Search - Paul Elliott, Allison Zelles, Theatre of Voices :: Litany For The Whale

Paul Elliott, Allison Zelles, Theatre of Voices
Litany For The Whale
Genres: Special Interest, Pop, Classical

Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
1. Litany for the Whale
2. Aria No. 2
3. Five
4. The Wonderful Widow Of Eighteen Springs
5. Solo For Voice 22, From Songbooks
6. Experiences No. 2
7. 36 Mesostics re and not re Marcel Duchamp
8. Aria
9. The Year Begins To Be Ripe

CD Details

All Artists: Paul Elliott, Allison Zelles, Theatre of Voices
Title: Litany For The Whale
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Release Date: 6/9/1998
Genres: Special Interest, Pop, Classical
Styles: Vocal Pop, Opera & Classical Vocal, Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Instruments, Electronic
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 093046718725

Synopsis

Amazon.com essential recording

John Cage's vocal music helped free the voice from strictly narrative-- and strictly tonal--roles. Reaching as far back as 1942, and as far forward as 1990, this anthology of Cage's vocal works brilliantly shows the full range of shapes the composer wanted for musical voice. The title piece is the most recent and relies heavily on two voices shifting pitches in a rich, polyphony-tinged flow. So much here is vital Cage: from his adaptation of phrases from Finnegan's Wake to Riley reading the "36 Mesostics re and not re Marcel Duchamp," to the outlandish, electronics-infused Aria originally written for Kathy Berberian. Paul Hillier performs these works with his Theatre of Voices ensemble, drawing richly on their early music chops and textural acuity. -- Andrew Bartlett

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CD Reviews

Great recording

Aaron H. | Decatur, IL | 04/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Don't base your opinion of this CD solely off of what some of the other reviewers have said here. Yes, parts of the CD are strange, and yes, some of it is not as accessible as the majority of classical music from the former centuries. But that is precisely what makes this music great. Music doesn't have to be in the form of a sonata or a symphony to have lasting quality. John Cage was one of the people who saw this, and went forth on his own way towards musical enlightenment. Some may not like it, (like the aforementioned reviewers,) but there is still much to be had from listening to his music. That being said, I think this CD is an interesting take on Cage's vocal music. The Theatre of Voices ensemble lend a great early-music sense to these pieces. This sense makes for an interesting and powerful combination of new and old, which is hard to find in the majority of modern music. Much of this recording creates a relaxed mood, especially the "Litany for the Whale" and "Experiences No. 2." A great recording overall, and a worthy contribution to the huge bulk of Cage CD's out there already."