By Ethan Iverson

On fred, three Fredric Rzweski chamber compositions get persuasive performances by the Chicago group eighth blackbird. “Les Moutons de Parnurge” (1969) is a game piece. The score is simply a 65-note unison melody, which is for any number of players playing any kind of instrument. The directions are this: play the first note, play the first two notes, play the first three notes, and so on until you reach all 65, at which point you start subtracting a note each time you go through.

By Peter Burwasser

Several years ago, I attended a live performance of Steve Reich’s Different Trains played by the dedicatees, the Kronos String Quartet. I had the same reaction as I did the first time I heard the Kronos play it; the piece moved me deeply, haunted me, actually, and in doing so succeeded as a unique and accessible work of music. I continue to consider it a masterpiece. After the performance, I ran into the producer of the concert, whom I know, and expressed my admiration for the music. His response floored me. “I hated it. It doesn’t work at all as a piece of music.”

The Want List 2006 — William Zagorski
Fanfare Magazine
November/December 2006

The six-person ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, masterfully realizes three of Frederic Rzewski’s works.

By Aaron Green, Classical Music Guide

This album is truly a work of art. At first, I wasn’t thrilled about the music. Honestly, this type of music isn’t my cup of tea… or so I thought. Coming back to the album the next day having read the album notes, I was able to appreciate what my ears were hearing. The music suddenly made sense to me. And I love it.