COMPOSERS: Harbach
LABELS: MSR
ALBUM TITLE: Harbach
WORKS: Chamber Music I
PERFORMER: Ensemble Istropolis/
Trevor, etc
CATALOGUE NO: Classics MS 1253
The organist and harpsichordist Barbara Harbach is also a composer whose work is being documented in a series of seven CDs. The first chamber-music disc begins with American Solstice, scored for the same combination as Copland’s Appalachian Spring and embarrassingly close to being a paraphrase of it. Elsewhere, mostly miniature works for string quartet and various mixed ensembles are mildly entertaining, but lacking in depth. The performances and recordings, made in Bratislava, are variable but serviceable. Anthony Burton