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As a Jenkin's fan, you may be aware of the Adieamus suites which are contemporary classics with tribal and minimalistic influences of today- in a nutshell- dinner music!
The Armed Man is a little more deep and was commissioned for the British Royal Armouries' Annivesary, so the them ... Read review
into the more conventional territory of large-scale choral and orchestral writing, though his customary passion for mixing languages remains in full force with tex...
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Save Me From Bloody Men05. Sanctus06. Hymn Before Action07. Charge!08. Angry Flames09. Torches10. Agnus Dei11. Now The Guns Have Stopped12. Benedictus13. Better Is Peace.
A review by armychick on Armed Man (A Mass For Peace), The - Karl Jenkins July 22nd, 2005
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
A good, basic classical piece to have in the repertoire !
Disadvantages:
Some tracks very technical, not easy listening
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Just to let you know a little more about me, I am a classically trained perfomer, I am an accomplished orchestral musician, with the flute being my first instrument. I have always been surrounded with classical music as my father was a professional musician.
I love and can appreciate all music, but Jenkins always delivers some empathetic, and is thus one of my favourites.
As a Jenkin's fan, you may be aware of the Adieamus suites which are contemporary classics with tribal and minimalistic influences of today- in a nutshell- dinner music! The Armed Man is a little more deep and was commissioned for the British Royal Armouries' Annivesary, so the them of this album and the music plots the progress of war, not necessarily a modern war. The National Youth Choirs do an awesome job, tackling some very difficult vocal arrangements accompanied by The London Philharmonic Orchestra in their usual excellence.
The Suite
Jenkins uses the poerty of Tennyson, Drydon, and Kipling to add a poetic quality to his composition along with the Koran and the Bible.
The Armed Man
The opening of the piece. You can here the soldiers marching into battle. What I like from the outset is the multicultural appreciation that all races have experienced war of some kind! Musically aggressive, but simplistic based around a baroque tune with an underlying drumbeat. Essentially this serves as the call to arms.
Call to Prayer A muslim prayer sung by Mohammed Gad. Beautiful and quietly serene.
Kyrie A Christian prayer asking for divine blessings, a clever contrat on Jenkins behalf.
Save me from bloody men! The quality of the music heightens in aggression as the battle draws closer. This is a choral piece using the bass voices of the choir, and sounds menacing, and perhaps a splice of fear, for the unknown of the battlefield. Resentment more than fear is portrayed.
Sanctus This was played loads by a certain Classical radio station! It starts again by marching,the battle drawing ever closer. A prayer almost to god before the first charge. Jenkins is very keen on his brass section ands we hear the big horns and trumpets accompany a sweeping melody.
Hymm before action Based on the words of Rudyard Kipling, this piece envokes the anger and aggression, praying for safe keep. An eeiry melody.
Charge! Again one for the brass! The principle trumpet must have earned his money! An orchestrated traditional Cavalry charge, you'll here it. The Frenzy and the shear aggression of meeting the enemy!
Angry Flames The remnants of the encounter, the leftovers of life, the mourning of the lost comrades. A lone trumpeter and a solitary bell, provides the ambience of devastation.
Torches Similar to Angry Flames, a scene of searching for the dead, and moving off elsewhere. The grim reality of mortality.
Agnus Dei Asking for divine peace, the choir sing in latin. This beautiful peace was also in the most requested on a certain classical music radio station. This peace has a lilting quality using the traditional invocations of a latin mass. The melody is simple beautiful and shows Jenkin's big talent for writing ecclesiastical choral music.
Now the Guns have stopped A weary battle survivor and his lonliness and despair.
Benedictus Another latin mass, purely instrumental in the outset, with the choir joining halfway through. A quiet start for what blossoms into a defiant and spine chilling praise for life. This is my favorite piece. The words are beautiful and full of praise, and Hayley Westernra did an alternative which is just as moving. Big and powerful, will make you cry!
Better is peace A cheery arrangement, using the major key of a previously minor ostinato of "The Armed Man" piece. Using the words of Tennyson to provoke thoughts of a happier day.
My Musical Opinion Well composed with some very technical and symbolic moments. If you are familiar with any of the popular pieces like Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus it is worth the investment to hear the rest of the suite. Some parts make excellent dinner music, others are a bit violent!
Music lover? If you are a Jenkins fan or a musician buy it! Its great and you will appreciate all the little extras.
If not, maybe sample the tunes on line before you buy, Jenkins can be an aqquired taste!
The prices vary from £6 online using a shopping website to about £10 in the shops on the highstreet. I bought this as a present to myself and loved it so much that I bought it for my dad (he's a brass nut!) as a present.
Advantages: An excellent piece of very original music Disadvantages: Some parts let the work down a little
...of choral works entitled 'The Armed Man: A Mass For Piece". Any Classic FM listener will be well aware of some of these pieces (notably the Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus) because they are *always* being played. However, I was curious to see what else the CD had to offer, and so when I received a ten quid Smiths gift voucher I decided to go for it. The CD comes in a stylish looking black case with a bright white bird, wings spread wide across ... ...the tracks:
1. The Armed Man
The piece opens with the sound of soldiers slowly marching, no music as of yet. Then out of the distance a side drum begins its relentless driving rhythm, before a piccolo plays the opening tune, simple, but full of promise. The chorus enter with the same tune, bursting with energy and excitement for what is to come. I think this piece is supposed to represent a sort of excitement of soldiers heading off to war. The ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Moving, elegaic choral selection Disadvantages: None that I can think of
Beautiful choral CD, with a haunting mix of recognisable songs/hymns, literary references and huge choruses. Opens to an almost alien chanting and wastes no time in switching seamlessly between languages and styles, from Latin to English and French. Jenkins provides an offering that is almost as polarised as war itself, shifting from peaceful strains to the warlike and fiery. The overall effect is that of tension - the listener is on edge and the ... ...never quite enough to take away the anger and horror conveyed in tracks such as 'Save me from Bloody Men' and 'Angry Flames'. The album shows the uncertainty and fear caused by war well and at points descends into an almost savage chant as affecting as any war movie or news report. We are left with the message that while conflict is real and terrifying, the tranquility of a peaceful future is always the option that we should strive towards. Please ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
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Value for Money
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21.06.2009
Quick review of Armed Man (A Mass For Peace), The - Karl Jenkins Review ofArmed Man (A Mass For Peace), The - Karl Jenkinsby
c3por2d2
I bought this album on the strength of one hearing of Benedictus on Classic FM.
I was not disappointed it is an amazingly powerful piece of work. Incredible mixture of styles and techniques with Benedictus the most mind blowing. The transition from music to lyrics with the most amazing crescendo is simply breathtaking.
If I need some rest from the stresses and strains of life this is the first piece of music I reach for.
Not one track of this work disappointed me. I was even surprised and delighted by the insertion of a Muslim call to prayer in a traditionally Christian musical theme.
Without doubt Jenkins proves his genius in this work.
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
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