General Info:
This Moscow acoustic collective, playing "music of Elves and Faerie" and "new barocco", was formed in 1996. In the same year they recorded the album "Zerkalo" (Mirror), the material of which was closer to avant-garde neoclassic music. Beautiful female vocals and only live instruments have always been the distinctive feature of the group (there are 10 musicians in this group). The second album "Elvenmusic" was created in 1997-1999 and the group performs songs from this album at concerts, soon it will be released on CD in France, at Prikosnovenie label. Judging by certain compositions of this work, the sound of the group is closer to medieval/baroque/ethereal directions. One of the tracks from "Elvenmusic" called "Princess Mee" was released on Russian Gothic Compilation CD in 2000. In february 2000 band have finished the recording of the new album "Songs of Innocence and Experience" using the poetry of William Blake.
Discography:
"Zerkalo (Mirror)" - 1996 (self released album)
"Elvenmusic" - 1999 (not released)
"Songs of Innocence and Experience" - 2000 (self released album)
Compilations:
Russian Gothic Compilation - "Princess Mee" - 2000 (CD)
Music:
"Zerkalo (Mirror)" - 1996 (self released album)
Waltz (2:23)
Introduction-2 (3:11)
"Elvenmusic" - 1999 (not released)
Princess Mee (2:56)
The Last Dance (2:53)
Song of the Wind (3:11)
"Songs of Innocence and Experience" - 2000 (not released)
The Echoing Green
The Little Girl Found
Reviews:
CAPRICE "Zerkalo (Mirror)" - 1996
The debut album of a Moscow band called Caprice, "Mirror", was first released on MC only, on the expenses of the musicians themselves; only lately they made the CD version with one bonus track ("I Want to Wait"). Frankly speaking, the content of this album cannot be called "elvenmusic", though there are some fragments of it featuring small instrumentals like "Interlude" and "Waltz". The musical material of this CD is much more spooky and hopeless than the one of the next album, "Songs of Innocence and Experience", and only short and rare embeddings of airy instrumentals make it a little bit less depressive.
In contrast to its descendant, whose lyrics belonged to the pen of William Blake, all lyrics and music of "Mirror" were written by Anton, and are in Russian. Right here I'd like to mention that the Russian language still doesn't suit the music of the kind, except some rare cases. And although the wonderful voice of Inna Brejestovskaya dramatically conveys all feeling and emotions to the listener, the Russian lyrics sounds clumsy and not to the point, although this could be excused to the debut album.
In general, this is a very worthy album: spooky neoclassical arrangements, strong vocals, and evident mastery of the eight musicians promise good impressions, and even some shortcomings don't spoil the general atmosphere. Strongly recommended to all lovers of serious spooky music.
A band from Moscow CAPRICE, that plays very beautiful and charming music in neoclassical wave, in the beginning of the year 2000 presented to the public its second album, that has a long name "Songs of Innocence and Experience" with William Blake's lyrics. The band consists of seven (!) members is guided by Anton Brzhestovski, who has not played any instrumental part on the album, but acted only as a composer. Caprice have creatively revised the heritage of the writer and again made us enjoy beautiful airy melodies and bright waterfalls of lyrics, that are flowing elegantly down the stave. The magnificence of live acoustics created by multiple instruments, among which are the wind (flute, oboe), as well as string instruments (violin, cello) and charming plays of wonderful Inna Brzhetovskaya's voice entwine the listener like thick fog from the very first minutes and don't let go till the very end, making the imagination create bright images of the epochs gone by, when great artists and poets created Beauty. First of all, one is impressed by musical maturity and monolith concept of the album. There is nothing redundant, and even though every song is all-sufficient, together they form an indivisible alloy of a concept work, where one can neither add nor cut anything. No doubt, it's more than just a worthful musical monument to a great poet. Soft keyboard plays, bland sounds of violin, magnificent voice, great lyrics by the English poet, set to wonderful music - what might be better? Just the next album of Caprice, to Tolkien's lyrics, that will be released in the nearest future. Still - enjoy the charming sounds of "Songs of Innocence and Experience" that remind you with hint of sadness of the Past, when everything was not like it is now.
Links:
Line-up:
Inna Brezhestovskaya - vocals
Vladimir Bobovnikov - flute
Vlad Kommissarchuk - oboe
Valery Vasiliev - clarnet
Alexander Kolomietz - basson
Irina Sotliarova - harp
Maria Voronina - keyboards
Alexandra Korzina - violin
Alexey Grigoriev - cello
Anton Brezhestovsky - music
Contacts:
address: 15-242, Eltitskaya str., Moscow, 121552, Russia
e-mail: elvencaprice@mail.ru
