COMPOSERS: Colgrass,Harrison & Bergsma,Kupferman,Lees,Piston,Starer
LABELS: Vox VoxBox
ALBUM TITLE: Collection: American Concertos
WORKS: By Lees, Starer, Colgrass, Piston, Kupferman, Harrison & Bergsma
PERFORMER: various soloists, conductors & orchestras
CATALOGUE NO: CDX 5158
These recordings first appeared in the Sixties and Seventies. There’s plenty of variety – from the broadly traditional Lees and Starer and the lively neo-classicism of Piston, to the kaleidoscopic, percussion-only accompaniments of Harrison and the pre-recorded tape and patchwork designs of Kupferman. Colgrass’s Concertmasters (for red, yellow and blue violins!) is a colourfully orchestrated amalgam of impressionism, 18th-century concerto grosso and serial dissonance, while Bergsma – a difficult composer to categorise – has a strong sense of structure and timbre. A fascinating release, well worth exploring. Wadham Sutton
Lees, Starer, Colgrass, Piston, Kupferman, Harrison & Bergsma
These recordings first appeared in the Sixties and Seventies. There’s plenty of variety – from the broadly traditional Lees and Starer and the lively neo-classicism of Piston, to the kaleidoscopic, percussion-only accompaniments of Harrison and the pre-recorded tape and patchwork designs of Kupferman. Colgrass’s Concertmasters (for red, yellow and blue violins!) is a colourfully orchestrated amalgam of impressionism, 18th-century concerto grosso and serial dissonance, while Bergsma – a difficult composer to categorise – has a strong sense of structure and timbre.
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:39 pm