Stockhausen: Mantra

Mantra, by Karlheinz Stockhausen, performed by Bevan, Mikashoff ★★
You can call this music post-modern serialism, but a more accurate category would be -weird-. It is music that works, is fascinating, and certainly demands some talent to perform, but is best used as a CD that you would give to somebody that you find to be putridly disgusting, but are obliged to buy them a gift. It’s not something that you would just throw on for pleasure listening. If you look at the ratings that this CD received on Amazon.com, there are a lot of 5-star reviews. Stockhausen has his devout followers. Like some post-modern composers, it is NOT noise. It is different. The performance is with two pianos and electronics. I’m not sure, but perhaps the electronics were used on the pianists. This is not the first album to purchase for a smaller collection of classical music. For my collection, it is a must. Some day, my great-grandchildren will whip out Mantra, and view it like Beethoven’s 9th. Until then, I’ll leave it neatly stored in its shelf space, awaiting those great-grandchildren.