'Roberto Sierra Piano Trios' on Naxos is 'Record of the Month' of MusicWeb-International.com

[Roberto Sierra; Roberto Sierra Piano Trios; Trío Arbós; Naxos 8.559611 (2011)]

One of the most authoritative of classical music websites has chosen Roberto Sierra Piano Trios by the Puerto Rican composer Roberto Sierra, Naxos 8.559611 (2011), as its “Record of the Month.” We present excerpts from the very favorable review:

MusicWeb-International.com

“RECORD OF THE MONTH

Roberto SIERRA (b.1953)

Piano Trio no. 1 Trío Tropical (1991) [16:55]

Piano Trio no. 2 (2002) [13:53]

Piano Trio no. 3 Romántico (2008) [15:50]

Fanfarria, Aria y Movimiento Perpetuo, for violin and piano (2000) [6:28]

Trío Arbós (Miguel Borrego (violin); José Miguel Gómez (cello); Juan Carlos Garvayo (piano))

rec. Auditorio Nacional, Madrid, February 2009. DDD

NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559611 [53.05]”

“The three piano trios featured here span nearly two decades. The jerky, hammered rhythm of the opening bars of Piano Trio no. 1, segueing into a lilting Latino-jazz section, announces immediately a composer of considerable originality. The work is subtitled Trío Tropical, and the three movements incorporate the rhythms and colours of Sierra's childhood in Puerto Rico. A sultry Habanera nocturna follows the first movement, and the last, in two contrasting parts, transforms from a languorous Intermezzo religioso into an exhilarating moto perpetuo, in which the three instruments take a turn in the spotlight like sophisticated jazz soloists.

“The spectacularly imaginative Piano Trio no. 2 is a second trío tropical, based on a twelve-tone row untransposed and uninverted. This must be the most immediately attractive 'serial' music ever written! The first movement is entitled Clave de Mediodía. Clave is the rhythmic base of Afro-Cuban music, whose jerky pulse plays through the movement, which ends surprisingly with thirty seconds of minimalism! In his detailed liner-notes, Sierra describes the agitated, virtuosic second movement, Espejos ('Mirrors'), as a 'mirage of counterpoint', and the last, which follows a brief scherzo, as 'music for an imaginary ritual', likening the throbbing, almost Stravinskian rhythms to those of Afro-Caribbean drumming.” “The Fanfarria, Aria y Movimiento Perpetuo is a shortish but memorable work in one movement for violin and piano.”

“The recent Piano Trio no. 3, dedicated to and premiered by the Trio Arbós, is subtitled Romántico, 'to denote the expansive and broad musical gestures evocative of late-nineteenth-century chamber music', in Sierra's words. At the same time, however, he again integrates Afro-Caribbean elements, succeeding once more in paying homage to the popular music of Puerto Rico by seamlessly weaving those elements into a considerable work of art music. The third movement, Con gran sentimiento, como un 'Bolero', is a particularly beautiful example; this is not Ravel's dance-like Bolero, but a Latin American ballade. The thrilling final Agitado moves back and forth between salsa and Austro-Germanic tradition with exceptional skill and invention.

“The Arbós Trio have been playing together since they were founded in 1996 and have built up a sizeable discography, principally of Hispanic music. They perform Sierra's often virtuosic music with great accomplishment and conviction.”

Comment at LIFE.com: 'William Grant Still was also an All-American Composer.'

[LIFE.com: William Grant Still. (Photo: Frank Driggs Collection/Getty Images Jan. 01, 1955)]

LIFE Magazine

LIFE.com

“William Grant Still (1895 - 1978), Composer

Known as the 'Dean of American Negro Composers,' William Grant Still became the first African-American composer to conduct a major American symphony orchestra when he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1936.”

Comments

wzick - #6 - March 21, 2011 10:42 AM EST

“William Grant Still was also an All-American Composer. When a committee listened to samples of music at a radio network, to select a composer for the theme for the 1939 New York World's Fair, it did not know the names of the composers until it had selected two compositions as those of suitable candidates for writing the theme. Both of the selections turned out to be by William Grant Still. The theme composed by William Grant Still was played countless times at the World's Fair. The complete works of William Grant Still have been compiled by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma and presented at AfriClassical.com. Naxos has recorded Still's Symphonies 1, 4 and 5, and the Fort Smith Symphony will record Symphonies 2 and 3 for Naxos in April. Later this year, the label will complete its collection of all 5 of Still's symphonies. The composer's Miniatures have been recorded recently by Helix Collective, Serafin String Quartet and Allégresse. Judith Anne Still is the composer's daughter and manager of the unique William Grant Still Music store, which preserves Still's legacy by selling recordings, sheet music and books at williamgrantstill.com.”

Naxos Releases CD Version of 'George Walker: Chamber Music and Songs'

[George Walker: Chamber Music and Songs, Son Sonora String Quartet; Capitol Chamber Artists; Angelo Frascarelli, conductor; Videmus Ensemble; Cygnus Ensemble; Naxos 8.559659 (2010) (74:23)]

George Walker is an African American composer and pianist who was born in Washington, D.C. June 27, 1922. He is profiled at AfriClassical.com, and his personal website is http://georgetwalker.com/ George Walker: Chamber Music and Songs is one of two major recordings of his works to be released in 2010. As AfriClassical announced on Dec. 1, 2009, the content was first released via streaming and download. It was issued on CD this month.

The new Naxos disc is generously timed; at 74:23 it is one of the longer recordings we have reviewed recently. Track 1 is String Quartet No. 2 (1968) (22:01). It is performed by the Son Sonora String Quartet: Airi Yosioka, Violin I; Ashley Horne, Violin II; Liu-Wien Ting, Viola; and Arash Amini, Cello. The composer notes that he revised the composition after its premiere, and several performances of the revised work were given before the recording was made.

Track 2 is Poem (for soprano and chamber ensemble) (1987) (15:36), with text by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965). The ensemble is Capitol Chamber Artists, with sopranos Janet Stasio and Janet Rowe accompanied by 9 instrumentalists under the direction of Angelo Frascarelli, conductor. This work was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, according to the liner notes by the composer, which also say: “The premiere by the Capitol Chamber Artists in Albany NY occurred in February 1987. B.A. Nilsson, writing in the Schenectady Gazette, pronounced it 'a masterpiece'.”

George Walker's famous Lyric for Strings (version for string quartet) (1946) (6:25) is performed on Track 3 by the Son Sonora String Quartet. The liner notes tell us: “The Lyric for Strings, one of the most frequently performed orchestral works by an American composer, is heard on this disc in its original version for a string quartet.” Five Fancies (1974) (9:30) is performed on Track 4 by Eric Thomas, clarinet; Vivian Taylor, piano, and John McDonald, piano. George Walker writes: “Five Fancies may be the only work composed for the combination of clarinet and piano four hands.” Track 5 features Modus (for chamber ensemble) (2001) (9:12) in a performance by the 6 members of the Cygnus Ensemble.

George Walker is the pianist on Tracks 6-10. He is joined on the first three songs by Patricia Green, mezzo-soprano, and on the last two by James Martin, baritone. The songs, with dates, times and authors of the texts, are: I Never Saw A Moor (1986) (Emily Dickinson) (2:01); Response (1940) (Paul Laurence Dunbar) (2:26); Mother Goose (Circa 2054) (1992) (Irene Sekula) 1:21); Take, O Take Those Lips Away (2004) (William Shakespeare) (2:39); And Wilt Thou Leave Me Thus (2002) Thomas Wyatt (3:10). The liner notes say: “The songs are considered to be among the finest by any contemporary composer.”

Hannibal Lokumbe's 'Dear Mrs. Parks' on WHPK-FM Chicago Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010

[ABOVE: CD Sleeve; BELOW: CD Cover; Hannibal Lokumbe: Dear Mrs. Parks; Janice Chandler-Eteme, Soprano; Jevetta Steele, Mezzo-soprano; Kevin Deas, Bass; Taylor Gardner, Child Soprano; Rackham Symphony Choir and Suzanne Mallare Acton, Chorus Master; Brazeal Dennard Chorale and Dr. Augustus O. Hill, Director; Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Wilkins, Resident Conductor; Naxos 8.559668 (2009) (59:03)]

On Dec. 3, 2009 AfriClassical posted: “Naxos Releases Hannibal Lokumbe's Oratorio 'Dear Mrs. Parks' On CD Dec. 15, 2009.” Sergio Mims is an African American radio host of a classical music program on WHPK-FM 88.5 in Chicago and streamed on the Internet. He sends us this news:

“I'm sure that you and all your readers will love to know that on Jan. 26, 2010 on my classical music show on WHPK-FM (88.5FM Chicago and http://www.whpk.org live stream worldwide) I will be broadcasting (around the 1:30 PM hour - Central Time) that new Naxos CD recording, released just last month, of Hannibal Lokumbe's oratorio “Dear Mrs. Parks.” Sergio Mims

'Christmas Overture' of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Available On Naxos & Pristine Audio CDs

[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; Chicago Sinfonietta; Paul Freeman; Cedille 90000 055 (2000)]

The little-known Christmas Overture of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, who is profiled at AfriClassical.com, is now available on two separate CDs, on the Naxos and Pristine Audio labels. We present a brief review of each disc.

Audiophile Audition reviews Pristine Audio PAMX005:

“The two orchestral pieces are also very finely transferred, a vigorously played overture to Hansel and Gretel, conducted by the great Albert Coates, whose reputation as a fine musician is undiminished, and a rarity, the Christmas Overture by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, whose all-too-short life makes one think what might have been had he lived longer.”

MusicWeb-International.com reviews NAXOS 8.570331 [69:30]:

“Samuel Coleridge-Taylor is best known for his Hiawatha trilogy, but his Christmas Overture appeared only in 1925 after being arranged by Sydney Baynes, composer of the ‘Destiny Waltz.’ It is a nicely put-together piece, being more than just a pot-pourri of Christmas tunes, but cleverly integrating some famous carols like Hark the herald angels sing and God rest you, merry gentlemen into a pleasantly coherent work.  Dominy Clements”