Search - Kagel, Collegium Instrumentale :: 1898 / Music for Renaissance Instruments

One New Kagel, One Old Kagel...

John Atwell | Canoga Park, CA USA | 11/09/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD 5 months ago, listened to it a couple of times and put it away for a while. I loved the Old Kagel, but the New Kagel (embracing frank tonality, and not necessarily tongue-in-cheek) is perplexing sometimes, boring other times. First the Old Kagel. The second piece, Music for Renaissance Instruments, is the original recording from 1967 that was released on vinyl by DGG in 1969. This is the experimental period that Kagel is well known for, the hallmark of which is relentless exposure of unique, thrilling timbres and registers. The tempo is not so fast that you miss the gorgeous sound pallette, but not so slow that you lose interest. It's good to have this recording finally available on CD.The newer piece is called "1898". It was written in 1973 as a commission for DGG's 75 anniversary. Actually the work is not that new, chronologically, but it represents a different direction for Kagel, which is why I use the term New Kagel. It quotes music that was popular in 1898, but to no real music purpose that I can hear. The children's chorus doesn't sing - instead, the children mumble and giggle, on cue, throughout the length of the two movements. The effect is actually liberating - for a while. But it soon becomes cloying and tiresome.I think Music for Renaissance Instruments itself is worth the price of the CD, as they say. And maybe you'll derive more satisfaction out of "1898" than I did."

Sounds equisite

Luke birkla | Leeds, UK | 06/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The sounds of a rennaisance ensemble in Music for.... is absolutely divine. I have never heard such a suprising, intriguing, alarming yet convincing musical tapestry, woven together by the sheer exuberance of Kagel's uncompromising musical language.
This was my first cd of Kagel...Ihope it will be yours!"

Something very interesting

stephen jones | loganholme, queensland Australia | 10/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the first time i heard Kagel music (wow). To my ears this never gets boring."