Sigma Alpha Iota

PAN PIPES • SPRING 2016 • sai-national.org 26 SHADES OF SOUND Lisa Garner Santa/Nataliya Sukhina (MS 1552) Flutist Lisa Garner Santa, in collaboration with pianist Nataliya Sukhina, presents a recital of works which date from the 19 th century sonatas of Giuseppe Rabboni (1800- 1856) to several recent works written in the 21 st century. The disc features some well-known standards for flute, such as the Martinu Sonata and Black Anemones by Joseph Schwantner, as well as some beautiful but lesser known works by Rabonni written in an operatic style. Rabboni was flutist with Orchestra del Teatro all Scala and these works show the inspiration of the famous opera composers of his day. Here the performers capture the essence of the Bel Canto style with their sensitive interpretation. The Sonata by British composer Edwin York Bowen is a light, neo-romantic work written for flutist Gareth Morris and was premiered in 1949. Bowen has been referred to as "the English Rachmaninoff " a description that aptly fits the Sonata for flute and piano. The Martinu Sonata is perhaps the best-known and most-recorded work on the CD. This performance is done in a refreshingly more lyrical style than the more robust version one often hears of this work. The recital concludes with two new works by American composers, Matthew Santa and Jake Heggie. The Santa Sonata is a work in three movements utilizing classical forms but with a rhythmic and harmonic language that is definitely contemporary. Soliloquy by Jake Heggie is a setting of the song Beyond, part of a larger collection: Pieces of 9/11 Memories from Houston. It is set in a simple ternary form and the composer states that his intention is to express "the hope and newness that can come from grief." The writing is highly emotional and is sensitively performed. CHAMBER MUSIC James Winn (MS 1588) Dmitri Atapine, cello; Rong-Huey Liu, oboe; Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, violin; James Winn, piano Composer/pianist James Winn shares his talents as both composer and performer on this CD of his music. Variations on a Theme of Bartok (1977; rev. 2010) for cello and piano was inspired by a short piece from Bartok's For Children, Vol. I (1908-09). He describes his compositional style in these Variations to be more similar to that of Brahms or Mendelssohn. Masque for oboe, cello and piano was written in 1981. Here Winn visualizes the sort of piece one might have heard in the French Court of Louis XIV. The piece is set in three movements, the first being a stately Introduction. In this movement Winn imagines the entrance of the court participants. This is followed by a Pastorale where the Court participants may have played at being shepherds and shepherdesses. The piece ends with a brisk finale, which features a second theme in the rhythm of an Estampie. The Finale contains music inspired by the transfiguration section of Strauss' Death and Transfiguration. Winn completes the movement by a cyclical return of a theme from the first movement, Introduction. Rong-Huey Liu is an International prize winning oboist and active performer in the Southern California and Reno Nevada area. Dmitri Atapine is an internationally acclaimed performer and recording artist. He is the cello professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. The collaboration between these artists is outstanding. The final work on the disc is the Three Nocturnes for Piano Trio. With the composer at the piano, it is performed by Dmitri Atapine, cello, and Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, violin. Ms. Sant'Ambrogio is an internationally acclaimed violinist with a varied background in performing and recording as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral leader. She is the violin/viola professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Their ensemble displays virtuosity, polish, control of nuance and balance. Each movement has a mythological literary inspiration. The first is derived from a novel by Thorne Smith. "The music depicts a serene and beautiful moonlight night which is then contrasted with the awe and consternation when the moon Goddess actually manifests". The second movement Seannachie is based on the story-teller/historian/lore-master of a Celtic community. The piece uses elements reminiscent of folk- styles and bagpipes embellishments. The third movement, Louhi's Conjuring pays musical homage to the great Finish composer Sibelius. The music starts with the casting of a spell by Louhi, the witch-queen, which is represented musically with a dark and mysterious sense of spell-casting. As the witch tries to break her spell the music becomes more intense and fervent. The performers present a passionate rendition with a wide range of interpretive coloration. Throughout the CD, James Winn proves himself to be a virtuoso pianist and chamber musician. He is not only a gifted performer, but his writing is stylish, fluid, and is certain to be well received by listeners. JAMES BRAWN IN RECITAL, VOLUME 2 (MS 1502) The Time Traveller and His Muse Scarlatti, J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Grieg, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Gershwin Pianist James Brawn presents a recital of music on two discs which is intended to represent the two halves of a recital. The pieces Brawn has chosen will provide the listener with a varied program representing a cross section of music for keyboard spanning 200 years. Arranged in chronological order, they range from the baroque era (Scarlatti and J.S. Bach) to Gershwin. In all, Volume 2 represents 31 compositions by 13 different composers. Among the selections presented, listeners will most certainly recognize many of the best known and loved works for the piano. James Brawn was born in 1971 and lived and studied in New Zealand, Australia, and the US. Since 2010, he has lived in the UK and is based in the Cotswolds. He performs throughout the UK, and other concert performances include France, Italy, Hong Kong and the US. He credits his achievements to his teachers who can trace their pedagogical ancestry back to Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and Clara Schumann. He likes to think of the piano as an instrument somewhat like a time machine, allowing him "to cherish beautiful moments in time, to travel temporarily in reverse, fleeting back to the past, following my muse, and connecting with the hearts and minds of the great composers." These sentiments are apparent from his selection of music and their arrangement in chronological order on the disc. Brawn is a virtuoso performer and the sound engineering captures his sensitive interpretation of these masterpieces. The extensive CD liner notes provided will add to the enjoyment of the listening experience. ALBUM REVIEWS

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