Sigma Alpha Iota

REVIEWs New Album Embodies Cohen's 'Unabashed Joy' of Melodies' I By David DeBoor Canfield first encountered the music of James Cohn a number of years ago in the course of my record business, coming across several LPs and CDs on the XLNT label. Hearing the chamber works on those issues, I always wondered why his music isn't better known. It is most ingratiating in every way, incorporating good melodies, a dance-like character, and evidencing idiomatic use of every instrument. Perhaps its unabashed tonality has been a drawback in certain quarters, but I know enough performers on various instruments who remain fond of tonal music, and they would like, if not love, this music. The present disc offers a generous sampling of Cohn's art in the chamber-music idiom to those who may not have yet encountered it. As far as I can tell, all of this music is recorded for the first time, although Cohn's First Piano Trio was included on one of the XLNT discs. The dance-like quality of his music is obvious from the get-go; the first work on the CD, A Grecian Festival, is shot through with danceable rhythms, although the third movement's tango seems rather far removed from Greece. (The tango shows up again in the opening movement of his Second Piano Trio.) The Oboe Sonata would seem to allow Cohn to make a claim of being America's Poulenc. The unabashed joy of the melodies in this work is every bit the equal of that found in the Frenchman's melodic genius. The work, especially in its jazzy finale, is a delight from beginning to end. Actually, the same may be said of every work on the CD. The Viola Sonata, with its bouncy opening movement, calmly meditative second, and rhythmically dynamic finale, should be on the radar screen of every violist. They must by now be looking for something besides the ubiquitous Rebecca Clarke sonata, and this work is at least as good as that repertory staple. The pieces for solo clarinet are also rewarding to hear, and I would think to play as well. The most "different" piece on the CD is not more modern than the others, but more retro. In his Baroque Suite for solo flute, Cohn looks back to the dance forms and melodic contours of that era, while updating the tonality a bit. It definitely owes more to the 18th century than to the 21st, however. Performances on this disc are uniformly excellent — even definitive. I am happy to encounter pianist Lori Piitz in a new recording: She is a superb artist, whom I was happy to cause of a worthy American composer? FANFARE May/June 2012 — record on my Enharmonic label a number of years ago. The recorded sound of every work is likewise both warm and spacious. There is simply nothing not to like about the recording of this well-crafted and inspired music. If you're into tonality, Cohn is definitely worth exploring, and this CD is as good a place to start as anywhere. I hope to be able to hear some of Cohn's works for larger forces someday. He is the composer of eight symphonies, for example. How about it, cpo? Care to take up the James Cohn is an SAI National Arts Associate and member of the Composers Bureau. While not able to attend the recent Convention in Atlanta, James and his wife, SAI Patroness Eileen, donated CDs for the Phlea-Phlam providing continuing support for SAI. His Trio No. 2 for Piano, Violin, and Cello was premiered at the 2006 SAI Convention as a commission for the InterAmerican Music Awards (IAMA) Project. Initiated as a National Arts Associate by the Tulsa Alumnae Chapter in 1998, James has composed solo, chamber, choral, and orchestral works, many of which have won awards. A native of New Jersey, he studied composition with Roy Harris, Wayne Barlow, and Bernard Wagenaar and graduated from Juilliard with a degree in composition. CLICK FOR MORE To learn more about James Cohn, visit: jamesarts.com/CohnBio0202.htm sai-national.org SUMMER 2012 PAN PIPES 15

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