John Zorn: Filmworks XIX - The Rain Horse [Soundtrack]

John Zorn (Composer), John Zorn (Conductor), Robert Burger (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Robert Burger
• Conductor: John Zorn
• Composer: John Zorn
• Audio CD (January 22, 2008)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Tzadik
• ASIN: B000ZOVQ9A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,052 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quietly powerful., January 23, 2008

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John Zorn: Filmworks XIX - The Rain Horse (Audio CD)

The first release of a film score by John Zorn in nearly two years (2006's Film Works, Vol. 18: The Treatment being the most recent volume prior to this), "Filmworks XIX: The Rain Horse" was highly anticipated-- the beginnings of this decade had fans of Zorn's film soundtrack work spoiled with seemingly endless jewels and extraordinary prolificness (having released eight volumes of film scores between 2001 and 2006).

Assembling of trio of Erik Friedlander (cello), Rob Burger (performing on piano) and Greg Cohen (bass), the film in question was a Russian animation piece by Dmitri Geller. Zorn was originally approached for licensing of several Masada pieces but negotiated recording an original score instead. Intriguingly, given the original request and the proliferation of Masada or Masada-like pieces on Zorn's scores, Zorn's chosen a different direction. While it hints at the Masada sound, this one is more deeply imbedded in gypsy jazz and Russian folk sounds to my ear. The performers work with unnerving sensitivity to the feel of the music, invoking motion and power ("The Stallion"), foreboding and mystery ("Parable of Job", "Forests in the Mist" and it's solo cello reprise, "Bird in the Mist") and an unusually uplifting mournfulness ("Tree of Life"), this one makes a quiet and powerful statement.

One thing it does do unusually is blend in the background-- when this came in the mail I ripped it open and threw it on while I was cooking dinner. In this environment, I was not terribly impressed with it because it's strength is so quiet, but having listened to it several times since that first play, particularly with headphones on where its subtleties come through, I've been staggered at just the range of emotion the three musicians on this record convey. This is one that demands direct attention for full appreciation, and it offers a lot to appreciate. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ballet for Horses?, July 15, 2009

By 

Andrew M. Roberts (Cary, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John Zorn: Filmworks XIX - The Rain Horse (Audio CD)

After 40 minutes as "The Rain Horse" is wrapping up, you can't get away from how focused this whole disc sounds. Zorn explores gypsy and eastern European dance in the chamber music environment (at times sounding a little like Jon Brion which is not a bad thing) pushing things from tender to quirky to agitated all the while remaining quite elegant. The trio of Erik Friedlander (cello), Rob Burger (here on piano) and Greg Cohen (bass) have dropped the gauntlet on Zorn's compositions going from intimate to surprisingly expansive across the breadth of the disc with each's own superb lyricism blending flawlessly. It's an enjoyable listen hindered only be the fact that it is perhaps too comfortable in its own skin, that it doesn't try to be more. Then again, some things exist on their own terms -- The Rain Horse is one. Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best in the series, October 26, 2008

By 

Simone Oltolina (Morbio Inferiore, TI Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: John Zorn: Filmworks XIX - The Rain Horse (Audio CD)

'Rain Horse', is the latest installment in Tzadik's very own 'Filmworks' series. It is also one of the best, as I'm stating very clearly in the title.

As the story goes, Zorn was approached by the director of this russian animated movie and asked to license several Masada pieces for the soundtrack.
He somehow fell in love with the movie and decided to produce several original compositions to better suit the story.
What the director (and us) got is a brilliant compilation of tunes well steeped in the russian folk/gypsy tradition, as another reviewer noted. Fans of Masada should be careful then, the 'jazz' element here is almost absent.
Also worth of mention: Erik Friedlander, whom I consider one of the best musicians to come out of the Downtown NY music scene, is in a state of grace here, which is probably part of the reason why I like the album so much.

Highly recommended!