Classical music reviews

I am a musician and just want to say this is a wonderful recording of Christmas classics, talent and production are fantastic. This is a must have for your collection!

As a Holistic Health Practitioner, I am very familiar with music therapy. James Anthony Walker's 'Music for a Candlelight Christmas' is medicine for the soul. The sound is not only warmly delicate, but ethereal in nature - making it soothing in a 'welcome home' sort of way.

I highly recommend adding this magical CD to your holiday collection. It's music that you can truly listen to with your heart.

It's a rare moment indeed when a CD of Christmas music gets my attention.

But Walker has done that, and then some. I love the ambient feel that he has so skillfully lent to so many of these Classics. It makes the songs sing in a very special way.

And Walker is a very special composer indeed. Where has he been? My thanks to him for sharing this wonderful music. This is ear candy for a very bright time of year - but it is not enough! I want more from what this musician perceives as a talent that many many more people need to hear.

Thanks.

This is an interesting CD. The mix of Aaron Copland's and John Williams' compositions was quite unique. It took me by surprise the first time I listened to it. I love Copland's THE RED PONY suite, especially "Walk to the Bunkhouse". Williams' BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY was amazingly innovative and a much more serious composition than I had imagined. Copland's QUIET CITY was interestingly very moving. Again innovative and well conceived was Williams' THE REIVERS. The narration on this piece complemented the music extremely well after several times listening to it. This is an excellent CD. It really grew on me.

I can't really count myself among the many fans of the Boston Pops, whether under the direction of Arthur Fiedler, John Williams or Keith Lockhart. This is not meant as any sort of elitism on my part, but, simply, generally speaking, my classical music tastes lie elsewhere. Probably, all told, I have barely a dozen CDs representing these conductors' efforts. But this "Music for Stage and Screen" CD is special among my rather smallish Boston Pops collection for a number of reasons, and it is easily one of my favorite Boston Pops CDs as a result.

In a nutshell, what makes this recording special is the "spotlighting" that the choice of works gives to Tim Morrison, the principal trumpeter at the time the recording was made. (As far as I know, Tim Morrison had this role for a number of years, although I haven't seen his presence in recent TV broadcasts of either the Pops or the Boston Symphony, so either he has "moved on" or is perhaps on an extended sabbatical.)

Aaron Copland's "Quiet City" is one of his smaller masterpieces. Scored for chamber orchestra with trumpet and English horn soloists, it provides a nice interplay between these two instruments, with the trumpet getting somewhat the larger role. I must have a half-dozen or more performances of this work, all in anthologies that are in whole or in part made up of the music of Copland, including one in which Wynton Marsalis is the soloist (on the same Sony label, for that matter). But, as much as it's difficult for me to state this, or for readers to accept it, Morrison trumps Marsalis quite handily. His tone is simply gorgeous: full and with a nice "bloom" to it, much like Harry James on his best day. To my taste, this approach meshes perfectly with the work.

Morrison shines again in one of the best-known excerpts - the main theme - from Williams's score for "Born on the Fourth of July" (a score that is far different from what we usually associate with Williams's pen, and one of my favorite Williams scores). The other two excerpts from this film score are "Williams at his atmospheric best": again, something quite different from "usual Williams."

This fine album is rounded out with a nice performance of another lesser-known Copland gem, his suite for "The Red Pony," and a very early Williams score for the film "The Reivers," not at all well-known and so a pleasant surprise with its inclusion. The work includes whimsical narration of the tale by the late Burgess Meredith, having as distinctive (and perfect) a voice for this narration as could be imagined.

This is creative programming at its best, giving us excellent but lesser-known works of both composers. The album sound is terrific, and the Boston Pops musicians - obviously including Morrison - are on the top of their game throughout. A very easy recommendation, deserving perhaps only a slightly more creative title for the album.

Bob Zeidler

The selections of music that are most memorable on this CD belong to John Williams. The Copland selections are wonderful, but are available elsewhere. Williams' "Suite from 'Born On the Fourth of July'" is a stunning musical achievement. The trumpet and English horn solos are exquisite. However, the crown jewel of this release is "The Reivers." It is based on selections from the William Faulkner novel of the same name. It is a breath of fresh air, a narrative piece of small town Americana brought to life by the magical voice of Burgess Meredith. This is a wonderful release, destined to become a classic.

Nicolai Gedda, a vocal wonder of the post-WWII Europe is in great form in live selections presented on this CD.
The French opera arias, particularly Berlioz and Gounod, required stellar high B's and C's plus ability to shift the registers seemlessly. Well, Gedda dispite his accent, was indeed perfect for this material. He will make you hold your breath every time he hits those high notes and each of these notes is crystal clear and dead-center on pitch.
For me personally, the best part of the disc is a 1971 recital of Russian art songs by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. Gedda sings with a lot of feeling and is not afraid to "invent" -- check out the messa voce, or rubato that he adds. "Where art thou, little star" is heart-gripping in its beauty.
Unfortunately, the recital is clearly not presented in its entirety. I just hope Gala will release the full version some time soon.
Of course, all the selections are "live". But that's not a serious problem here (unlike many other Gala CDs made almost unlistenable by caughs and other noises). Yes, there are a few distractions, but not enough to take away from pure joy of Gedda's singing.

This compilation disc from Gala presents the artistry and musicianship of Nicolai Gedda. He is a great tenor. His voice may not be the most beautiful, but it certainly is pleasant to hear. He has an excellent top register; no high note is beyond his reach. His pianissimos, not really given their due here with Gala's selections of songs and arias, are really top-rate and extremely beautiful. If you want to hear his lovely pianissimos, get the hard-to-find "Opera Arias: Nicolai Gedda". The selection of arias and songs here is wonderful. Also included is a wonderful duet from "Prince Igor" sung in Russian and several Russian songs by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. I didn't care much for the Russian songs, but Gedda performed them very well with perfect Russian diction. The French arias are amazingly well done. If you have been left unmoved by his versions of Don Jos�'s Flower Song from his two studio recordings of "Carmen", you will not be disappointed with the version included here. This version is sung with great emotional involvement. It comes from the 1954 live recording of "Carmen" with Giulietta Simionato and Herbert von Karajan. Gedda has the flexibility and the high D for the "Les Huguenots" aria. His renditions of the two Gounod arias are wonderful and his high notes are superb. �n�e's aria from "Les Troyens" is very well done. He even attempts a trill in it. A recently released live recording of a performance of "Les Troyens" with Gedda, Horne, and Verrett is available. Check it out. Gedda may be too light of voice for such a heavy role as �n�e, but who could resist such stylish, superb singing and French diction? He also can scale all the dangerous heights and dramatic demands of the fiendishly difficult role. The sound of this compilation is surprisingly good. There is some static, but it never becomes distracting. Audience noise is minimal to nonexistent. Applause is found only on a few tracks and is always appropriate. All in all, a worthwhile purchase at a remarkably low price!

If I say that it is nice I'll say nothing. Gedda's voice is really juicy and romantic and vocalize school is enormously mastered. When you hear to it, the first thought is that such voice cannot to be belonged to real, live person. It is for angel's not for real man.

No Blue Thing is probably my favorite Ray Lynch recording. I have several of his recordings and owned them for a number of years. I first heard Ray Lynch many years ago on an public radio station. Celestial Popcorn received some air time and the two occurrences were enough to attract a buy from me.

My kids went to sleep to his music for years. Now I do.

These are open, airy tunes that play well several times. Lynch's music makes for good background music when I'm working or trying to focus on other things. It doesn't impose itself on my psyche, but is there with its calming sound and interesting point and counterpoint.

With Deep Breakfast having already become one of my favorite albums of all time, I was excited to see the release of No Blue Thing, purchasing the CD the very day it was released. I was apprehensive, wondering how Lynch could possibly create anything comparable to his previous masterpiece. When the title track began playing, I was more than impressed, feeling as if I had been reunited with an old friend. This artist conveys many moods in his music, from carefree joy and playfulness to a deep, contemplative reverence toward life. He again captures a wide scope of human emotions on NBT, something he seems gifted at. Ray Lynch music is unique, plain and simple. You won't find it sounding like anything else though if you enjoy Jarre, Oldfield or Tangerine Dream, you'll be pleased. I particularly like Lynch's clever and melodic use of electronic sequences and NBT surprised me with beautiful and more complex rhythms in this regard. If you enjoy clean, crisp sound and a soundstage extending beyond your speakers, this CD will delight you too, not to mention solid deep bass notes that at higher volumes might challenge even the best loudspeakers. Like Deep Breakfast, sound quality is impeccable, if not more dynamic and translucent. I found myself getting lost in this new and wonderful collection of songs, forgetting all else as the Mr. Lynch takes me on another soothing and relaxing musical journey. The tunes are playful (Homeward At Last & No Blue Thing), spiritual, (Drifted In A Deeper Land,) and often inspiring and uplifting, (The True Spirit Of Mom & Dad.) He once again proves he is a master craftsman at integrating traditional and electronic instruments, however the music on NBT is more polished and confident, suggesting that he continues to mature as a composer and musician. NBT is a splendid follow-up to Deep Breakfast, and will delight nearly all music lovers. Listen to the samples and order this CD - you won't be disappointed! HH

I purchased my first copy of "No Blue Thing" on a recommendation of a friend in 1996. The second time in 1998 and the third in 2002. "Evenings, Yes" is one of my all time favorite pieces of music. That song touched my soul the first time I heard it in a manner that it had not been reached before. By following the interwoven melody lines through the sea of emotion I heard the emotion and feeling pouring out onto my ears.

As a few other reviewers have written, this was also my introduction to Leonie Rysanek. My dad bought this disc for me when I finally realized that Beverly Sills wasn't the be all, end all of the opera world, and I had started listening to Nilsson, Callas, and Sutherland. He said that I should check out this soprano, so I happily took the CD and listened to the whole thing straight through. It starts with one of Verdi's most exciting and gorgeous arias for Dramatic Soprano, "Pace, pace, mio Dio," which showcases a lot of Leonie is about. Beautiful pianissimo high notes, which became one of her trademarks, and then a thrilling high note at the end.

I was instantly in awe of her voice. I eagerly listened to the rest of the recital CD. I think the highlights of this recital are the arias from Macbeth and Otello. Even though Leonie specialized in German Rep, singing roles like Chrysothemis in Elektra, The Empress in Die Frau Ohne Schatten, and Salome in Salome, she also made Lady Macbeth and Desdemona her own! "Nel dì della vittoria...Vieni! t'affretta! accendere," is the best track on the album. This is Leonie at her best, singing the role she made her Met debut singing. She handles the runs with ease and hits every note thrillingly. Leonie always said she was intimidated by Nilsson and refused to sing Isolde and Brunhilde for that reason, but Nilsson has nothing on her as Lady Macbeth.

Leonie does have her weaknesses, but they're easily looked over once you hear her HUGE upper register, and in roles that her voice fits very well in, the sharpness and breathiness in her lower and middle register are not as evident. She is a soprano that every opera fan should know and listen to. She and Nilsson truly are, in my humble opinion, the greatest Wagnerian Sopranos of the post war era...well...besides like Flagstad...but whatever. Anyway, get this recital disc, and once you're done with it, buy any Die Frau Ohne Schatten with Leonie, preferably the early one, and one of her Salome recordings. You won't regret it!

This recital was my introduction to the fabulous artistry of Leonie Rysanek. Having read so many good things about this soprano, I decided to buy this disc and hear for myself. This disc was a very pleasant surprise.

Rysanek has a huge, rich, soaring soprano voice. Her voice's glory is its intense, powerful, immense upper register. Hearing her top B's, B-flats, and C's on disc definitely makes one wonder about the effect this voice had in the opera house. The speakers of my stereo were barely able to contain her awesome high notes. Rysanek's voice has two other registers and they, unfortunately, are not as strong as her upper register. Her middle register is a bit thick and slow-moving, while her lower register is almost non-existent. As a result, low notes, such as the ones in "Mai nessun, nessun m'avr�" in "In questa reggia", are barely audible. Her tendency to sharp on middle register notes is well known and is evident here. However, nothing here goes terribly awry pitch-wise. Hearing her glorious, soaring high notes is ample compensation. Rysanek's middle register did eventually strengthen and her lower register did fill in, which allowed her to embark on a second singing career as a mezzo-soprano.

Besides her wonderful, if slightly marred, singing, what impresses me most about her is her dramatic commitment. Every aria here, as well as the duet from "Otello", is given its dramatic due. Her interpretation of each one is unique. From hearing about Rysanek being a true creature of the stage, one can only imagine how effective she must have been in an opera house. I really wish that I could have been able to see her in a live opera performance in her prime. Oh well.

A few of the disc's highlights:

There is a beautifully floated, pianissimo high B-flat in "Pace, pace, mio Dio". A powerful high B-flat at the end of "Vissi d'arte". Gorgeous soft singing in the last section of "Ritorna vincitor". A super-powerful forte high C at the climax of "O patria mia" that leaves the listener breathless with awe. Believe me, after hearing her blast out this note, you will be glad that she didn't follow Verdi's pianissimo marking for this note. Great high notes in "In questa reggia". The aria itself is beautifully sung, with Rysanek sounding like a vulnerable princess instead of sounding like a cruel and ice-cold one. A very affecting Willow Song and "Ave Maria", both full of shimmering pianissimos. Dramatically exciting and vocally thrilling accounts of "Vieni! t'affretta!" and "La luce langue", complete with blazing high notes. Her reading of the letter reveals a beautiful speaking voice and perfectly pronounced Italian. A wonderful "Gi� della notte densa" from "Otello". Jon Vickers, despite sounding a bit strained, is wonderful in this duet and Rysanek really shines as Desdemona.

A few drawbacks:

Some unidiomatic Italian diction is present in her singing. Her account of "Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa" reveals this. Rysanek does not pause to prepare for the final "Signor" in "Vissi d'arte". This lessens the excitement of the following high B-flat. The difficult last phrase in "O patria mia" is broken up for breath, which dampens its effect. Montserrat Caball�, in her studio recording of "A�da", takes this phrase in one breath and the effect is marvelous.

I have greatly enjoyed listening to this disc and recommend it to all fans of great singing.

You'll never believe that anyone can sing like this. Magnificent. The top B's, C's and D flats are taken with conssumate ease. It is as if no difficulties exist for Rysanek. This would rank with Joan Sutherland's "The Art of Prima Donna" as one of the best ever recital committed to recording.

I stumbled across Chanticleer in late 2005, while running a search for chorale music -- the album I found being Gregorian Chants -- and instantly fell in love with this wonderful group. I had known about countertenors for some time previously, but, as I had not yet witnessed the sound, was stunned to find that Chanticleer was composed entirely of males.

Their sound is wonderful; rarely do I catch them slipping in their harmonies, a quality that I primarily associate with Russian Orthodox Choirs, which I don't find often enough within the US-of-A. But being a stickler isn't bad; it's this way that I found, and stuck with Chanti.

The selections of music on this CD are wide, ranging from American Folk -- Shenandoah -- to Strauss' "Drei Männerchöre," and back to Irving Berlin and beyond. My personal favorite is the rendition of Allen Shearer's musical adaptation of "Nude Descending a Staircase," featuring X. J. Kennedy's text.

As a final note: for lovers of a good bass in choral music, this is certainly a CD to consider, as are all Chanticleer works, thanks to Mr. Eric Alatorre, facial ornamentation and all. He's certainly a warm, rich anchor for the group's sometimes ethereal sound.

The last work on this recording, "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well, is worth many times the price of this CD. Joseph Jennings' performance on this one riveting and the group really takes off. The entire album is great, but this piece is an absolute knockout.

This is a must have cd for any classical, choral,or jazz music fan. Chanticleer is world renowned for their abilty to branch out and do all kinds of different styles, and this cd shows off there incredible range and diveristy. This cd incompasses 20th Century classical, Rennisance, Romantic, Jazz, Spirital, and Folk music done with blend balance and style that each one of these genres calls for. It can take years for a group to do one off these genres well, let alone all. If you have never heard them this a a good cd to start with, and if you have heard them this is a great cd to add to your collection

Bracing Bach! Bouyant and breezy, with lots of air. Tempi are quite rapid, but the secret to their success, I believe, is that Goebel et_al. give a strong beat at the beginnings of measures and are much lighter on the secondary beats, creating the illusion of cutting the pulse of the music "in half", as when shifting to a higher gear a car moves faster but the engine noise lowers to a more relaxed pitch. What might seem at first breathless, as one grows more aware of its charms, feels absolutely right, and as observed in earlier appraisals, the results are "breathtaking", and "very expressive" indeed.

Quite simply, the best recording of the Brandenburgs out there. The solos are stunning (especially Goebel's violin solo in Concertos 1 and 4), the sound of the ensemble is warm and full (unlike the thin, bland sound of most British groups such as the English Concert or the Academy of Ancient Music), and the recording quality is spectacular. This CD has become famous among early music aficionados for its rather unorthodox choices for tempi; I once read a review which referred to this recording as "Punk Barock." Admittedly, the tempi are considerably faster than most other recordings of this work, but where is it written that Baroque music has to be played in a standard, plodding, unoriginal, and unexciting way? Goebel and his group bring these pieces alive and the music sparkles. But in spite of the brisk tempi, it never seems as if it is fast just for the sake of being fast--Goebel never loses the musical lines within each piece. Even in the last movement of Brandenburg 3--probably the most "over-the-top" movement in the set--the group still brings out the little intricacies which make the Brandenburgs a masterpiece. And hey, as I've always said: if you've got it, flaunt it. Just because other ensembles can't play as fast doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with Goebel's interpretation. And don't be fooled by the large number groups in recent years who have tried to imitate Goebel's "go-for-broke" approach--Il Giardino Armonico comes to mind, for example. Musica Antiqua Koln did it first and it did it much better. So if you want a typical boring and uninspired version of the Brandenburg Concerti, then go out and buy the versions of Boston Baroque or the English Concert. If you want an exciting version of these works, buy the Giardino or the Camarata of the 18th Century version. But if you want to be taken into a completely different realm of music-making, buy the Musica Antiqua Koln recording. It is as perfect a performance of music as you will ever find.

I think this is my favorite copy.

This is my fourth copy of the Brandenburg contertos. The other ones are by conducted by Christopher Hogwood (good), Benjanmin Britten (also good), and a version by Boston Baroque (which was just pathetic, I had to throw that away not to subject anybody else to it!).

If you're tired of sappy, long winded, boring, and vibrato-rich romantic interpertations of baroque music, you'll like this version. But just so you get a feel for the speed, they did fit 5 concetos on one cd. The extra concertos on the second cd were also good (and didn't feel so fast).

Concerto #2 is my favorite and they do a really good job. The trumpet was not predominant but rather a part of the team. There were a lot of lines that you normally don't pay attention to in other versions (probably because the trumpet dominates). These are highlighted here. Play it loud though because the flute is very sweet sounding and soft and so it can easily be lost in the background.

Number five had a few spots which were uncomfortably fast though. I didn't know someone can play the harpsichord that fast. It's still expressive.

Number six felt like it was the fastest but it was really good.

Don't let the speed fool you, the performes were very expressive.

So far this is my favorite version.

I like the combination of electronics, woodwind and plucked string sound of this musical duo. I bought the CD because I had sampled "Pastorale" on the double-CD Narada Decade set. The woodwinds are interesting in particular, a mix of oboe, clarinet, or even ocarina, all electronically enhanced and unique in sound.

If you like music by Lorenna McKennitt, Enya, or a kind of combination of folk-classical mixed with a dash of Celtic, you will love this CD. The sonority should appeal to you if you do like music of that type.

It's terrific that one can preview the songs on a CD before buying it here at Amazon.com. Since I got this CD, I've played it many times and it always brings a calm over me.
I saw T&R in concert after hearing a song or two on a Narada sampler CD. AWESOME!
Highly recommend this CD!

This is my latest acquisition in my collection of music by these two fine musicians, not the last, I hope, since I'm still missing one or two. This is a return to their pure acoustic roots, with only a tip of the hat to any electronic augmentation, a return to their roots. In many ways it is working its way towards becoming a favorite, several good reasons.

First, this album is almost entirely played by the Rumbel and Tingstad and no one else. This is special, because in larger ensembles, Eric Tingstad tends to step into the background, allowing Nancy Rumbel to seize the spotlight. Not that she doesn't belong in the spotlight, but Tingstad is also a fine and subtle musician who also will reward attentive listening.

My second good reason is simply that this really is a very fine album. It demonstrates their individual artistic qualities, both as players and composers. The music appeals to classical sensibilities - contemplative, structured, and highly melodic. Indulging in neither oversimplification nor excessive demonstrations of bravado. Just consistent, polished excellence.

There is something magical about the intimacy of this music and its delivery. I sometimes wonder if, had I been a listener in bygone times, I would have felt the same effect from Bach (or some other musician now granted great status) playing his own compositions. Is it in the composition or in the performance? Or both? I don't know, but the profound sense of beauty is undeniable.

Kudos to Helmuth Rilling and his ongoing success with the Oregon Bach Festival. This CD is the World Premiere performance and recording (1998) of the CREDO by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, once the bad boy of avant garde composition in Europe. Since eclipsed by Gorecki, Lutoslawski, et at this version of the Mass is strangely romantic and quite accessible. Though one misses the originality and risks of his inimitable "St Luke Passion" and other works from his earlier years, this mighty Credo is a solid piece of workmanship that will hopefully gain more performances.

The CREDO is divided into seven sections, all under the sole Credo portion of the traditional Mass. But by dwelling on the 'I believe in one God...' Penderecki has been able to introduce a more universal appeal by using the usual Latin texts, Polish hymns, and German chorales.

The sections are as follows: I. Credo in Unum Deum, II. Qui Propter Nos Homines, III. Et Incarnatus Est, IV. Crucifixus (the central and most extended portion), V. Et Resurrexit Tertia Die, VI. Et In Spiritum Sanctum (the most 'modern' of the movements), and VII. Et Vitam Venturi Saeculi.

Penderecki's scoring is diverse, rich and satisfying both for the large orchestra and for the chorus, boy's choir and soloists. Rilling holds this work together magnificently and has graced this premiere and subsequent recording with exceptional soloists: Thomas Quasthoff (!), Marietta Simpson, Milagro Vargas, Juliane Banse, and Thomas Randle. The overall effect is an emotional one and while this is rather tame Penderecki, there is enough creative risk to make it exciting! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 06

I had the pleasure to sing this masterpiece in Puerto Rico back in 1998, directed by the own Penderecki and it was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever experienced. It is amazing! Every note, every beat, every instrument, every voice was perfectly done. When you listen to this work you can close your eyes and really see every single step in the story of Jesuschrist. The music can really make you feel you are right there and you can feel and see Jesuschrist going trough the calvary. It made me cry!...Is wonderful!...BRAVO PENDERECKI!

A few months ago, my choir had the amazing privelege of working with Penderecki himself on this fantastic piece. Since i had been under the impression that it was relitively atonal, i was simply blown away by this piece. THe way the choir and the orchestra work together is simply amazing. This is by far the best composition of the past century, and i would recommend it to anyone.

This CD is an interesting concept. Take Philip Glass's best known organ works and instead of using a Farfeeza organ, play them on a big church-like pipe organ in a cathedral. And to be honest, in some ways, it is a winning combination. One gets away from Glass's mathematically precise minimalism and infuses these peices with a more romantic and grand feel. But while this idea produces its share of moments, something just didn't feel quite right. Thus, sadly I have to detract from the below 5 star reviews and give the CD a solid 3.

Why? Anyone who has heard the original recordings of Dance II and IV know that these peices are not only amazingly technical, but have a mathematical intricacy that only adds to their beauty (polyrhythms abounding). The problem, then, was that when played on a pipe-organ in a hall with quite large reverberation, much of that intricacy gets lost and muddled. Thus, it is hard to follow along during some of the more rhythmically technical parts of some of the pieces, and while the overall feel is still good, the detail gets lost.

This is not too bothersome in two of the pieces in particular: The finale of Satyagraha, and Mad Rush (though I must admit that the chord changes of Dance IV sound amazing in a hall). Still, I couldn't help coming away from the other pieces feeling like something - some of the details - were unjustly stripped (especially Dance II which is a favorite of mine in its original version).

So if you are looking for Glass's organ works with a new and more robust feel, this is a good CD to get. If you are not familiar at all with his organ works, check out "Dance 1-5" which will give you a good feel and get this CD, possibly, afterwards. But if you are in love with the mathematical precision and detail in Glass's organ works, beware that the production on this CD leaves much to be desired.

Cada vez que me pongo a escuchar este CD, irremediablemente s�lo oigo las pistas 2 y 4, es decir, Mad Rush y Contrary Motion. Es como escuchar Reverie, de Debussy, en versi�n para orquesta con flauta solista, o bien para piano. Es decir, cada versi�n tiene un sabor distinto e igualmente hermoso. Cuando escucho estos temas, MR y CM, en piano, son preciosos, pero cuando las escuch� a trav�s del CD en un �rgano "real" y "ac�stico", magistralmente interpretado por Donald Joyce qued� absolutamente asombrado. El �rgano parece un coro con cientos de voces, con una textura casi c�smica, aunque parezca exageraci�n.
Recomiendo el CD s�lo por lo que acabo de exponer, pues las dem�s pistas -"Dance IV For Organ", "Dance II For Organ" y "Satyagraha (Act III Conclusion, Arr. Riesman)"- no tienen la misma suerte en adaptaci�n al sonido tan particular del �rgano. Las "Dances" me gustan mucho m�s con ese toque "electr�nico" de teclado Yamaha de los a�os 70, pues, entre otras cosas, la reverberancia del �rgano ac�stico diluye su fuerza.
"Satyagraha" es casi una curiosidad escucharla en este instrumento. Es agradable, pero no llega los temas que titulan esta nota.

Now if you know any of Phillip Glass' works, you have heard that repetative 1-1-1-1-2-2-2-2-3-3-3-2-2-1-1-1 (hopefully you understand) anyhow it is blended beautifuly in this CD especialy on the track "Mad Rush" Which when I first heard it made me cry softly on the inside remembering my love for someone else it blended with my mood perfect creating a harmony of my thoughts and music. The track is what my emotions were like and they complimented my mood. So if you like Glass and are romantic and melancholy than give this a try.