Rzewski: Jefferson/Antigone Legend

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Composed shortly following the 1970 Kent State massacres, Frederic Rzewski's Jefferson sets the opening of the Declaration of Independence in the fashion of an incantatory cantus firmus. The relentless, metrically shifting piano writing makes a fascinating foil to the text's sober, lofty sentiments. Rzewski's 53-minute setting of Brecht's 189 line poem "The Antigone Legend" (sung in Judith Malina's English translation) covers wider, more turbulent ground. Piano and voice weave in and out of each other, barely pausing for air. While Carol Plantamura lacks lightness and agility, the soprano compensates with forthright delivery, clear diction, and impeccable pitch. Labeling pianist Rzewski as an accompanist is like calling a nuclear reactor an extension cord. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

Jefferson
Antigone-Legend

Amazon.com

Composed shortly following the 1970 Kent State massacres, Frederic Rzewski's Jefferson sets the opening of the Declaration of Independence in the fashion of an incantatory cantus firmus. The relentless, metrically shifting piano writing makes a fascinating foil to the text's sober, lofty sentiments. Rzewski's 53-minute setting of Brecht's 189 line poem "The Antigone Legend" (sung in Judith Malina's English translation) covers wider, more turbulent ground. Piano and voice weave in and out of each other, barely pausing for air. While Carol Plantamura lacks lightness and agility, the soprano compensates with forthright delivery, clear diction, and impeccable pitch. Labeling pianist Rzewski as an accompanist is like calling a nuclear reactor an extension cord. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

a flower.......2000-06-20

jefferson was a revelation for me. the piano line starts off slow, disjointed, then he begins filling in missing notes. when you think the line is full, still more notes creep in until the piano is singing on its own. like a flower that keeps opening and there are always more petals inside. after climax notes fall out unnoticably and the tune trickles off.

not all roses: it would be nice if the singer were faded down in the mix - the vocals are dreary.

antigone missed me completely - ugly brain music, not fun or particularly moving. buy this for the first sublime track only.

Track Listings: