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2 The Light Gatherer 3 Double Lullaby AMERICAN CLASSICS When you were small, your cupped palms When at night I go to sleep, each held a candlesworth under the skin, Fourteen angels watch do keep; enough light to begin, Two my head are guarding, Two my feet are guiding, and as you grew, Two are on my right hand, light gathered in you, two clear raindrops Two are on my left hand, AWAKENINGS in your eyes, Two who warmly cover, Two who o’er me hover, warm pearls, shy, Two to whom ’tis given New American Chamber Music for Guitar in the lobes of your ears, even always To guide my steps to heaven. the light of a smile after your tears. Adelheid Wette (1858-1916) KERNIS • LIDERMAN • MACKEY Your kissed feet glowed in my one hand, or I’d enter a room to see the corner you played in Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel Tanenbaum • Plitmann • Strauss • Kernis lit like a stage-set, by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) the crown of your bowed head spotlit. Cuarteto Latinoamericano • Conservatory Guitar Ensemble When language came, it glittered like a river, All night, all day, silver, clever with fish, Angels watching over me, my Lord. All night, all day, and you slept Angels watching over me. with the whole moon held in your arms for a night-light where I knelt watching. Sun is a-setting in the West, Angels watching over me, my Lord. Light gatherer. You fell from a star Sleep my child, take your rest; into my lap, the soft lamp at the bedside Angels watching over me. mirrored in you, and now you shine like a snowgirl, All night, all day, a buttercup under a chin, the wide blue yonder Angels watching over me, my Lord. you squeal at and fly in, All night, all day, Angels watching over me. like a jewelled cave, turquoise and diamond and gold, opening out When I lay me down to sleep, at the end of a tunnel of years. Angels watching over me, my Lord. Pray the Lord my soul to keep, Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955) Angels watching over me.
The Light Gatherer from The Feminine Gospels, American Traditional Spiritual © Carol Ann Duffy 2002. Reproduced by permission of the author c/o Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN.
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AWAKENINGS Conservatory Guitar Ensemble The Conservatory Guitar Ensemble, of the San Francisco Conservatory, directed by David Tanenbaum, mixes New American Chamber Music for Guitar transcriptions of earlier repertoire with new music composed for guitar ensemble. In 2000 the Ensemble went on a multi-city tour with the composer Steve Reich. The group regularly commissions and performs new works, Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960): including world premières by Jorge Liderman and Belinda Reynolds, as well as United States premières of works by Terry Riley and Sergio Assad. The Ensemble commissioned and gave the premières of Measures of Turbulence for Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby (2006) 22:39 the inaugural concert in the Concert Hall at the school’s new facility at 50 Oak Street. 1 I. The Salutation (Text by Thomas Traherne (1637-1674)) 9:49 2 II. The Light Gatherer (Text by Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955)) 3:40 3 III. Double Lullaby (Text by Adelheid Wette (1858-1916) / Traditional Spiritual) 9:10 Hila Plitmann, Soprano • Axel Strauss, Violin Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby David Tanenbaum, Guitar • Aaron Jay Kernis, Piano 1 The Salutation Producers: John Parr and Aaron Jay Kernis • Engineer: Roni Jules Publisher: AJK Music (BMI), distributed by Associated Music Publishers, Inc. (G. Schirmer) These little Limbs, From Dust I rise These Eyes and Hands which here I find, And out of Nothing now awake; These rosy Cheeks wherewith my Life begins; These brighter Regions which salute mine Eyes 4 Jorge Liderman (1957-2008): Aged Tunes (2007) 12:55 Where have ye been? Behind A Gift from God I take: David Tanenbaum, Guitar What Curtain were ye from me hid so long! The Earth, the Seas, the Light, the lofty Skies, Where was, in what Abyss, my speaking Tongue? The Sun and Stars are mine; if these I prize. Cuarteto Latinoamericano Saúl Bitrán, Violin I • Arón Bitrán, Violin II When silent I Long time before Javier Montiel, Viola • Alvaro Bitrán, Cello So many thousand thousand Years I in my mother’s Womb was born, Beneath the Dust did in a Chaos lie, A God, preparing, did this glorious store, Producers: Jorge Liderman and David Tanenbaum • Engineer: Bob Shumaker How could I Smiles, or Tears, The World, for me adorn. Unpublished, composer manuscript Or Lips, or Hands, or Eyes, or Ears perceive? Into this Eden so divine and fair, Welcome ye Treasures which I now receive. So wide and bright, I come His son and Heir. 5 Steven Mackey (b. 1956): I that so long A Stranger here, Measures of Turbulence (2006) 17:28 Was Nothing from Eternity, Strange things doth meet, strange Glory see, Did little think such Joys as Ear and Tongue Strange Treasures lodged in this fair World appear, San Francisco Conservatory Guitar Ensemble To celebrate or see: Strange all and New to me: Such Sounds to hear, such Hands to feel, such Feet, But that they mine should be who Nothing was, Michael Bautista, Lawrence Ferrara, Marc Teicholz, That Strangest is of all; yet brought to pass. Jose Rodriguez, Brendan Evans, Guitars Beneath the Skies, on such a Ground to meet. Jonathan Mendle, Sam Williams, Electric Guitars New burnish’d Joys! Thomas Traherne (1636-1674) Ryan Brown, Bass Guitar Which finest Gold and Pearl excel! Such sacred Treasures are the Limbs of Boys David Tanenbaum, Conductor In which a Soul doth dwell: Producer: Steve Mackey • Engineer: Roni Jules Their organizéd Joints and azure Veins Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers, Inc. More Wealth include than all the World contains. 8.559650 27 8.559650 559650 bk Awakenings US 3/6/10 09:42 Page 6
Hila Plitmann Awakenings New American Chamber Music for Guitar Born in Jerusalem, 2009 GRAMMY®-winning soprano Hila Plitmann has worked with many of today’s leading conductors, including Kurt Masur, Robert Spano, Marin Alsop and Esa Pekka Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960): Jorge Liderman (1957-2008): Aged Tunes (2007) Salonen. She has appeared as a headliner with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby (2006) Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic and numerous other orchestras Aged Tunes (2007) represents my fourth collaboration and ensembles in the United States and abroad. She has recently appeared as soloist in several Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby, a song cycle for with guitarist David Tanenbaum and Cuarteto world premières, including those of David Del Tredici, Esa Pekka Salonen and John Corigliano. high soprano, violin, guitar and piano was written in Latinoamericano. Similar to the language of the Piano Hila Plitmann is accumulating an impressive catalogue of professional recordings, appearing on 2006 to commemorate the opening of the new Concert Quintet, Aged Tunes’ rhythmic language is pulsating the Decca, Telarc, Naxos, CRI and Disney labels. The Da Vinci Code Soundtrack (Decca) was a Hall at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This and motoric. The opening of the piece presents the worldwide bestseller. cycle of three songs is dedicated to my beloved twins, rasgueado of the guitar and the chords in the quartet Jonah and Delphine. The work was composed with the forming an ensemble unison, which leads to the exceptional talents of dear friends Hila Plitmann, Axel introduction of the “aged tune” in the guitar while the Strauss and David Tanenbaum in mind. quartet accompanies the guitar with articulating Axel Strauss The Salutation, a text by the English metaphysical harmonic points. Then, the tune goes to the quartet poet and clergyman Thomas Traherne (1636-74), is a while the guitar holds an E pedal. After this initial In 1998 violinist Axel Strauss became the first German artist ever to win the Naumburg Violin meditation on the rise of consciousness from presentation of the tune, the guitar and the viola Award. A Professor of Violin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, he has been heard on nothingness, the mysteries of existence and infinite establish a duet while the rest of the quartet provides a concert stages throughout Europe. Axel Strauss has been recognized with many awards, glories of being. It begins with bell-like sounds in the harmonic background. including top prizes in the Bach, Wieniawski and Kocian competitions. His recordings include piano and guitar and uses these sounds transformed After an interplay between the guitar supported by the works by Brahms, Kodály and Mendelssohn. Most recently a recording of a recital at New throughout the movement. the viola and cello, and then the violins, fragments of York’s Steinway Hall has been released on DVD. Axel Strauss performs on an outstanding violin In The Light Gatherer, English writer Carol Ann the original tune reappear, this time juxtaposed with by J.F. Pressenda, Turin 1845, on extended loan through the generous efforts of the Stradivari Duffy (one of my very favorite living poets, born in new materials. This section culminates in a chordal Society in Chicago. Glasgow in 1955) presents her young daughter infused unison that leads to the return of the original melody in with light and color in myriad ways, with a beautiful the guitar. Then, accompanied by the quartet, the guitar realization of the exuberance of childhood and the presents scalar patterns. delight in witnessing growth and change. While the quartet presents a quasi-ostinato fragment Double Lullaby is a gentle, lyrical song which in slow motion, the guitar articulates arpeggios and chords Cuarteto Latinoamericano intertwines the soprano and violin in duet. I have placed that end in a scalar passage in the strings. Supported by a two well-known texts alongside each other – the words similar ostinati in the strings, the guitar now introduces a Cuarteto Latinoamericano, formed in 1982, is known worldwide as the leading proponent of in English from Engelbert Humperdincks’ Lullaby from low melody followed by a rasgueado passage. Latin American music for string quartet. The Cuarteto has recorded most of the Latin Hansel and Gretel (which treats the word “two” like a Scalar patterns in the strings lead to a rasgueado American repertoire for string quartet, and the sixth volume of their Villa-Lobos seventeen touchstone), and “Angels Watching Over Me”, a section in the guitar which introduces a cadenza. quartets cycle, recorded for Dorian, was nominated for a GRAMMY® award in 2002 in the traditional American spiritual. After the cadenza, there is a return to the original field of Best Chamber Music Recording as well as for a Latin GRAMMY®. The Cuarteto has Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby was tune. This is followed by chords in the guitar performed as soloist with many orchestras and it has toured extensively in Europe and the commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory of accompanied by running scales in the quartet which Americas, as well as in New Zealand and Israel. The Cuarteto was in residence at Carnegie Music for the Inaugural Year at Civic Center with then, in pizzicato, articulate the melody line in the Mellon University in Pittsburgh from 1988 until 2008. generous funding from the Fleishhacker Foundation. guitar. The tune then goes to the violin and through an alternation of scalar passages between guitar and quartet Aaron Jay Kernis the piece comes to an end.
Jorge Liderman
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Steven Mackey (b. 1956): to learn them since the finger must be placed very Jorge Liderman Measures of Turbulence (2006) precisely in positions never used for ordinary playing which makes them difficult to notate and difficult to The music of Jorge Liderman, who was born in Buenos Aires, has been commissioned and Measures of Turbulence explores the sound of gong- consistently reproduce. When executed properly each performed by the London Sinfonietta, the American Composers Orchestra, the Los Angeles like, harmonics in the two electric guitars, with melodic harmonic produces several, predictable pitches, which Philharmonic, the Tanglewood Orchestra, the Nieuw Ensemble, the Arditti String Quartet, lines, ostinato patterns, and strummed chords in the sound more like gongs than a guitar. Cuarteto Latinoamericano and many other groups and by artists such as Oliver Knussen, Esa- classical guitars. The emphasis is on nuances of Perhaps these harmonics are the best metaphor for Pekka Salonen, David Tanenbaum and Gloria Cheng. His music has been recorded by the CRI, ensemble texture and rarely does an individual the rôle of perspective in Measures of Turbulence. In Cadenza, ERM, Albany and Bridge labels. He joined the composition faculty at UC Berkeley in instrument emerge as a solo voice. One exception is the order to produce these multiphonic harmonics the string 1989. Aged Tunes was the penultimate work Jorge Liderman completed before his unexpected bass, which does not play for nearly half the piece, and must quiver in spasmodic paroxysms, yet the result of death at the age of fifty in 2008. takes a leadership rôle for the first couple of minutes all that turbulence is a stately, somewhat solemn sound. after it finally enters. Measures of Turbulence is fifteen minutes long. It The work is not overtly turbulent or dramatic but was commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory rather deals with relatively subtle harmonic and for the opening of a new facility and premiered on 28th Steven Mackey rhythmic disturbances that do not cause catastrophic January 2007 by students, faculty and alumni of the fractures or upheavals in the music but rather contribute Conservatory’s highly regarded guitar program, led by Steven Mackey’s first musical passion was playing the electric guitar in rock bands based in to a constantly evolving dynamic equilibrium. Having David Tanenbaum. northern California. He later discovered concert music and has composed for orchestras, said that, I imagine that it is a matter of perspective; to chamber ensembles, dance and opera. Among his commissions are works for the Chicago, San the individual leaves on an aspen tree the breeze is a Steven Mackey Francisco and St Louis symphonies, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestra of St Martin-in- violent disturbance while the nature lover on the path the-Fields, the Swedish, Scottish and Irish chamber orchestras, BBC Philharmonic, the Kronos below witnesses a gentle shimmer. Similarly, for a Quartet, the Brentano String Quartet, the Borromeo String Quartet and many others. As a group of guitarists performing a 15-against-8 The San Francisco Conservatory of Music guitarist he has performed his chamber music with the Arditti, Brentano, Borromeo and Kronos polyrhythm, the sense of disagreement is quite dramatic, commissioned Steven Mackey’s Measures of Quartets, the London Sinfonietta, Joey Baron, Fred Sherry and many others. He has performed while the listener, hears a blended rustling. Turbulence and Aaron Jay Kernis’ Two Awakenings and his concertos with many conductors including Dennis Russel Davies, Peter Eötvös, David A word about the electric guitar harmonics: For a Double Lullaby to celebrate the opening of the Robertson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman. Steven Mackey is years I have used these multiphonics in improvisatory Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall at the school’s new currently Professor of Music and chairman of the music department at Princeton University where he has been a contexts but, until now, I have never asked anyone else home in San Francisco’s Civic Center. member of the faculty since 1985. David Tanenbaum
Aaron Jay Kernis David Tanenbaum has performed in over forty countries. He has been soloist with, among others, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Winner of the coveted 2002 Grawemeyer Award and one of the youngest composers ever to be Minnesota Orchestra, with conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen and Kent Nagano. awarded the Pulitzer Prize, Aaron Jay Kernis is among the most esteemed musical figures of his Among the many composers who have dedicated works to him are Hans Werner generation. His works appear prominently around the world. Commissions have come from many Henze, Terry Riley, Aaron Jay Kernis, Roberto Sierra, and Lou Harrison. David of America’s foremost performers, including soprano Renée Fleming and violinist Joshua Bell, Tanenbaum’s three dozen recordings, which reflect his broad repertoire interests, can and such organizations as the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco be found on New Albion, EMI, Nonesuch, Ars Musici, Rhino, GSP, Albany, and Minnesota Orchestras and the Walt Disney Company, and his work is widely recorded. As an Audiofon, Bayer, Acoustic Music Records, Bridge, Stradivarius and others. educator he co-runs the Minnesota Orchestra’s Composer Institute, a national program for young composers, and teaches at Yale School of Music.
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Steven Mackey (b. 1956): to learn them since the finger must be placed very Jorge Liderman Measures of Turbulence (2006) precisely in positions never used for ordinary playing which makes them difficult to notate and difficult to The music of Jorge Liderman, who was born in Buenos Aires, has been commissioned and Measures of Turbulence explores the sound of gong- consistently reproduce. When executed properly each performed by the London Sinfonietta, the American Composers Orchestra, the Los Angeles like, harmonics in the two electric guitars, with melodic harmonic produces several, predictable pitches, which Philharmonic, the Tanglewood Orchestra, the Nieuw Ensemble, the Arditti String Quartet, lines, ostinato patterns, and strummed chords in the sound more like gongs than a guitar. Cuarteto Latinoamericano and many other groups and by artists such as Oliver Knussen, Esa- classical guitars. The emphasis is on nuances of Perhaps these harmonics are the best metaphor for Pekka Salonen, David Tanenbaum and Gloria Cheng. His music has been recorded by the CRI, ensemble texture and rarely does an individual the rôle of perspective in Measures of Turbulence. In Cadenza, ERM, Albany and Bridge labels. He joined the composition faculty at UC Berkeley in instrument emerge as a solo voice. One exception is the order to produce these multiphonic harmonics the string 1989. Aged Tunes was the penultimate work Jorge Liderman completed before his unexpected bass, which does not play for nearly half the piece, and must quiver in spasmodic paroxysms, yet the result of death at the age of fifty in 2008. takes a leadership rôle for the first couple of minutes all that turbulence is a stately, somewhat solemn sound. after it finally enters. Measures of Turbulence is fifteen minutes long. It The work is not overtly turbulent or dramatic but was commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory rather deals with relatively subtle harmonic and for the opening of a new facility and premiered on 28th Steven Mackey rhythmic disturbances that do not cause catastrophic January 2007 by students, faculty and alumni of the fractures or upheavals in the music but rather contribute Conservatory’s highly regarded guitar program, led by Steven Mackey’s first musical passion was playing the electric guitar in rock bands based in to a constantly evolving dynamic equilibrium. Having David Tanenbaum. northern California. He later discovered concert music and has composed for orchestras, said that, I imagine that it is a matter of perspective; to chamber ensembles, dance and opera. Among his commissions are works for the Chicago, San the individual leaves on an aspen tree the breeze is a Steven Mackey Francisco and St Louis symphonies, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestra of St Martin-in- violent disturbance while the nature lover on the path the-Fields, the Swedish, Scottish and Irish chamber orchestras, BBC Philharmonic, the Kronos below witnesses a gentle shimmer. Similarly, for a Quartet, the Brentano String Quartet, the Borromeo String Quartet and many others. As a group of guitarists performing a 15-against-8 The San Francisco Conservatory of Music guitarist he has performed his chamber music with the Arditti, Brentano, Borromeo and Kronos polyrhythm, the sense of disagreement is quite dramatic, commissioned Steven Mackey’s Measures of Quartets, the London Sinfonietta, Joey Baron, Fred Sherry and many others. He has performed while the listener, hears a blended rustling. Turbulence and Aaron Jay Kernis’ Two Awakenings and his concertos with many conductors including Dennis Russel Davies, Peter Eötvös, David A word about the electric guitar harmonics: For a Double Lullaby to celebrate the opening of the Robertson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Michael Tilson Thomas and David Zinman. Steven Mackey is years I have used these multiphonics in improvisatory Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall at the school’s new currently Professor of Music and chairman of the music department at Princeton University where he has been a contexts but, until now, I have never asked anyone else home in San Francisco’s Civic Center. member of the faculty since 1985. David Tanenbaum
Aaron Jay Kernis David Tanenbaum has performed in over forty countries. He has been soloist with, among others, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Winner of the coveted 2002 Grawemeyer Award and one of the youngest composers ever to be Minnesota Orchestra, with conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen and Kent Nagano. awarded the Pulitzer Prize, Aaron Jay Kernis is among the most esteemed musical figures of his Among the many composers who have dedicated works to him are Hans Werner generation. His works appear prominently around the world. Commissions have come from many Henze, Terry Riley, Aaron Jay Kernis, Roberto Sierra, and Lou Harrison. David of America’s foremost performers, including soprano Renée Fleming and violinist Joshua Bell, Tanenbaum’s three dozen recordings, which reflect his broad repertoire interests, can and such organizations as the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco be found on New Albion, EMI, Nonesuch, Ars Musici, Rhino, GSP, Albany, and Minnesota Orchestras and the Walt Disney Company, and his work is widely recorded. As an Audiofon, Bayer, Acoustic Music Records, Bridge, Stradivarius and others. educator he co-runs the Minnesota Orchestra’s Composer Institute, a national program for young composers, and teaches at Yale School of Music.
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Hila Plitmann Awakenings New American Chamber Music for Guitar Born in Jerusalem, 2009 GRAMMY®-winning soprano Hila Plitmann has worked with many of today’s leading conductors, including Kurt Masur, Robert Spano, Marin Alsop and Esa Pekka Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960): Jorge Liderman (1957-2008): Aged Tunes (2007) Salonen. She has appeared as a headliner with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby (2006) Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic and numerous other orchestras Aged Tunes (2007) represents my fourth collaboration and ensembles in the United States and abroad. She has recently appeared as soloist in several Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby, a song cycle for with guitarist David Tanenbaum and Cuarteto world premières, including those of David Del Tredici, Esa Pekka Salonen and John Corigliano. high soprano, violin, guitar and piano was written in Latinoamericano. Similar to the language of the Piano Hila Plitmann is accumulating an impressive catalogue of professional recordings, appearing on 2006 to commemorate the opening of the new Concert Quintet, Aged Tunes’ rhythmic language is pulsating the Decca, Telarc, Naxos, CRI and Disney labels. The Da Vinci Code Soundtrack (Decca) was a Hall at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This and motoric. The opening of the piece presents the worldwide bestseller. cycle of three songs is dedicated to my beloved twins, rasgueado of the guitar and the chords in the quartet Jonah and Delphine. The work was composed with the forming an ensemble unison, which leads to the exceptional talents of dear friends Hila Plitmann, Axel introduction of the “aged tune” in the guitar while the Strauss and David Tanenbaum in mind. quartet accompanies the guitar with articulating Axel Strauss The Salutation, a text by the English metaphysical harmonic points. Then, the tune goes to the quartet poet and clergyman Thomas Traherne (1636-74), is a while the guitar holds an E pedal. After this initial In 1998 violinist Axel Strauss became the first German artist ever to win the Naumburg Violin meditation on the rise of consciousness from presentation of the tune, the guitar and the viola Award. A Professor of Violin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, he has been heard on nothingness, the mysteries of existence and infinite establish a duet while the rest of the quartet provides a concert stages throughout Europe. Axel Strauss has been recognized with many awards, glories of being. It begins with bell-like sounds in the harmonic background. including top prizes in the Bach, Wieniawski and Kocian competitions. His recordings include piano and guitar and uses these sounds transformed After an interplay between the guitar supported by the works by Brahms, Kodály and Mendelssohn. Most recently a recording of a recital at New throughout the movement. the viola and cello, and then the violins, fragments of York’s Steinway Hall has been released on DVD. Axel Strauss performs on an outstanding violin In The Light Gatherer, English writer Carol Ann the original tune reappear, this time juxtaposed with by J.F. Pressenda, Turin 1845, on extended loan through the generous efforts of the Stradivari Duffy (one of my very favorite living poets, born in new materials. This section culminates in a chordal Society in Chicago. Glasgow in 1955) presents her young daughter infused unison that leads to the return of the original melody in with light and color in myriad ways, with a beautiful the guitar. Then, accompanied by the quartet, the guitar realization of the exuberance of childhood and the presents scalar patterns. delight in witnessing growth and change. While the quartet presents a quasi-ostinato fragment Double Lullaby is a gentle, lyrical song which in slow motion, the guitar articulates arpeggios and chords Cuarteto Latinoamericano intertwines the soprano and violin in duet. I have placed that end in a scalar passage in the strings. Supported by a two well-known texts alongside each other – the words similar ostinati in the strings, the guitar now introduces a Cuarteto Latinoamericano, formed in 1982, is known worldwide as the leading proponent of in English from Engelbert Humperdincks’ Lullaby from low melody followed by a rasgueado passage. Latin American music for string quartet. The Cuarteto has recorded most of the Latin Hansel and Gretel (which treats the word “two” like a Scalar patterns in the strings lead to a rasgueado American repertoire for string quartet, and the sixth volume of their Villa-Lobos seventeen touchstone), and “Angels Watching Over Me”, a section in the guitar which introduces a cadenza. quartets cycle, recorded for Dorian, was nominated for a GRAMMY® award in 2002 in the traditional American spiritual. After the cadenza, there is a return to the original field of Best Chamber Music Recording as well as for a Latin GRAMMY®. The Cuarteto has Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby was tune. This is followed by chords in the guitar performed as soloist with many orchestras and it has toured extensively in Europe and the commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory of accompanied by running scales in the quartet which Americas, as well as in New Zealand and Israel. The Cuarteto was in residence at Carnegie Music for the Inaugural Year at Civic Center with then, in pizzicato, articulate the melody line in the Mellon University in Pittsburgh from 1988 until 2008. generous funding from the Fleishhacker Foundation. guitar. The tune then goes to the violin and through an alternation of scalar passages between guitar and quartet Aaron Jay Kernis the piece comes to an end.
Jorge Liderman
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AWAKENINGS Conservatory Guitar Ensemble The Conservatory Guitar Ensemble, of the San Francisco Conservatory, directed by David Tanenbaum, mixes New American Chamber Music for Guitar transcriptions of earlier repertoire with new music composed for guitar ensemble. In 2000 the Ensemble went on a multi-city tour with the composer Steve Reich. The group regularly commissions and performs new works, Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960): including world premières by Jorge Liderman and Belinda Reynolds, as well as United States premières of works by Terry Riley and Sergio Assad. The Ensemble commissioned and gave the premières of Measures of Turbulence for Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby (2006) 22:39 the inaugural concert in the Concert Hall at the school’s new facility at 50 Oak Street. 1 I. The Salutation (Text by Thomas Traherne (1637-1674)) 9:49 2 II. The Light Gatherer (Text by Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955)) 3:40 3 III. Double Lullaby (Text by Adelheid Wette (1858-1916) / Traditional Spiritual) 9:10 Hila Plitmann, Soprano • Axel Strauss, Violin Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby David Tanenbaum, Guitar • Aaron Jay Kernis, Piano 1 The Salutation Producers: John Parr and Aaron Jay Kernis • Engineer: Roni Jules Publisher: AJK Music (BMI), distributed by Associated Music Publishers, Inc. (G. Schirmer) These little Limbs, From Dust I rise These Eyes and Hands which here I find, And out of Nothing now awake; These rosy Cheeks wherewith my Life begins; These brighter Regions which salute mine Eyes 4 Jorge Liderman (1957-2008): Aged Tunes (2007) 12:55 Where have ye been? Behind A Gift from God I take: David Tanenbaum, Guitar What Curtain were ye from me hid so long! The Earth, the Seas, the Light, the lofty Skies, Where was, in what Abyss, my speaking Tongue? The Sun and Stars are mine; if these I prize. Cuarteto Latinoamericano Saúl Bitrán, Violin I • Arón Bitrán, Violin II When silent I Long time before Javier Montiel, Viola • Alvaro Bitrán, Cello So many thousand thousand Years I in my mother’s Womb was born, Beneath the Dust did in a Chaos lie, A God, preparing, did this glorious store, Producers: Jorge Liderman and David Tanenbaum • Engineer: Bob Shumaker How could I Smiles, or Tears, The World, for me adorn. Unpublished, composer manuscript Or Lips, or Hands, or Eyes, or Ears perceive? Into this Eden so divine and fair, Welcome ye Treasures which I now receive. So wide and bright, I come His son and Heir. 5 Steven Mackey (b. 1956): I that so long A Stranger here, Measures of Turbulence (2006) 17:28 Was Nothing from Eternity, Strange things doth meet, strange Glory see, Did little think such Joys as Ear and Tongue Strange Treasures lodged in this fair World appear, San Francisco Conservatory Guitar Ensemble To celebrate or see: Strange all and New to me: Such Sounds to hear, such Hands to feel, such Feet, But that they mine should be who Nothing was, Michael Bautista, Lawrence Ferrara, Marc Teicholz, That Strangest is of all; yet brought to pass. Jose Rodriguez, Brendan Evans, Guitars Beneath the Skies, on such a Ground to meet. Jonathan Mendle, Sam Williams, Electric Guitars New burnish’d Joys! Thomas Traherne (1636-1674) Ryan Brown, Bass Guitar Which finest Gold and Pearl excel! Such sacred Treasures are the Limbs of Boys David Tanenbaum, Conductor In which a Soul doth dwell: Producer: Steve Mackey • Engineer: Roni Jules Their organizéd Joints and azure Veins Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers, Inc. More Wealth include than all the World contains. 8.559650 27 8.559650 559650 bk Awakenings US 3/6/10 09:42 Page 8
2 The Light Gatherer 3 Double Lullaby AMERICAN CLASSICS When you were small, your cupped palms When at night I go to sleep, each held a candlesworth under the skin, Fourteen angels watch do keep; enough light to begin, Two my head are guarding, Two my feet are guiding, and as you grew, Two are on my right hand, light gathered in you, two clear raindrops Two are on my left hand, AWAKENINGS in your eyes, Two who warmly cover, Two who o’er me hover, warm pearls, shy, Two to whom ’tis given New American Chamber Music for Guitar in the lobes of your ears, even always To guide my steps to heaven. the light of a smile after your tears. Adelheid Wette (1858-1916) KERNIS • LIDERMAN • MACKEY Your kissed feet glowed in my one hand, or I’d enter a room to see the corner you played in Evening Prayer from Hansel and Gretel Tanenbaum • Plitmann • Strauss • Kernis lit like a stage-set, by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) the crown of your bowed head spotlit. Cuarteto Latinoamericano • Conservatory Guitar Ensemble When language came, it glittered like a river, All night, all day, silver, clever with fish, Angels watching over me, my Lord. All night, all day, and you slept Angels watching over me. with the whole moon held in your arms for a night-light where I knelt watching. Sun is a-setting in the West, Angels watching over me, my Lord. Light gatherer. You fell from a star Sleep my child, take your rest; into my lap, the soft lamp at the bedside Angels watching over me. mirrored in you, and now you shine like a snowgirl, All night, all day, a buttercup under a chin, the wide blue yonder Angels watching over me, my Lord. you squeal at and fly in, All night, all day, Angels watching over me. like a jewelled cave, turquoise and diamond and gold, opening out When I lay me down to sleep, at the end of a tunnel of years. Angels watching over me, my Lord. Pray the Lord my soul to keep, Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955) Angels watching over me.
The Light Gatherer from The Feminine Gospels, American Traditional Spiritual © Carol Ann Duffy 2002. Reproduced by permission of the author c/o Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN.
8.559650 8 CMYK NAXOS Playing AWAKENINGS Time: 53:02 New American Chamber Music for Guitar AWAKENINGS: International Ltd. Disc made in Canada. Printed and assembled USA. this compact disc prohibited. reserved. Unauthorised public performance, broadcasting and copying of All rights in this sound recording, artwork, texts and translations
8.559650 1-3 Aaron Jay Kernis (b. 1960): Two Awakenings and a AMERICAN CLASSICS Double Lullaby (2006) 22:39 Chamber music breaks exciting new Hila Plitmann, Soprano ground with these three works by Axel Strauss, Violin leading American composers. Aaron David Tanenbaum, Guitar Jay Kernis’s beautiful Two Aaron Jay Kernis, Piano Awakenings and a Double Lullaby is
ൿ 4 Jorge Liderman (1957-2008): a touching song cycle for the unusual New American Chamber Music & Aged Tunes (2007) 12:55 Ꭿ combination of soprano, violin, 2010 Naxos Rights David Tanenbaum, Guitar guitar and piano. In the Cuarteto Latinoamericano rhythmically agile Aged Tunes, 5 Steven Mackey (b. 1956): Jorge Liderman contrasts the Measures of Turbulence (2006) 17:28 sonorities of guitar and string San Francisco Conservatory Guitar Ensemble quartet. Steven Mackey’s Measures New American Chamber Music New David Tanenbaum, Conductor of Turbulence, a remarkably subtle soundscape despite its title, explores A full track list and artists’ and publishers’ details can be found on page 2 of the booklet. the gonglike multiphonic sounds of The sung texts can be found in the booklet. acoustic and electric guitars. Each of Non-copyright texts can also be accessed at DDD www.naxos.com/libretti/559650.htm these new pieces was written for the Recorded at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, artists who perform them here. California, USA, on 22nd June, 2008 (tracks 1-3), and on 30th January, 2007 (track 5), and at Bay 8.559650 AWAKENINGS: Records Recording Studios, Berkeley, California, www.naxos.com 8.559650 USA, on 18th November, 2008 (track 4) Booklet notes: Aaron Jay Kernis, Jorge Liderman and Steven Mackey Cover: Summer by Laurie Reid (www.lauriereid.com) NAXOS