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Music

Voices

Max Richter

Description

Summary: "Decca are delighted to present VOICES - a brand new project from acclaimed composer, pianist, producer, and collaborator, Max Richter. VOICES is comprised of 56 minutes (10 tracks) of material featuring orchestra, choir, solo soprano, solo violin, solo piano and electronics. The narrated text has been adapted from the UN Declaration and is read by acclaimed US actor Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk). Also featuring the 1949 Recording of the preamble to the declaration by Eleanor Roosevelt."--Amazon.com.

Reviews (8)

MusicWeb international

2020 October

By

By

Colin Clarke (musikanmelder)

2020 October

"Max Richter's substantial statement has been inspired by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights ... Richter's soundworld verges on the crossover ... Here it is ambient music that seems to be the primary influence ... Soprano Grace Davidson has an astonishingly pure voice, while Mari Samuelsen's violin has an appropriately blanched tone. Perhaps it is the slow build of Chorale that is most impressive ... While the text is all about hope, the music itself is almost mournful, even lachrymose ... The second disc [cd only] contains a 'voiceless mix' of the first. It is not quite voiceless, but the excision of texts allows one to hear Richter's score at its bare-bones level ... In terms of performance and recording, then, this is beyond criticism ... The close recording fits perfectly the immersive intent of the enterprise".

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Presto classical

2020

By

2020

"VOICES - a major new recording project inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ... Max Richter invited people around the world to be part of the piece, crowd-sourcing readings of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be interwoven into the work ... He received hundreds of submissions in over 70 languages. These readings form the aural landscape that the music flows through ... Max Richter explains: "I like the idea of a piece of music as a place to think, and it is clear we all have some thinking to do at the moment. We live in a hugely challenging time and, looking around at the world we have made, it's easy to feel hopeless or angry ... and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is something that offers us a way forward. Although it isn't a perfect document, the declaration does represent an inspiring vision for the possibility of better and kinder world".

Read review

MusicWeb international

2020 October

By

By

Colin Clarke (musikanmelder)

2020 October

"Max Richter's substantial statement has been inspired by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights ... Richter's soundworld verges on the crossover ... Here it is ambient music that seems to be the primary influence ... Soprano Grace Davidson has an astonishingly pure voice, while Mari Samuelsen's violin has an appropriately blanched tone. Perhaps it is the slow build of Chorale that is most impressive ... While the text is all about hope, the music itself is almost mournful, even lachrymose ... The second disc [cd only] contains a 'voiceless mix' of the first. It is not quite voiceless, but the excision of texts allows one to hear Richter's score at its bare-bones level ... In terms of performance and recording, then, this is beyond criticism ... The close recording fits perfectly the immersive intent of the enterprise".

Read review

Presto classical

2020

By

2020

"VOICES - a major new recording project inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ... Max Richter invited people around the world to be part of the piece, crowd-sourcing readings of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be interwoven into the work ... He received hundreds of submissions in over 70 languages. These readings form the aural landscape that the music flows through ... Max Richter explains: "I like the idea of a piece of music as a place to think, and it is clear we all have some thinking to do at the moment. We live in a hugely challenging time and, looking around at the world we have made, it's easy to feel hopeless or angry ... and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is something that offers us a way forward. Although it isn't a perfect document, the declaration does represent an inspiring vision for the possibility of better and kinder world".

Read review

BBC music magazine

2020 October

By

By

Oliver Condy

2020 October

"Max Richter blends passages form 1948's Declaration of Human Rights with ambient strings, piano, choir and solo voice. It's universally reflective, unlike the words which pack a meatier punch".

BBC music magazine

2020 October

By

By

Oliver Condy

2020 October

"Max Richter blends passages form 1948's Declaration of Human Rights with ambient strings, piano, choir and solo voice. It's universally reflective, unlike the words which pack a meatier punch".

The gramophone

2020 September

By

By

Pwyll ap Siôn

2020 September

"Scored for solo soprano and violin, choir, piano, electronics, percussion and string orchestra, the work is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Selections from the original text are heard throughout the work's 55-minute time span that begins with Eleanor Roosevelt's voice from a recording made in 1949 ... Words and music are woven seamlessly - the implication being that the latter offers a reflective commentary on the former ... Nevertheless, the work's most effective moments are heard when Richter's ideas are drawn out into extended musical shapes and gestures ... [Grace] Davidson's outstanding performance on this recording is matched by the equally impressive Mari Samuelsen on violin".

The gramophone

2020 September

By

By

Pwyll ap Siôn

2020 September

"Scored for solo soprano and violin, choir, piano, electronics, percussion and string orchestra, the work is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Selections from the original text are heard throughout the work's 55-minute time span that begins with Eleanor Roosevelt's voice from a recording made in 1949 ... Words and music are woven seamlessly - the implication being that the latter offers a reflective commentary on the former ... Nevertheless, the work's most effective moments are heard when Richter's ideas are drawn out into extended musical shapes and gestures ... [Grace] Davidson's outstanding performance on this recording is matched by the equally impressive Mari Samuelsen on violin".