If, like me, the thought of Max Richter having full use and control of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra fills you with a child-like sense of excitement and glee, then don?t bother with this review? just track down a copy of ?Memoryhouse?.

German-born, and of Scottish upbringing, ?Memoryhouse? is Richter?s first official solo release, and is an absolutely exemplary form of what he calls ?post-classical?. A 65-minute, 18-track behemoth of a debut, it is all composed and produced solely by Richter himself. It is a self-proclaimed ?imagined journey through the story of the last century?, which seems like a daunting and near impossible image to portray. But Richter pinpoints moments, memories and influences in his own life, to map these 18 pieces out. Personal, literary, and musical experiences rain down heavily throughout; there are always many intertwining themes.

There are two themes in particular which are more prominent and which the music is structured around, the first being the opening piece ?Europe After The Rain?, which recurs in various forms throughout; the second being ?the slow pulse on the bass drum?. Richter claims that this is taken from a quote, from an event in the life of Mahler: in 1908 Mahler witnessed a funeral procession outside of his hotel room window that was accompanied only by a single bass drum.

The results are a staggering, wonderfully complex, expertly thought-out and executed release. The orchestral arrangements are stunning and provocative. Richter?s experience with the ?Piano Circus? and his formal musical education become evident with the complex orchestrations and expertly integrated found sounds ? such as voices from old radio shows, and the sound of rain (the theme) emanating from the opening track ?Europe After The Rain? ?and resurfaces occasionally throughout. Pieces like ?Maria, The Poet (1913)?incorporate spoken word, and sound a lot like A Silver Mt. Zion. ?The Twins (Prague)? is a truly gorgeous piano segment, simple, but of the utmost beauty. Switching between major and minor areas, it gentle sweeps, and bleeds into the breathtaking ?Sarajevo?. A voice almost whispering the words ?My dear love? resonates into the song about two lovers (one Christian, one Muslim), shot dead while fleeing the besieged city. An operatic female voice cries out as the violins build up momentum, swirling heavenwards.

?November? and ?Last Days? are the two boldest and heaviest pieces, and are so very grandiose in nature. ?November? uses an unconventional power chord arrangement, but both are very grand, and both herald something of great beauty, and are so overly dramatic and ostentatious that they will almost knock you off your feet. ?Quartet (1908)? is the final track, and is a reprise of the opener. The music is intentionally played through a valve amp from the 1960s, so it sounds like an old 78. It gives off a nice warm, distant noise, reminiscent of the backing music you would hear in films from the 1940s and 1950s.

?Memoryhouse? isn?t quite as streamlined as ?The Blue Notebooks?, and it is all the better for it. Every track is a masterpiece, but because there are 18 tracks, and it is 65 minutes long, it can be pummelling; it takes endurance so, as a whole, it is best taken in smaller doses, over repeated listenings. It must be noted that it doesn?t suffer for this; even in small doses it is extremely potent.

With Richter?s use of themes in each individual piece and throughout, he has accomplished an amazing level of depth. This music oozes genius, and commands respect. He has managed to create an album of such great sophistication, but at no point does it feel oppressive. He has also managed to achieve what very few people could ever hope to achieve, a classical (or is that ?post-classical??) album for the masses. 10/10 -- James Clarke (7 August, 2006)