Search - Louis Andriessen, Reinbert de Leeuw, Asko Ensemble :: Louis Andriessen: De Materie

A monumental work by an incredible creative voice

04/02/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listeners unfamiliar with Andriessen's music may hesitate to invest in this two-disc set, but it is perhaps the best introduction to this unfortunately underappreciated composer. Andriessen brings together seemingly disparate elements--from jazz and rock to neo-medievalism, Stravinskian rhythmic inventiveness and Messaien-like mysticism--and molds them into his own intensely incisive musical personality. De Materie contains some of the most captivating examples of "minimalism" I've ever heard: the luminous, hypnotically slow unfolding of Part 4 is genuinely otherworldly, while the 144 accelerating fortissimo chords which open Part 1 create an exhilirating, terrifying "granite wall" of sound. Other sections, especially the bold choral declamation in Part 1 and much of "De Stijl" seem highly anti-minimalist in their rhythmic and harmonic intricacy. The performance, under the direction of Reinbert de Leeuw, is consistently forceful (though I think I detected some insecurity in the quick accelerandos and retardandos of Part 1) and the sound quality is uniformly excellent. I recommend this set without reservation and anticipate future Andriessen releases, as he is still very much with us."

Justin was right!

Jeffrey Gordon | goleta, CA USA | 05/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just got a chance to hear it in completion in the libary this weekend. The third movement (this was my second time for this gem) is absolutely mind-blowing. Bye-bye lunch money!"

Andriessen...easily the most underappreciated composer.

Ryan D. Stroud | Philly | 03/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is something in this music that has more life than anything I've heard recently. It's a burning energy combined with a genuine craft, and superior technique. Wonderful washes of sound, huge powerful blasts of energy. This CD made me go out and buy EVERYTHING that Andriessen had to offer. He is one of the greatest composers of our time. I highly reccomend this music, but add it is not for the faint of heart...it gets pretty deep :)"