Search - John Zorn, Bradley Lubman :: John Zorn: From Silence to Sorcery

Extremely short even for Zorn

J. Forst | Farmington Hills, Michigan United States | 07/16/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I have over 100 Zorn cd's and this one surprised me at it's short length. only about 36 minutes or so. The only reason i bring it up is that certain groups are great at pricing their cd's accordingly as EP's but to pay full price for half a cd filled with music....maybe it's just me. Tzadik as usual made a great package this time using Salvador Dali tarot cards (which i own a set!) as the front cover pic which is very fitting. Zorn describes the way the music was constructed and its meaning towards magik and sorcery but I have certainly felt more moved by some of his other pieces. He writes that the drum piece at times makes it sound like an octopus is playing but this release is very quiet and muted. Not really any aggressive playing just a "less is more" approach this time around. If you like some of his quiter works I would certainly try this one out.

I myself prefer his more daring and noisy compostions :)"

Two virtuoso solo performances and an ensemble piece.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 07/06/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""From Silence to Sorcery" presents three compositions by John Zorn from the last decade-- 2002's "Goetia" for solo violin, 2000's "Gris-Gris" for 13 tuned drums and kick drum and 1997's "Shibboleth" for string trio augmented by clavichord and percussion.



"Goetia" is the highlight here for me. In the time I've listened to Zorn's composition, his string works have really been something I've been attracted to, in particular when Jennifer Choi was featured on violin. "Goetia" is a solo piece for her and Zorn really puts her through the paces-- before I heard it, I have to confess I was expecting technical wizardry as Choi is one of the most phenomenal violinists I've ever heard, but Zorn instead chooses subtlety and technique, allowing Choi to be at the same time expressive and impressive, showing a staggering array of technique and at the same time being evocative. It proves to be a fine addition to Zorn's catalog.



Nearly as interesting is "Gris-Gris". It reminds me a bit of "Dark River" from "Redbird" in that it grabs your attention and has a similar pulse-like feel to that piece, but unlike "Dark River", this one is audible and assertive. Performed by William Winant who manages to capture a great circular feel, the pieec feels as though it could hold your attention for hours and that it ends too quickly after just under ten minutes.



"Shibboleth" features a set of Zorn regulars-- string trio fo Choi on violin, Lois Martin on viola and Fred Sherry on cello augmented by Steve Drury on the clavichord and William Winant on percussion. This piece, composed in 1997, seems to fit better with "Redbird" then with anything else in Zorn's catalog. The piece is one that emphasizes a delicate nature, it is quiet, almost disturbingly so, and in being so demands your attention. But ultimately unlike the other pair of pieces, I don't get much from it. It's a fine listen, but nothing that I find a desire to come back.



Nonetheless, with two great performances and one that's pretty good, "From Silence to Sorcery" is a great record. Recommended."