This is an entertaining anthology of wind music. The playing is alert and
engaging. The recording is bright, close and full.
The tartly scathing Ligeti is darkly dazzling contrasting with the coolly
playful Ibert and the sub-Mozartian (but still charming) antics of Danzi.
The notable thing that strikes the listener is the variety of styles to which
the quintet adapt themselves. Let's face it they have to span Danzi through
to light arrangements like the Bossa Nova and the Strayhorn. The Tcherepnin
is humorous but somewhat dry. The highlight is the Milhaud work. Its Medieval
courtly tapestry is most touchingly done.
Lovely playing from this German ensemble who clearly have an adventurous
approach to repertoire choice. The playing evinces an eloquent respect for
the music: its underlying emotions and spirit.
There is one eccentric feature that could have been so easily avoided. The
title list on the inside flap of the cover makes it very difficult to tell
where one work begins and another ends. The CD case spine is similarly lacking
- instead proclaiming 'DAM Digitalautomaticmusic mp3.com'. The CD itself
is similarly obtuse and, what's more, the works are not fully listed on the
disc. Instead the listing is truncated. A listing rather like that on the
heading of this review would have been sensible. Perhaps further works from
this source could address these aggravations. These features suggest that
resonances.com are not attuned to classical CD production. This is a pity
as the music and performances are winningly done.
On the negative side descriptive notes are only available if you open the
CD in a computer and printed notes are only available if you download them
from the website and print them out. It seems less than customer friendly
to provide a disc without integral printed notes although perhaps this practice
is prophetic of a more tree-friendly future.
None of these presentational shortcomings detracts from a very classy production
and some ebullient and subtle music-making. It would not surprise me if Domus
were head-hunted by one of the majors before long.
Reviewer
Rob Barnett
The CD is an enhanced CD, meaning that it contains a multimedia presentation
that can be accessed on both a PC and a Mac.
The presentation includes full descriptive notes, which are also available
in PDF format at http://www.resonances.com/CDs.
Of course, the CDs work in a normal CD player too.
The price of the new CD is $11.99 at mp3.com.
Background material about the artists is available at resonances.com and
mp3.com.
Full notes by Werner Köhler (a member of Domus) in an English translation
by David Sedlock are also available at the same site.
David Sedlock has prepared "What Every Classical Music Lover Needs to Know
about MP3". It can be read at
http://www.musicweb-international.com/mp3sedlock.html
Anyone who is interested in buying the CD or learning more about MP3 should
be satisfied by a link to the Domus site at mp3.com:
http://www.mp3.com/DomusQuintett
Domus Quintett
