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ROGER REYMOLDS ALICE SHIELDS ARTHUR KREIGER Nonesuch, Turnabout, New World and Lovely Music, As Well As on CRI

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ROGER REYMOLDS ALICE SHIELDS ARTHUR KREIGER Nonesuch, Turnabout, New World and Lovely Music, As Well As on CRI ROGER REYMOLDS ALICE SHIELDS ARTHUR KREIGER Nonesuch, Turnabout, New World and Lovely Music, as well as on CRI. Reynolds' works may be heard on CRI recordings: 1Blind Men on CRI SD 241; Ping and Faces on CRI Roger Reynolds SD 285. " . .the serpent-snapping eye" (1978) Reynolds writes: " . .the serpent-snapping eye" was composed for trumpet, percussion, piano and Edwin Harkins, trumpet; Daryl Pratt, percussion; 4-channel tape. The phrase quoted in the title comes Cecil Lytle, piano; 4-channel tape part realized at from "The Quarterdeck'' chapter of Moby Dick, CCRMA, Stanford University where Ahab, distributing grog to the crew, draws all into a directed abandon. My intention, then, was to Alice Shields explore those situations in which a loss of orientation Coyote (1981) leads us more deeply into the moment itself. There l- is a certain aquatic feel to the music, in which the Tape realized at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic performers are joined with a complex and sonorous Music Center fabric of computer-synthesized sound. The work is nineteen minutes long, divided Arthur Kreiger into three roughly equal sections. In the first, the Variations on a Theme by Davidovsky primaty aim of the performers is to match, submit to and intensify the taped sounds. The second, in Tape realized at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic which the synthesized sounds are sparse, introduces Music Center a feeling of independence as the performers respond, reflecting on models provided by the tape. In the final Roger Reynolds (b. 1934) works in a wide variety of section, the live performers complement and media: vocal, orchestral, electronic, instrumental elaborate upon-they attempt to augment-the and theatrical. In the late 1970's, his long-standing synthesized sound. interest in quadraphonic tape (which offers a means The structure of "...the serpent-snapping eye" of achieving the larger scale an American enjoys) led is based upon various series of gradually expanding to an involvement with computers. The extended and contracting durations. In addition, the shape of composition Archipelago (1982), commissioned by each component instrumental phrase parallels one of IRCAM in Paris, represents his most ambitious use the three models used to program the computer in of digital processing. Reynolds' music is often synthesizing the sounds that appear on the tape. concerned with the dramatic or supra-real image as Thus, the models for the electronic sounds find a a compositional impetus, as a "text" that underlies or second, more flexible expression in the activities of is set in a work. Theatre and technology both offer the live performers. There is, I hope, at every level, opportunities for enlarging the scope of musical an evident concern for matching and conformation." experiences in these ways and, thus, they frequently appear as elements in his work. Other, strictly Edwin Harkins holds degrees in both performance instrumental compositions, such as Shadowed and composition. He has been a performing member Narrative (1977-811, may also reflect the influence of of the Contemporaty Chambers Players in Chicago, textual images (in this case, of Gabriel Garcia the Center for New Music in Iowa City and the Center for Music Experiment in La Jolla. For the last Marqu:&nolds has been honored by the National several years he has been touring Europe, the Institute of Arts and Letters, the bi~~al-Endowment United States, Japan and Canada with Harkins & for the Arts, the Rockefeller, Ford and Guggenheim Larson and the Extended Vocal Techniques Ensemble. Foundations, and the Institute of Current World Affairs. He is presently on the faculty of the University Daryl Pratt is interested in world percussion music of California at San Diego. His music is recorded on and has performed African Ewe music, Javanese gamelan and South Indian classical music on mridangam. He is a freelance percussionist in the 1 has been recognized by the League of Composers- ISCM, American Composers Alliance Recording Award and the Groupe de Musique Experimentale de Bourges. Recent honors include the Prix de Rome and San Diego area and has performed as a jazz grants from CAPS and from the National Endowment vibraphonist/composer and with the San Diego for the Arts. Kreiger is presently on the faculty of Symphony. Columbia University and is affiliated with the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. His Dance Cecil Lytle has performed or recorded with nearly for Sarah and hriations may be heard on CRI SD every major jazz artist today, has received several 483. National Endowment for the Arts awards, and in Kreiger writes: "Electronic sound is a remarkably 1979 was appointed Senior Visiting Scholar to the fluid medium. One is enticed by the unlimited University of Keele, England. He is currently recording possibilities in instrument designs, the infinite the complete piano works of Scriabin for the Sonic capacity for subtle shadings in timbre, and the Arts label. With violinist James Negyesy Mr. Lytle potential richness of musical gesture found in the premiered Reynolds' 1983 composition, Arthur, at the material. Variations on a Theme by Davidovsky Libraiy of Congress in Washington, D.C. exolores an extensive aalette of electronic tones and noises. Delicately shifting colors characterize Alice Shields (b. 1943) earned a Doctor of Musical this homage to one of the classic works in the Arts degree from Columbia University in 1975, electronic field. The composition recalls the opening studying primarily with Vladimir Ussachevsky and ten measures of Mario Davidovsky's Synchronisms Otto Luening. Until 1982, she was Associate Director No. 6 for Piano and Electronic Sounds (1970) as a of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. thematic subject. The theme appears 45 seconds She has been a professional opera singer, performing into the piece "reorchestrated" for tape alone. It is as a soloist with the New York City Opera, the preceded by a short introduction and is followed by Washington Opera Sociew and elsewhere. She now a series of widely differing variations. Classical analog is in private practice as a vocal music therapist, tape techniques (cutting, splicing and mixing) together specializing in performance anxiety with complex synthesizer patches have served in Shields has received numerous grants, including producing and shaping the variety of musical settings. awards from the National Endowment for the Arts The version presented on this recording is a stereo and CAPS for her opera Shaman, of which the piece reduction of the 4-track master. The composer Coyote is a part; the National Opera Institute and acknowledges the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial the Presser Foundation for a performance of Odyssey Foundation for its generous support." for the Lake George Opera Festival. Shields' music is recorded on the Finnadar (Atlantic) and Opus One This recording was funded by the Jerome labels. Her work The Transformation of Ani may be Foundation and by the Alice M. Ditson Fund of heard on CRI SD 268. Columbia University. Shields writes:"The piece Coyote is the prelude to Shaman, which is about American Indian shamanism " . .the serpent-snapping eye": Peters Coyote represents a shaman turning himself into a 1 20'02"-- .- coyote and back to human form again. It is made from Recorded by Josef Kucera, July 3,1984 in the transformations of the composer's voice, coyote calls, Recital Hall of the Mandeville Center at the University male chorus and electronic sounds, and was made at of California at San Diego. the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in New York City." I-Coyote: American Composers Alliance (BMI) 13'07" Arthur Kreiger (b. 1945) holds degrees in English Variations on a Theme by Davidovsky: American Literature and in Music from the University of Connecticut. He earned his D.M.A. degree, with Composers Alliance (BMI) 9'50 distinction, in composition from Columbia University in 1977. While still a student, Kreiger was the recipient Art Direction: Dekker Freundlich Babian of fellowships from the Berkshire Music Festival Director of Production: Rachel S. Siegel and the Composers' Confelence. His electronic music Library of Congress: 84-743089 Liner O 1984 Composers.Recordings lncorporated @ & O 1984 Composers ~ecordingslncorporated Write for a Complete Listing of Recordings on CRI AMERICAN COMPOSERS ALLIANCE RECORDING AWARD ARTHUR KREIGER WILLIAM MAlTHEWS DANCE FOR SARAH (1976) AURORA, A WALTZ (1981) THEME AND VARIATIONS (1977) Tape realized using computer music equipment Tapes realized at the Columbia-Princeton Elec- of the Structured Sound Synthesis Project at the tronic Music Center University of Toronto AMERICAN COMPOSERS ALLIANCE ARTHUR KREIGER (b. 1945, New Haven, CT) attended the WILLIAM MATHEWS (b. 1950, Toledo) studied composition I I University of Connecticut where he received an undergraduate at Oberlin, the University of Iowa, the Institute for Sonologie in Each year, the American Composers Alliance chooses several degree in English literature and master's degree in music. He Holland, and the Yale School of Music. His principal teachers member composers to receive the ACA Recording Award. These include Richard Hervig, Gottfried Michael Koenig, and Jacob awards are given either to stimulate the career of a talented earned his doctorate in composition with distinction from Co- young composer or to call attention to the recognized achieve- lumbia University. While still a student, Kreiger received fellow- Druckman. Among his awards and prizes are three BMI Awards ment of a mature musician. Occasionally, the birthday of an ships from the Berkshire Music Festival and the Composer's to Student Composers, several grants for study abroad, a outstanding composer is celebrated with the Award. In all cases, Conference. In 1974 his electronic music won an award.from.the Charles E, lves Scholarship from the American Academy and the selection is made by a jury of the composer's peers, whose lnstitute of Arts and Letters, two ACA recording awards, and a principal criterion is artistic excellence.
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