Robert Een: Mystery Dances

Robert Een (Composer), Nina Mankin (Performer), Timothy Hill (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Nina Mankin, Timothy Hill
• Composer: Robert Een
• Audio CD (April 29, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Starkland
• ASIN: B00008Z46O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #569,692 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Robert Een is an award-winning and widely acclaimed composer, singer, and cellist, who has performed his music throughout the world, from the Buddhist caves of Ellora, India to New York City’s Lincoln Center.

The infectious accessibility of Een's music has been noted by leading critics. Writing in the Village Voice, Kyle Gann comments that this "joyous roller coaster of postminimal-jazz energy could engage any audience." His music for dance has been praised by Jack Anderson in the New York Times and by Deborah Jowitt in the Village Voice, who wrote that Een's "lively, raucous and sweet music... is a marvel and full of variety."

The music on this CD reflects influences from such diverse sources as the fall of the Berlin Wall, traditional Japanese court music, subterranean Roman baths in England, and a walking journey in Tibet.

Meredith Monk remarks that "Mystery Dances is like a musical caravan drawing upon traditions from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. The music is energetic, filled with contrasting moods of humor and poignancy."

Known for his use of extended vocal and cello techniques, Een has recorded over a half-dozen albums of his compositions, written scores for several films, and regularly performs with his group Big Joe. Een has composed dance music for noted choreographers such as Liz Lerman and David Dorfman, and his long association with Meredith Monk culminated in the creation of their full-evening music/theater duet, Facing North. Een is the recipient of a Bessie Award for music composition in 1998 and for sustained achievement in 2000.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing... Puzzling..., November 20, 2005

By 

Robert Carlberg (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Een: Mystery Dances (Audio CD)

Een appears to be another film composer (and member of Meredith Monk's ensemble?) whose primary investigation is sound textures. His repeating short figures draw on Phil Glass, David Borden, John Adams et al but I find his instrumentation - cello, congas and accordion - infinitely more interesting. The Monkish vocals become more and more of a minus as the CD progresses, but it's certainly an intriguing piece of wax. The "Dirge for Julius" wherein the singer phase-shifts over a melodeon is quite amazing, isn't it?