Customer Reviews

Trojan Women (after the play of Euripides)

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

 

 

If you are a collector of Karaindrou's music like myself you will be surprised when you hear this album for the first time,
the Byzantian tunes will sound unfamiliar. Gradually you will recognise her moving notes in those very tunes.
I strongly recomend this album to everyone who enjoys Karaindrou's music. It is quite different than her past work yet very much like her.

This is one of the most beautiful CD's I have heard. The different instruments used and the female chorus is perfect for this. I do not agree that it is monotonous. Grief in all its forms is, ultimately, exhausting. The music is a gorgeous rendition of loss, sorrow and grief.

There are a few different ways to approach Eleni Karaindrou's Trojan Women. One is from a historical context; if you've read the Iliad (story of the war between the beleaguered Achaeans and the besieged Trojans), then this music is the perfect accompaniment to the desolation and destruction at the conclusion of the story. All humanity can relate to the heartwrenching laments and themes throughout the cd.

But if it's so perfect, why a low rating? From a purely musical view, the cd lacks in variety, the same few melodies and rhythms echoing through the sparse choral pieces. Even when the simply breathtaking female chorus breaks in, it can get monotonous. The cuts are very short, but even then they can seem long to the ear. One has to pay close attention to the music in order to appreciate it, which is not a bad thing at all.

all in all, historical context helps the listener appreciate the music immensely. even with the lyrics printed in the booklet, one wouldn't know who the characters referred to are, or what their part in the epic was. It's worth a full listen or two before you decide to invest in it, but keep an open mind and you'll find a treasure contained. Just don't be afraid to cry.

This is 'transport' music that can take you to your core and let you stand in quiet awe. Magnificent and soul wrenching at the same time the lament and pain is felt at the deepest levels.