"In his later years, Igor Stravinsky became fascinated by serialism, both as a means of distilling musical thought and as an intellectual and stylistic challenge for a composer entering his 70s and 80s. The results struck some contemporary listeners as austere, but there's a self-effacing purity and beauty about this complex, intellectually probing music that deserves a wider audience than hitherto. Kudos, then, to conductor Daniel Reuss, whose precise yet vital interpretations teem with colour and light."
"There are four main works here. In Memoriam Dylan Thomas from 1954 is an extended, impassioned setting for solo tenor of Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. Threni, a spiny, multifaceted jewel from 1958, sets words from the Book of Lamentations. The haunting Introitus and bristling Requiem Canticles, from 1965 and 1966 respectively, complete the set, interspersed with briefer pieces including an unpretentious Lord's Prayer and the severely cerebral two-minute Elegy for JFK."
Stravinsky's late interest in serialism served as a means of distilling musical thought and as an intellectual, stylistic challenge during his seventies and eighties. The music can seem austere to some listeners yet contains a self-effacing purity and beauty that rewards deeper engagement. The recording features four principal works—In Memoriam Dylan Thomas (1954), Threni (1958), Introitus (1965) and Requiem Canticles (1966)—alongside shorter pieces including a Lord's Prayer and an Elegy for JFK. The Noord Nederlands Orkest plays with crispness, Cappella Amsterdam's vocals bring the music to life, and modern sonics make the release a strong contender.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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