A collection of 39 tracks by R.E.M. performed in a working rehearsal in Dublin in 2007. There’s a mix of some older songs as well as new, seamlessly worked together. They still go it. Disc 1 has more rocking songs on it I think, but they’re both worth a listen or two! High energy set overall, really clear good recording. PLAY!
Try any of them but on disc 1 especially: 1,5,6,8,10,16,18
and disc 2: 3,4,7,8,12,18,19
Carla Bley’s instrumental arrangements for brass quintet of traditional Xmas songs, and two of her own compositions. Mostly jazzy, up-tempo, some atonality.
Try tracks 2, 3, 5, 6,, 8, 9
Modern chamber music by Polish composer Vainberg–strongly influenced by Shostakovich and influenced by the Second World War and Holocaust,– pieces are dark, yet not depressing at all in sensibility.
Try tracks 3, 6,
1998 release of traditional folk songs arranged by Zhou Long and his “Poems from Tang” ( the string quartet is used as a ch’in–a 7 string zither.) The folk songs are beautiful and the latter is abstract, yet engaging. Play any!
Arrangements of traditional Chinese folk songs and some new compositions. Melodic, evocative of nature and some very short! 2002 release. Play any!
Note: could be included on International, but is very “classical”
Mostly contemporary compositions by Americans David del Tredici, Tom Cipullo, Leo Orenstein and Eric Moe, neo-romantic in sensibility.
Try tracks 1, 3, 5, 6
Danish composer Norgard has experiemented with many musical idioms througout his 40+ yrs of writing as evidenced on this CD–abstract, “fractal,”(melody lines which arise out of slower or faster melody lines and continue to either become either slower or faster), tonal series, and melodic networks. Track 2 is a re-arrangement of the Beatles’ Blackbird.
Try tracks 2, 3, 5, 9,
Choo Choo la Rouge has created an album that has the rock, garage band feel but also some very pop moments. Track 2 (Here comes the Guns) is very catchy, while track 1 reels you in with tappin’ toes to listen to the entire album. A few unoriginal songs (track 6, black cloud, is a little too repetitive for me), but many enjoyable, unique tunes that discuss mannequins and metaphorical trucks.
FCC clean, as far as I can tell… might want to double check
Recommended Tracks: 1, 2*, 5, 7, 9, 10
RIYL: Yo La Tengo
North-African born of Andalusian heritage, Ohana’s works for guitar have a Spanish flavor but are entirely modern, abstract and somber. Play any!
The French composers didn’t write for quartets much, that structure being dominated by the German composers. Faure, Debussy and Ravel did write at least one quartet each, to varying degrees of success. Abstract and interesting, epecially Ravel’s piece.