Robert Moran – Mantra (album review)
Although I missed it when it was originally released late last year, perhaps I’m actually discovering Robert Moran’s Mantra at a good time considering the season. In the midwest where I live, we’re currently moving through that time of the year when the weather is the most unstable, when a hot afternoon can churn into a massive thunderstorm or worse and week-long dry spells can turn into biblical deluges at the drop of a hat. So far this year, things have been pretty calm in my neck of the woods, but things can always change…
The reason all of the above relates to this release is because three of the pieces on this album were actually being recorded in Iowa City, Iowa last year as the flood waters were rising. Iowa Percussion, led by Dan Moore lended their mallets and sticks (and are even joined by a field recording of said rains), and the album itself is dedicated to flood reconstruction efforts.
That trio of tracks is just a part of this incredibly-varied release, though, and over the course of 8 sections and just under 70 minutes, Moran touches on everything from romanticism to minimalism, with enough sheer moments of beauty and spectral power that I can’t believe it isn’t receiving more love. In fact, the opener of “Da Enstunde Ein Engel” should hook in just about any listener from the start as it deep organ and woodwinds slowly coalesce before a choral section arrives and the whole piece lifts off into some well-placed (but certainly not overwrought) builds and releases.
“Da Enstunde Ein Engel” – Robert Moran
Moving forward, there’s a piece written entirely for a large brass ensemble (“Cortege”), two incredibly-powerful pieces for solo organ (the Messian-esque “Elegy For A Young King” and “Processional”) and the album-titled piece “Mantra,” which calls to mind some of the more devotional work of Arvo Part.
Then, there’s the trio of percussive works mentioned above, and arriving about two-thirds of the way through the album they really help to break it up and add a lighter touch. “Stirling: It’s Raining Cats And Dogs” is much more ambient, with the aforementioned field recordings of rain and thunder lording over some quieter touches, while “Kboco” is a jaunty 10 minutes of glockenspeil and drums. “Obrigado” is probably the highlight, a brisk 4 minutes of piano, vibe, and percussion interplay that reminds one of Reich and Glass.
“Obrigado” – Robert Moran
Moran has quietly been creating great music for over a decade now, and Mantra is no exception. If you enjoy work by any of the aforementioned, I don’t think you’ll go wrong here.
January 3rd, 2010 at 8:59 pm
[...] Robert Moran – Mantra (Innova) A modern classical release that mixed solo instrumental pieces with those for voice alone [...]