XENAKIS, IANNIS s/t (Edition RZ) 2cd 25.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

ZORN, JOHN Chimeras (Tzadik) cd 16.98
A 20th-century (not 21st, as it specifically references Schoenberg and others from the 1900s) chamber piece composed by avant-jazz-maestro John Zorn in 2001. Scored for virtuoso female voice along with various combinations of piccolo, piano, flute, celeste, violin, cello, percussion (hi Willy!), organ, clarinet, etc. Conceptually, Zorn employs an Oulipo-inspired conceit here: each movement is prohibited from using a particular pitch, making a musical lipogram of sorts. Sonically, this is quite nice, if you're partial to soprano wordless aaaa-aaahh-ah-ah operatic type vocals continually soaring over mysterious horror movie strings, atonal piano, randomly struck bells, everything very ominous and dramatic and high-art beautiful. There's sound effects (wind machines??) and rustling percussion that add some pleasing "glitch" to the proceedings. Maybe you don't buy a 20th century classical disc everyday, but this would be nice one to keep your Jonathan Bepler "Cremaster" soundtracks company...
This does make us wonder, do academic composer aficionados feel about Zorn doing stuff like this the same way some of us felt about Faith No More's Mike Patton doing "Zorn" type stuff?
MPEG Stream: "Five"

ZORN, JOHN Love, Madness and Mysticism (Tzadik) cd 16.98
Three new compositions by Zorn, wonderfully executed by Jennifer Choi (violin), Erik Friedlander (cello), and Stephen Drury (piano). As to be expected, these pieces range from subtly beauty to harsh dissonance, just as the title might suggest: madness and love. Mysticism? We'll leave that for you to discover. Recommended, as this is definitely one of the better Zorn releases of this year. From the accompanying obi strip: "Definitive performances of three dynamic new chamber pieces pushing the boundaries of virtuosity and intensity. Le Mômo, for violin and piano is a work of extremes, a ritual about exorcism and possession inspired by the works of visionary 20th Century shaman Antonin Artaud. Untitled, dedicated to Joseph Cornell, the hermetic New York artist whose delirious box constructions mix innocent nostalgia with uncomfortable personal obsessions, is a tour de force for solo cello brilliantly performed by Erik Friedlander. The piano trio Amour Fou explores love -- obsessive love, mad love, doomed love in a compendium of moods ranging from Buñuel to Bataille, Scriabin to Messiaen. A mysterious and romantic new direction from John Zorn."
RealAudio clip: "Amour Fou"