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review by Bill Binkelman Sarah Swersey's solo flute album, Nightingale, is - in a word - enchanting. And I mean that almost in the literal sense. Her playing of the silver flute could literally hold you spellbound. These ten "lullaby improvisations" are way too lovely for me to adequately describe with words. The music on Nightingale is the epitome of ambient music, in that it can be played as "sonic wallpaper" (for example, as a sleep aid for either children or adults) or actively listened to, where full enjoyment of Swersey's abundant technical talent and soulful playing will be your reward. No tracks on the album are uptempo, although some are more somber and restrained (and less structured) than others. The collection of pieces includes variations of traditional lullabies (from other cultures, e.g. Yiddish and Spanish) as well as originals (the sixteen-minute "Nina's Peace, dedicated to Sarah's deceased cousin, is an album highlight). All the tracks on the album are excellent - I couldn't pick a favorite easily, although the aforementioned "Nina's Peace" is particularly evocative, along with "Little Blue" and "Luna Llena." Many of the songs have a somber or even melancholic feel to them, which is counterbalanced, of course, by the sheer beauty of the silver flute. As a result of this "balance," the music is both soothing and also deeply touching. In that way, while completely unlike Tim Story's music, it mirrors the impact of the Ohio-based miniaturist/neo-chamber composer's evocative compositions. While Swersey's and Story's music is world's apart literally, the shared emotional "neutrality" of melodic melancholy and classic "beauty" of both artist's work is identical. When listening to "Alef Bais" (a Yiddish children's song) it hit me how "universal" this music is. After all, what is more all-encompassing than the relationship between an artist playing a centuries old instrument and her audience? Is there a culture that doesn't have its own version of this storied instrument (from the Far East to India to the Great Plains of America, there are many variations of the flute yet all are united by the beauty and peace their music can evoke). Peace and beauty are the predominant emotions evoked while playing of Nightingale. "Nina's Peace" is, simply, stunning in its stark beauty - interwoven with textures of grief, acceptance, and even subtle joy, all accomplished on this single wind instrument. Amazing! You'd think that an entire album of solo silver flute would be monotonous (especially given that these compositions are all lullabies). There's no denying the similarity that all the songs on Nightingale exhibit - so if you're not someone who enjoys flute music, you may not enjoy this recording as much as I do. Yet, I also consider this to be a "pure" ambient recording; it can be beneficial when played simply as "musical coloring" for an environment. When I played it at work, the gentle melodicism of Swersey's flute had a positive effect on me even when I was unconscious of the music itself. In other words, if you choose to play this in the background, it's fairly unobtrusive. Worthy of special note is that the CD was co-produced by cello virtuoso David Darling. Consequently, the album itself sounds excellent. Just the right amount of reverb is added to the flute to give it a touch of spaciousness. So, really, no matter how you slice it, Nightingale is a rewarding album. Flute lovers can enjoy Sarah Swersey's wonderful improvisations and linger on every note, savoring both the beauty of tracks as recognizable as "Brahm's Lullaby" or originals like "Magical Fish." Those seeking less participatory musical accompaniment to gentle activities or sleep-inducing music for young ones will appreciate the gentility of Sarah's playing and the thread of softness that runs throughout the entire CD. Either way, Nightingale is a delight and I recommend it highly. |
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