Customer Reviews

Pastorale

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is some of the loveliest music I've ever heard.

Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumble are wonderous musicians. Every piece is rich, intelligent and heartfelt, and transports me to sweet, peaceful landscapes on soft, beautiful days. Pastorale is great to listen to at any time, but I especially like to play it at night before retiring, as it calms and soothes body and soul.

I own four T&R recordings (including Paradise, Woodlands and American Acoustic) and I very much enjoy and highly recommend them all, but Pastorale has really captured me for its' kindness and gentleness. These musicians clearly compose and play their beautiful music right from their hearts.

I like the combination of electronics, woodwind and plucked string sound of this musical duo. I bought the CD because I had sampled "Pastorale" on the double-CD Narada Decade set. The woodwinds are interesting in particular, a mix of oboe, clarinet, or even ocarina, all electronically enhanced and unique in sound.

If you like music by Lorenna McKennitt, Enya, or a kind of combination of folk-classical mixed with a dash of Celtic, you will love this CD. The sonority should appeal to you if you do like music of that type.

Often being categorized as "New Age" carries a negative connotation musically, usually referring to synthesizer based ethereal drivel, but this album is a musical masterpiece. This acoustic album of guitar and woodwinds bears classical and baroque overtones, with many of the pieces having an old-world European flavor (I hesitate to say "Celtic," it is actually closer to "Renaissance" sound). The word "Ethereal," still applies to much of the music, although I used that term negatively before. As a fan of classical music, I found this CD refreshing. These musicians are extremely talented and seem to play well off of each other, complementing each other's instrument with their own. It seems obvious that there is a musical rapport between Tingstad and Rumbel, and the music they produce is simply enchanting.

This is my latest acquisition in my collection of music by these two fine musicians, not the last, I hope, since I'm still missing one or two. This is a return to their pure acoustic roots, with only a tip of the hat to any electronic augmentation, a return to their roots. In many ways it is working its way towards becoming a favorite, several good reasons.

First, this album is almost entirely played by the Rumbel and Tingstad and no one else. This is special, because in larger ensembles, Eric Tingstad tends to step into the background, allowing Nancy Rumbel to seize the spotlight. Not that she doesn't belong in the spotlight, but Tingstad is also a fine and subtle musician who also will reward attentive listening.

My second good reason is simply that this really is a very fine album. It demonstrates their individual artistic qualities, both as players and composers. The music appeals to classical sensibilities - contemplative, structured, and highly melodic. Indulging in neither oversimplification nor excessive demonstrations of bravado. Just consistent, polished excellence.

There is something magical about the intimacy of this music and its delivery. I sometimes wonder if, had I been a listener in bygone times, I would have felt the same effect from Bach (or some other musician now granted great status) playing his own compositions. Is it in the composition or in the performance? Or both? I don't know, but the profound sense of beauty is undeniable.

I find that some of the music on the CD are nice while a few are a little difficult to listen but afterall is still a fine album. I bought this album from Singapore music CD shop Sembawang and they are offering me the last piece that they have likely due to good sale of this album. Recommended to those whom are interested in this genre of music.

Review by:

Dr, MR Franc MBBS (PhD) GPS Ang Poon Kah
Director 'lou ye'- Ang Poon Kah for film summer palace.

The other night we had the pleasure of listening to this music live from that very lawn on the cover of the album. It was a perfect fall evening here in Charleston, barely a cloud and as mild as the lowcountry gets in October. Ms Rumbel and Mr Tingstad performed their music beautifully, while flocks of geese sailed southward overhead. Although the audience was not large, I think that everyone there that sunday night, including the small children playing in the grass, experienced a true idyllic moment. The artists blended their songs with the breezes through the ancient oaks of Drayton Hall, the birds, frogs and crickets, and even the distant barking dog. Do yourself a favor and get this record, or their new compilation "American Acoustic". You will not regret it.

It's terrific that one can preview the songs on a CD before buying it here at Amazon.com. Since I got this CD, I've played it many times and it always brings a calm over me.
I saw T&R in concert after hearing a song or two on a Narada sampler CD. AWESOME!
Highly recommend this CD!

I own Legends, Woodlands, Homeland, In The Garden. These albums in aucustic, electronics and woodwinds reach the depth of your heart hitting home. I make every effort to get their albums. As an employee in Yosemite National Park working at the Ahwahnee Hotel in 1990 Eric and Nancy played at the Ahwahnee Hotel for Earth Day. They brought along a pianist named Spencer Brewer who is also a Narada artist. When they arrived I set up their stage in the "Great Lounge" where most of the songs they played were from the album "Legends" which is a great album. The next year in August 1991 I was working at the Wawona Hotel in Yosemite when again Eric and Nancy came to play in front of the outdoor pool. At the end of the concert I helped sell their albums to park visitors who never heard of Eric or Nancy. Nancy is from the same place as I am, in Kerrville, Texas. She wnet to Schriener College for a very short time in Kerrville for a special event when she was a teenager.