Philip Glass and Robert Moran - The Juniper Tree
List Price:
Our Price: $12.67
You Save: $6.32 (33%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $11.25 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: Philip Glass and Robert MoranComposer: Philip Glass and Robert Moran
Conductor: Richard Pittmann
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2009-04-14
Music Label: Orange Mountain Music
Soundtracks:
- Act I - Prologue -Glass
- Act I - Scene 1 - Moran
- Act I - Scene 2 - Moran
- Act I - Scene 3 - Glass
- Act I - Bird Song - Glass
- Act I - Epilogue - Moran
- Act II - Scene 1 - Glass
- Act II - Interlude - Moran
- Act II - Scene 2 - Moran
- Act II - Final Scene - Trio Moran
Free Music Notes for The Juniper Tree
Free Music Review: I waited 24 years for this album to be recorded
Hit: 5 Stars
I had the good fortune to be present at the world premier of this opera in 1985. I left the performance mesmerized, with the haunting refrain ("Mama killed me/ Papa ate me/ Little sister bundled my bones/ Under the Juniper/ Look, I'm a pretty bird!") running through my head, and I vowed to buy the recording as soon as it came out. But although I kept looking, it was never released... until this past spring. I'm not sure why this remained unrecorded for so long; perhaps it has something to do with the depressing nature of the opera, which is based on a fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm. The plot is pretty much summarized in the quote I give above: Evil, jealous stepmother schemes to kill the boy; sister is unwittingly made an accomplice in the plan and suffers great guilt; boy returns in the form of a bird to wreak revenge. Although the opera has a happy ending (or, more accurately, what passes for a happy ending in a Grimm Brothers fairy tale), the overall tone is definitely dark.
But it is dark in a beautiful way. Fans of Philip Glass should consider this an essential purchase. The standout track, in my opinion, is Act II, Scene I, a 7 minute tour de force as the lead soprano sings the refrain quoted above and is joined eventually by many of the villagers. The music is powerful, both emotionally and lyrically, so much so that I was impressed that my memory of it from 24 years earlier turned out to be remarkably accurate. The music is trademark Glass: relentless arpeggios performed by strings in ominous keys. While it is easy to tell which sections were composed by Glass and which were composed by his collaborator, Robert Moran, Moran's contributions hold their own and add greatly to the overall musicality of the opera.
Bottom line: If you are not a fan of Glass, or minimalism in general, you probably won't like this album. But I think "The Juniper Tree" is one of the great modern operas, and I am delighted to see this underrated gem finally enter the recorded archives.
Classical Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Classical Music CDs
Winterscapesby London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.74
Price in other shops:
The Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebeeby Dini Petty
Childrens Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.40
Price in other shops:
Classical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs CdrRelease date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $25.98
Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99
![Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS] Image](/images/Jose-Carreras-Jubileum-Concert-VHS-1584481471-X.jpg){kind=small}
Jose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.87
Price in other shops:
![Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS] Image](/images/Tchaikovsky-The-Nutcracker-Nureyev-Park-Royal-Ballet-VHS-156127092X-X.jpg){kind=small}
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.94
Price in other shops:
![Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS] Image](/images/Lonely-Town-Lonley-Street-Sergeant-Early-Dream-VHS-1561270857-X.jpg){kind=small}
Rambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $24.99
Price in other shops:
Winter Music: Composing the Northby John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $23.62
Price in other shops:
![Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] Image](/images/Puccini-La-Fanciulla-del-West-Santi-Domingo-Neblett-Royal-Opera-Covent-Garden-VHS-0769720382-X.jpg){kind=small}
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] Image](/images/Verdi-Falstaff-Giulini-Bruson-Ricciarelli-Nucci-Royal-Opera-Covent-Garden-VHS-0769720358-X.jpg){kind=small}
Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.95
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Philip Glass; Landestheater Linz; Bruckner Orchester Linz - Philip Glass : The Voyage: An Opera in Three ActsRelease date: 2006-06-20; Music CD
Best price: $10.61
Price in other shops:
Leonard Cohen, Philip Glass - Glass: Book of LongingRelease date: 2007-12-11; Music CD
Best price: $15.20
Price in other shops:
Philip Glass - Glass: In the Upper RoomRelease date: 2009-03-03; Music CD
Best price: $12.48
Price in other shops:
Michael Rafferty, Music Theatre Wales - Glass: In the Penal ColonyRelease date: 2011-12-27; Music CD
Best price: $13.12
Price in other shops:
Philip Glass - Glass: Orphee (Complete Opera Recording)Release date: 2010-07-20; Music CD
Best price: $18.51
Price in other shops:
Glass; Wu Man; Chang; Feeney; Rejto; Sher; Cook - Philip Glass: Theater Music from the Philip Glass Recording Archive, Vol. 1Release date: 2007-04-24; Music CD
Best price: $7.79
Price in other shops:
Philip Glass - Glass: Symphony No.7 'Toltec'Release date: 2009-10-26; Music CD
Best price: $9.49
Price in other shops:
Glass: KeplerRelease date: 2011-02-08; Music CD
Best price: $21.37
Price in other shops:
Philip Glass - Glass: A Madrigal OperaRelease date: 2009-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $12.97
Price in other shops:
Philip Glass - Philip Glass: Waiting for the BarbariansRelease date: 2008-06-03; Music CD
Best price: $14.50
Price in other shops: