This release spans the breadth of Paul Hindemith’s writings for the viola, from solo sonata through music for viola and orchestra. Hindemith was a violist himself, and his compositions fully realize the instrument’s potential. Violist Antoine Tamestit fully understands these works and their creator, as his interview printed in the booklet shows — as do […]
Contemporary classical
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Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg’s Fresh Batch of Concertos
This new release presents four violin concertos written in the 21st Century from Clarice Assad, William Bolcom, Michale Daugherty, and Ellen Taaffe Zwlich. Two of them — the Bolcom and Dougherty — were commissioned by the ensemble. All benefit from the outstanding musicianship of the group and their talented music director, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. Clarice Assad’s […]
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Lior Rosner – Awake and Dream
Lior Rosner is best known for his film and TV scores, which show the wide range of styles he’s mastered. This collection of his classical works betrays some of that background — the music is mostly tonal, and is more about conveying atmosphere and emotion than being concerned about formal structure. And yet these works […]
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Weiss-Kaplan-Newman Trio’s Successful American Tour
“An American Tour” presents a quick survey of American piano trio music in the 21st century. It’s an ambitious program, but the Weiss-Kaplan-Newman Trio is more than equal to the task. The ensemble worked closely with two of the four composers featured, and counts one as a member. These personal relations let the ensemble go […]
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Michael Brown pays tribute to George Perle
Every composer should have a champion. For George Perle, that champion is pianist Michael Brown. As a teenaged virtuoso, Brown fell in love with Perle’s music and had an opportunity to meet the composer. That developed into a close personal and professional relationship over the years, culminating in this release. Brown collects not only Perle’s […]
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Poul Ruders, Vol. 9 – Amiable Chamber Music
The two words that sprang to mind as I listened to this collection of Poul Ruder’s chamber music was “amiable atonality.” These chambers works move well beyond tonality, without a hint of academic dryness. Every work had real personality, often full of warmth and gentle humor. Guitarist David Starobin and Poul Ruders have enjoyed a […]
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Julia Wolfe: Steel Hammer — John Henry Redux
The legend of John Henry has grown and changed over the years. Was John Henry real or fictional, black or white, short or tall? Virtually every detail of the story has multiple answers — and that’s the point of Julia Wolfe’s work, “Steel Hammer.” Wolfe ingeniously presents the multiplicity of the story with layers of […]
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O Fortuna Mondegreens — Animated!
A mondegreen is a misinterpretation of a phrase with a near-homophony of the original. Usually this results in a new (and often humorous) meaning. In the case of Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna,” it can also provide some welcome relief to this over-used and often over-blown work.
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Lowenthal Performs Post-Modern Works with Personal Connections
Pianist Jerome Lowenthal presents an attractive program of works that he has some kind of direct connection to. And that connection makes these not just informed, but exciting and insightful performances. George Rochberg’s compositions make up the bulk of the release, with three works that are similar in construction, yet yield different results. “Carnival Music” […]