Search - Esa-Pekka Salonen, Dawn Upshaw, Anssi Karttunen :: Salonen - LA Variations · Five Images After Sappho · Mania · Gambit · Giro / Upshaw · Karttunen · L.A. Phil. · London Sinfonietta · Salonen

To be in the presence of a master.........

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 05/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first thing I did after returning home from the 5/16/02 performance of the LA Phil with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting his own FOREIGN BODIES was to put on his "LA Variations" disc, to reconfirm his growth as a composer. Hopefully FOREIGN BODIES will be recorded soon as it is a masterwork. But until it is we have this gem of a disc of Salonen's music to bask in. Salonen continues to surprise us in every way. A supremely gifted conductor, he has moved from the school of dissecting the works of the last centuries, finding nuances and clarity that makes them seem new. Now his acute sense of detail and attention to orchestral color has matured into finding the power of the soul, the non-cerebral passion that makes the masterworks continue to live. Few conduct Mahler, Debussy, Bruckner, Strauss and then Stravinsky/Bartok/Prokofiev/Sibelius/Nielson better.The same journey applies to his own compositions. Yes, he explores the infinite spectrum of instrumental and vocal colors, but now he is showing us how he can work with massive clouds of sound and allow us to walk into that soundscape, seeing every atom without losing the emotional impact of the whole. LA VARIATIONS is well worth being in the repertoire of all the major orchestras. It is a big, luxurious, lush tonal poem. His FIVE IMAGES AFTER SAPPHO ( especially as sung by Dawn Upshaw) are text appropriate, voice friendly, and above all communicative - equal to any song cycle written in the last century. The Wunderkind Salonen has matured into an insightful composer and conductor and his place in the music world and the future is secure. Just listen to this disc and see for yourself."

They have something going on

Grady Harp | 06/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Salonen, Lindberg and Saariaho is a triptych "gang" of clever, brilliant composers from my neighbor country Finland and if you like postmodern classical music you should check ALL three of them out (these three mentioned above often "sit in" or help each other in one way or another).This is a stunning record and Salonens five songs (beutiful singing from D. Upshaw on those 5 songs) are something special.This disc has almost everything. A criteria for... well maybe not a genuis but def. a very good, innovative composer.Salonen is a good conductor and also an extremly talanted composer.A must disc. This is something extraordanary in the postmodern classical music area."

Incredible new music in an accessible yet progressive idiom

Ryan Morris | Chicago, IL | 01/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a stunning disc. The highlight must surely be Mania-a cello concerto-like 17 minute piece with progressive rhythmic and orchestral values, while teetering on the brink of atonality, yet never sounding raucous, ugly, or exceedingly vulgar. This piece is one of the most exciting modern pieces I have heard in a while. Gambit and Giro are also a modern take on a stravinskyesqe, straussian tone poem. They are fun, exciting and brillinat all at once. The main piece is the LA variaitons which, though for me not as fun as the other three pieces is still well worth the listen. I did not, however, like the Five images of Sappho. Three of the five songs are good, but one of them is so obnoxiously redundent that it is ludicrous. Other than that, however, I enthusiastically recommend this and Wing on Wing(DG), along with the new piece Helix, released only on Itunes live concert series.

The quality of Salonen;s pieces so far make me very excited to follow the future of this young and talented composer. This is recommended for both lovers of both the old and new school of modern music. There are no, I repeat NO, bleep-bloop, strategic noise moments."