Customer Reviews

David Darling: Cello

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artist: David Darling
title: Cello
label: Editions of Contemporary Music
[released 1992] ECM 1464 (cd#511982)

Revisiting old acquaintances portends, sometimes, a pleasant journey. I still remember those long lost ECM LP's i had years ago ; for some time, i explore the current ECM catalog which contains many splendid silver discs.

There are things that, for mysterious reasons, did not resurface on the market, such as a fine atmospheric recording by french-horn player John Clark ("Faces" [1980] ECM 1176). Similarly, i regret an excellent album from Arild Andersen ("Clouds In My Head" [1975] ECM 1059). Alas, looks like several great ECM recordings from the LP era will never make it on cd. But, as a consolation, one thing is sure : In the bunch of recent recordings (those of the 'CD era') there are truly superb ones---many of them as remarkable as the first generations ECM's.

That leads us to this admirable recording, certainly one of the great albums on ECM in the 1990's and, indeed, from their entire catalog. Listening to David Darling's "Cello", i felt immediate images ; here the cinematic quality of the music emphasizes communication between musician and listener. The beautifully crafted sonic universe is rendered at no less than audiophile quality level, thanks to Manfred Eicher's production at Rainbow Studio in Norway (top engineering is a usual trademark of this label).

For this work Darling uses the acoustic cello and completes with the aerial and wonderful sonorities of the eight-string electric cello, to which sometimes he adds special effects such as the use of a digital delay. The recording has lots of space, an ethereal, vast and contemplative atmosphere, not unlike that of John Surman's "Upon Reflection" (ECM 1148). To my view, here is music to unfold the sky ; i imagine myself dancing alone, in a field, looking at the passage of clouds above my head, under the winds of a vast autumnal landscape. I don't want to sound esoteric---this music is neither esoteric nor is it really new age... It is pure and simple contemporary in good old ECM fashion.

David Darling succeeds in the presentation of his solo works (more compositions than improvisations, i guess): Darkwood 1 is much like the overture to a classical composition. In fact, the album starts on a mood that recalls the eerie pastoral response typical of the finest classical/folk works from Scandinavia or England. The sonic crossroads of "Cello" build bridges between different styles of music---folk, classical, jazz and world music. The result is an extraordinary sort of contemporary music, in my opinion... The album surpasses the abusive limitations of a definite genre.

"Cello" is all about atmosphere. Still, it is at once strange and melodic. Most of the tracks sound enigmatically distant and sombre like a late November afternoon. I can't think of another record that can bear comparison to this one.

Darling is a classically trained musician who played with the Paul Winter Consort in the early 1970s. He also played music with many notable jazz musicians, including Jan Garbarek and Ralph Towner. This CD shows to great effect the 'verbal' utterance and articulation of this wondrous orchestral and solo instrument. Another unusual and, indeed, essential recording by the ECM label. *****

I've never heard cello music sound like this. It was first introduced to me by a friend. I don't find his work to be confined to being "New Age" or "Classical". It's very univeral.

Each recording layers intense drones and pluckings of the cello's voice which still have me guessing at how he could create such noises!

It might feel a bit dark and solemn upon the first listen, but its a lot more complex than that. David Darling is a magician of a craftsman, and this record never stops astounding me.

David Darling's "Cello" might just be his most original, along with "Darkwood". The music here is mostly somber and nostalgic, but also peaceful. The slowly evolving repetitive patterns of Darling's music craddle the listener through an highly evocative nocturne journey. Pieces are short and simple, and cello is the only instrument in each of them. A must have for contemporary music listeners.

I've had this CD for at least five years and it has never really left my pile of CD's that I listen to on a regular basis. It is quiet but tough and never vapid. There is grit here as well as serenity. I always liked the music in Godards films and several of the pieces here are dedicated to Godard and are very evocative of his films. The best CD I have heard by David Darling.

Generally I don't beleive that New Age music has to be so Preachy as it tends to do.......after all, not everyone who listens to New Age music listens to it to Meditate or to Reap its universal messege of oneness......I personally dont agree with all that stuff........I listen to it strickly for the peacefullness and to escape from the Rock music sometimes.

David Darling is proving himself in my mind to do exactly what I buy his music for..........I find myself listening to "Cello" in my car in the morning before going into a stressful day of work.
I listen to his music on the way home from such a day also.
I leave it up to God to ease my thoughts and my restless spirit,
However......listening to this music is like taking an Asprin....
it at least gets you prepared for whats ahead and perhaps prevents more headaches to come.

I Own Six David Darling Cds.....the 2 Musical Messege Cd's.....
"8 String Religion"........"Darkwood"........"Cello" and "Cello Blue".
I Can't say I favor one over the other.
David also worked along with my favorite Piano music.....Michael Jones on an LP called "Amber".......I own that on LP but cant find it anywhere on CD..........I highly recommend that to those who enjoy David.

I love David Darling's "Eight String Religion. It moves me and is uplifting every time I listen to it, but "Cello" is very, very dark and depressing. Don't go near it.

Buy this CD only if, for some reason, you need appropriate mood music for sipping absinthe or hemlock . . . whichever.