home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
CD-ROM User 1995 January
/
CDuser6Jan95.iso
/
MUSICDAT
/
TEREM.TXT
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-12-11
|
2KB
|
26 lines
Artist...TEREM QUARTET
Album...CLASSICAL
Label...REAL WORLD
Cat.No...CDRW49
Review..When people think about world music they tend to think about African and South American
acts, Peter Gabriel's Real World label has been proving for many years that there is a great deal
more to it than that.
Via appearances on the Week At The Real World compilations and with albums in their
own right, The Terem Quartet have been proving that there is a lot more to Russian music than
dour funeral marches and that there is a lot more experimentation than we in the West generally
give them credit for.
The Terem Quartet's new album "Classical" is as you would expect bassed on classical
works, all arranged for traditional Russian folk instruments, the result is scintilating and full of
vitality. The name Terem, incedently, originally meant the highest place in a house, under the roof
where the female virgins lived before they were married.
"Classical" starts off with a cover of Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nacht Musik" as you have never
heard it before, i.e played on a combination of soprano domra, alto domra, bass balalaika(A huge
three stringed balalaika about the size of a cello) & a bayan accordion.
After that the quartet work their way through eight other pieces, including various waltzs
and "Ave Maria", as well as Ponomarenko's "Funeral March".
"Classical" could by no means be considered a mainstream album, it's probably too
inventive for that. Additionally I'm sure there are classical pureists that would consider this to be
taking things to far. However, "Classical" is an album rich in sound and ideas. It shakes up the
often stagnent waters that surround 'classical' music and delivers something fresh and inventive.
Highly recommended.