Beauty Archive
GAVIN BRYARS: The Fifth Century; Two Love Songs – Prism Quartet/The Crossing/Donald McNally – ECM New Series
Music that sounds both ancient and modern and beautiful throughout. GAVIN BRYARS: The Fifth Century; Two Love Songs – Prism Quartet/The Crossing/Donald McNally – ECM New Series ECM2405, 50:58 [Distr. by Naxos] (11/18/16) 50:58 ****: I have always found Gavin Bryars’ music to be beautiful, mysterious, unique; sometimes a bit disturbing – but always worth investigating. Known for its often slow-paced and quiet kind of minimalist-inspired sound, his music continues this effect with The Fifth Century, a song cycle after the seventeenth-century English poet and theologian Thomas Traherne. The title is actually also the name of a treatise on the “essence of God” by Traherne. While the texts are steeped with imagery of the infinite, of the heavens and of eternity, the real attention-getting aspect of this piece is Bryars’ rich, yet sparse, chord progressions and voicings and the beauty they produce. The other aspect of this score that cannot be appreciated until heard is the use of a saxophone quartet to accompany the otherwise a capella choir. One would think that saxophone quartets in such a context would drown the vocals or be given some oddly out of place chordal progressions or exposed moments that sound very stereotypically “saxophone-like.” […]
********** Multichannel Disc of the Month *********** For the Beauty of the Earth – Works of WIDOR, VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS and others – Gabriel V Brass Ensemble/ Sharon Rose Pfeiffer, pipe organ, Percussion Ens. – Arte/ Paraclete
A most enjoyable surround concert of brass, percussion and pipe organ. * For the Beauty of the Earth – Celebrating Creation – Works of WIDOR, VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS and others – Gabriel V Brass Ensemble/Sharon Rose Pfeiffer, pipe organ, Percussion Ens. – Arte/ Paraclete multichannel SACD GDCD 061, 53:03 [5/1/16] ****: This is a gorgeous collection, in hi-res surround, of works expertly performed for brass, percussion and pipe organ. The Gabriel V ensemble usually performs and tours the world with the chorale group Gloria Dei Cantores. They also run an annual concert series in Orleans, MA. The Gabriel V Ensemble and organ were recorded in the historic Mechanics Hall of Worcester, MA, which since its restoration in 1977 has been internationally regarded as one of the world’s finest concert halls. The standout here is the six-minute Toccata from Widor’s Fifth Symphony – probably the best arrangement of the work I have ever heard. There is also a lovely arrangement of Vaughan-Williams’ hymn, Randolph. Other composers include Anthony DeLorenzo, David Marlatt, Walter Pelz, and John Bacchus Dykes. This is a perfect type of music for hi-res surround, and for the use of the surrounds for more than the usual ambient sonics. TrackList: 1. […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
