- Composer: Michael Nyman
- Audio CD (11 Sep 2008)
- SPARS Code: DDD
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Decca (UMO)
- ASIN: B00006B1KT
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 153,350 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Track Listings
| 1. 1. I - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 2. 2. II - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 3. 3. III - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 4. 4. IV - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 5. 5. V - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 6. 6. VI Bright and breezy - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 7. String Quartet No.3 - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 8. Miserere Paraphrase - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 9. In Re Don Giovanni (1991) - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels, Michael Nyman |
| 10. 1. I - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels |
| 11. 3. III - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels |
| 12. 6. VI - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels |
| 13. 11. XI - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels |
| 14. 12. XII - Lyric Quartet, Michael Ponder, Jonathan Carney, Edmund Coxon, Nick Barr, David Daniels |
| 15. If - Michael Ponder, Simon Haram, Liz Burley, Ann Morfee, Ian Humphries, The Michael Nyman Band, Bruce White, Tony Hinnigan, Martin Elliot |
| 16. Why - Michael Ponder, Simon Haram, Liz Burley, The Michael Nyman Band, Ann Morfee, Ian Humphries, Bruce White, Tony Hinnigan, Martin Elliot |
Product Description
Review
Few composers of however radical a stamp can resist the string quartet for ever. Philip Glass and Steve Reich have both made use of the grouping in different ways. Another great post-Minimalist, Michael Nyman is most widely known for his film music (most famously The Piano). In this collection of three of his four quartets to date and miscellaneous arrangements, how does he square up to the giants of the quartet repertoire?
The answer is that he probably doesn't care and isn't trying to anyway. But since Nyman started his career as a musicologist, and as a composer regularly dips into the historical grab-bag in search of material (In Re Don Giovanni from this disc paraphrases one of the all-time geniuses of the string quartet, Mozart), it seems a fair question.
The music on this disc doesn't develop or change overmuch. Once a movement has plotted its course, often based on rhythmic or harmonic repetition, it usually sticks to it. The same could be said for the course of Nyman's career as a composer. He seems to have found a formula which works very well and stuck to it. Don't expect the sound of a soul searching, the human agitation and development of Haydn, Beethoven or Bartók. Nyman occasionally sounds like a bar of Bartók played over and over again, but he isn't likely to go to any of the places Bartók went. This isn't to disparage Nyman -this music is supple, brilliant and flawless, with performances to match. By turns balletic and mournful, its rhythmic sense is unerring throughout, and there's enough subtlety to reward repeated listening.
Nyman is a practical composer, and most of this music was written to commissions: the second quartet for a choreographer, the third for a TV documentary and the fourth for a fashion show. Given the diverse inspiration and genesis of these works, the style is surprisingly consistent.
The only discordant notes in the collection are the filler tracks, If and Why, in which the beautifully liquid saxophone of Simon Haram unfortunately fails to redeem two tracks of what can only be described as sentimental mush. Which fortunately doesn't stop the CD being a pretty enjoyable ride. --Matthew Shorter
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Deeply lyrical string quatets including one and only recording of 4th quartet available now. Played beautifully by Lyric Quartet, slow movements are more refined and imaginative than DECCA,Argo recording by Balanescu.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Excellent Music and Recording
22 Aug 2003
Format:Audio CD
Great selection of Nyman's non-soundtrack music. The CD includes his:
-Complete 6-movement String Quartet No. 2
-Complete 1-movement String Quartet No. 3
-5 Selected movements of the String Quartet No. 4
-Two ensemble pieces arranged for the Quartet
-Two ensemble pieces arranged by Simon Haram for the Quartet and joined by members of the Michael Nyman Band
Considered a "minimalist" (a term that some credit Nyman with coining during his years as a critic), his music is amongst the most interesting of the genre and Nyman's interest and love of the Baroque is especially evident here in String Quartet No. 2 & 3.
I also love "In Re Don Giovanni", which is Nyman's take on sixteen bars of music from Leporello's aria "Madamina, il catalogo e questo" from Don Giovanni.
Wonderfully recorded and played. A must have for any Nyman fan and a great introduction to a great Composer for others.
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