Dream of the Orient

The juxtaposition of selections, like the combination of two different ensembles, is more than the sum of its parts . . . It seems that the musicians learned something about music in blending their disparate styles. --Record Review / J. F. Weber, Fanfare (Tenafly, NJ) / 01 November 2003

"Dream of the Orient" is a concept album that works . . . Believe me, folks, the real Turkish music we hear on this disc is a far cry from its supposed Viennese counterpart, especially the hair-raising overture to "Die Entführung aus dem Serail". It's a fascinating disc. --Record Review / George Chien, Fanfare (Tenafly, NJ) / 01 November 2004

The dialectic between the real thing -- whose hypnotic, moaning vocalism and exotic harmonies suggest a kind of suspended animation -- and its European derivatives creates a stimulating tension. Even more intriguing, the European works are performed with the Turkish percussion players, whose Eastern sense of rhythm . . . makes pieces like Mozart's Overture to the "Abduction from the Seraglio" sound almost as if they're swung by a big band. --Record Review / Barrymore Laurence Scherer, Wall Street Journal Leisure & Arts / 03 June 2003

MP3 320 · 142 MB