which is the best music for eighteen musicans recording?
March 24, 2009 5:05 AM Subscribe
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.
...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.
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, 2009
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, 2009
fourthing ECM
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:16 AM on March 24, 2009
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:16 AM on March 24, 2009
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, 2009
posted by ob at 10:52 AM on March 24, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
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, 2009
posted by mykescipark at 11:41 PM on March 24, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by holgate at 6:17 AM on March 24, 2009