Kingma quarter-tone alto flute joins them clarinets, a threnody for a medieval Armenian George Perle – Orchestral Music (1965- in Véronique Poltz’s four expressive and city destroyed by the Turks. 1987) inventive miniatures, Midnight with Pan. The most lustrous gems in this musical Jay Campbell; Seattle Symphony; Ludovic Although employing flutter-tongue, whole- jewel box are works for band. Hovhaness Morlot tone and quarter-tone passages, this music is exulted in solemn, incantatory brass and Bridge Records 9499 (bridgerecords.com) engagingly accessible; movement three, Sweet woodwind melismas, spotlighted in the Dream, exudes utter serenity. Armenian processional Tapor No.1, Three !!Christopher The controlled beauty of Beaumadier’s Improvisations on Folk Tunes (from India Hailey’s excel- pianissimo is featured in Flint Juventino and Pakistan), Hymn to Yerevan and the six- lent accompanying Beppe’s A Poem. William Bardwell’s movement Suite for Band. notes to this release gamelan-inspired gem, Little Serenade, uses A truly entrancing disc! quote American the percussive textures of the mandolin and Michael Schulman composer George xylophone to contrast and support some very Perle (1915-2009) lyrical piccolo playing. Rounding out the disc Michael Daugherty – Dreamachine; Trail of on his intentions: are Gordon Jacob’s Introduction and Fugue Tears; Reflection on the Mississippi “Music that was for piccolo, flute and alto flute, Magalif’s Amy Porter; Evelyn Glennie; Carol Jantsch; going to do what music used to do, with its infectiously cheerful piccolo duet Tarantella Albany Symphony; basis being the 12-tone scale instead of the and the improvisatory-like duet, Naomi for Naxos 8.559807 (naxos.com) diatonic [seven-note] scale.” Based on these piccolo and flute with voice, by Magic Malik premiere recordings, Perle succeeds with (Malik Mezzadri). !!Among the clear phrasing and textures, melodic and This CD is highly recommended for both younger composers rhythmic interest, consistent pitch content the piccolo aficionados and its skeptics! prominent in the and colourful, inviting instrumental groups. Nancy Nourse fecund musical The Sinfonietta 1 (1987) exemplifies these topography of traditional virtues, opening with a propul- the , sive neo-classical feel. Perle’s string writing MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY Michael Daugherty is exemplary both in part-writing and mood stands out as being creation; in the second movement, the Seattle Alan Hovhaness – Music for Winds & fascinating, compel- Symphony’s string section supports a ques- Percussion ling and yet profoundly revolutionary in his tioning clarinet solo beautifully. Other works Central Washington University Wind ability to use the timbral palette of orchestral differ; A Short Symphony (1980) is more Ensemble; Larry Gookin; Keith Brion; Mark instruments, squeezing haunting and intui- influenced by Alban Berg’s expressionism, Goodenberger tive, drone-like modalities to evoke feelings especially in the intriguing last movement Naxos 8.559837 (naxos.com) of sadness and joy, nostalgia and anticipation, where Perle’s in-depth involvement and on a grand and sweeping scale. His music analytical insight into Berg’s works produce !!This spell- on this disc has been rendered with urbane remarkable results. binding, beauty- and stylish theatre by the Albany Symphony Six Bagatelles (1965) are miniatures. No.5 filled CD, featuring conducted by David Alan Miller. is notable for its otherworldly high divisi several world The cloudy sound masses of Trail of Tears strings that surge and recede. In No.4, a solo premiere record- have been created out of microscopic tangles cello emerges powerfully, contrasting with ings, will delight of intrepid instrumental lines. These grad- sustained woodwinds. This piece led to the Hovhaness’ fans ually become clearer as the work progresses Concerto for Cello and (1966), (like me). For through its ferociously revelatory second where the solo-orchestra juxtaposition anyone unfamiliar movement. This micropolyphony of the becomes a natural fit with Perle’s style. He with Hovhaness’ luminous exoticism, these melodic line, pursued by flutist Amy Porter, contrasts one orchestra section with another ten short, varied works spanning the years entwined with the percussive outbursts of the or with the cello in an idiomatic and imagin- 1942-1985 are a perfect introduction. Albany Symphony, comes to a mighty resolu- ative way. American cellist Jay Campbell Hovhaness’ amazing output over his long tion in the finale. is expressive and assured, conductor life (1911-2000) includes 67 symphonies (!) In Dreamachine and Reflections on the Ludovic Morlot balances all wonder- among 434 opus numbers (!), many drawing Mississippi – considerably darkened by the fully, and the Seattle Symphony shines. The upon his father’s Armenian heritage, as well Delta’s history – Daugherty summons his clever Dance Fantasy (1986) rounds off this as other Eastern musical traditions. Mystically visionary skills to create a compelling musical remarkable disc. inclined, the Massachusetts-born composer world, at once eerie and beautiful. The music Roger Knox revered mountains as sacred, referencing receives an epic fillip with the inclusion of them in the titles of over 30 works, including Dame Evelyn Glennie on percussion and – Dreamsongs: Three two on this CD. Carol Jantsch on tuba. Orchestral tensions Concertos October Mountain for six percussionists mount in the darkened imagery of Reflections Paul Neubauer; Joshua Roman; Royal highlights the marimba in music recalling on the Mississippi; the visceral drama of Northern Sinfonia; Rebecca Miller Balinese ceremonial song and dance. In Dreamachine is completely re-contextualised Signum Classics SIGCD524 Mountain under the Sea, a chanting saxo- in Glennie’s inimitable manner and expressed (signumrecords.com) phone floats above throbbing harp and in a magisterial rhythmic style, where percussion, suggesting magma welling from complex layers of tempi are used to drive the !!In these three an underwater volcano. The Overture to music forward. very disparate Hovhaness’ opera The Burning House, scored Raul da Gama concertos, for flute and percussion, evokes the austere composed between stateliness of Japanese court and theatre 2009 and 2014, music. Vision on a Starry Night for flute, harp Pulitzer Prize and percussion is sweet and dreamy, while laureate Aaron Jay melancholy informs Meditation on Ardalus Kernis has drawn for solo flute and The Ruins of Ani for eight inspiration from

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