All Music Guide

Lest the consumer be boondoggled, it should be made clear that Naxos' Sonic Rebellion: Alternative Classical Collection is not to be confused with Naxos' Sonic Rebellion: Alternative Classical Collection. The albums can be distinguished in this way: the former has a bluish design on white, while the latter has the identical design in maroon on white and is sold exclusively by Barnes & Noble. Beyond that, and the fact that they are both samplers of contemporary selections from Naxos and a few other labels, the albums have absolutely nothing in common, with no overlap of repertoire. This review concerns the maroon Barnes & Noble version. It provides a broadly diverse collection of selections from some of the most enduring modern classical repertoire, with emphasis on works that are user-friendly; there's no aurally aggressive modernism on display here, so listeners looking for Stockhausen or Elliott Carter will have to turn elsewhere. Except for movements from Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time," George Antheil's "Serenade for String Orchestra #1," and Cage's "Sonata 13," all the pieces are from the last third of the twentieth century through the first few years of the twenty-first. There's a nice mix of vocal/choral, orchestral, and chamber music, and the performances are consistently excellent. The prevailing mood is one of quiet and elegiac introspection; multi-movement works are generally represented by their slow movements. Adams' "Short Ride in a Fast Machine," which opens the album, is the only piece that could be categorized as having high energy. The blue version, on the other hand, tends to favor more animated works. One drawback of both collections is that while they cite the albums from which the selections are taken, they don't list performers. The sound varies somewhat between tracks in terms of volume, but the quality is never less than adequate. Like the blue version, this makes an excellent introduction to many of the audience-friendly trends in recent composition. Both albums offer a mix of very familiar and somewhat obscure pieces, so they may well introduce even an avid new music fan to some unfamiliar repertoire. The two albums complement each other well, so anyone looking for a broad sample of contemporary music would do well to own both. Stephen Eddins

All Music Guide

Lest the consumer be boondoggled, it should be made clear that Naxos' Sonic Rebellion: Alternative Classical Collection is not be confused with Naxos' Sonic Rebellion: Alternative Classical Collection. The albums can be distinguished in this way: the former has a bluish design on white, while the latter has the identical design in maroon on white and is sold exclusively by Barnes & Noble. Beyond that, and the fact that they are both samplers of contemporary selections from Naxos and a few other labels, the albums have absolutely nothing in common, with no overlap of repertoire. This review concerns the maroon Barnes & Noble version. It provides a broadly diverse collection of selections from some of the most enduring modern classical repertoire, with emphasis on works that are user-friendly; there's no aurally aggressive modernism on display here, so listeners looking for Stockhausen or Elliott Carter will have to turn elsewhere. Except for movements from Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time," George Antheil's "Serenade for String Orchestra #1," and Cage's "Sonata 13," all the pieces are from the last third of the twentieth century through the first few years of the twenty-first. There's a nice mix of vocal/choral, orchestral, and chamber music, and the performances are consistently excellent. The prevailing mood is one of quiet and elegiac introspection; multi-movement works are generally represented by their slow movements. Adams' "Short Ride in a Fast Machine," which opens the album, is the only piece that could be categorized as having high energy. The blue version, on the other hand, tends to favor more animated works. One drawback of both collections is that while they cite the albums from which the selections are taken, they don't list performers. The sound varies somewhat between tracks in terms of volume, but the quality is never less than adequate. Like the blue version, this makes an excellent introduction to many of the audience-friendly trends in recent composition. Both albums offer a mix of very familiar and somewhat obscure pieces, so they may well introduce even an avid new music fan to some unfamiliar repertoire. The two albums complement each other well, so anyone looking for a broad sample of contemporary music would do well to own both. Stephen Eddins