Customer Reviews

Louis Andriessen: De Materie

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Listeners unfamiliar with Andriessen's music may hesitate to invest in this two-disc set, but it is perhaps the best introduction to this unfortunately underappreciated composer. Andriessen brings together seemingly disparate elements--from jazz and rock to neo-medievalism, Stravinskian rhythmic inventiveness and Messaien-like mysticism--and molds them into his own intensely incisive musical personality. De Materie contains some of the most captivating examples of "minimalism" I've ever heard: the luminous, hypnotically slow unfolding of Part 4 is genuinely otherworldly, while the 144 accelerating fortissimo chords which open Part 1 create an exhilirating, terrifying "granite wall" of sound. Other sections, especially the bold choral declamation in Part 1 and much of "De Stijl" seem highly anti-minimalist in their rhythmic and harmonic intricacy. The performance, under the direction of Reinbert de Leeuw, is consistently forceful (though I think I detected some insecurity in the quick accelerandos and retardandos of Part 1) and the sound quality is uniformly excellent. I recommend this set without reservation and anticipate future Andriessen releases, as he is still very much with us.

Just got a chance to hear it in completion in the libary this weekend. The third movement (this was my second time for this gem) is absolutely mind-blowing. Bye-bye lunch money!

There is something in this music that has more life than anything I've heard recently. It's a burning energy combined with a genuine craft, and superior technique. Wonderful washes of sound, huge powerful blasts of energy. This CD made me go out and buy EVERYTHING that Andriessen had to offer. He is one of the greatest composers of our time. I highly reccomend this music, but add it is not for the faint of heart...it gets pretty deep :)

I will just add a similar comment to the others posted. Even if you don't like some of Louis Andriessen's music, you could very well love this. In my opinion, one of the most unconventional and strikingly beautiful pieces I have ever heard. As a jazz native, I sometimes have some issues with the boogie-woogie movement, but I assume (hope) that it is completely tongue-in-cheek, in which case it is hilarious simply because of its audaciousness.

Listen to this stuff.

Part 1 will wake you up, Part 2 will make you think, Part 3 will get you dancin', and Part 4 will make you cry! This is music you have to hear to believe. Andriessen flouts just about every convention of music, contemporary and traditional, to stupendous effect. Who says you can't repeat the same chord 144 times? Who says a boogie woogie can't be polytonal? Who says the inventory of equipment for a Dutch ship can't be an opera/drama text? Who says the Contrabass Clarinet can't take solos? Who says you can't write a five minute passage for two anvils? If you're not interested by now, let me add that even if you don't normally go for minimalism, you'll go for this amazing theatre piece -- it features, in addition to some of the most powerful triple forte music ever written, some of the most amazingly conceived slow and quiet music too-- Part 2: Hadewijch might even be called spiritual... and Madame Curie's diary entires, interlaced with the most poignant glistening chord, definitely have tear-jerker potential. Buy now or consider yourself deprived!