Górecki: String Quartet No 3

Advantages: The score material is as stunning as ever and is worthy listening
Disadvantages: Fly Me to the Moon again and again and again and...

...tonality, while keeping a distinctly melodical feel in the form of Henryk Gorécki and Alan Hovhaness. Apart from the two previous volumes that still concentrated predominately on the more "traditional" music, this third volume almost wholly abandons these forms and presents mostly music from the end of the series, while filling out all the remaining cues not released yet (apart from maybe one or two separate moments). THE SONGS: The Horror of Overindulgence The songs will most likely be the aspect that will make or break this third album for you. The first two tracks are, like the second volumes "Yokan", image tracks. "Happiness is the Smell of Sin" and "Eternal Embrace" are both enjoyable, though ultimately somewhat forgettable Japanese ballades. They make for great makeweights and considering the rest of the album, there could have... Read review

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Advantages: deep
Disadvantages: need to be keen to listen

...A reliving of the second world war thought the eyes the Polish. Written in 1976 and dedicated to his wife, Henry Goreckis third symphoney was first performed in April 1977. Yet it has only had acclaim in recent years. It is a three part story of war. The first movement is dominated at the centre by a setting of the 15th cnetruy polish prayer known as the Holy Cross Lament. It is an amzing display of reversed cannons in the strings, beginning and ending with the double basses. It is only interupted a short time by the fabulous voice of Dawn upshaw and, for that magic moment, the piano strikes almost mystically. The second movement describes the prayer that was incscibed on wall 3 of cell 3 in the basement of the "Palace" - the Gestapos headquarter in Zakopane. Beneath is the signature of Helena Wanda Blazusiakowna and the words 18... Read review

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Advantages: Recognisable tunes
Disadvantages: Neither fish nor foul. Best stick to the original

...I was prompted to shake the dust off a neglected corner of my record collection by a review posted by Nar recently. "The True Legacy of a Legendary Musical Divorce?" is about the Album "Legacy, a Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours" - a CD of cover versions of the songs from the classic Mac album 'Rumours' released in 1977. Nar also said that he was '…forever on the look out for new versions and covers of songs by leading artists known and unknown.'. For completeness then, here is one for his collection and maybe one which may have escaped your attention the first time around. The String Quartet Tribute's declared aim is to concentrate on one well known performer or group at a time and produce classical (instrumental) versions of the songs 'note for note'. Some albums are compendiums of the original's more well known titles; others... Read review

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