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Dessner: El Chan Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: The National's Bryce Dessner worked with pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque as well as David Chalmin for his latest classical release.
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  • Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Genre(s): Classical, Avant-Garde, Chamber Music, Modern Composition, Concerto, Keyboard
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Jul 30, 2019
    90
    The composition is equal parts playful, deathly serious, aggressively melodic and just plain aggressive. ... With his forays into indie rock, folk, jazz and both small and large-scale classical music, Bryce Dessner may be the 21st century's Renaissance Man. El Chan makes a strong case for that.
  2. Jul 30, 2019
    80
    One of El Chan's compositions, "Piano Concerto for Two Pianos," features sweeping arpeggios from the Labeque sisters (who play the piano on each of the album's pieces). These conversing lines of prose don't just add texture to the piece—they lend a point of reference to the composition's oscillating flashes of brilliance.
  3. Jul 30, 2019
    70
    hese pieces are more sedate and less distinguished than some of his others. The dulcet murmur of the concert hall seems to be overtaking him as his classical career grows in stature.
  4. Jul 30, 2019
    70
    Although nobody would call Dessner a great orchestrator, at least not yet, the performance with the Orchestre de Paris under Mattias Pintscher is energetic and sharp. Recommended.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of
  2. Mixed: 0 out of
  3. Negative: 0 out of