Press Quotes
“...a wonderful Land’s End Ensemble concert, Land’s End certainly did justice to the work, particularly at the furious climactic points of the piece...”
“If you want to see a contemporary music ensemble perform provocative, brilliant, relevant work, with an eye for the narrative that means the most to our cultural plurocracy, then look no further than this bold ensemble who does it all”.
“Bolstered by great performances by the core piano trio and guests, Bell’s music shimmers and shrieks, grumbles and growls.”
“The Land’s End players, with guest clarinetist James Campbell, revel in the music’s spiky energies and unusual demands. They’ve clearly absorbed the aesthetic of these pieces, and their underlying explorations of time and spirituality. Bell delights in the savage and the strange aspects of nature, and of the creatures who inhabit it.”
“The marquee work was Alfred Schnittke’s Cello Sonata No. 1, ably tackled by Beth Root Sandvoss in a mature interpretation of considerable depth.(…) Mr. Lowry and Ms. Sandvoss are to be commended for some of the finest duet playing one might hear in the New Music landscape nowadays. The result was not just a simple satirical exposition of this repertoire but rather, in a cumulative sense, a performance in which the ensemble smartly out-Paganinied Paganini”
“The work that Land’s End Ensemble is doing in the support of music in the Calgary community and through it’s recording the listening community at large is an important part of the Alberta arts scene (…) and makes a lasting impact on the future of music in Alberta.”
“Land’s End … are without doubt amongst those who are positioning Alberta as an emerging and vibrant artistic milieu.”
“The music in Two-Bit was fantastic in the experimental, edgy style of the Land’s End Chamber Ensemble. Neither their music, nor their lyrics pull any punches.”
“…a leading purveyor of both contemporary and 20th century repertoire with proven audience appeal.”
“One outstanding feature of this CD (My Life in Widening Circles) is the search for truth one senses in both the compositions and their respective performances; another outstanding feature is the top-notch quality of music-making here. We have much intelligence and passion implicit in these five performances.”
Four Degrees of Freedom Winner of the 2005 Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Classical Recording!
“Land’s End Chamber Ensemble’s first recording … is an impressive début, with first-rate performances and excellent production. The repertoire is a bold selection, saying, ‘We’re here, we’re good, we’re happy to entertain you and just as happy to challenge you'”
Rollin’ down #1 Winner of the 2006 Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Classical Recording!
“…the diversity and range of styles are huge, like the landscape. And somehow the vast prairies and the optimistic soul of Western Canada are nicely caught…It’s a labour of love for this group and it shows. I’ll give it the full 5 stars.”
“It all culminated in one of the longest, most heartfelt standing ovations I have seen around town for a long time.”
“…a group that combines accomplishment and curiosity…”
“The ensemble playing is immaculate and the blending of sound is enhanced by the fact that all three instruments were constructed by the same luthier, Christopher Sandvoss, who was also the producer of the recording session.”