Litany for the Whale

John Cage (Artist), Paul Hillier (Artist), Terry Riley (Artist), Alan Bennett (Artist), Paul Elliott (Artist), Andrea Fullington (Artist), Allison Zelles (Artist), Theatre of Voices (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 1998)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
• ASIN: B000007SXT
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #390,830 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
John Cage's vocal music helped free the voice from strictly narrative-- and strictly tonal--roles. Reaching as far back as 1942, and as far forward as 1990, this anthology of Cage's vocal works brilliantly shows the full range of shapes the composer wanted for musical voice. The title piece is the most recent and relies heavily on two voices shifting pitches in a rich, polyphony-tinged flow. So much here is vital Cage: from his adaptation of phrases from Finnegan's Wake to Riley reading the "36 Mesostics re and not re Marcel Duchamp," to the outlandish, electronics-infused Aria originally written for Kathy Berberian. Paul Hillier performs these works with his Theatre of Voices ensemble, drawing richly on their early music chops and textural acuity. -- Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great recording, April 22, 2007

By	Aaron H. (Decatur, IL) - See all my reviews

Don't base your opinion of this CD solely off of what some of the other reviewers have said here. Yes, parts of the CD are strange, and yes, some of it is not as accessible as the majority of classical music from the former centuries. But that is precisely what makes this music great. Music doesn't have to be in the form of a sonata or a symphony to have lasting quality. John Cage was one of the people who saw this, and went forth on his own way towards musical enlightenment. Some may not like it, (like the aforementioned reviewers,) but there is still much to be had from listening to his music. That being said, I think this CD is an interesting take on Cage's vocal music. The Theatre of Voices ensemble lend a great early-music sense to these pieces. This sense makes for an interesting and powerful combination of new and old, which is hard to find in the majority of modern music. Much of this recording creates a relaxed mood, especially the "Litany for the Whale" and "Experiences No. 2." A great recording overall, and a worthy contribution to the huge bulk of Cage CD's out there already.

5 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars One of Cage's least accessible recordings yet., September 20, 2000

By	Chris Massa (West Chester, PA) - See all my reviews

As much as I may like to, it's impossible for me to give this recording a favorable review. John Cage is not a bad composer, in fact, he's written quite a few marvelous pieces, like his "Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano." This is cutting-edge music that is taking risks with every note, and yet it is fantastically listenable.

Unfortunately, "Litany for the Whale" doesn't share these characteristics. It is cutting-edge, certainly, and it takes a great deal of risks. But it isn't listenable. At times it's practically painful to listen to it, simply because it is so strange. Cage's twisted nihilistic philosophy is all to evident here. There is no real attempt to make it musical or listenable, and many attempts are made to make it unusual.

John Cage has written good music. This is not some of it.

2 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars go listen to a sonata, March 4, 2001

By A Customer

If I could have given this CD 0 stars, I would have. I do not own it, I merely listened to audio selection #5 up above. That was sufficient to remind me of the inherent problem with contemporary composition. The solo for voice blurs the line between stupidity, and rebelliousness. Certainly Cage made some worthwhile philosophical points, but I consider it an insult to the CD that it was forced to have this garbage imprinted onto it. I applaud 20th century composers for attempting to write music in the face of such overwhelming quality from the past. When what they write is this bad however, I must criticize.