BBC Music Choice Award

 

This four disc collection contains works by thirty-seven composers who were all in residence at the American Academy in Rome. The earliest work dates from 1920, the most recent from 2003. Composers include the well known: Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, and Roger Sessions; the largely forgotten: Charles Naginski, Alexander Lang Steinert, Walter Helfer; and many of today's most active voices: Robert Beaser, David Rakowski, Aaron Jay Kernis, Paul Moravec, Stephen Hartke, and David Lang. Curated by Donald Berman, the disc features performances by many of today's leading performers of contemporary music, including Richard Stoltzman, Yehudi Wyner, Susan Narucki, Tony Arnold, Fred Sherry, Daniel Druckman, Curtis Macomber, Trio Solisti, Ida Kavafian, Scott Yoo, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley, Anne-Marie McDermott, Hila Plitman, Chris Pedro Trakas, and Jeffrey Milarsky.

 

Reviews:

“Since 1921, the American Academy in Rome has offered annual residencies to American composers at formative stages of their career. Thirty-seven of them are represented in this four-disc set, lavishly annotated and with high standards of performance and recording. If you have even a passing interest in 20th-century music, you’ll want to explore this rich seam of American musical history and choose your own favorites.” - BBC Music Magazine (BBC Music Choice Award)

“This release is on, a number of levels, highly significant. The production seems to reflect this intention, with superb performances in excellent recordings, and a dense, very well-written set of program notes. I cannot think of another set of recordings that so deftly and thoughtfully attempts an overview of the evolution of American art music, in all of its range and great energy.” - Fanfare

“An extensive and enjoyable collection of American music nurtured in Rome. There are plenty of worthwhile discoveries here: The Moravec, Hartke, Steinert, Wyner and Shapero works in particular, and all receive outstanding advocacy.” - Gramophone

 

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DISC A
Vocal Music
: Four Dickinson Songs (2002)
, soprano; , piano
: In the Dark Pinewood (1937), Beggar's Song (1936), Of That So Sweet Imprisonment (1935), Sleep Now (1936)
: Siciliano (1978)
: Songs from Michelangelo No. 1 (1967)
: Spider Love (1999)
: Prescription for Living, 1978
: Look Down, Fair Moon (1940)
: The Forest of the Dead Trees (1920)
: For Wittgenstein (1996)
: There Were Two Swans (1943)
: The Dolphins (1995)
, soprano; , baritone
, piano
: Two Tableaux and Malinche's Aria from Montezuma(1964)
Arr. By , , soprano
, , conductor
: Warble for Lilac Time (1943/1979),
Voyage (1943/1979)
, soprano

, conductor

DISC B
Music for Strings and Piano
: Mozart en Route (1991)
, violin; , viola
, cello
: Passacaglia (2003)
: , violin
, cello; , piano
: Tesserae (2000)
, viola; , piano
: Sirens (1992)

: Violin Sonata (1929)
, violin; , piano
: Three Intermezzi (1971)
, cello
: Beyond Words (2002)
: , vln.
, viola; , cello
, piano

DISC C
Music for Piano Solo
: Fantasy Rondo (1944)
: My Friend Mozart (1987)
: Bagatelles (1952)
: Nocturne (1927)
: Sound Reasoning in the Tower of Babel (1990)
: Piano Sonata (1936)
: Sombras (1995)
: Three Studies for Piano, Op. 5 (1957)
: Oh, Susanna (1970)
, piano

DISC D
Music for Winds and Piano
: Commedia (2002)
, clarinet; , piano
: Vent (1990)
, flute; , piano
: Dandelion Wine (1967)
, , conductor
: Pre-Amnesia (1979),
Mythic Birds of Saugerties (1985)
, Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet
: (solo) = (duo) (1977)
, flute
: Beams (1986)
, trombone, with tape
: Pastorale for Oboe and Piano (1949)
, oboe; , piano
: Six for Five Wind Quintet (1995)


BRIDGE 9271A/D (four discs for the price of three)