Esa-Pekka Salonen - LA Variations (2001)
Esa-Pekka Salonen - LA Variations (2001)
Contemporary Classical | Sony | 2001 | 75:13 | Unknown Rip (APE tracks, no cue, no log) | Booklet | 308 MB
Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Anssi Karttunen, cello; London Sinfonietta; Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Contemporary Classical | Sony | 2001 | 75:13 | Unknown Rip (APE tracks, no cue, no log) | Booklet | 308 MB
Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Anssi Karttunen, cello; London Sinfonietta; Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
L.A. Variations sounds more like a cohesive one-movement symphony than a series of "variations". It has primary and secondary themes. Melodies that are briefly introduced early in the peice come to their full expression at the end. Salonen's (b. 1958) music is shimmering and powerful and deep and intelligent. It has the bigness of Bruckner, the sweep of Wagner and the lush, layering complexity of Debussy.... There are many enjoyable harmonies between music and voice in "Five Images After Sappho" which, surprisingly to me, often reminds me of some Sondheim compositions. "Giro", "Mania" and "Gambit" are earlier Salonen works that seem to have been more fully developed later in Wing on Wing and Insomnia. ... Giro has an eerieness that is addictive, a bit like Bartok, but better structured and certainly more concise. Mania is more like a mainstream, concerto second-movement that has a sad and lovely quality. Gambit is a big, modern Salonen engine that constantly strives forward. Something that is always at the heart of his compositions.
Contents:
LA Variations (1996/7)
Five Images after Sappho (1999)
Giro (1981, rev. 1997)
Mania (2000/1)
Gambit (1998)
Read more about the CD here.
Read more about Esa-Pekka Salonen here.
Download Links:
Part 1
Part 2
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3% recovery record is included.
You may also be interested in:
Esa-Pekka Salonen: Foreign Bodies; Wing On Wing; Insomnia (2005)
Piano Music of Salonen, Stucky & Lutoslawski / Gloria Cheng (2008)
More contemporary American and European music is available at my blog.