Even Better Than New Albion!
Christopher Forbes | Brooklyn,, NY | 01/07/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rothko Chapel was the first of many works by Feldman that I fell in love with. I was introduced to it on the wonderful New Albion recording featuring the California Ear Unit and a choir from USC. I didn't ever think another version would supplant that recording but I was wrong. This current recording, featuring a fully professional choral ensemble, is the closest to perfection that I can imagine in this wonderful piece of music.Rothko Chapel is an anomoly in the output of Feldman. Written to be performed in the famous Houston gallery which features 14 Rothko paintings, the work is at once hieratic, and romantic. It's thematic material is related to Feldman's other viola pieces of the 70's (The Viola in My Life I - IV), sharing the same "big melody" which is almost romantically expansive. The work contrasts this romantic melody on the viola, with soft tense chords in the choir and splashes of percussion color. It is perhaps one of the most emotionally moving of all of Feldman's works. Coupled with this stunning work are two other Feldman pieces for choral forces. Christian Wolff in Cambridge is a short work from Feldman's earlier period in the 60s. It is more typical of the period, featuring a varied ensemble, including voices, sustaining single pitches and tense dissonances in hushed tones. For Stepan Wolpe is a larger affair written in the composer's late manner. The choral parts resemble the choral sections of Rothko Chapel - complicated dissonant chords that almost sound jazzy - like a non-tonal Swingle Singers, alternating with interludes from two vibraphones. The work is hypnotic, though not as deeply alluring as other Feldman works from the period. The performances on this disc are stunning. The choir on Rothko Chapel has a greater presence on this disc than on the New Albion CD. There are nuances of tone that I've never noticed in this work before. The instrumental ensemble is excellent, particularly the viola soloist. The final section is particuarly overwhelming in impact. Performances on the other works are no less expert. The New Albion performance was coupled with a performance of Why Patterns? which was quite good. But Why Patterns? has plenty of other competition on disc, whereas this disc is the only recording available of either Christian Wolff in Cambridge or For Stepan Wolpe. As such, I believe that this is the disc of choice for this repertoire. Even if you have the New Albion disc, I would strongly recommend adding this one to your collection. It's just beautiful."
Probably the ultimate recording of "Rothko Chapel"
Christopher Forbes | 11/03/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These works do not demand virtuosos, but the highly professional voices in this recording really make a difference in comparison to academic choirs. Moreover, the sound quality is superb, especially the balance between the voices and the very subtle percussion parts in "Rothko Chapel.""
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1