Customer Reviews

Cristal: Glass Music Through The Ages

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Have you ever wanted to know how it's possible for music to be produced with glasses? The new album CRISTAL, with featured artist Dennis James on Cristal Baschet, Seraphim, and most prominently Glass Armonica, demonstrates it very well.

With help from members of the L.A. Opera, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, soprano Ruth Ann Swenson and the album's co-producer Linda Ronstadt (although this is not, repeat NOT, a Linda Ronstadt solo album), James spins the musical glasses for some eerie effects that are both ancient and Space Age. The CD includes the Adagio and Rondo In C Major for Glass Armonica, composed by Mozart in the final weeks of his life, as well as the new Quintet for Glass and Strings by Garry Eister. Swenson and Ronstadt also sing an arrangement, made by Eister, of Gabriel Faure's celebrated "Pavane", accompanied by James and the Emerson String Quartet.

How this album impresses probably depends on the listener's ability to adjust to the strange sounds of the glass instruments, which sound nothing like synthesizers. It won't be easy for some. But for those who are adventuresome enough, CRISTAL is worthy of your attention

Who would ever think that instruments invented by Benjamin Franklin around the time of the Declaration of Independence would be the hottest CD on the market. The sounds coming from these instruments, played with great aplumb by the talented Dennis James, are otherworldly. There is no description of how the glass armonica sounds (and the other glass instruments also used)...think of the ding you hear when hitting a crystal glass...how pure it is. Mozart specifically wrote pieces for this one instrument! This purity purveys this disk.

The guests add class and pizazz. Classical soprano Ruth Ann Swenson has a truly beautiful instrument. French singer Veronique Dietsche shines. The Emerson String Quartet personify quality and ability. The big event on this disk is the classical singing of Linda Ronstadt. Her high Soprano with a spectactular mezzo soprano/alto chest voice separates her from classical singers. While lacking the fullness of an opera singer at the top of her range, her voice approximates the sound of the glass instuments she is singing to. It is reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald creating Scat singing to emulate Jazz. It is that amazing.

This is an event not to be missed!

You must hear this CD to believe it. The glass armonica and other glass instruments produce, in the hands of Dennis James, an otherworldly resonance that seems almost mesmerizing. Of particular note are Garry Eister's "Quintet for Glass & Strings" and his exquisite arrangement of Faure's "Pavane." Though classical clear through, this CD should appeal to fans of Ronstandt as well as Faure.

While I have enjoyed other performers renditions of some of the songs (Mozart K. 356, K 617; Apell 'Non temere alme immortale') as performed by Thomas Bloch, there are some songs on this album that make it worth it. The arrangement of Fauré's Pavane Op. 50 is amazing. That track alone is worth buying the album. In addition Quintet for Glass and Strings by Garry Eister is a very good set. If you are new to glass harmonica I would recommend Thomas Bloch's album entitled 'Glass Harmonica' under the Naxos label.

I wasn't sure what to expect. The novelty of this instrument passed quickly. And soon I was absorbed by the music. "Glass Music," as they call it, adds an etheral quality to these classical pieces. But it doesn't detract. And the accompaniment is top notch. My favorite parts were the guest vocalists. And Linda Ronstadt, who has already proven herself in the classical world, blends in effortlessly with her voice. You don't stop and think, "Oh my goodness. That's Linda Ronstadt singing." She sounds like any of the other pros on the album. And could possibly be segue-ing into a comfortable classical career from here (hasn't that always been her destiny?) Let me wrap up and say that I was enchanted by this music. (And Dennis James, please record more.)

Great Music - for relaxing, calming atmosphere- just feeling better about the world in general!

Cristal: Glass Music Through the Ages with Glass Harmonica today!
Composer: Dennis/Crocker, Amy James, Garry Eister, et al.
Conductor: Daniel Cuiller
Performer: Marcia Dickstein, John Ellis, et al.
Sony - #89047

HERE ARE THE CORRECTIONS:

Composer: Various
Conductor: Various
Performer: Dennis James, Linda Ronstadt, The Emerson String Quartet and others

There are no persons named James/Crocker nor Amy James involved with this production.

Wow! Veteran producer John Boylan swings and connects for a home run (he has something along the lines of eight gold and eleven platinum albums to his credit with artists ranging from Linda Ronstadt to Charlie Daniels band.) Co-producing with Linda Ronstadt herself, who also performs, Boylan has created a hauntingly lyrical CD with tremendous atomosphere. This is a must buy for any thoughtful audiophile. Highly recommended.

1. Irish Lullaby, arranged for seraphim & chamber ensemble
Composed by Dennis/Crocker, Amy James
SHOULD BE
Composer: Anonymous
Arrangement by Dennis James & Amy Crocker

5. Caprice for Glass harp

Should be Caprice for Cristal d' Baschet

10. Adagio and Rondo for glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola & cello in C minor, K. 617

Should be for glass armonica and string quartet (arr.)

11. L'Armonica, cantata for soprano, glass harmonic & orchestra Récit Accompagné - Adagio

If you are going to go with the "H"armonica spelling, then at least add the missing "a"

12. L'Armonica, cantata for soprano, glass harmonic & orchestra Air - Andantino

See above

13. Petite Impression for Glass harp

Should be Petite Impression for Cristal d' Baschet

So let's see. Dennis James has spent years of his life recreating Ben Franklin's true glass armonica and making himself a virtuoso of the instrument.

The label is Sony, the producer is Linda Ronstadt and the Emerson Quartet are the session men.

No expense, no trouble, no love has been spared.

Except that the disc, while so beautiful, is utterly, utterly useless.

Instead of Mozart's specified accompaniment of FLUTE, OBOE, VIOLA, CELLO in K617, we get a fricking STRING QUARTET !!

HELLO ? It's a GLASS ARMONICA !

ETHEREAL, YES ?
DELICATE, YES ?

DON'T YOU THINK THAT JUST MAYBE WOLFIE MIGHT HAVE GOT IT RIGHT ?!
DON'T YOU THINK THAT JUST MAYBE IT'S HIS CALL ANYWAY ?!

Are oboes and flutes suddenly endangered species ?

Is everyone associated with the project quite insane ?

Hmm. I may be onto something there. They do say the instrument drove its hearers mad back in the eighteenth century...