Complete Chamber Works of Anthony Newman
- 流派：Classical 古典
- 语种：英语
- 发行时间：2016-07-15
- 类型：录音室专辑
- 歌曲
- 时长
Disc1
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Violin Sonata No. 3
Disc1
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Violin Sonata No. 2
Disc1
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Suite for Violin
Disc1
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Cello Sonata No. 1
Disc1
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Cello Sonata No. 2
Disc1
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Violin Sonata No. 1
Disc2
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Suite for Flute and Piano
Disc2
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Sonata for Flute and Piano
Disc2
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Variations on 'ein Feste Burg' for Four Flutes
Disc2
Disc2
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Chamber Concerto
Disc2
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Sonata on the Planets
Disc3
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Quartet No. 2
Disc3
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Quartet No. 3
Disc3
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Piano Trio
Disc3
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Easter Quintet
Disc4
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Suite for Trumpet and Piano No. 1
Disc4
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Suite for Trumpet and Piano No. 2
Disc4
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Suite for Trumpet and Piano No. 3
简介
American-born Anthony Newman is best known today as a specialist performer of Baroque repertoire, with a career propelled in the 1960s and 1970s by his groundbreaking live interpretations on organ, harpsichord, and conducting of Johann Sebastian Bach's music. In addition to countless concert performances that garnered him a reputation as one of the world's best organists in the 1990s, Newman has also worked with manifold philharmonic and chamber orchestras as a conductor and has made numerous recordings. This variety of talents has earned him wide recognition as an artist in all those fields. Yet while many may know him exclusively as a performer, Newman also studied composition with Luciano Berio and his diverse compositional output, ranging from the symphonic to opera and from solo works to the chamber music to which this collection of CDs is dedicated, has led to him receiving the ASCAP's composer award for 33 consecutive years. Nicknamed "the high priest of Bach" by Wynton Marsalis, the works and style of the great baroque composer have made an undeniable impact on Anthony Newman's career as a performer as well as his own compositional style, yet contemporary developments have equally left their mark, most notably those in the works of Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók. One dominant element that influences many of his compositions, and one that will be a constant feature of his chamber music, is a clear derivative of Stravinsky: instances in which the "wrong note sounds right". Suitably referred to as Stravinskyanisms by Newman, these instances combine two seemingly unfitting elements, for example, a catchy melody with a harmonically opposing accompaniment. No matter what the harmonies against this melody are and whether we can place them in tonal context or not, the melody itself will still be recognizable and memorable. From this bi or multitonal element his compositions also branch out into a more distinctly polytonal area whose harmonic moodiness Newman counterbalances with striking rhythms. They create a separate layer of excitement in the music from the harmony and offer the composer a very effective way of writing freely polytonal music that still has great appeal to the audience while more radically non-tonal music still struggles to be included in the concert hall repertoire. Newman sometimes tiptoes up to the border of atonality but, in an effort to keep his work accessible and attractive, he maintains a strong foundation in compositional strategies and tactics that have progressed along with the development of tonal music. While a listener may get a sharp reflection or sometimes only a glimpse of it, the aforementioned influence of the great composers of old shines through the sounds of modern developments. Anthony Newman, like every other contemporary composer, looks back on an enormously rich history of compositional styles and techniques from the symmetric to the free, from the impressionistic to the atonal, influencing each of our modern composers in unique ways. Writing music that has no influences whatsoever is impossible as there is a constant cross-fertilization between composers regardless of historical period. Newman's compositions are an eclectic mix of original material, interspersed with elements some bigger, some smaller, of the musical language of earlier centuries. Reference to conventional models and forms is particularly evident in the choice of movement and work titles such as Suite and Sonata. Many movements play with the principles and characteristics of a certain genre, apply a traditional sonata form, for example, and then modernize it. In the end, however, there is no escape from the tonality with which we have been musically socialized for generations: no matter how abstract or polytonal a piece might be, most develop a strong urge for a tonal ending be it only by establishing a dominant-tonic relationship in the two final chord. His fluent use of multiple styles, the ease with which he recreates older forms, and his devotion to a basic element of tonality makes Anthony Newman's music fresh, modern and yet always appealing and accessible. CD 1 The first CD of this collection is devoted to Newman's violin music and opens with his Third Violin Sonata, which is derived from a series of original songs. Its opening movement begins with a piano introduction that bears similarities to a Schubert lied and has a strong Romantic touch but soon brings a first exposure of the Stravinskyan influence in a high violin part supported by the "wrong" harmonies. The two middle movements, variations on piano preludes, create a strong contrast between the highly expressive second, a passionate serenade with a glowing major chord ending, and the following, very rhythmical Presto. A calm Adagio with an impressionistic feel paves the way for an energetic, joyful Finale. The First Violin Sonata displays influences of an entirely different nature: A determined introduction to the Allegro deciso is followed by a boogie theme, giving the movement a jazzy hue that extends into a brief, more subdued passage, before the initial resolute nature of the movement returns. A central solemn Largo of great emotional intensity precedes a final movement which opens with a typically Baroque fugue theme in the piano, but with an unexpected harmonic seasoning. Quieter, mysterious moments lead to tremolos and speedy scales that end the sonata. Chronologically between these two violin sonatas sits a musical portrait of characters from the tarot deck in the form of the Second Violin Sonata, whose opening movement depicts the Jester. Entitled Totentanz, this variation on the famous Blues tune Franky and Johnny captivates with glissandi, a light nature, and a full-bodied exploration of the instruments' middle range. Judgement, a somber harmonic study on Bach's Prelude in G Minor from the Well Tempered Clavier, book 2, surprises with feisty scotch snaps that counter weigh the movement's heavy fabric. Central to it is a three-tone descending figure that makes up the violin's yearning lament before an abrupt end. The third movement, Chariot, presents an energetic piece with a brilliant soundscape in which harmonies progress into more modern fields: a brief appearance of a 17th century idiom draws the parallel to a toccata, then gradually moves away from its historical base. Piano and violin take on different roles to start, but their lines interweave as the structure grows denser. Transparency stands at the beginning of the final Wheel of Fortune, a wild fugue in which downward cascades oppose stagnant passages and unrestrained solo runs, resembling an extended cadenza, keep the music energetic and robust to the end. More Baroque references are made with the Suite for Violin. While the term suite usually denominates a collection of dances, here it sums up a Baroque sinfonia with modern variations and a catchy toccata. The brilliant opening, Sinfonia's majestic ascents, are broken up by Stravinskyan modernisms that lead the line away from the anticipated path, always moving in virtuoso fashion. The final ascent plays with the listening expectations as it provides the unexpected - a truly tonal line after establishing modernisms. Similarly the initially dissonant, Berg-like second movement reveals a tonal center in the cello's scales and finally delves into a virtuoso gigue. A simple but catchy tune leads through virtuoso passages in the last movement; then both instruments break free in splendid scales towards a grand finale. No formal tonal center but tonal fragments are offered in the first movement, Litanies, of the Cello Sonata No. 1, which is driven by a strong rhythm in pizzicatos and scales. Mystic piano passages lead to grand arcs in the cello and to calm, serene, and tonal concluding measures. Strong chorale-like piano chords open the second movement titled Little Passacaglia. The piano establishes the ostinato as was typical for the 17th century passacaglia; above it the cello scales remain the same, regardless of a chord change, and bring back a sense of Stravinskyan influence that is widened in more lyric lines of opposing tonalities. While the movement ends tonal, it still disappoints conventional aural anticipation as it lacks a cadence and does not establish a tonic. The final movement, variations on America, constructs the framework of an intricate play of contrast and variation, convention and modern developments. The piano opens with a fully harmonized God Save the Queen, but hardly has its final note ended when the cello enters creating in bold lines a very different mood over the high, gentle strokes of the piano. The instruments then seem to find their bearing and enter a dialogue in the same language yet still exposing, in Chopinesque figurines and even a polka, elements of the past and present, referring back to America - which itself is a mixture of the most diverse origins (amongst them the United Kingdom referred to in the theme). Going much further back in time is the inspiration behind the mostly tonal Second Cello Sonata: The Planets. Jupiter's introductory bars swerve between pondering and playful with a pleasant, weighty yet flowing melodic line and a clear tonal center. Uranus on the other hand offers a dense structure in a predominantly lower range and stern harmonic territory. Raging scales lie over marcato statements of the piano and propel the music into a higher range; a lyric cello line is the precursor of a brief cadenza. In the furioso coda, a major key suddenly and surprisingly emerges and is firmly established. It draws parallels to upheaval, but also to a raw energy of creation. The third movement, Venus, shows contrasting sides. A contemplative opening in the style of the great solo sonatas is carried forth in a soft, nurturing progression and is then suddenly interrupted by a much more lively passage in 6/8 meter. This disruption of the serene atmosphere gives way to a beautiful pizzicato melody with even more tenderness than that with which the movement opened. Mercury closes the sonata in a lively movement in which brief passages seem to lose their tonal center around the lowest cello notes, but quickly regain their balance. CD 2 Works for flute, small ensemble, and viola make up the fare of the second part of the release. Quick virtuoso piano figures contrast with the soloist's long notes in the Prelude of the Suite for Flute and Piano. Unsettled, continuous movement characterizes the Fugue along with forceful narration from the flute. The music drifts in and out of familiar elements such as the soundscapes of Bach and Debussy, and rushes wildly to a tonal end with a clear cadence. A clear tonality also lies at the foundation of the third movement, circles in on itself and is set against modern playing techniques. Ushered in by a highly virtuosic introduction, the piano's heavy, harsh rhythm supports untamed jumps of the flute that pick up speed towards the end of the movement and close it with a bold final statement. The following Flute Sonata begins with a dense chorale passage of the piano and grand arcs of long flute tones with open tonal centers. Both instruments are initially set at contrasting tonalities, then tonal, fugue-like elements lead to a tonal close. A contemplative Adagio Lacrimae evokes the sultry atmosphere of Debussy's Aprés-midi d'un Faune before a Bachian soundscape leads to a strange conversation between the two instruments in the Fugue. During some phrases they seem to be talking at cross purposes, then again they come to a consensus in taking a few melodic steps together before a forceful close. The Variations on 'Ein feste Burg' reach back to Bach and his time not only in title. Set for flute quartet, the variations explore every possible aspect of timbre of this scoring, from the warmth of the low register to the silver glint of the piccolo and mirror Bach's own colorful orchestration.Newman utilizes a familiar mixture of original ideas and references to long established techniques, setting passages akin to a bossa nova (variation VI) against fugato and ostinato (variation VII). The strong momentum of the ninth variation propels the music into the closing Fugue with its very atypical theme that leads to turbid paths. Then the fog lifts into shrill heights before the variations are firmly rooted in tradition when the entire Lutheran chorale that lies at the heart of Bach's composition of the same title resounds in the quartet and closes the thematic circle. Commissioned for the Barcelona Contemporary Festival in 2006, the Chamber Concerto employs established compositional techniques like staggered entrances of the voices and presents itself overall in a neoclassical style. However, a quieter part of the Allegro molto exemplifies the Stravinskyan element when wind instruments are paired with a countermelody of the piano. The swells and lively scales in the Largo, a reduction of a movement of Newman’s Third Symphony which was dedicated to the victims of 9/11, turn into relentless pounding in the piano; brief reminiscences of minimalism appear in the Presto and more outspokenly modern moments in the closing movement. Familiar sounds are presented in the Sonata on the Planets for viola and piano: while the music mirrors that of the Second Cello Sonata, it shows what impact the instrument has on a piece of music since the viola brings out a very different timbre and an altogether different set of colors of the music. CD 3 Passionately the instruments sing in the Allegro assai of Newman's String Quartet No. 2, a mainly conventionally harmonized work with a lush romantic feel. It is followed by a Chaconne with Variations oscillating between hopefulness, a pondering, almost brooding mood and wild fire which spreads into the Scherzo in irregular and enthralling rhythms. An initially neo-baroque fugue with a little modern spice ends the work. . An Allegro of unstable tonal roots and strong bass lines that nevertheless establishes a cadence in the coda leads to the Adagio of the Third Quartet, a dense, lyrical movement with Bergian harmonic drifts and a beautiful love song that develops from a brief, intimate moment of violin and cello. The Scherzo's pizzicatos and metallic dissonances thin out in transition to the final movement, connected to the Scherzo with a fugue theme of hard pizzicatos which are always clearly discernible throughout the movement. They grow into long thematic lines, forming a magnificently dense structure in which tonality seems to try to evolve but is often swallowed by a barely tonal development before a closing key is established. Jazzy harmonies create a stark contrast to the previous piece in the Piano Trio (which is a transcription of the Quartet Number One first played in the Far East by the Sarah Lawrence Quartet. Melodic lines feature strikingly big leaps in both strings yet never feel random as the music always has a clear directional pull to it. After a high piano opening, the three instruments paint the Largo in pastel colors that dominate the movement, even when the music becomes more agitated and the strokes of the musical paint brush become bolder. Decisive opening bars characterize the Fugue, in which the motif is quietly developed in compact shape, featuring baroque mannerisms and idioms. The music appears to settle down for an end, but jumps back to life forcefully for a presto finale. This mood fits the Allegro con fuoco of the Easter Quintet, and despite extensive romantic interludes, the fiery character is taken up again at the close, complimented by a flowing Largo with soaring strings. A resolute and familiar chorale theme is presented in the final movement and illuminated by variations ranging from the conventional gigue and ostinato to an abstract variation that explores the theme's original density. Another variation with a very liquid, legato quality of progression presents the theme distorted, as if one was looking at it through water before a stormy final variation closes the quintet with furor. CD 4 The final part of this collection is devoted to compositions for trumpet, beginning with the First Trumpet Suite that harks back to the First Violin Suite in Rage, the first of four transcriptions of original songs that mostly derive from Anthony Newman's Angel Oratorio. Calmly the trumpet sings its praise in the highest register in Holy, Holy, Holy, and is supported by the piano's praise in The Hymn while recreating the musical idiom of the Baroque and Renaissance in How Sweet the Moonlight, referring to Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice in its title. A fierce yet catchy tune ends the suite and emphasizes the piano's overall role in Newman's' music: It acts not only as accompaniment but also as a strong carrier of the music underneath and around a solo line. The Second Trumpet Suite, too, offers catchy tunes as well as catchy titles that have the appearance of a jazz standard or pop song rather than that of a classical piece. Dog's Lament is a truly lamenting movement that sends the trumpet to great heights. Harmonies evolve, become a little uncanny and trigger a slightly faster element in which emotion bursts forth. The initial sentiment returns with grave bass drops, yet after desolate repetitions of the trumpet, it ends on a positive note in the piano. Devil's Dance is a bass driven boogie, whereas Take the Handoff explores stylistic range with a majestic opening. The Third Suite for Trumpet seems to be firmly rooted in conventional compositional models with a Prelude as well as a Fugue, in which the piano features prominently and often runs colla parte. With a memorable melody, the trumpet laments over broken chords of the piano in Song, gathering strength for the simple, cheery Fanfare with a bass-heavy intermediate section and defiant close. Finally Nicole's Prayer, a calm movement, conventionally harmonized, presents a yearning song that has an occasional hue of desperation. Grand piano arpeggios in the coda, however, eventually lighten the melancholic mood and set forth a glowing ending. Hedy Mühleck MUSICIANS Anthony Newman, piano CD 1 Violin Sonata No 3 Renée Jolles, violin Violin Sonata No 1 Yoon Kwon, violin Violin Sonata No 2 Renée Jolles, violin Suite for Violin Yoon Kwon, violin, Patrick Jee, cello Cello Sonata No 1 Jesus Castro-Balbi, cello Cello Sonata No 2 Christina Cooper, cello CD 2 Suite for Flute and Piano Gergely Ittzés, flute Variations on Ein Feste Burg Gergely Ittzés, flute,, TeTraVERSI Flute Quartet Chamber Concerto 21 Ensemble Sonata on the Planets Danielle Farina, viola CD 3 Quartet No 2 Laurentian String Quartet Quartet No 3 New York String Quartet with Cal Wiersma, violin Piano Trio Renée Jolles, violin, Christina Cooper, cello Easter Quintet 21 Ensemble CD 4 Suites for Trumpet and Piano 1, 2, 3 David Glukh, trumpet
