney Pearl Imprint released Yanni Voices, the artist's first studio album in six years, and its Buena Vista Concerts division produces the tour that began in April 2009.
Website: http://www.yanni.com/
Almost A Whisper
Yanni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sigh of broken hearts - a quiet cry
The rain upon your face
Brings gravity and grace
And softly you begin to breath again
I don't have all the answers to your sad prayers
But if I could I'd give you angel's wings
With strength to reach beyond
And carries like a song upon the wind
Please don't give up
Please don't you give up
Cuz I believe
Yes, I believe
I still believe... in us
The sound of holding on - almost a whisper
The sigh of broken hearts - a quiet cry
The rain upon your face
Brings gravity and grace
And softly you begin to breath again
The lyrics to Yanni's "Almost a Whisper" speak to the experience of life's hardships and the hope that emanates from the support of friends and the unfolding of the natural world. The opening line, "The sound of holding on - almost a whisper," suggests the tenuousness of perseverance in the face of adversity. The next line, "The sigh of broken hearts - a quiet cry," deepens the emotional resonance of the first by evoking the sound of muffled sorrow. However, the song takes an uplifting turn with the following line, "The rain upon your face / Brings gravity and grace," which acknowledges the cathartic power of tears and the beauty of the moment even in the midst of sadness. The song concludes with words of encouragement and faith in the singer's belief in the resilience of the other person ("Please don't give up / Please don't you give up / Cuz I believe / Yes, I believe / I still believe... in us").
One interpretation of the song is that it represents the process of grieving and healing after a trauma or loss. The sound of holding on and the sigh of broken hearts can be seen as the initial stages of shock and sorrow, while the rain upon your face represents the release of emotion and the beginning of acceptance. The singer's offer of angel's wings and encouragement to reach beyond hope may represent the idea of finding a higher purpose or meaning in life in spite of tragedy.
Line by Line Meaning
The sound of holding on - almost a whisper
The act of not giving up, even when it's difficult, is as quiet as a whisper.
The sigh of broken hearts - a quiet cry
When hearts are broken, we silently plea for help with tears and soft cries.
The rain upon your face
Brings gravity and grace
And softly you begin to breathe again
The rain feels like a weight on your shoulders, but it also has a cleansing effect and brings a sense of peace, allowing you to take a deep breath and move forward.
I don't have all the answers to your sad prayers
But if I could I'd give you angel's wings
To go where hope is found
With strength to reach beyond
And carries like a song upon the wind
I may not have all the answers to your problems, but I wish I had the power to help you find hope and strength to move forward, like soaring on angel's wings towards a brighter future.
Please don't give up
Please don't you give up
Cuz I believe
Yes, I believe
I still believe... in us
Don't give up hope, because I still believe in us and our potential to overcome hardships.
Contributed by Nathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@roxanneyariefigueroasoto32
The sound of holding on - almost a whisper
The sigh of broken hearts - a quiet cry
The rain upon your face
Brings gravity and grace
And softly you begin to breath again
I don't have all the answers to your sad prayers
But if I could I'd give you angel's wings
To go where hope is found
With strength to reach beyond
And carries like a song upon the wind
Please don't give up
Please don't you give up
Cause I believe
Yes, I believe
I still believe... in us
The sound of holding on - almost a whisper
The sigh of broken hearts - a quiet cry
The rain upon your face
Brings gravity and grace
And softly you begin to breath again
@LuisAguilar-hs9gp
Yanni, Your music has brought my mom and I together once again. My mom was a huge fan of yours. She is in heaven now and I am on earth sitting on a couch watching you on this small tablet. I am feeling my mom’s presence in this room taking a trip down to earth to enjoy your gorgeous music sitting next to me. We love you Yanni and God bless you.
@lucarisaliti2029
Lovely
@ZAKS0
Аллах сябр версин
@TheMusicWithYanniHrisomallis
Allah rahmet eylesin :(
@awakennowtolovetruth7801
Yes her soul is with you
@sami_m8098
🙏🙏🙏🌹😭
@mehrankarvandi5826
Every time I listen to this piece, bring me to tear it reaches my heart. It is full of pain and feeling not just ordinary music. It is full of humanity. Yanni is the best now and forever.
@awakennowtolovetruth7801
Yes
@khushi_kushwaha__
Yes exactly 💯❣️🥺🌃🍂🌪️ 🌊
@doudoudorsaf6674
Mozart's better