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Post by julesd68 on Sept 4, 2021 18:04:31 GMT
This new album from Alice Sara Ott was an easy choice for me for this month’s Album Choice as it’s already one of my albums of the year. As I’ve said before, normally classical concept albums make me run a mile but this is a very rare exception. Basically you have a quite wonderful performance of Chopin’s 24 Preludes, which is interspersed with short works from a very diverse selection of contemporary composers, which also capture the sense of a little time-capsule of fleeting emotions, so deftly evoked by Ms Ott in a performance which I find very moving indeed. “Echoes Of Life is a personal reflection on the thoughts and moments that influence and change our lives. It also portrays the journey and transformation I took to become the person and artist I see myself as today. In interpreting music from composers who, in their own time, challenged the system and redefined music, I see it as my role as a classical musician to carry this spirit forward by not insisting on reproducing bygone traditions and limitations.” – Alice Sara Ott
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Post by John on Sept 4, 2021 19:05:03 GMT
I have a listen tomorrow
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Post by MartinT on Sept 4, 2021 19:39:16 GMT
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 4, 2021 20:41:53 GMT
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Post by John on Sept 5, 2021 15:08:41 GMT
I quite liked this. I am not sure how I often listen to it but well played
A generous 4 from me
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Post by MartinT on Sept 5, 2021 15:30:10 GMT
I'm trying really hard to 'get' the Chopin, but it's just not gelling with me at the moment.
I'll try again another day and will include the other pieces.
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Post by Slinger on Sept 5, 2021 15:57:50 GMT
Let me start by admitting that I have trouble with percussive piano works, and am not a huge fan of Chopin. I did quite like preludes 7 & 8, but it was some of the the non-Chopin pieces that seized more of my attention. The Nino Rota waltz was lovely, and Chilly Gonzales came as a bit of a surprise. I'd vaguely heard of his collabs, but I didn't know of his classical side, and I would be interested to hear more based on that one piece. The Arvo Pärt piece I already knew, and "Für Alina" itself actually runs to almost 11 minutes. It's a slow, reflective piece, full of silences. Her " A Path To Where," does it no favours, not for me, anyway. It was more llike " A Road to Nowhere". The tempo sounded too quick, and the rests appeared too short, both of which detract from the feel of the original while adding nothing pertinent to make up for it. It's almost as if she's set herself some sort of time-limit and is trying to get as much of the original in as possible before the buzzer sounds without being glaringly obvious about it, unless, of course, you already know the source material. That's all just a presonal observation, and no doubt completely wrong. I must play the proper thing again later. My 3/ 5 is exceedingly generous.  |
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 5, 2021 16:36:33 GMT
Gosh I didn't think Chopin was going to be controversial! |
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 5, 2021 16:38:28 GMT
I'm trying really hard to 'get' the Chopin, but it's just not gelling with me at the moment. I'll try again another day and will include the other pieces. You really need to listen to it in sequence Martin, preferably in one hit! |
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 14, 2021 7:29:57 GMT
I'm trying really hard to 'get' the Chopin, but it's just not gelling with me at the moment. I'll try again another day and will include the other pieces. Did you get any further with this Martin? |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 14, 2021 7:42:08 GMT
Aaargh, I feel hurried along!
I'll try tonight.
Time has been at a premium of late.
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 14, 2021 13:32:16 GMT
Not at all, no rush - just thought maybe you had listened but forgot to post.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 15, 2021 19:17:21 GMT
Very nicely performed and the piano is beautifully captured.
The Chopin pieces should captivate me more than they do. Beethoven and Satie do so much more for me. I can't explain it but the Chopin sounds austere, like musical exercises. The No.7 stands out.
The other pieces are all more interesting to me and the Ligeti is wonderful, almost Glass like in its repetitive theme but with typical Ligeti power.
Oh, and the Lullaby to Eternity is beguiling because the Mozart Lacrimosa from his Requiem is one of the most heart-rending pieces of music ever written.
3/5.
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