Steve Schwartz:

>* An American Abroad
>* Jasper
>* Rapture - Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra
>
>Colin Currie, percussion; Royal Scottish National Orch/Marin Alsop,
>cond. NAXOS 8.559167 TT: 61:20
>
>Virtuoso percussionist Colin Currie sounds like he's having
>a blast. I'd love to see him at work

I've had a copy of this since Scott Morrison enthused about it (possibly
elsewhere).  I share Steve's reservations about Torke's music in general,
but I am an admirer of Colin Currie.  He is a genuinely musical
percussionist, technically very capable indeed, and he plays the music
from inside rather than using the music to push his own personality
forwards (those who remember my comments on another Scottish percussionist
some years ago will know who I am particularly thinking of!)

The Torke Concerto is not a heavyweight one and would not come anywhere
near the top of a list of best percussion concerti (wonderful that there
are enough of them these days to make the exercise possible, and that
is almost entirely due to that other Scottish percussionist).  But it
is a lively fun piece and very well performed.

I'm not overfond of either of the other two pieces.  But for the price
of a Naxos, the disc has to be worth it for Currie.

Ian Crisp
[log in to unmask]
Good Easter