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Download Booklet Acknowledgments This recording was made at the I would also like to thank the Teresa This disc is dedicated to all the Academy of Arts and Letters in Sterne Foundation, Gilbert Kalish, members of my family — especially Manhattan, New York on May and Norma Hurlburt for their gener- my mom, dad, Eve, Henry, and 26-28, 2007. Thank you to osity, which helped to make this my nephews — who have been a Ardith Holmgrain for her help disc a reality. And, a thank you to constant source of love and support in arranging our use of this Lehman College and its Shuster in my life; to my primary teachers magnificent recording space. Grant through the Research Jesslyn Kitts, Michael Zenge, Foundation of the City of New Leonard Hokanson, and Gilbert I would like to thank Max Wilcox, York for their help in the Kalish; to a cherished circle of who very graciously helped to completion of this disc. friends, which grows wider all the prepare and record this disc. time; and, to God who orchestrated Without his help it never could I would also like to thank Jeremy all of these parts. have happened. I also thank Mary Geffen, Ara Guzelemian, Kathy Schwendeman for the use of her Schumann, John Adams, Peter glorious Steinway. Thank you to Sellars, David Robertson, Dawn David Merrill who continuously Upshaw and the Carnegie Hall Publishers: t h r e a d s offered a bright smile and encour- family for giving me so many Andriessen: Boosey & Hawkes aging words during the engineering wonderfully rich treasures in my Music Publishers Limited and recording of this disc and musical experiences thus far. Wuorinen: C.F. Peters Corporation beyond. And, lastly, thank you to Adams: Associated Music Matt van Brink, whose opinion and Lastly, thank you to Peter Kermani Publishers, Inc. help to edit many of the selections and Albany Records and to our on this disc were invaluable. shared connection in Katherine Producer: Max Wilcox Buchan Gates for getting married. Recording Engineer: David Merrill Editing Engineer: Ludwig van Beethoven | Six Bagatelles, Op. 126 Molly Morkoski Matt van Brink (Adams, Wuorinen, Charles Wuorinen | Blue Bamboula p i a n o www.albanyrecords.com Andriessen, Prokofiev) Frédéric Chopin | Ballade in f minor, Op. 52 TROY1342 albany records u.s. 915 broadway, albany, ny 12207 tel: 518.436.8814 fax: 518.436.0643 Photos of Molly Morkoski: Louis Andriessen | Toccata: Image de Moreau albany records u.k. box 137, kendal, cumbria la8 0xd Jonathan Pozniak John Adams | China Gates tel: 01539 824008 © 2012 albany records made in the usa ddd Sergei Prokofiev | Sonata No. 3 in a minor, Op. 28 waRning: cOpyrighT subsisTs in all Recordings issued undeR This label. i ntroduction works, and the more traditional piano repertoire during my doctorate program. I am eternally grateful to know In 2006, I made a decision to record a solo disc. This would be my first solo disc and I immediately began Gilbert Kalish and feel privileged to have studied with him. And, it was with Gil that I first learned Prokofiev’s thinking about the music that I would want to live with for the next year. I was sure the repertoire would Third Sonata — the last selection on this disc. be a cross selection of old and new works representing my desire for the work I enjoy most at the piano. The John Adams has also been a huge influence in my musical life. I first met John during the summer selections on this disc encompass my musical journey as a college and graduate student through my time as a of 1998 in Aspen, Colorado. I had just finished writing a doctoral thesis paper — a rhythmic analysis of his beginning professional in New York City. Three of the works represent my time in study with teachers whose “Roadrunner” movement from his Chamber Symphony No. 1. I was star struck to meet him and work with him musical input and genius still instructs my work today. Those men are, in order of study, Michael Zenge at the as the keyboardist for his concert version of Nixon in China that summer. He was so kind to me and made University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for my undergraduate degree program; Leonard Hokanson at Indiana suggestions for a possible time for study in Europe, which I did do in 1999 on a Fulbright Scholarship with University in Bloomington for my master’s degree; and, finally, Gilbert Kalish at the State University of New York the help of David Robertson and the Ensemble Intercontemporain — a direct result of my time in Aspen. at Stony Brook for my doctorate degree. The other three selections are contemporary works by composers whose Since then, John and I have collaborated on numerous projects including the opening concert of Carnegie’s lives and music greatly impacted my beginnings as a professional musician in New York City, and still do. Those Zankel Hall, where I did play Ives under John’s baton, who also loves Ives deeply. I have played much of John composers are John Adams, Louis Andriessen, and Charles Wuorinen. Adams’ music and have loved knowing him personally. In keeping with the chronology of my studies, Chopin’s Ballade in F minor, Op. 52 represents the final On this disc, China Gates is paired with the Toccata “Image de Moreau” of Louis Andriessen, another year of my undergraduate study with Michael Zenge. I came back from a summer festival in Chautauqua, New influential composer in my musical life. I first met Louis at Tanglewood in 2001 during a workshop/collaboration York where I had fallen in love with the ballade. I loved working on this glorious work during my senior year and with famed choreographer, Mark Morris. Later, in 2003, I met Louis again at the Bang on a Can festival in North it was even richer and more meaningful practicing it for this recording more than ten years later. I always knew Adams, Massachusetts. Here, I presented his extremely difficult Trepidus for solo piano and it was also here that Michael Zenge was a great teacher, but being separated from that first learning experience by ten years of teach- he gifted me his Toccata. That summer represents a courageous turning point for me and composers Michael ing myself, having completed two degree programs, having given many solo and chamber concerts covering a Gordon, David Lang, and Juila Wolfe and the musicians of Bang on a Can, especially Lisa Moore, along with widely diverse repertoire, and having worked nearly five years as a professional musician in New York City, I felt Louis Andriessen, were important, encouraging, and fearless influences for me. I am grateful to all of them. privileged to see his markings again and was acutely aware of the “distance” I’d traveled at the piano. I first met Charles Wuorinen and his musical language during an intense and wonderful collaboration I first learned Beethoven’s Bagatelles, Op. 126 in 1996 for my final master’s degree recital, which I with the amazing soprano Lucy Shelton. We worked on and performed Charles’ song cycle A Winter’s Tale on a prepared with Leonard Hokanson. I paired this wonderful set of pieces, Beethoven’s last solo works for piano, concert at Merkin Hall and it was a truly memorable experience. It is noteworthy that it was at this very concert with Ives’ masterpiece Piano Sonata No. 2, Concord, Mass., 1840–60. Little did I know then, that I would offer that I met the inestimable Max Wilcox, who became a friend and supporter and who is the producer for this disc. the Bagatelles in 2007 on one of the greatest concert stages of the world, Carnegie’s Stern Auditorium/Perleman At that same time, I also met Howard Stokar who would engage me in numerous subsequent projects and continues Stage. That performance came two weeks after the completion of this disc and it remains a dream come true. to be a huge supporter and fan. It was Howard, I recall, who later suggested me as a possible pianist and collaborator I spent much of my master’s degree program devouring new music and so, when presented with the to Pam Tanowitz, a young choreographer. She wanted to choreograph John Adams’ China Gates and Phrygian opportunity to study with Gil, whose masterful recording of the “Concord” I had carefully listened to over and Gates and needed a pianist. I was more than happy and eager to help out. And later, when Pam decided to over, I very eagerly accepted. As a new music enthusiast, I expected to receive expert help with contemporary choreograph Charles Wuorinen’s Blue Bamboula, the second selection on this disc, I was asked to join her again. works that many conservatory teachers at that time found difficult to approach. And, while those expectations I listened to the piece and knew immediately that I wanted to play it. It is an incredibly virtuosic work for piano were more than met, I realize that Gil and I struck a great balance between the new works, the very brand-new and a ton of fun to play. This hour of music represents many facets of my musical education. There is the traditional repertoire of my in nationalistic musical forms such as polonaises and mazurkas. The shared experiences and feelings following youth and undergraduate studies, the period of discovery and love of new harmonic and rhythmic structures from my the exile, combined with the penchant for Romantic era composers to delve into literary forms make it plausible time as a master’s student, and a final synthesis and balance of all styles from my time as both a doctoral student and and sensible that Chopin, the “poet of the piano,” would attempt to translate Mickiewicz’ popularized Polish professional musician in New York City.
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