Allegories / Vues Aeriennes [Import]

Murail (Artist), My (Artist), Ensemble Fa (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 22, 1995)
• Format: Import
• Label: Accord
• ASIN: B000004CBA
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,576,452 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine spectralist wizardry, May 15, 2010

By 

Christopher Culver - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Allegories / Vues Aeriennes (Audio CD)

It's a pity that this Accord disc with three Tristan Murail pieces is out of print, because it is one of the most engaging collections of music by the French spectralist composer. Dominique My leads the Ensemble Fa or performs on piano solo.

"Allegories" for 7 instruments and electronics (1989-90) is something of an update of Murail's classic "Desintegrations" for orchestra and tape. Thanks to IRCAM technology, Murail could now have sounds follow the players instead of the conductor being slave to a recording. As the instrumentalists perform, myriad explosions of synthetic sounds burst first. I especially love the ending, as the human performers withdraw and the computer produces a "Vues aerienne" for horn, violin, cello and piano (1988) and "Territoires de l'oubli" for piano (1976-1977) lack electronic wizardy, navigating their spectral explorations through only classical instrumentation. They may lack the ear-tickling exoticisms of "Allegories" and suffer a bit in comparison by being on the same disc, but they are still fine pieces.

What really sets this composer's music apart from other composers is the construction and dissolution of massive blocks of sound within each of these works, which gives them a strong sense of drama. Tristan Murail writes music that is difficult to describe, and analysis often misses the point because this is all something meant to be *heard*. If you're looking for a place to start with Murail, there's a Naive disc with three classic pieces, which is happily still available. If you like what you hear, then the music on this Accord disc will surely appeal to you as well.