The Holy Mother: Madhuvanti Pal Plays the Rudra Veena
Sublime Frequencies correct a grave injustice with this stunning new two-LP from Madhuvanti Pal, the first-ever vinyl record of a woman playing the rudra veena.
classical
Putting the Eyebrows on It: Frank Zappa’s ‘The Yellow Shark’ at 30
The orchestral music of Frank Zappa is required listening for any fan of 20th-century classical music, and The Yellow Shark is the best place to start.
Jessica Pavone Interprets Womens’ Work Through the Ages
Eclectic composer Jessica Pavone pays tribute to women-made inventions through powerful musical compositions and performances in her new string ensemble album.
‘The Resonance Between’ Is More Than the Sum of Its Intercultural Parts
Alam Khan’s The Resonance Between employs techniques from Hindustani and European art music traditions, but it’s about more than just fusion.
Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri Adapt ‘Oedipe’ for Modern Jazz
Though Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri’s Oedipe Redux is quite a technical achievement, it faces an uphill battle when it comes to stirring the soul.
Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Reflections’ Soundtrack Is Impressive If Vague
Composed by Sufjan Stevens, the Reflections soundtrack is virtuosic and a pleasant listen but on its own the album feels indistinct and largely forgettable.
The TANK Center for Sonic Arts Find a New Way to Interpret Beethoven
National Sawdust Ensemble’s work on Slow Beethoven recasts Beethoven’s Opus 131 as something wholly new, recasting it as a contemporary classical dirge.
The Nuanced History Eluvium’s Many Clockwork Fables
Ambient maestro Matthew Robert Cooper (Eluvium) is two decades into his career, and on his latest LP, overcomes surprising obstacles physical and geographical.
An Evening in a Crypt with French Classical Composer RIOPY
Risk-taking self-taught classical pianist RIOPY talks with PopMatters after his Death of Classical performance at the Crypt Chapel beneath Harlem’s Church of the Intercession.
Erik Hall Creates Minimalist Compositions with Warm Beauty on ‘Canto Ostinato’
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Erik Hall shares his second installment of a trilogy with a tribute to Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt on Canto Ostinato.
Faten Kanaan Revels in Ever-Molting Textures on ‘Afterpoem’
Faten Kanaan’s musical molting feels more organic than the repetition in Steve Reich or Philip Glass; her music doesn’t rely on an unwavering framework for effect.
John Bence Turns to His ‘Archangels’ for Detoxification
John Bence’s Archangels has got to be one of the quietest new albums. He’s conjured a storm’s eye, making it a fascinating aesthetic contradiction.