The People United Will Never Be Defeated

Frederic Rzewski (Artist), Sergio Ortega (Composer), Frederic Rzewski (Composer), Stephen Drury (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Stephen Drury
• Composer: Sergio Ortega, Frederic Rzewski
• Audio CD (December 22, 2009)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: New Albion Records
• ASIN: B000000R3N
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,895 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #85 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Instruments > Keyboard > Piano

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This performance will never be defeated!, November 24, 2000

By 

"ragamala78" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The People United Will Never Be Defeated (Audio CD)

I remember reading about this piece and thinking that series of 36 variations would be a total snore. Then I read that the variations were based on a Chilean folk song from the revolution & I got intrigued. I decided to sample the pieces on the internet & I liked what I heard. I was attracted to this version in particular because it has a recording of the folk song before the Rzewski variations begin. I think its good to be able to hear the work that inspired the composer.

After I ordered the disc and was able to listen to the whole thing, I realized what an absolute work of genius this is. The work is broken down into six sections of six variations each. Then there are "rules" governing each of the six subsections. The variations are subtle, beautiful, melodic, dissonant, chaotic & combinations of all of that. It is really amazing the variety he has achieved.

In addition to the pieces being superb, Stephen Drury's performance is as good as one could hope for. His performance is sharp & crisp. Not only is it technically great, but its rendered with warmth & great passion. The performer obviously really enjoys playing this too.

Great sound, great performance, great piece. This is what classical music is all about.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A triumph of musical architecture and intensity, April 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The People United Will Never Be Defeated (Audio CD)

This is one of the true masterpieces of piano literature from the latter half of the 20th century. Some have called "el pueblo unido..." the Diabelli-variations of the 20th century. The piece is a caleidoscope of musical styles, ranging from romanticism to minimalism and to percussive mechanical bursts, all these elements follow a compelling emotional and architectural logic. I have heard the recent Hamelin CD and this earlier recording by Stephen Drury. I find Drury's contribution more convincing since there is more music in it. The passion inherent to the theme itself and the musical contrasts of the variations are more effectively portrayed in Drury's version, I think. Hamelin is good as well but the manual execution gets sometimes over the emotional intensity of the music.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important, enduring work, October 14, 2006

By 

Brian M. Kulesza (Joliet, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The People United Will Never Be Defeated (Audio CD)

The preceding reviewers of this piece have done a superb job in examining its merits and this fine performance, so I will not add to their comments.

In my opinion, this work should be ranked among some of the fine mammoths of twentieth-century piano music, including Sorabji's "Opus Clavicembalisticum" and Messiaen's "Vingt Regards sur L'Enfant-Jesus."

I am no Marxist, but listeners of all political persuasions can enjoy this piece because it does hold one's interest through all of the variations that Rzewski weaves from the theme.

This is the only recording I've heard, so I can't really compare it to others, but this was one of those discs that I just decided to buy one day without having ever heard the music.

It became a welcome addition to my CD collection.

I hope that you, too, will try this.