Rituals

Label: Tzadik
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 702397801122
EAN: 0702397801122
ASIN: B0007514JY

Release Date: 2005-02-22

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Tracks:

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Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but not particularly moving.......2005-03-15

I had high hopes for this one, particularly after Zorn's previous composition, "Magick", but overall, I found "Rituals" to be a bit of a letdown.

Five movements totalling about 26.5 minutes, for solo voice (expertly handled by Heather Gardner) and 10 piece ensemble, featuring several of the standard Zorn pool, including Stephen Drury on any number of keyboards, the incomparable Jennifer Choi on violin, and Fred Sherry on cello.

Generally, the ensemble plays in smaller groups-- two to three at a time, sometimes with vocal. More often than not. The voice seems to be often in opposition with the strings whilst being in union with the various reeds on the piece. Most interesting are moments of duet between the voice and wind machine (particularly the first two movements) and those of organ and percussion (the fourth movement).

Actually, the fourth movement as a whole is the one which most grabbed me, mind you, its very dissimilar to most of Zorn's work, almost minimalist, droning and percussion and eventual strings for the first half, then into the most stirring interaction on the piece, with horns, strings, piano, etc. all trading off small parts, accenting and accompanying each other.

But overall, the piece doesn't say much to me, it has its moments, but it lacks the cohesion of theme of something like "Amor Fou" and the pure relentlessness of "Magick". Perhaps more interesting is that it seems nearly wholly focused on the vocalist (except the fourth movement), and unlike most of Zorn's pieces, doesn't seem to cater to the talents and capabilities of the musicians as he usually does.

I question whether, like most of Zorn's work, its going to one day set in and I'm going to end up having to throw out this review and write a new one, but after a couple dozen listens, this is where I am so far.

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