Customer Reviews

Ballett 3

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Klaus Schulze's "Ballett (Ballet)" suite originally appeared as part of the huge Rainhorse Records 10-CD "Contemporary Works 1" collection of 2000. The work's title is explained by the fact that this suite of compositions was originally composed in memory of the composer's mother, a ballet dancer in her youth, shortly after her death in 1998. There was never any intention at all on Schulze's part for this music to be choreographed, and there is nothing particularly balletic about any of it. The entire suite has now been re-released in a series of four discs, each available separately and with some of them having bonus track added as "make-weights" to fill out the CD medium.

This third disc of the series originally consisted of just one track, 'My Ty Shee', a massive 75-minute work that extends the theme begun with 'Getting Near' on "Ballett 1" and continued in part of "Ballett 2" and which concludes with "Ballett 4". This time, to the 'cello-playing of Wolfgang Tiepold and voice, flute and violin of Thomas Kagermann, is added a sensuous oboe contribution from Tobias Becker and additional vocals of Julia Messenger. The sheer size of the forces in this work gives plenty of scope for a rich series of musical interactions with musical ideas being passed back and forth in what sounds very much like a large scale improvisation.

The concluding track is a short (three and a half minute) high-energy addition, 'Schauer der Vorwelt', a previously unreleased out-take from the "Contemporary Works 2" collection, featuring an electronic power-pulse and tortured vocals, the result of a studio collaboration with ambient electronics artist, Jörg Schaaf. I'm not entirely convinced this track sits well here, but no doubt some fans will be happy to have it, regardless.

The bonus addition notwithstanding, this CD is a worthy companion to the earlier two volumes of this series and an excellent precursor to the fourth and final part.

This is the one. Buy this one. The profound melancholy of Ballet 3 is one of those rare compositional gifts that leaves one pondering 'how on earth did anyone ever think of this music?' Dismally sweet chords woven deeply into the provocative rhythms and beautifully mixed instrumentals are perfect for a lonely evening or quiet drive. Not for the clinically depressed.