G. Scelsi - Yamaon/Anahit/I Presagi Tre Pe - Classical - CD

After his hospitalization for a psychological break in the 1950's, Giacinto Scelsi began composing music that was radically different from his earlier, more conventional serial works. Based on explorations of tiny details of timbral variation, his new music defied categorization. His first new works are compelling examinations of repeated notes and their microtonal neighbors. His later pieces are lush sculptures of sound, placed carefully in a silent landscape. 'Okanagon,' is a microscopic observation of repeated low notes, juxtaposed at various angles. In some "views" the ensemble plays percussively on the sides of their instruments, giving the impression of a note magnified so largely that one can hear the individual pulses.

Though it may be difficult to relate Scelsi to other music, it is not without contemporary relevance. Ligeti's string quartets and Penderecki's "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima" also employ drone and microtonality. Theirs are harsh cries to Scelsi's fascinated murmur, however.

This great collection, all from various stages of Scelsi's second period, shows the development of his style. Unconventional music always risks horrifying misinterpretation but Hans Zender and the Vienna Klangforum honor Scelsi's music with a reverence for timbre and space. The performances are excellent, and beautifully recorded.