Gilgamesh [Import]

1. Ouverture

2. Pianoforte

3. Il Re Di Uruk

4. Balletto

5. Era Felice

6. Enkidu Muore

7. Romanza

8. Primo Viaggio

9. Secondo Viaggio

10. Terzo Viaggio

11. Quarto Viaggio

12. Siduri

13. Acque Letali

14. Il Diluvio

15. Liberai Una Colomba

16. Danza A Corte

17. Danza A Corte

18. Morte Di Gilgamesh

19. Pater Noster

20. Sette Sufi

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Gilgamesh,Franco Battiato,EMI Int'l,Int'l & World Music,Pop,World Music

Average customer rating: A fine recording. Fine Performance of Major 20th Century Choral Work Very Worthwwhile

Martinu: The Epic of Gilgamesh (Oratorio) Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Martinu | Martinu, Bohuslav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Martinu: Works for Violins and Orchestra Martinu: Peach Blossom, The Orphan & Other Songs Martinu: Symphonies Martinu: String Quartets Volume 1 String Quartets 2 ASIN: B0000631B0 Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

1. Gilgames!
2. Gilgames!
3. Vyslysela Stiznost Bozska Aruru
4. Cloveka Neznal Ni Vlast
5. Sam Uz Mechod
6. Sam Uz Nejde Lovec
7. Zeno, Hle, On!
8. K Stadu Kdyz Pak Pohledl
9. Ja K Tobe Vzhlizim
10. I Souhlasil V Nitru Svem
11. Nam Vsem S Udel
12. Gilgames A Enkidu
13. Ja Pak Vesel V Onu Tmu
14. Enkidu Trapil Se Den
15. Narek Slyste Muj, Vy Starci!
16. Enkidu Nic Nevidi
17. Gilgames, Kam Chvata?
18. Skon Pritele Meho Zdeptal Mne
19. Gilgames, Kam Chvata?
20. Introduction
21. Gilgames, Odekdy Sily Pozbyl?
22. Mne Pritele Skon Podlomil
23. Gilgames, Jenz Nevnik
24. To Hlina Jest
25. Enlile, Muj Otce!
26. Spes, Vladce Luny
27. Eo, Spln Zadost!
28. Hlina Zeme Ho Odnala Nam
29. I Vyslysel Ho Ea-Buh

Customer Reviews:

A fine recording........2006-03-09

If you're really into Martinu, go ahead and consider this a 5-star rating as I congratulate Naxos for capturing this somewhat rare composition/rendition and offering it in good quality at a budget price. The original Epic of Gilgamesh story actually gets better all them time as archaeologists keep finding new, undeciphered clay tablets in Iraq which frequently expands upon the legend. The story is particularly interesting because it is "history" which pre-dates The Bible.

Unfortunately, if you don't speak Czechoslovakian, you won't get much of the actual story from listening to the CD but Naxos WAS so nice as to provide an English translation in the liner notes with which, if you're alert, you can follow along fairly well. Bottom line: I recommend that you get a late edition of the book and read the whole story first.

As to this recording, it's just a bit surround-soundy for me. Some low end boost might have accentuated whatever bass notes are present but I wouldn't call it "tinny" by any means. If you like Bach or Mozart music played on pipe organs, complemented by well-rehearsed choirs in huge churches, you'll probably like this. Of course, the composition itself is much more modern and a bit early period Stravinskyish.

I definitely recommend this CD but, if you just want to hear some Martinu, try some of his other, more popular, works first. Save this one to savor for later if you are relatively new to classical music.

Fine Performance of Major 20th Century Choral Work.......2004-06-13

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" (1954-55) is a magnificent piece for 4 soloists, chorus and orchestra, one of the "undiscovered masterpieces" of 20th century choral music. The score shows Martinu at the height of his mature powers, responding at every turn to his chosen text - excerpts from the ancient Babylonian tale of the hero Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu - with music of tremendous power, imagination and directness.
Martinu set an English translation by R. Campbell Thompson, written in deliberately "archaic" language which emphasizes its mystery and distance from the present day; the composer even preserved places where the text trails off in mid-sentence, indicating a gap in the surviving tablets. Part One starts with a text in praise of Gilgamesh, then tells how the primitive innocent, Enkidu, is seduced by a courtesan, thus severing his natural connection with his animal companions, and how Enkidu comes to the city and engages Gilgamesh in one-on-one combat. Part Two tells of the death of Enkidu - now Gilgamesh's beloved friend - and Part Three of Gilgamesh's search for immortality, and his questioning of Enkidu, raised from the earth at Gilgamesh's request by his father, the Moon God Enlil.
These episodes are shrewdly chosen to give Martinu a chance to write a wide range of music, all orchestrated with this composer's customary brilliance: from the warm pastoral idyll of Enkidu's initial life, through the sensuality of his seduction, to the violence of his duel with Gilgamesh; then the sober, compassionate contemplation of Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh's anguish at his loss and the discovery of his own mortality, to the truly otherworldly chill of Enkidu's return, with his unvarying answer to each of Gilgamesh's questions: "I saw, I saw..." This is one of many riveting passages in a score of uniformly high quality and interest.
Both available recordings of "The Epic of Gilgamesh" are sung in the Czech translation by Ferdinand Pujman. Both are very good performances. This one, dating from 1989, was first issued on Marco Polo; Naxos has improved the booklet materials by adding the complete Czech text (Marco Polo had only the English) and a complete list of tracks. Zdenek Kosler leads the Slovak Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra in dynamic fashion, with a capable quartet of soloists - baritone Ivan Kusnjer (Gilgamesh) particularly good - and a strong actor, Milan Karpisek, for the half dozen short patches of spoken narration. I also like the sound, very much what you might expect to hear in an actual concert hall, with the chorus clearly behind the orchestra but very present, plenty of air around all the voices, and the speaker's voice well integrated into the overall sound picture.
The other available version [Supraphon 11 1824-2 211] presents a sharp contrast in interpretation and sound: Jiri Belohlavek directs more expansively, and the 1976 analog recording - warm, close - really plunges the listener into the midst of the orchestra. I can't really recommend one over the other - each one reveals different aspects of a rich work -but I do recommend that you give one of these recordings a try.

Very Worthwwhile.......2003-12-07

This is a hard to find CD of this rarely performed piece. The text of this oratorio is written in Czech, certainly an obstacle to performance in most of the world. The music is quite powerful and for individuals familiar with Martinu's better known orchestral pieces, rather different. Martinu appeared to have aimed for a somewhat mystical impression and the quality of the music is very different from the French influenced and neoclassical quality of much of his earlier music. I found this work repays careful listening and is well worth hunting down. The chorus, orchestra, and soloists give solid performances.

Average customer rating: Forgotten Music

Gilgamesh Gilgamesh Manufacturer: Emi ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Arriving Twice Playtime Missing Pieces Space Shanty All That ASIN: B000007Z58 Release Date: 2006-12-12

Tracks:

1. One and More/Phil's Little Dance-For Phil Millers Trousers/Worlds ...
2. Lady and Friend
3. Notwithstanding
4. Arriving Twice
5. Island of Rhodes/Paper Boat/As If Your Eyes Were Open
6. For Absent Friends
7. We Are All/Someone Else's Food/Jamo and Other Boating ...
8. Just C

Album Details

1975 Release by Alan Gowen-led Outfit. Co-produced by Dave (Not the Eurythmics One) Stewart. Very Highly Recommended!!!.

Customer Reviews:

Forgotten Music.......2003-02-03

Alan Gowen was a brilliant composer and keyboard player who had a knack for writting music that drew from the tradional Canterbury sounds and jazz and classical tradions. Alan later on went to form National Heath but here we get to hear Gilgamesh. This verson of Gilgamesh features Alan's long time guitar side man Phil Lee who perhaps is better known in jazz circles than pop-progressive fans. Phil had a nice way of bringing out the ideas that Alan composed making them sound neither like your typical fuson recording or progressive rock recording. If you are a fan of National Health, Henry Cow, Hatfield and the old Soft Machine Gilgamesh follows similar taditions of offering you challenging music for your mind.

Average customer rating: A fine overlooked Canterbury band Phenomenal!!!!!!! A welcome addition to the Gilgamesh canon Classic Canterbury, but too formless

Arriving Twice Gilgamesh Manufacturer: Cuneiform ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Progressive | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gilgamesh Playtime Missing Pieces Space Shanty All That ASIN: B00004WF2I Release Date: 2000-09-19

Tracks:

1. With Lady And Friend
2. You're Disguised/Orange Diamond/Northern Gardens/Phil's Little Dance/Northern Gardens
3. Island Of Rhodes/Paper Boat/As If Your Eyes Were Open
4. Extract
5. One End More/Phil's Little Dance/Worlds Of Zin
6. Arriving Twice
7. Notwithstanding
8. Lady And Friend

Customer Reviews:

A fine overlooked Canterbury band.......2000-12-22

Gilgamesh was founded in the early 70s in England by keyboardist Alan Gowen. The band is generally considered a member of the "Canterbury" family of jazz-influenced progressive rock bands. Gilgamesh shares qualities with these groups, such as extended and obtuse yet warm instrumental passages. The fact that Gowen had auditioned for one of the most notable Canterbury bands, Hatfield and The North, reinforces the Canterbury connection. Ultimately, the liner notes tell the story of Gilgamesh as a frustrating one. Gowen wrote much music, which the band rehearsed frequently. However, it had a very difficult time attracting interest from booking agents and record companies, therefore, the public had few opportunities to discover this group. Judging by this collection of demos and miscellaneous recordings, it is a shame that this band was overlooked. Arriving Twice opens with the subtle and winsome "With Lady and Friend" from 1973. Following that is a seventeen minute long medley showcasing the band's capabilities. Although this track has tentative moments that cause the energy level to waver, it must be remembered that these sessions were not meant for public consumption. However, at its best the musical interplay recalls the aforementioned Hatfield and the North, who would have several live collaborations with Gilgamesh the following year. By the time the last four tracks were recorded in 1975, Gilgamesh had taken a great leap in terms of musical presence. The band sounds cohesive and confident; it had played a fair number of shows and live sessions on the BBC, and released an album. This momentum was not enough for some bandmembers, and Gilgamesh dissolved, though a late 70s project led by Gowen released an album under the Gilgamesh banner. Despite the occasionally rough quality of these recordings, this disc adds a welcome volume to the slim discography of a worthwhile forgotten band.

Phenomenal!!!!!!! A welcome addition to the Gilgamesh canon.......2000-09-22

After all these years of just the two Gilgamesh albums (both out on CD, but at times difficult to find) it is wonderful and refreshing to hear (for all intents and purposes) "new" material.

The musicianship and compositions are just as striking as they have always been and even some of the compositions which did appear on their albums are (dare I say it) better here! "One End More / Phil's Little Dance / Worlds Of Zin" may be an example of this.

The liner notes are exceptional as well. A chronological history of the band as told through various long quotes by its members and associates.

This CD is a wonderful augmentation to the two previous releases from this seminal Canterbury band. Although it is a very satisfying listen, in hearing it, one can only wonder of the musical possibilities had Alan Gowan not died so young...

It really does slay me to hear this after all these years. The feeling is similar to me of that of the National Health "Missing Pieces" release from a few years back....years without anything new, and then all of a sudden, wow...same sound, same musicians, but "fresh" material.

If you've never heard the band before, then this CD is a fine place to start. I'm thrilled to have it. Thank you for releasing this....

Classic Canterbury, but too formless.......2000-09-19

This album is made up of some '73 demos (which actually sound pretty good, liner-note protestations about sound quality notwithstanding) and some radio recordings from '74 and '75. (Oddly, the two '74 tracks are mono). The playing and musicianship are first rate. However: Dave Stewart pointed out that he left National Health at one point because Alan Gowen wanted the band to move in a more "free" direction. Hearing this, I can understand those protestations. The compositions are lacking in depth and complexity, with perhaps the exception of the title track, which is only 2 minutes long anyway.

Average customer rating:

Reason of Crying ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000QEIW6O Release Date: 2007-07-31

Average customer rating: A great J-rock group

13's Reborn ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000GPIHXQ Release Date: 2006-10-03

Customer Reviews:

A great J-rock group.......2007-03-30

Girugamesh has a great heavy, hard rock sound, and their songs are catchy. Although I've only heard two of the songs on this particular CD (Owari to Mirai + Aimai na mikaku) I figure it's a good album, and I hope to buy it soon. If you're into good Japanese hard rock, I don't think this will disappoint.

TRACKS:
01. 13
02. Jarring fly
03. shadan
04. mouja NO koushin
05. aimai na mikaku
06. robust conviction
07. ame to fukoumono
08. furubita syashin
09. Deceived mad pain
10. fukai no yami
11. owari to mirai

Average customer rating: Tribal Ritual Opera The Babette's Feast of Classical Music

Per Nørgård: Gilgamesh Manufacturer: Marco Polo ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Scandinavian Languages | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000045QS Release Date: 1993-12-03

Tracks:

1. Gilgamesh: 1. Skabelsen
2. Gilgamesh: 1. Dag
3. Gilgamesh: 1. Aften
4. Gilgamesh: 2. Nat
5. Gilgamesh: 2. Dag
6. Gilgamesh: 2. Aften
7. Gilgamesh: 3. Nat
8. Gilgamesh: 3. Dag
9. Gilgamesh: 3. Aften
10. Gilgamesh: 3. Nat
11. Gilgamesh: 4. Dag
12. Gilgamesh: 4.Aften
13. Gilgamesh: 5. Nat
14. Gilgamesh: 5. Dag
15. Gilgamesh: 5. Aften

Tracks:

1. Gilgamesh: 6.Nat/6. Dag, Skabelsessymfonien
2. Gilgamesh: Soldag
3. Gilgamesh: Manedag
4. Gilgamesh: Marsdag
5. Gilgamesh: Merkurdag
6. Gilgamesh: Jupiterdag
7. Gilgamesh: Venusdag
8. Gilgamesh: Saturndag
9. Gilgamesh: 7. Nat
10. Gilgamesh: 7. Dag
11. Voyage Into The Golden Screen: 1. Sats
12. Voyage Into The Golden Screen: 2. Sats

Customer Reviews:

Tribal Ritual Opera.......2003-02-23

Norgard's music of the 60s and early 70s is really quite in the spirit of the times...trippy, mystical and almost psychedelic. It is also indescribably beautiful. His mathematically based techniques are wedded to an ear for harmony and tone color that match even Gyorg Ligeti in brilliance. But his name was made mostly for his symphonic works. His operas are little known outside of Denmark. Judging by this CD, that is a shame. He is an original stage voice. His work combines theater, choreography and singing into a powerful retelling of the Babylonian epic that is haunting.

Knowledge of Danish is not important in this opera. Most of the libretto consists of short phrases and repeated names from the original text. Rather than telling the story through words, the story is told through choreography, stage pictures and music. The piece is scored for small orchestra and a small corps of singers. They move freely around the performance space, rather than using traditional space. The work begins with an electronic swell in which the orchestra enters in Norgard's trademark undulating fashion. The music unfolds in an exact depiction of the Babylonian creation myth as arresting as the opening of Das Rheingold. Most of the great scenes of Gilgamesh are included, the killing of the wild bull, the jealousy of Inyanna. Particularly stunning are the death of Enkidu and Gilgamesh's descent into the underworld. Norgard's language becomes appropriately dark as it's hero plumbs the greatest depth of human mystery.

Norgard's music is wonderful. He has a beautiful mix of an intellectual rigor that would rival any of the Darmstadt group, married to a lovely harmonic aestetic, which is neither in the tonal or atonal camp, but based rather on Norgard's fractal discoveries. The performances on the CD seem good, if occasionally a little forced. The hardest thing with this though is that the visual aspect of the piece is particularly important. Unfortunately, there is not even a picture of a production to help you visualize how this piece looks. I would welcome a DVD of this in the future.

The second disc in this boxed set is rounded out by another seminal Norgard work, Journey Into the Golden Screen. This piece is Norgard's most clear unfolding of his infinity series. The infinity series is a compositional manipulation that creates a series of notes which have a fractal self-similarity. The series is given to clarinets in running eighth notes, while other instruments hold out every fourth note, or every 8th note. The result is a gentley undulating work in which the slower layers mirror exactly the faster layers. The result is truly hypnotic. Though this work is a one shot deal...later Norgard works had to disguise the infinity series more artfully as Norgard learned to use his technique with subtlety, this is still a lovely and very effective piece and deserves a place next to the wonderful 2nd and 3rd symphonies.

The Babette's Feast of Classical Music.......2002-10-21

As a reviewer of this music I am handicapped by my lack of knowledge about the music itself. For this album I was also handicapped by my lack of knowledge of the language also but here goes.

I first heard of this composer about four months ago through the BBC's monthly 'Music' magazine. Intrigued by the review of a piece by the composer to be played at the annual 'Proms' I ordered a copy of his most "accessible" work, Gilgamesh which recently arrived and has graced my car CD player for almost two weeks.

At first I found the music a little difficult to listen to. In fact I was considerably frustrated especially with the language. Repeated listenings eased my way into this music considerably. After all music is universal. In my youth I had been very fond of the operatic 'Magma' with it's artificial language. Gilgamesh reminded me of those albums. I was struck also by similarities with some of the modern British composers such as Finnissy, Barret and Brian.

Norgard is not the easiest of composers to listen too, the music harsh and strident at timesyet offset by the creative use of the voice. It often proposes a bleak and dour landscape much like Kurt Vonnegut's earlier novels. The structures are sheer like cliffs against which thunderous tides smash against with tremendous force.

Yet there is also an inner serenity about this music. A somewhat rareified lunar soundscape if you will much like the eye of a hurricane contained within the whirl of the instruments. It is this which I find to be so reminiscent of Babette's Feast. The bleak landscape is only brightened by the trancendental nature of the feast. With Norgard it is the music which carries within itself the trancendental inner core of peace and beauty.

It certainly is a challenge to come to grips with this music intellectually but the struggle is well worth it. I approach his other compositions with mixed emotions, trepidation and exhilirating anticipation. I will let readers know what I find but in the meantime this composer has certainly captured my imagination.

Average customer rating: Fine Version of Great Choral Work - but get it on Naxos!

The Epic of Gilgamesh Manufacturer: Marco Polo ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Martinu | Martinu, Bohuslav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000045W5 Release Date: 1992-12-17

Tracks:

1. Bass Solo & Chorus
2. Bass Solo & Chorus
3. Bass Solo
4. Chorus / Speaker
5. Bass Solo
6. Chorus
7. Tenor Solo
8. Bass Solo & Chorus
9. Soprano Solo
10. Tenor Solo
11. Chorus
12. Speaker & Tenor Solo
13. Tenor Solo & Chorus
14. Chorus
15. Baritone Solo
16. Chorus & Baritone Solo
17. Chorus
18. Baritone Solo
19. Chorus
20. Introduction
21. Soprano Solo
22. Baritone Solo
23. Speaker & Chorus
24. Soprano Solo, Chorus & Speaker
25. Baritone Solo & Chorus
26. Baritone Solo & Chorus
27. Baritone Solo & Chorus
28. Baritone Solo & Chorus
29. Baritone & Bass Soli With Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Fine Version of Great Choral Work - but get it on Naxos!.......2004-06-13

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" (1954-55) is a magnificent piece for 4 soloists, chorus and orchestra, one of the "undiscovered masterpieces" of 20th century choral music. The score shows Martinu at the height of his mature powers, responding at every turn to his chosen text - excerpts from the ancient Babylonian tale of the hero Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu - with music of tremendous power, imagination and directness.
Martinu set an English translation by R. Campbell Thompson, written in deliberately "archaic" language which emphasizes its mystery and distance from the present day; the composer even preserved places where the text trails off in mid-sentence, indicating a gap in the surviving tablets. Part One starts with a text in praise of Gilgamesh, then tells how the primitive innocent, Enkidu, is seduced by a courtesan, thus severing his natural connection with his animal companions, and how Enkidu comes to the city and engages Gilgamesh in one-on-one combat. Part Two tells of the death of Enkidu - now Gilgamesh's beloved friend - and Part Three of Gilgamesh's search for immortality, and his questioning of Enkidu, raised from the earth at Gilgamesh's request by his father, the Moon God Enlil.
These episodes are shrewdly chosen to give Martinu a chance to write a wide range of music, all orchestrated with this composer's customary brilliance: from the warm pastoral idyll of Enkidu's initial life, through the sensuality of his seduction, to the violence of his duel with Gilgamesh; then the sober, compassionate contemplation of Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh's anguish at his loss and the discovery of his own mortality, to the truly otherworldly chill of Enkidu's return, with his unvarying answer to each of Gilgamesh's questions: "I saw, I saw..." This is one of many riveting passages in a score of uniformly high quality and interest.
Both available recordings of "The Epic of Gilgamesh" are sung in the Czech translation by Ferdinand Pujman. Both are very good performances. This 1989 version on Marco Polo has in fact been reissued on Naxos, where it's not only cheaper but comes with significantly improved booklet materials, containing the full sung (Czech) text as well as the English version; Marco Polo has only the latter. Also worth considering is the slightly more expensive Supraphon version, in luxurious 1976 analog sound. I can't really recommend one over the other - each one reveals different aspects of a rich work - but I do recommend that you give "The Epic of Gilgamesh" a try.

Average customer rating: Warm Interpretation of Choral Masterpiece

Martinu: The Epic of Gilgamesh Manufacturer: Supraphon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Martinu | Martinu, Bohuslav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B00000JMZA Release Date: 1994-05-31

Customer Reviews:

Warm Interpretation of Choral Masterpiece.......2004-06-13

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" (1954-55) is a magnificent piece for 4 soloists, chorus and orchestra, one of the "undiscovered masterpieces" of 20th century choral music. The score shows Martinu at the height of his mature powers, responding at every turn to his chosen text - excerpts from the ancient Babylonian tale of the hero Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu - with music of tremendous power, imagination and directness.
Martinu set an English translation by R. Campbell Thompson, written in deliberately "archaic" language which emphasizes its mystery and distance from the present day; the composer even preserved places where the text trails off in mid-sentence, indicating a gap in the surviving tablets. Part One starts with a text in praise of Gilgamesh, then tells how the primitive innocent, Enkidu, is seduced by a courtesan, thus severing his natural connection with his animal companions, and how Enkidu comes to the city and engages Gilgamesh in one-on-one combat. Part Two tells of the death of Enkidu - now Gilgamesh's beloved friend - and Part Three of Gilgamesh's search for immortality, and his questioning of Enkidu, raised from the earth at Gilgamesh's request by his father, the Moon God Enlil.
These episodes are shrewdly chosen to give Martinu a chance to write a wide range of music, all orchestrated with this composer's customary brilliance: from the warm pastoral idyll of Enkidu's initial life, through the sensuality of his seduction, to the violence of his duel with Gilgamesh; then the sober, compassionate contemplation of Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh's anguish at his loss and the discovery of his own mortality, to the truly otherworldly chill of Enkidu's return, with his unvarying answer to each of Gilgamesh's questions: "I saw, I saw..." This is one of many riveting passages in a score of uniformly high quality and interest.
Both available recordings of "The Epic of Gilgamesh" are sung in the Czech translation by Ferdinand Pujman. Both are very good performances. This one finds conductor Jiri Belohlavek in expansive form, with fine work from the Prague Symphony Orchestra and (especially) the Czech Philharmonic Chorus, which sounds sizeable. The soloists are a good team. What is most striking about the CD, however, is the 1976 analog recording, which is warm, reverberant (but well focused) and really plunges the listener into the midst of the orchestra. On the other hand, the voice of the narrator (speaker) is clearly "dropped in" rather like a radio announcer; not ideal but not terribly disruptive.
The Naxos recording, a 1989 all-digital version first issued on Marco Polo - Naxos has better booklet materials - has Zdenek Kosler leading a brisker reading in a strikingly different acoustic, very much what you might expect to hear in an actual concert hall, with the speaker's voice well integrated into the overall sound picture.
I can't really recommend one over the other - each one reveals different aspects of a rich work -but I do recommend that you give one of these recordings a try.

Average customer rating:

Reason of Crying ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000QEIW6Y Release Date: 2007-07-24

Average customer rating: Note

Epic of Gilgamesh ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Middle East | International | Styles | Music ASIN: B0009MBD1Y Release Date: 2005-06-21

Album Description

The 'Epic Of Gilgamesh' is the most famous work that survives from ancient Mesopotania. It tells us the story of a friendship born of a rivalry and developed is situations of extreme peril and adventures undertaken together, but that ultimately ends in death. Features a total of 33 tracks. Doumtak. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Note.......2006-09-29

This particular import is in Arabic. The description does not allude to this very important fact. I wish I understood Arabic, because the story is sung to music. I'm giving it 3 stars because it does sound beautiful, but it is virtually useless if you do not understand the language.

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