Customer Reviews

Michael Gordon: Weather

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While using Tower's listening station for classical music, I thought I selected a Phillip Glass CD. When I heard the first section of Gordon's work I was transfixed, I stood there listening well into the second track.

I had to have this CD. Imagine my delight to find this was a new artist I had not heard before. I hope I will find more work by Gordon to purchase soon.

While bearing some resemblence to Glass's cycling movements, this album combines more variety of instruments and moods. And yes I am also a fan of the horns on track 3, unique and enchanting.

The first track, "Weather One," has the force of an impending, violent storm. The quick, cutting sounds of the violin ensemble remind me a bit of the music from "Psycho." The weakest track is "Weather Three." The air raid sirens are eerie in small doses, but they are nerve-wracking in large ones. The last track, "Weather Four," is my favorite. The violins surge along in a minor key in a rhythm that I can only descibe as something like the rhythm of running.

I love the whole album including track 3. The sirens soung like opening tulips - opening and withering away in brown heat.

Stupendous. I love this work. When will it be performed LIVE????? You gotta be open to new ideas. But the first movement is contagious. The sirens gotta go though...Peace.

I found this music very reminiscent of John Adams' Shaker Loops with a nod to Steve Reich's Desert Music, a piece that also employed the sound of sirens. This album also reminded me of the work of Johann Johannson, an Icelandic composer. If you are familiar with those pieces or those artists and like them, then this music will appeal to you. Each section is attention-getting. I particularly liked the first and last sections. All the sections blend into one another so it's like a continuous piece of music. I didn't dislike the third section, but I understand people's reluctance to call it enjoyable. I think the sound of sirens (was the composer alluding to a tornado warning perhaps?) is a negative one. It's hard to sit and relax to music when it centers around a universal sound of danger. The pieces are long and develop slowly. Section two is dissonant for the first eight minutes, after which a tonal change occurs that is pleasant. The album ends abruptly, there is no fadeout, something which took me by surprise.

I love this album. The best way to listen to it is to sit in a comfortable chair with a drink, close your eyes, put your headphones on, and hit play. I like to listen to it at work as it takes me away to another place. The second song is difficult to understand for the first 3 or 4 minutes (the use of distortion is both fascinating and confusing), but it resolves itself so powerfully that you'll want to hear it again and again. Such a powerful mix of classical beautiful soft sounds with contemporary urban tricks..it is pleasing to my love of classical music and my love of glick tech. Great album. The music preview doesn't do it justice to albums that require more 'wholistic' listening.

This piece of Music shows forth the many diverse Musical effects and abilitys this composer has a firm grasp of. The Music is densely packed with Rhythmic patterns, ostinatos, and minimalist shifting motifs, which leave a listener spellbound, as the dramatic effects unfold.

It's a wonderful work of art, and great music which will take all your troubles away. It beats anything produced on American Idol by miles & if you don't agree with me then this cd is not for you.

It is so simplistic and repetative, and yet I love listening to it. Any Phillip Glass fan's should really like this.

i highly recommend this recording.. you'll have to experience for yourself, words don't do justice! SUPPORT TODAY'S COMPOSERS.