Archive for the ‘The New Classical’ Category

Music for Heart and Breath

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

    Richard Reed Parry Music for Heart and Breath DG CD   Richard Reed Parry is best known for his work in the Grammy award-winning band Arcade Fire. He is also active as a composer of concert music. On his debut portrait disc in this latter role, he enlists an all star roster of […]

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Kronos at 40

Thursday, June 26th, 2014

  A Thousand Thoughts Kronos Quartet Nonesuch CD   Kronos Explorer Series Kronos Quartet Nonesuch CD Boxed Set   To celebrate their fortieth year of activities, Kronos Quartet has two releases on the Nonesuch imprint. The first, A Thousand Thoughts, is a single CD compilation of previously unreleased and newly recorded tracks. All of the […]

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Elodie Lauten (1950-2014)

Monday, June 9th, 2014

Another wonderful composer has passed away: Elodie Lauten was a talented, adventurous artist supremely dedicated to her work. Kyle Gann has more here.

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Lee Hyla (1952-2014)

Sunday, June 8th, 2014

  Saddened to learn of the passing of composer Lee Hyla, a longtime fixture of the Boston scene who more recently was a Professor of Music at Northwestern.  

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A Jazz Rite that Sounds Right

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014

The Rite of Spring Stravinsky performed by the Bad Plus Sony Masterworks CD   It has long been a touchstone and signifying landmark for Twentieth Century, but particularly around its centenary (2013), Stravinsky’s Sacre du Printemps (Rite of Spring) provoked much conversation, reevaluation, and reinterpretation. One can imagine a jazz trio translation of the piece […]

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Primosch on Bridge (CD Review)

Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Sacred Songs James Primosch Susan Narucki, soprano; William Sharp, baritone; 21st Century Consort, Christopher Kendall, conductor Bridge Records CD 9422   Whether you are a spiritual seeker or confirmed secularist, James Primosch’s affecting settings of sacred texts, and poems seeking the sacred or spiritual, can prove a balm for the soul and food for thought. […]

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Ueno Opera to Premiere in Boston

Thursday, May 1st, 2014

I recently spoke with my friend Ken Ueno, a composer on the faculty at UC Berkeley, about the upcoming premiere of his opera Gallo. It will be presented by Guerrilla Opera in May in Boston. Below are excerpts from our chat.   CC: How did you come to decide to compose an opera?    KU: Theater has […]

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Big Week for ECM

Monday, April 28th, 2014

  This is a big week for ECM — the label is releasing four new CDs of concert music, including CDs featuring Duo Gazzana, Erkki-Sven Tűűr, and Tigran Mansurian. All of these discs are worthy of scrutiny, but the one that I have spent the most time with is a recording of chamber music by […]

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This Week: Yeahwon Shin in Concert in the US

Monday, April 21st, 2014

Vocalist Yeahwon Shin is appearing in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore this week, performing material from her ECM recording Lua Ya. Joined by versatile pianist Aaron Parks and accordionist Rob Curto,  Shin crafts elegant lullabies (many of the pieces incorporate Korean children songs) that are one part classical music, one part free improvisation, and one part folk music. There […]

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Tallis Scholars Premiere Nyman Work

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014

In addition to the “Forty Years of Renaissance Polyphony” advertised for this Saturday’s appearance by the Tallis Scholars at Midtown Manhattan’s Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the group will be premiering a new work by Michael Nyman. Two Sonnets of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz is tailor made for the current Tallis forces, […]

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