On the Cedille CD "Portraits," the McGill / McHale Trio unifies a wide array of contemporary works into a coherent program of beautiful melodies

Portraits: Works For Flute, Clarinet & Piano
 

Demarre McGill, flute

Anthony McGill, clarinet

Michael McHale, piano

Matthew Septimus, cover photo

Mahershala Ali, narrator

Cedille CDR 90000 172

Mahershala Ali, narrator

The liner notes for Portraits recall the founding of the McGill / McHale Trio in Bowling Green, Ohio:

"The McGill / McHale Trio was founded in September 2014 when clarinetist Anthony McGill and his brother, flutist Demarre McGill, were featured artists in a residency at Bowling Green University in Ohio.  While there, pianist Michael McHale joined them in concert for the first time, and it was immediately clear that the Trio would have a great future making music together.

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...Anthony McGill was named Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic in September 2014, having previously been Principal Clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Associate Principal with the Cincinnati Symphony."

Anthony had previously gained national recognition by performing in a quartet of prominent classical musicians at the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States in 2009. 

The CD liner notes introduce the Trio's flutist, Demarre McGill, as follows:

 "Demarre McGill has served as principal flute of the Seattle, Dallas, and San Diego symphony orchestras, as well as acting principal of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.A graduate of Curtis and Juilliard, he is a winner of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant.  In addition to numerous education activities, he is co-founder and Artistic Director of the Art of Elan and a founding member of the Myriad Trio."

Michael McHale, the pianist, is from Belfast, the liner notes tell us:

"Pianist Michael McHale was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and now resides in London, England.  Following studies at the University of Cambridge and Royal Academy of Music, Michael has gone on to become one of Ireland's leading concert pianists."

The program notes are by Elinor Olin.  The recording opens with a single-track piece, A Fish Will Rise (9:01) by Chris Rogerson (b. 1988).  Elinor Olin writes:

"Anthony McGill, who premiered Rogerson's 2016 clarinet concerto Four Autumn Landscapes, asked the composer to re-orchestrate the movement for flute, clarinet, and piano to feature the McGill / McHale Trio."

The major work on this recording is Portraits of Langston (2007).  It occupies Tracks 2 through 13 and its length is 26:03.  The composer is Valerie Coleman, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1970, according to the liner notes, which tell us:

"By age fourteen, she had written three symphonies and won several major performance competitions.  Today, she is the founder, composer, and flutist of the Grammy-nominated Imani Winds, one of the world's premier wind quintets."

"Portraits of Langston is a six-movement suite calling for virtuosic dexterity and ensemble subtleties from flutist, clarinetist, and pianist alike."  The movements relate to various poems of Langston Hughes, which are read by the narrator, Mahershala Ali.  The narration is done with great tenderness and in a relatively quiet voice, prior to each instrumental performance. 

The work begins with Prelude: Helen Keller (1:21).  The next movement is Danse 

Africaine (5:32).  Le Grand Duc Mambo (1:52) follows, leading into Silver Rain (4:47).  The final movements are Jazz Band in a Parisian Cabaret (3:56) and Harlem's Summer Night (2:54).

The composer repeatedly explores a variety of rhythms and styles, and alternates

the dominant role among each of the instruments in the Trio.  The work allows the listener to experience an exploration of themes associated with both the Harlem Renaissance and the 1920s cabaret scene in Paris.

Track 14 is devoted to Techno-Parade (4:23) (2002) of Guillaume Connesson (b. 1970).  Track 15 is Michael McHale's arrangement of Sergei Rachmaninov's Vocalise (5:08), No. 14.  The liner notes tell us the original work was written for a Russian soprano, and McHale has arranged the music "...into alternating melodies for flute and clarinet."  

Paul Schoenfield (b. 1947) composed Sonatina for Flute, Clarinet and Piano (13:59) in 1994.  Track 16 is Charleston (5:41), Track 17 is Hunter Rag (4:39) and Track 18 is Jig (3:39.  Philip Hammond (b. 1951) composed The Lamentation of Owen O'Neil (2:50).  The Lark in the Clear Air (3:51) is an Irish Traditional work arranged by Michael McHale.  The liner notes tell us that in the 19th century this tune was often performed on the "Ancient Celtic harp."  The present version, the notes observe, allows each instrument a chance to perform the tune.

In our opinion, the McGill / McHale Trio has masterfully blended the narrated and purely instrumental tracks of the recording.  We also believe the three musicians succeed in unifying a wide array of contemporary compositions into a coherent program which has a great deal to offer the listener.