Customer Reviews

Bryars: Cadman Requiem, Adnan Songbook, etc. / Hilliard Ensemble, Fretwork

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

 

 

While I enjoy Gavin Bryars, in general I have to be in the perfect mood to listen intently or he dissolves into noise. That is not true of any of the pieces on this disk. The title piece, Cadman Requiem is a magnificant piece of deep prolonged sounds creating a dark and reflective Requiem. This is music perfectly fitted to the words. The Hilliard Ensemble does a splendid job in fitting the voices to the deep strings.

The Adnan Songbook puts six of the Lebanese-American poet's poems to music. Bryars lets the words, the voice take the spotlight against a very quiet and melodic musical backdrop.

Epilogue From Wonderlawn is a varied piece, approaching the musical style that forces one to truly concentrate on Bryars' music.

If you've ever been curious regarding Bryars' work, this is an excellent CD to introduce his music to you. If you like his music, this will quickly move up high on your favorites list.

Bryars' Cadman Requiem is a masterwork of soothing music. The Hilliard Ensemble and Fretwork deliver an outstanding performance. The composer's influences of plainchant and modality are evident in the music. What a delight to listen to!

'Cadman Requiem'must be one of the most beautifull pieces of music written in this century. If modern classical music ever made a must-have CD, this could be the one. 'Adnans songbook'is great to, though it loses in beauty compared to Cadman Requiem. Poor the 'musiclover' who misses out on this album...

I have heard other works of Gavin Bryars, and I was not expecting the music on this album to sound as somber as it does. This is some of the most beautiful music I have listened to, in any genre. The Cadman Requiem, being a requiem, is expected to be a somber affair, and it achieves so much more! It is hauntingly beautiful, and certainly evokes the mood and pays homage to Bryars' long-time friend, Bill Cadman. The Hilliard Ensemble creates an ancient, gothic mood which is supported by the beautiful backing harmonies of Fretwork. Another reason this sounds so reverent is because Fretwork is playing viols, which are the predecessor to the current string instruments we use today.

As if anything could follow the somber requiem, Bryars arranged the text from "The Indian Never Had a Horse and Other Poems," by Etel Adnan to 8 songs, which are a little lighter in mood than the requiem (not by much) and just as beautiful. Sung by Valdine Anderson, the Adnan Songbook creates an almost velvety backdrop played by the Gavin Bryars Ensemble, with an odd instrumentation of violas, cellos, double-bass, electric and acoustic guitar, clarinet, and bass clarinet.

The album concludes with Epilogue from Wonder Lawn, an ethereal piece that almost floats in and out of your speakers. This album is a relaxing journey through some of Bryars' most beautiful compositions. There are slight hints at minimalism and a glimpse of avant-garde style, but 98% of the time, this album just floats by on its own beauty. I'm not a huge choral music fan, but these works are so well performed, it's hard not to like them! If you can find this album, buy it!