The Very Best of Yanni

1	Aria 4:01
2	Looking Glass 6:41
3	In the Morning Light 3:51
4	Marching Season 5:37
5	Swept Away 4:44
6	One Man's Dream 2:46
7	The Mermaid 3:49
8	To the One Who Knows 5:39
9	Santorini 4:37
10	Acroyali 5:08
11	In the Mirror 4:08
12	Someday 4:37
13	Flight of Fantasy 5:42
14	The End of August 4:53
15	The Rain Must Fall 4:38
16	Face in the Photograph 3:45

Barnes & Noble

This outstanding omnibus draws exclusively on material from Yanni's days on the Private Music label, predating his later recordings on the Virgin label and live extravaganzas. Six of the 16 tracks feature intimate solo piano and keyboard played by Yanni, showcasing the composer's melodic talents and his romantic, tender side. "In the Morning Light" breathes with loveliness, while "One Man's Dream" sighs with longing. Some pieces like "Swept Away" show him using the piano more as a percussion instrument, while the more developed keyboard works reveal Yanni's skill at full-bodied sweeping orchestral arrangements. Favorites of the latter sort include the dreamlike victory anthem "Santorini" and the ethereal "Aria," featuring the Delibes-based vocal made famous by the British Airways television commercial. "The Rain Must Fall," with its light touches of blues piano, and the harmonica-laced "Face in the Photograph" are content to develop shorter themes and then fade away. The Very Best makes an excellent collection for both longtime fans interested in Yanni's early work and newcomers to his keyboard magic. Carol Wright

All Music Guide

A handful of his millions of fans worldwide are bound to not have every big Yanni hit in their collection, and so this collection -- perhaps the final Private Music greatest-hits collection, because there have been various others -- certainly serves a functional purpose. Because of the seemingly simple compositional nature of his tunes and his intense showmanship, the Greek-born keyboardist has inspired his share of detractors, too. But these songs, from the classically inspired "Aria" (first heard on a series of British Airways commercials) to the exotic, Middle Eastern-flavored "Looking Glass" and lush, percussive "Swept Away" proves that if he's not the world's greatest technician, he can definitely write a strong melody. And that's what pop music is all about, so lighten up. The solo piano number "One Man's Dream" is now a precious new age classic, as is "In the Mirror." These tracks make the most emotional impact, even though most of the songs here that made him most popular are a bit more of the synth-created variety. If you are a big Yanni fan, check the track listing; chances are, you have all these songs somewhere else. Still, The Very Best of Yanni is a good primer on the man and his music. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide