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Lang: Death Speaks

Lang,David
Release Date: 04/30/2013 
Label:  Cantaloupe   Catalog #: 21092  
Composer:  David Lang
Performer:  Shara Worden,  Owen Pallett,  Bryce Dessner,  Nico Muhly,   ... 
Number of Discs: 1 
In Stock: Usually ships in 24 hours.  

Works on This Recording

1.
Death Speaks by David Lang
Performer:  Shara Worden (Voice), Owen Pallett (Violin), Bryce Dessner (Voice),
Nico Muhly (Keyboards)
Written: 2012 
2.
Depart by David Lang
Performer:  Maya Beyser (Cello)

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 2 Customer Reviews )
 Another beautiful Lang album July 13, 2013 By Alan F. See All My Reviews "David Lang’s “Death Speaks” is another beautiful work that is both intimate and epic. Lang takes text from Franz Schubert’s art songs, specifically anytime Death is speaking to the living. The music - a quartet made up of vocalist Shara Worden, guitarist Bryce Dessner, pianist (and fellow composer) Nico Muhly, and violinist Owen Pallett - is very clearly Lang’s voice, yet much of it new even for him. Although each individual movement in Lang’s work contains text from multiple art songs, he still manages to utilize his own version of text painting to create a story. The final track, “Depart,” is a beautiful meditation; also on the subject of death, it was commissioned for a French hospital morgue. Listen with headphones at the very least, with a full surround stereo at best, as the last piece especially utilizes spatial location of the cello and voices." Report Abuse
 A wonderful new album! May 29, 2013 By Daniel Kozlowski See All My Reviews "It seems David Lang has begun a new, introspective phase of his life. Beginning with 2007’s The Little Match Girl Passion, Lang has been exploring the fragile and transient aspects of life. This year’s release, Death Speaks, is an obvious continuation of that stream. Soprano Shara Warden’s tremendous voice complements the goals of this album magnificently. On the first track, “You Will Return”, her fragile tone is suspended amid the music-box plucking of accompanying musicians Owen Pallett, Nico Muhly, and Bryce Dessner. The second track, “I Hear You”, is more aggressive in nature, while the rest of the album continues a low hum of reflection. The final track, “Depart”, is not part of the song cycle and features Maya Beyser’s multi-tracked cello with four wordless voices; it’s a captivating 18-minute meditation on the afterlife. To put it plainly, this album is incredible. I haven’t been able to put it down since I got it, and neither will you. The quality of the recording is top-notch, and I’m not sure the playing could be any better. I will say that if you’re considering buying this as your first David Lang album, I may point you elsewhere: Little Match Girl Passion, This Was Written By Hand, or So Percussion’s self-titled album are probably more ‘mainstream’ Lang. Regardless, this is a wonderful album that isn’t just a good listen, it’s a point of reflection." Report Abuse
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