Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • FALL 2017 • PAN PIPES 41 REVIEWS AMERICAN VOICES: MUSIC FOR CLARINET, VIOLA AND PIANO Works by: Kenji Bunch, Anthony Constantino, Michel Kimber, Libby Larsen, Dana Wilson Performed by the Waldland Ensemble: Jeremy Reynolds, Hillary Herndon, Wei-Chun Bernadette Lo; MSR Classics (1541) A s the title implies, American Voices represents the music of five American composers, and this is a premiere recording of these works. Each piece was commissioned and written for the Waldland Ensemble. All compositions are beautifully executed by the virtuoso group which is made up of clarinetist Jeremy Reynolds, violist Hillary Herndon, and pianist Wei-Chun Bernadette Lo. What may at first seem to be an unusual mix of instruments turns out to be an accessible and perfectly delightful recording of works by some of America's best living composers. The first work, Four Flashbacks by Kenji Bunch (b. 1973) features the clarinet and viola. Bunch is himself a violist. Each of the four movements was inspired by a memory of the time he spent living in New York City. Bunch's music has been widely acclaimed for what has been called "New American Music". Anthony Constantino (b. 1995) has written in a wide variety of genres, and his music has been performed in numerous prestigious national and international venues. Ritual Songs is an intense work in three movements, and it is derived from a three note motive. Dana Wilson (b. 1946) has received performances of his music by a number of well-known artists. He has received a number of grants for his work, including those from the National Endowment of the Arts, and his music has won several prizes including the Sudler International Composition Prize and the Ostwald Composition Prize. His music has been recorded by several major recording publishers and he is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Music at Ithaca College. A Thousand Whirling Dreams is a three movement work inspired by the ending of "As I Grew Older" by Langston Hughes. Michael Kimber (b. 1945) performed with several professional ensembles, including as violist with the Kronos Quartet in its early years. He later performed as a Baroque violin/ violist and felt this had a significant influence on his composition style. His music has been performed internationally, and many of his works for viola are considered to be a significant contribution to the repertoire. Vanishing Woods is both a dramatic and pensive work, and was inspired by the concerns regarding the environmental crisis over the disappearance of forests today. The work quotes from the hymn, "For the Beauty of the Earth". Libby Larsen (b.1950) is one of the most performed composers in America today. Her compositions number more than 400, and she is a Grammy Award winning composer with more than 50 CDs to her credit. Ferlinghetti by Larsen is an interaction with the poetry of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and is a collection of six short movements. Ferlinghetti used common words to create his poems, believing that poetry should be shared with the common person. Each of the six movements here represents a response to a fragment of poetry. The recording was made at the Sandra Powell Hall at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The liner notes contain extensive information about the composers and performers and will greatly enhance the listening experience. For anyone interested in stylish new American music, this recording will be most welcome. It is good to spend some time in such good company. ACROSS THE OCEANS: THE MUSIC OF THOMAS OSBORNE Music of the Americas: The Aperio Ensemble: Andres Gonzales, Jason Hardink, Craig Hauschildt, Kimi Kawashima, Suzanne LeFevre, Patrick Moore, Tracy Rhodus Satterfield, Michael Zuraw; MSR Classics (1494) T homas Osborne has written music for several traditional western ensembles, but he also draws inspiration from many non- western sources. There have been significant commissions for his music from a diverse number of groups. He received his education from Indiana University, Rice University, and the University of Southern California, and he is currently Professor of Composition and Theory at the University of Hawaii. The members of the Aperio Ensemble all have ties to Houston, and several attended Rice University where the relationship with Osbourne began. The ensemble is internationally recognized for featuring emerging artists prominently in their repertoire alongside known masters of New World music. Their virtuosity and keen awareness of the many demands of each piece are skillfully displayed. Across the Oceans was composed during an eight year period, and all four works presented here are connected to water. Throughout, Osbourne skillfully captures and makes unmistakable references to water through his skillful and imaginative use of various techniques. Like Still Water is scored for percussion and piano. The music is meant to depict a calm body of water. Dreams of Sky and Sea is written for soprano, percussion, and piano, and is a five movement work based on the poetry of Kim Sowal (1902-1934). These songs are not intended to reference Korean music directly, but do contain a few devises such as the use of a jangdan, which is a repeated pattern. And the Waves Sing Because They Are Moving is a work for solo piano. Unlike the calmness of the first work, this piece explores both the serenity and power of the ocean. Here Osborne experiments with various methods of muting the piano. The final work on the disc, Songs of a Thousand Autumns, is scored for soprano, violin, viola, cello, and piano. At over 26 minutes, it is the longest and most substantial of the works. Consisting of thirteen songs, it is set to the poetry of two ancient Asian poets: Ono Komachi and Sei Shonagon. Both poets were associated with court, which provided Osbourne with much of his inspiration. In this composition, he masterfully incorporated the colorful sounds of ancient traditional court instruments while using the conventional western instruments in the ensemble. Beta Alpha initiate Kim McCormick is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of South Florida and faculty advisor for Delta Chi Chapter. She holds a DMA from the University of North Texas and is a Yamaha Artist.

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