[George
Walker: Great American Concert Music;
Albany Records Troy1370 (2012)]
On
this recording an impressive array of accomplished musicians
interpret vocal and instrumental works of one of America's leading
composers. Pianist Robert Pollock is the only performer on this disc
who is new to us. George Walker himself is a pianist on this
program, along with Leon Bates and Kevin Sharpe. The composer's son
Gregory Walker is a violinist, as is Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Kenneth
Law is a cellist, and Alison Buchanan is a soprano.
George
Walker has long been in the forefront of African American composers
and pianists. His website
is http://georgetwalker.com. He is featured at AfriClassical.com and is often the
subject of posts at AfriClassical. On June 27, 2012 George Walker
turned 90. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
(ASCAP) marked the occasion by naming him a “2012 Concert Music
Awards Honoree”: “ASCAP Honors its distinguished member, George
Walker, with the Aaron Copland Award in celebration of his 90th year
and for his contribution to American music as composer, pianist,
educator and exemplary musical citizen.”
Works
of George Walker are performed often, and recordings have been
released with great frequency throughout his career. For example,
American Orchestral Music, Volume 3, was
issued in January of this year. This has made the recorded music of George
Walker among the most accessible of that of any composer of African descent.
The
liner notes of George
Walker: Great American Concert Music
are by George Walker. The disc opens with the Piano
Sonata No. 3
(13:31), performed by Leon Bates. The liner notes tell us: “The
Piano Sonata No. 3 was commissioned by the Washington Performing Arts
Society. The premiere was given in the Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts in 1976 by Leon Bates. The sonata comprises three
movements entitled Fantoms, Bell, Chorale and Fughetta.”
The
University of Maryland Piano Trio commissioned Music
for 3 (6:54),
performed here by the Ritz Chamber Trio. The work was premiered in
1971. The liner notes tell us: “This performance of Music for 3 by
members of the Ritz Chamber Players was recorded live in
Jacksonville, Florida.”
The
liner notes continue: “The songs of George Walker have been called
'among the finest by an American composer” in a review by the New
York Times of
a C.R.I. recording. Response,
the
earliest of these songs, was composed in 1940 when the composer was
18 years of age. The
Bereaved Maid, set
to a 15th
century text, was deemed a “masterpiece” by Nadia Boulanger when
it was first shown to her. She suggested that a choral arrangement
be made of it.
Three
Anonymous songs open the vocal portion of the disc. They are
followed by songs with lyrics from Lord Byron, A.E. Houseman, Emily
Dickinson, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Robert Burns, Langston Hughes and
George Walker. Three spirituals complete the vocal section,
including Mary
Wore Three Links of Chain, on
which George Walker provides piano accompaniment to soprano Alison
Buchanan. Violinist Gregory Walker performs Bleu
for Unaccompanied Violin
(4:25).
The liner notes tell us Piano
Sonata No. 5
(5:32) is a one-movement work composed in 2003. It is performed by
pianist Robert Pollock.
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