Customer Reviews

BEGINNINGS

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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.)

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.