John Corigliano: Phantasmagoria; To Music; Fantasia on an Ostinato; Three Hallucinations

John Corigliano (Composer), Eri Klas (Conductor), Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Eri Klas
• Composer: John Corigliano
• Audio CD (June 21, 2005)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ondine
• ASIN: B0009A4142
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,536 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A film score? Who knew? Not me., March 17, 2011

By 

Malcolm Glass "buddycat" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: John Corigliano: Phantasmagoria; To Music; Fantasia on an Ostinato; Three Hallucinations (Audio CD)

I read a review of the Hallucinations Suite in which the reviewer could not separate the music from the film "Altered States." I have listened to this music quite a few times without knowing that it was from the film score, so I have had no problem paying attention to the music with no intrusive associations. I love the piece and its quotations and references, the hymns and little nods to Stravinsky ("Rite") and Ginastera ("Panambi"). The titles of the sections may refer to the movie (I've never seen it, and now I don't want to; if that guy is right it could spoil the listening), but for me the titles suggest a "program" of primitivistic scenes not unlike "Rite of Spring."

The other compositions on this album are enjoyable in similar ways. I know a little about the opera from which "Phantasmagoria" is taken, but again I take the music as music without worrying about the original context. Corigliano's rich textures are just a delight to listen to. And the quotes and references are sly little "in jokes" that I find both intriguing and witty.

There is a lot going on in all of these pieces, and they yield more and more insights and connections with repeated listenings. That seems to me one of the marks of good music of any genre.