ABSOLUTE MIX

Absolute Ensemble · Kristjan Järvi Paul Hindemith, Claude Debussy, Michael Daugherty, James Macmillan, Charles Coleman, Conlon Nancarrow, John Adams

"Absolute Mix"

Founder and Music Director: Kristjan Järvi (Estonian-born, living in New York). The New York based Absolute Ensemble opens the doors of the concert hall to all kinds of music and all kinds of audiences. This "classical band" integrates rather than segregates when it comes to new music of the 21st century. The band members are a young, tight-knit, ethnically diverse group of people, crossing cultural boundaries and abolishing pre-conceived definitions about music. The band's uniqueness manifests itself in substance, style, appearance, and scope of programming.

Concerts are evocative, interesting, and controversial. A versatile ensemble, playing music of classical and jazz masters, rock arrangements, and original contemporary music, it promotes "classics" of a different kind like The Beatles, Frank Zappa, John Adams, and Michael Daugherty. Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, and James Brown have found a place on the bill with Bach, Schoenberg, and Stravinsky, and the works of new composers whom the Ensemble is often the first to promote. Upcoming concerts include February 28, 2000 in New York, performing Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" - arranged by Benno Sachs and featured on this CD; Alban Berg's "Filmmusik aus Lulu" - arranged by Berthold Tuerche; and Mahler's 4th Symphony - arranged by Schoenberg's pupil, Erwin Stein.

The 1999/2000 season will culminate on May 12, 2000 in New York City, peforming works by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür including his Architectonics Series. Consider this CD an invitation to enter a world of music with no limits, no boundaries, no rules. Each track represents something on its own. Together they form a true mix. An "Absolute Mix". We proudly announce that "absolute mix" by ABSOLUTE ENSEMBLE - KRISTJAN JÄRVI on CCn'C 00702 got the German Record Critics Award 2/2000

Repertoire on CD:

1. PAUL HINDEMITH (1895 - 1963)
"Kammermusik No. 1, Op 24 no. 1" (1922)

2. MICHAEL DAUGHERTY (1954)
"Dead Elvis" (1993)

3. MICHAEL DAUGHERTY (1954)
"Sing Sing: J. Edgar Hoover" (1992)

4. JAMES MACMILLAN (1959)
"as others see us" "Henry VIII" (1491 - 1547)

5. JAMES MACMILLAN (1959)
"as others see us S" "Thomas Stearns Elliot" (1888 - 1965)

6. CHARLES COLEMAN (1968)
"Young Words" (1995) "Restless"

7. CHARLES COLEMAN (1968)
"Young Words" (1995) "Lizard People"

8. CONLON NANCARROW (1912 - 1997)
"Studies for Player Piano" "Study No.2"

9. JOHN ADAMS (1947)
"Chamber Symphony" "Roadrunner"

10. CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862 - 1918)
"Prélude à l1après-midi d1un faune" (1892 - 1894) arranged by Benno Sachs

Musicians:
Music director: Kristjan Järvi
Flutes: Valerie Chermist, Maarika Järvi
Oboe/English Horn: Keve Wilson, Derek Floyd, Tuck Lee
French Horns: Greg Evans, Ann Ellsworth
Trombone: Mike Seltzer
Trumpet: Charlie Porter
Clarinet: Vadim Lando
Basson: Martin Kuuskmann
Bass Clarinet: Michiyo Suzuki
Contrabassoon: Monica Ellis
Violins: Vesselin Gellev, Olga Terlitsky, Shalini Vijayan
Bass: Mat Fieldes
Piano & Keyboard: Adam Ben-David, Matt Herskowitz
Harp: Gulia Mashurova, Jessica Zhou
Cello: Ann Kim
Percussion: David Rozenblatt, Pablo Rieppi
artistic advisor: Charles Coleman.

Press Review
The playing has colossal energy and the recordings have an up-front, "poppy" character that fits the occasion. Most pieces are tailed by wild screams. It could be the start of a new trend. One lives in hope. GRAMOPHONE JUNE, 2000

Repertoire - listed from the most recently performed composers:
Paul Hindemith, Frank Zappa, Kitty Brazelton, Conlon Nancarrow, Michael Daugherty, George Antheil, Aaron Jay Kernis, Arvo Pärt, Richard Wagner, Alban Berg, Shafer Mahoney, Omar Daniel, Derek Bermel, Ezequiel Viñao, Richard Strauss, Charles Coleman, Darius Milhaud, Robert Ian Winstin, Bernadette Speach, Ed Green, Stefania de Kenessey, Claude Debussy, John Adams, J.S. Bach, Duke Ellington, W.A. Mozart, Alfred Schnittke, Gene Pritsker, Aaron Copland, Edvard Grieg, Igor Stravinsky, Luis Andrei Cobo, D. Gotay, P. Mack & G. Pritsker, Raul S. Quines, Michael Gatonska, Alexander Zhurbin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Ken Lampl, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Wojciech Kilar, Tom Chiu, Mark Kostabi, Udo Kasamets, Béla Bartók, Orlando Di Lasso, H.I.F. Biber, Arnold Schoenberg, Rudolf Tobias, Niccolò Paganini, Ian Frenkel, Eduard Tubin, Kurt Weill, Arthur Honegger, Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Jean Sibelius, Paul McCartney & John Lennon, Joseph Haydn, Chris Theofanidis, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Charles Mingus, Matt Herskowitz, Jack Perla, Ernest Bloch, Eino Tamberg, Lepo Sumera.