Newyorker Peter Lieberson could not deny the huge influence which, both over his work as well his life, has the budist teachings and history, specially the related with the Tibet, and although his musical style unveil closer influences to certain Stravinsky works than to the tibetan mantras, there is no doubt of the evident intentions of his music, and of the terrific balance achieved between two so distant worlds. A speaked opera over a Douglas Penick text, fascinating in some moments, on which a unique voice takes charge of all the characters in it, King Gesar comes through as a suggestion and comission from Hans Werner Henze for the Munich Biennal, and make use of a equillibrated chamber group which surround and give dramatic sense to the narrator of the piece along its seven sections. The mixture of cultures, west-east, with a very special and balanced part of the narrator (who only sings when embody the Gesar part), finds its perfect representation through a stupendous group of players under the baton of the composer himself, standing out the figures of the excellents Peter Serkin (Lieberson's personal friend) and Yo-Yo Ma. Very recommendable.

Omar Ebrahim (Narrator) - Yo-Yo Ma (Cello) - Peter Serkin (Piano) - Emanuel Ax (Piano) - András Adorján (Flute/Piccolo) - Deborah Marshall (Clarinets) - William Purvis (English Horn) - David Taylor (Trombone) - Stefan Hüge (Percussion) - Conductor: Peter Lieberson
SONY CLASSICAL 01-057971-10 / 55'

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