by Bret Love
Composed for a live theater/dance production about the tragic life of Austrian artist Egon Schiele, the gentle majesty of Music for Egon Schiele is a welcome change of pace for anyone bored with popular music forms, transporting the listener's mood entirely. Rachel's weaves a delicate but highly moving musical fabric that wraps itself around you tightly and pulls you in, simultaneously cradling you lovingly while haunting you with its melancholy ambiance. At times, the emotionally rich compositions work as effectively as any ballet score to tell the artist's tragic story (related in the liner notes, which also include copies of some of her most famous pieces). It is to pianist Rachel Grimes' credit that her pieces convey a stirring sense of drama and vivid imagery that perfectly match her subject. Highly recommended.