Search - Richard Danielpour, David Zinman, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra :: Richard Danielpour: Concerto for Orchestra; Anima Mundi

It is what Shostakovich would write today.

Frederick R. Andresen | Corona del Mar, CA ( and sometimes Moscow and St. | 03/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard this live, played by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra with the composer sitting next to me. I didn't want to look artificial so I was restrained in my enthusiasm, but I felt very much like I was hearing real classical music, something Shostakovich would write if he were here today. It is totally original, but if you need comparisons, it is Shostakovich with a dash of Gershwin. It is the sound of New York and the angst of today's fragmented society. It is really great music! I am buying two CDs, one to send to my friends in Russia. Frederick R. Andresen, Author of "Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia," over sixteen years in Russian business, six years in residence."

Accessible and enjoyable.

Douglas T Martin | Alpharetta, GA USA | 12/04/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like Danielpour's other large orchestra works ("Celestial Night", "Urban Dances") the "Concerto for Orchestra" and "Anima Mundi" are vibrant and dynamic like Bartok and occasionally dark and somber like, maybe Shostokovitch. Both pieces on this recording are entertaining and masterfully performed and would make for very exciting works to be heard in concert; they are great examples of 20th Century American composition, accessible and enjoyable. However, the two pieces also sound similar and it is hard for me to tell where the "Concerto" ends and "Anima Mundi" begins - not because the composition of one is indistinguishable from the other but rather because both works are full-bodied orchestral works, rich with dynamics thus making them sound similar. Breaking up the two by inserting a small string serenade or soloist-oriented work between them would help differentiate the two major works. Still, a very good recording of exciting American music, heartily recommended to fans of Corigliano, Diamond, and Bartok's orchestral works."

Exciting!

Thomas C. Nagy | Ebensburg, PA USA | 01/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pittsburgh and Danielpour are a winning combination! This American composer will end up filling the shoes of Copland and Bernstein as one of America's great composers. The Concerto for Orchestra dazzles, sparkles, dances, and weeps. The harmonies are complex and interesting, and yet very listenable. The Pittsburgh Symphony under Zinman has never sounded better. This is a must have for any proponent of 20th century music."