Search - Tsontakis, De Preist, Orchestre De Monte Carlo :: Four Symphonic Quartets

Stellar

02/02/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard the second movement of this piece at a live concert three years ago, and was ecstatic when this recording finally appeared in stores. This music is some of the most absorbing I have ever heard, an artistic creation of the highest order. It perfectly captures the theme of Eliot's poetry, with an emotional palette that is as colourful as it is wide-ranging. Tsontakis' worksmanship and his seemingly flawless sense of timing and structure (at least as far as this work is concerned) are to be loudly applauded. His blending of the many music styles available to contemporary composers into a single, unified, expressive voice is also a rare bird in this day and age. In addition to the musical merit, the performance by DePriest and the Monte Carlo Philharmonic is absolute perfection. By the end of the fourth movement, it seems as though there were nothing this orchestra could not do. A must have for those seeking listener-accessible new music (I know this, having played the CD for non-musicians and received positive reactions), and the sound quality and performance are a fitting representation of what I hope will become one of the most important works of the late 20th century."