Songs of Ascension

Songs of Ascension
Studio album by
Meredith Monk
ReleasedMay 13, 2011
RecordedNovember 2009 at Academy of Arts and Letters, New York.
GenreMinimalism
Length67:27
LabelECM New Series[1]
ProducerManfred Eicher
Meredith Monk chronology
Beginnings
(2009) 		Songs of Ascension
(2011) 		Piano Songs
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Songs of Ascension is an album by Meredith Monk.[3] It was released on May 13, 2011, by ECM New Series. It was recorded at the BAM Harvey Theater, in New York, in 2009.[4]

It peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Traditional Classical Albums chart.[5]

Critical reception

The Washington Post called the recording "radiant," writing that "although simple in its means, it is unusually rich, for Monk, in its timbres and textures."[6] The Independent wrote that "it's an innovative, provocative but enjoyable work, exploring the relations between voices and instruments ... Tremendous stuff."[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Meredith Monk, except "Vow" co-written with Mieke van Hoek and "Clusters 3" co-written with Bohdan Hilash

No.TitleLength
1."Clusters 1"3:17
2."Strand (Gathering)"1:55
3."Winter Variation"1:51
4."Cloud Code"3:31
5."Shift"1:51
6."Mapping"2:07
7."Summer Variation"3:16
8."Vow"3:12
9."Clusters 2"2:27
10."Falling"2:54
11."Burn"4:16
12."Strand (Inner Psalm)"3:12
13."Autumn Variation"2:48
14."Ledge Dance"1:50
15."Traces"1:20
16."Respite"5:56
17."Mapping Continued"1:29
18."Clusters 3"2:09
19."Spring Variation"4:03
20."Fathom"4:37
21."Ascent"9:26

Personnel

Musicians
  • Sasha Bogdanowitsch – vocals
  • Heather J. Buchanan – conductor
  • Sidney Chen – vocals
  • Emily Eagen – vocals
  • Ellen Fisher – shruti box, vocals
  • Katie Geissinger – shruti box, vocals
  • Ching Gonzalez – shruti box, vocals
  • Bohdan Hilash – alto saxophone, bass clarinet, khene, shruti Box
  • John Hollenbeck – percussion, shruti box, vocals
  • Ha-Yang Kim – cello, vocals
  • Meredith Monk – shruti box, vocals, mixing
  • Holly Nadal – vocals
  • Toby Newman – vocals
  • Courtney Orlando – violin, vocals
  • Bruce Rameker – shruti box, vocals
  • Todd Reynolds – violin
  • Peter Sciscioli – vocals
  • Nadia Sirota – viola, vocals
  • Allison Sniffin – shruti box, vocals
Production
  • Manfred Eicher – production, mixing
  • James A. Farber – engineering, mixing
  • Marion Gray – photography
  • Sascha Kleis – design
  • Paul Zinman – engineering

References

  1. ^ "SONGS OF ASCENSION MEREDITH MONK". ECM Records. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  2. ^ Eddins, Stephen. "Meredith Monk: Songs of Ascension". Allmusic. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013.
  3. ^ "Meredith Monk | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Kozinn, Allan (October 22, 2009). "Bending Melodies on the Way to an Otherworldly Quest" – via NYTimes.com.
  5. ^ "Meredith Monk". Billboard.
  6. ^ Midgette, Anne (May 27, 2011). "CD review: Meredith Monk, ascending" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  7. ^ "Album: Meredith Monk, Songs of Ascension (ECM New Series)". The Independent. May 13, 2011. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24.



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