Tan Dun: Water Passion after St. Matthew (2002)

Composer Tan Dun’s take on Bach’s masterwork fuses Eastern and Western musical traditions, performed with full chorus, violin, cello, electronics, and (of course) water. Seventeen illuminated water bowls, a metaphor for the unity of eternal rituals, dominate Tan Dun's setting of Saint Matthew. The musical texture is punctuated by monk chants, Tuvan overtone singing, Chinese-opera vocal techniques, and electronically processed sounds of ancient string instruments to suggest an atmosphere both archaic and timeless.

This recording does its best to capitalize on the absence of the visual and because it is a captured live recording, both the tension and message that is oddly present are as well done as can be expected. Time will tell whether this music is lasting and viable, but for the moment Tan Dun has found a responsive audience for his interesting investigation of the sounds of the world of nature.

Tan Dun (1957 - )
Water Passion after St. Matthew
for soprano, bass-baritone, violin, cello, percussion, sound sampler, chorus & sound designer
Recorded Live at Beethoven Hall, Stuttgart, Germany (9/2000)
Sony Classical (SK 89927)
Released 11/2002

Disc 1
1. Baptism
2. Temptations
3. Last Supper
4. Water Cadenza
5. In The Garden Of Gethsemane

Disc 2
1. Stone Song
2. Give Us Barabbast!
3. Death And Earthquake
4. Water And Resurrection

Ensemble
Berlin RIAS Chamber Chorus
Performers
Chen Yuanlin (Sampler - Yamaha 3000)
Elizabeth Keusch (Xun)
Stephen [baritone] Bryant (Xun)
David Sheppard (Electronics)
Mark O'Connor (Violin)
Maya Beiser (Cello)
David Cossin (Percussion)
Martin Homann (Percussion)
Adam Weisman (Percussion)
Conductor
Tan Dun


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