The BQE

Sufjan Stevens | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Asthmatic Kitty
• ASIN: B002N1AEAA
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,203 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Prelude on the Esplanade

2. Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes

3. Movement I In the Countenance of Kings

4. Movement II Sleeping Invader

5. Interlude I Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation

6. Movement III Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise

7. Movement IV Traffic Shock

8. Movement V Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns

9. Interlude II Subi Power Waltz

10. Interlude III Invisible Accidents

11. Movement VI Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges

12. Movement VII (Finale) The Emperor of Centrifuge

13. Postlude Critical Mass

Editorial Reviews

Sufjan Stevens is proud to present The BQE, a cinematic suite inspired by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Hula-Hoop. Commissioned by Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The BQE was originally performed in the Howard Gilman Opera House in celebration of the 25th anniversary Next Wave Festival in October of 2007. Comes as CD/DVD package.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thankyou, Sufjan, October 22, 2009

By 

Ryan Sarno "windwalker" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The BQE (Audio CD)

Sufjan Steven's "The BQE" is a fantastic, cinematic experience. Do not be tentative to embrace this music solely because it is predominantly instrumental. Yes, the film lends visual direction to the music, but the music stands strongly on its own. The compositions are energetic and well orchestrated. The music is larger and more bombastic than some of Sufjan's softer, indie folk songs, but the subject necessitates the size. None of the movements are particularly abstract, so I doubt even fans who never listen to instrumental music will have trouble relating to this soundtrack. There are lyrics in the final piece of the soundtrack. The film is a relentless collage of mesmerizing BQE images presented in a clever triptych format, with a hula hoop as a spinning wheel motif. I really enjoyed the film. Coming from an artist who works in grand concepts, "The BQE" has to be one of Stevens' most brilliant and unified works.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite impressive, October 25, 2009

By 

T. Korol "music lover" (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The BQE (Audio CD)

I love this guy and have all his previous releases. This release has his trademark style but is quite a departure being an instrumental soundtrack to a short film. I might classify it's overall style as modern classical.

From what I glean from the video, the film was commissioned (?) by the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It is quite stunning. It is shot as 3 frames across the screen. At first I found this a bit disconcerting, but after a short while was fully absorbed in it. As the title indicates, it is an examination of the BQE from the road itself to the surrounding neighborhoods and streets. Starting with shots of the neighborhoods, it gradually builds, moving into scenes of and on the road itself. One scene which is tracked from the drivers point of view at high speed is exhilerating. It ends with some beautiful visuals of abstract lights and colors. Interspersed with the BQE scenes are 3 women playing with hula hoops, which may sound silly but is not. Some of these short interludes also feature very abstract, impressionistic filming. Overall, I appreciated and got a true feel for the BQE and it's surrounds as a living organism. The film demands repeated viewings, and I did not realize Sufjan was such an accomplished filmmaker. Be aware this is on the impressionistic "artsy" side which is fine by me.

As for the music, with lyrics this might not seem such a radical departure from his past efforts, but it is different. When listening to the music while watching the film I was very much reminded of Philip Glass or Steve Reich, though not as minimalist. The songs are orchestrated, and vary in style and dynamics. Some feature piano in the front, a couple trumpets and horns, and a couple more a music box (I think? lovely tinkling whatever it is). It is very hard to describe the overall sound and style Sufjan achieves here, but it does lean towards the modern classical realm.

If you are expecting a rehash of his earlier works you will be disappointed. If you approach this with fresh ears as I did, you might agree that this is a brilliant piece of work. Consider that this is a film score. In this regard the music is stronger when watching the film as it drives and complements the visuals. It brings them to life. Listening to the CD alone is still rewarding. Varied and complex, Sufjan has created a very strong "modern classical" score incorporating much of his "trademark" style. If you enjoyed his previous works I would recommend this, and it could likely extend his audience into different niches. I wonder where he will go next? ps - trying to read the cover abstractions is a bit of fun too!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just follow this brilliant artist and enjoy, October 25, 2009

By 

D. Pelletier - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The BQE (Audio CD)

I saw the BQE performance at the Brooklyn Academy. I am very jaded due to my musical background and experiences. It takes something unique to move my emotional meter into the tears range. This did it over and over again with each delight presenting itself, one after the other. You wondered what would be next. Then came the Super Hoopers near the end of the performance. Stunningly appropriate and purposeful. Turned the night on its head. I think anyone with an ear to what music can be again, after we've come through this desert of samples and hand claps might both enjoy and respect this.

Sufjan continues to amaze me. He has his fun and you can feel it all over you listening to his compositions. If this is how you start out in composing serious music, then what will we be lucky to hear down the road. I hope we get to hear more from him for a long, long time. We deserve it and he deserves us to pay attention. And you serious classical types, who might be sniffing their noses like Sigourney Weaver's cellist boyfriend in Ghostbusters. Just be thankful that someone with access to the resources has taken the time to try to honor your profession with something new that will reach a wider audience and maybe get them listening to other works by those that inspired both Sufjan and yourselves.