which is the best music for eighteen musicans recording?

March 24, 2009 5:05 AM

what's the best recording of music for 18 musicians available?

...in your opinion of course?

I love this piece of music, but have only heard it through MP3s and would like to buy a really nice CD recording of it - with several available and money not infinite I wondered if any of you had an opinion on the best?

The new Grand Valley State University version sounds great, worth setting up a 5.1 system to try it on. But are the older ones more worth the money?

If any of you are on Spotify and haven't heard Music for 18 Musicans, I urge you to click.

posted by 6am to media & arts (8 comments total)

I'm not going to offer a comparison, but the original ECM recording was the only commercial release available for nearly 20 years, which makes it a reference point for every performer and the majority of listeners. That doesn't mean you're duty-bound to own it, but that makes new recordings of Reich's pieces (and those of other modern composers) similar to cover versions in a way that doesn't apply to older classical pieces.
posted by holgate at 6:17 AM on March 24

Wikipedia lists there being 5 commercially available versions, besides whatever bootlegs, etc. you could drudge up on YouTube and other related sources.

The original ECM recording, as holgate said, was the gold standard for a long time, and many subsequent performances were gauged to that standard. The Nonesuch version doesn't have a lot of the depth as the original, but was recorded with Reich, so interpretation issues are less. I've had several percussion friends mention that this version was slower than the original, and that it hurts the performance, so take that how you will.

They list a version by Ensemble Modern, but not having heard it, I can't judge.

But yes (and an emphatic yes), the older version are worth owning. It's great to have many copies and interpretations of works. It's those litter variations that make each ensemble unique, and that makes listening to each one a unique experience.

(Note: I'm a bassonist, and I own somewhere in the range of 10 copies of the Mozart Concerto for Bassoon. Each one has elements that I like to incorporate when I play it, along with my own style.)
posted by SNWidget at 6:32 AM on March 24

Thirding the ECM version.
posted by omnidrew at 7:26 AM on March 24

fourthing ECM
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:16 AM on March 24

I don't know if it's the best but I know the piece from the ECM recording so I'll 'fifth' it.
posted by ob at 10:52 AM on March 24

sixthing ECM version

thanks for asking this - i have not listened to this in too long a time
posted by jammy at 1:36 PM on March 24

A cardinal rule of mine: The Original is always the Best.

True for this, as well (although for me, the original was the LP, and what a blessing the CD was -- no fade-out & flipping over, mid-way through).
posted by Rash at 3:26 PM on March 24

ECM version, no question whatsoever. As if you needed an eighth response, but there it is.
posted by mykescipark at 11:41 PM on March 24