CD Reviews

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Hovhaness: solos, duos, and trios

music of Alan Hovhaness

OgreOgress

Paul Hersey, piano; Christina Fong, violin|viola; Libor Soukal, bassoon; Jirí Šesták, oboe; Karen Krummel, cello; Michael Kornacki & John Varineau, clarinets; Christopher Martin, viola

The vastly prolific composer Alan Hovhaness gets captured in a time capsule of chamber music in this OgreOgress release.  This 126 minute DVD-A disc (96kHz|24bit for you audiophiles out there) contains a full fourteen chamber pieces, thirteen of which are getting premiere recordings.  The chronological ordering of works provides a journey from Hovhaness’ early populist tonal/modal style through his initial experiments with his better known Eastern influenced mystical language.  There are pieces from each decade of Hovhaness’ productivity so if you are wanting a sampler of Hovhaness’ chamber output, there really isn’t a better place to start than this recording.

While probably better known for his symphonies, Hovhannes is equally skilled at writing his musical ideas in chamber form.  The disc is crammed full of top notch performances and the audio quality of the disc is stunning.  The solo piano works are rich with harmonics.  The string trio sounds as if they are right in front of you.  I was especially struck by the overtones in Libor Soukal’s bassoon sound in the Op. 23 Suite for oboe and bassoon.

There is no one large, dominating work on this disc which again makes it enjoyable for hearing the evolution of Hovhannes’ style and also encouraging performers to take up more of his chamber music.  As I first listened to the disc, I was surprised at the style of the earlier pieces but the through line of Hovhaness’ development seemed as natural as breathing air.  Then, when I started over with the early piano trio, I was amazed at how much of the later music is hidden in the earlier.  Flirtations with modality in the early pieces evolve into raga-esque melodies a few decades down the road.

Each performance on this disc is well crafted from the performer to the ensemble through to the recording.  The musical language overall is accessible and just plain pretty.  I was especially fond of the piano trio, the piano sonatina, the string trio, Night of a White Cat, and the solo viola sonata.  That is quite possibly more music than I would get on a standard CD.  The fact that I get all the other works, which I also enjoyed, is a major bonus.  OgreOgress is doing it right with good music, great performers and performances, and excellent recordings.

Moons and Ancestors

music of Robert Shechtman

performed by Paul Austin, Gregory Crowell, Christina Fong, and Ethnoeccentric

OgreOgress Records

Ancestral Songs for horn and organ

Water from the Moon for amplified violin

1. Sirens’ Song
2. Soft Shoe
3. Sirens’ Song II
4. Jitterbug
5. Sirens’ Song & One More Waltz

Variations on the Huang Chung of the Eleventh Moon for amplified ensemble

Robert Shechtman’s music is exactly what I wanted to hear exactly when I wanted to hear it.  There is a simplicity to the musical materials that is skillfully propelled into emotional arcs and meaty performances.  Shechtman’s language is open and inviting, drawing upon pitch centric and motivic gestures with lots of space and time between events.  I felt like I could really process what was being said as opposed to just trying to keep up.

The opening calls of the horn in Ancestral Songs are lonely, spacious, and inviting.  The droning organ provides the perfect counterweight to the horn as the soloist picks up energy and gradually yanks the organ along with more spritely gestures.  Paul Austin and Gregory Crowell evoke the timeless and eternal quality that this music needs.

Christina Fong brings the same needed energy to the five movement Water From the Moon. From the seductive long tones of Sirens’ Song to the One More Waltz, the music feels effortless and engaging.  The electronic manipulation of the violin is quite subtle and well placed.  The dance movements, Soft Shoe, Jitterbug, and the final Sirens’ Song & One More Waltz are particularly charming and note perfect.  If you don’t feel like moving while hearing these movements, you might want to check your pulse.

Variations on the Huang Chung of the Eleventh Moon is a rousing and sparkling work for amplified ensemble.  Ethnoeccentric gives a passionate and intense performance.  Variations is the most driving and propulsive work on the disk and yet I still feel that sense of space and longing from the earlier pieces.  The variations walk a fine line between sectional/character variations and free-flowing fantasia.  Either way is fine with me.