I was lucky to witness a live performance, so I can recall the images. However, there is much to be enjoyed by everyone, but I can imagine it needs time and effort if you're not yet familiar with the whole idea behind The Cave. My advise is:
read the booklet, hear the voices, listen to the music, feel the emotions. enjoy!


Overbearing and dreary...   March 6, 2001
svf
14 out of 19 found this review helpful

I'm disappointed to report that the first major Steve Reich work to appear in quite some time is a total drag. I hope his music doesn't continue down this dead-end path. The rhythmic and harmonic freshness and appeal heard in such brilliant and varied pieces as Different Trains, Music for 18 Musicians, Octet, and The Desert Music is distilled here into short episodes of watered-down Reich-isms. The spoken samples that were so seamlessly interwoven into Different Trains just sort of sit there in The Cave. And the socio-spiritual elements are totally overbearing, dragging the music down further. Steve Reich has always been one of my favorite composers...I hope he finds a way to develop his unique style more successfully in future projects. It's somewhat disturbing that the most interesting Steve Reich release in the past 10 years was all remixes by other artists. I think he should re-focus on the music and avoid musical-theatre concepts like "The Cave".


Uncompelling   January 23, 2000
Susan R Murray (New York, NY)
4 out of 16 found this review helpful

This music is hard to listen to. Perhaps the performance was better. Fans of pop-minimalism won't like this CD set.