BEGINNINGS

Chanticleer, Eighth Blackbird | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: CEDILLE RECORDS/NAXOS
• ASIN: B00022XEA4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #667,549 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Prelude ("Divinum Mysterium")

2. 1. Beginnings

3. 2. The Spirit of God Moved Upon the Face of the Waters

4. 3. Light

5. 4. Rest

6. 5. Rejoicing

7. Vocalise (..for the beginning of time)

8. Variations on Sea-Time. Sea Theme

9. Variations on Sea-Time. Archeozoic (Variation 1)

10. Variations on Sea-Time. Proterozoic (Variation 2)

11. Variations on Sea-Time. Paleozoic (Variation 3)

12. Variations on Sea-Time. Mesozoic (Variation 4)

13. Variations on Sea-Time. Cenozoic (Variation 5)

14. Variations on Sea-Time. Sea-Nocturne (..for the end of time)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kellogg fabulous, Crumb ordinary, August 6, 2004

By 

Mike N. "Mike N." (Helena) - See all my reviews

This review is from: BEGINNINGS (Audio CD)

If the composition on this CD by Daniel Kellogg is any indication of the future potential of American classical music, we're entering the 21st century in very, very good shape. Here is a young composer (just 24 when he composed this piece, by my calculation) who has an absolute understanding of his craft, from melody to harmony to orchestration. It's an astounding piece (minus the hugely unneccessary but thankfully brief prelude with Chanticleer) with an incredible variety of sounds and colors. eighth blackbird gives a fine performance. The second I see anything else of his in a store, I'll snatch it up.

The Crumb piece, of course, has become a landmark work of the contemporary repertoire, and deservedly so. But this performance is surprisingly lacking, given the excellence of the ensemble in question. Most listeners' quibbles with the earlier, classic recording with Zizi Meuller on flute would be the lack of romanticism and joy in the music. In that recording, Voice of the Whale receives a rather metronomic treatment. This eighth blackbird recording could use a bit of that; some of the tempi are painfully slow, nearly twice as slow as Crumb requested in several variations. Certain passagework also contains rhythms and pitches that are profoundly imprecise. And it lacks the lushness that might have made up for these problems. All in all, a rather poor performance.

Those interested in hearing a fine new work by a fine young composer would do well to purchase this CD. But those interested in finding a less archaic recording of Voice of the Whale would be better off waiting until another comes out. (Bridge Records is slowly releasing his complete works over the next several years, and you can be almost guaranteed a better performance from whomever they find to play it.)

12 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars nothing new to say, October 14, 2004

By 

Joe Canoe - See all my reviews

This review is from: BEGINNINGS (Audio CD)

Eighth Blackbird has made their reputation by playing two types of music: bland, lifeless works from timid younger composers or surefire hits from the contemporary repertoire. It's a pity that a group that seems to have captured the ear of folks beyond the new music crowd have such artistically and intellectually bankrupt programs to offer. This CD illustrates my point precisely. The Kellogg is a colossal bore with nothing original to say and only the conviction that the most shopworn clichés can provide musical interest. The Crumb is a widely-known piece and this reading adds nothing substantial to what's already available.