Round Nut Tool

Albert (Performer, Composer), eighth blackbird (Performer, Composer), Druckman (Performer, Composer), Lerdahl (Composer), Lang (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Albert, eighth blackbird, Druckman
• Orchestra: Lang
• Composer: Albert, eighth blackbird, Druckman, Lerdahl
• Audio CD (October 1, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: eighth blackbird
• ASIN: B00004KHA7
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #472,333 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fantasy Etudes - Fred Lerdahl

2. cheating, lying, stealing - David Lang

3. Come Round (1st movement) - Jacob Druckman

4. Come Round (2nd movement) - Jacob Druckman

5. Come Round (3rd movement) - Jacob Druckman

6. Thirteen Ways (VI) - Thomas Albert

7. Thirteen Ways (XI) - Thomas Albert

8. Thirteen Ways (VIII) - Thomas Albert

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best contemporary music ensembles out there, February 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Round Nut Tool (Audio CD)

This is a great CD. I bought it when eighth blackbird performed at my college, in one of the most entertaining and interesting classical concerts I've attended. If you think contemporary classical music is too boring, cerebral or grating on the ears to listen to, this CD will change your mind. My only complaint is that it has only 3 movements from the 13-movement "Thirteen Ways," their signature piece. Until they bring out the whole piece on CD, "Round Nut Tool" will keep me happy.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Find!, July 9, 2002

By 

Denise Stewart (Mount Gretna, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Round Nut Tool (Audio CD)

This is music of the sublime! There is a gothic beauty to this group's singular sound that can only be topped by watching them perform live. I heard eighth blackbird last year in Harrisburg, PA and they were astounding! I eagerly bought a copy of their CD and have been thrilled with the purchase ever since. As an English teacher, I frequently use selections from the CD to use as freewriting prompts in my writers workshops. The students are intrigued and inspired by the unique sound of this contemporary classical group. I look forward to future recordings from the ensemble to use with my classes. Bravo!

5 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars My biggest CD-purchase mistake this year, June 24, 2000

By 

stephen-m "s-mette" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Round Nut Tool (Audio CD)

I heard the group Thirteenth Blackbird on the radio, and liked them very much. But I was very disappointed by their CD, "Round Nut Tool". The musicianship is excellent, but almost all the selections are seemingly endless repetitions of discordant and arhythmic sounds, rendering the music unlistenable. Music is melody, harmony, rhythm--yes?--all of which are virtually absent here.

The ensemble's most dynamic work, I think, is 13 compositions around the Stevens poem "thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird". Only three of the 13 pieces are included here, and only one of these is anything like what I think of as music. So I spent fifteen dollars on a CD I could barely listen to once--waste of money.