When hearing a wordless album like Serenade, each song will invoke different emotions and thoughts for different listeners. The good thing is, for most listeners Serenade will bring forth some sort of an emotional reaction. Often times, instrumental albums are designed to showcase the expertise of the artists and focus on the musical content is lost. When M Zachary Johnson composed Serenade it is evident that he never lost sight of his musical vision.
This isn’t to say that Brian Horner and Elizabeth Avery are not masters of their instruments. On “Grand Sonata II – Scherzo” Horner’s alto saxophone dances and bounces around the piano with such quickness and precision that each note seems to appear in a flash and then vanish, making room for the next to make its point. On Avery’s solo piano piece “Solitude” she demonstrates her ability to control the mood, guiding the listener seamlessly through the highs and the lows of the music. When it comes to the composition of Serenade and the technical abilities of the musicians, Serenade delivers.
This album’s flaws may lie in its pursuit of perfection. With everything so carefully planned and mapped out for the musicians, there is little room for them to let loose and expose the human side of the music. Their expertise sometimes borders on robotic, and although the music is beautiful, it lacks any real points of climax that stick with the listener.
Serenade is executed very well but with such rigid structure, the human element can get lost. For lovers of piano or saxophone, this album should be very well received. It features two very talented players, and allows for each instrument to reveal its diversity. For the average listener, the album might be best for background music at a romantic dinner.
MuzikReviews.com Contributor- Jacob Moore
October 12, 2008
