Ron Chaplin asked for suggestions of...
>...CRI titles at Berkshire with "tonal" compositions
I've also perused this rich but inexpensive collection of contemporary,
mostly unknown composers, as my interest in CM is almost exclusively in
'contemporary' fare. I also look forward to others' recommendations.
Before I say my bit about CRI's tonal composers, let's not forget that
atonalism or even dodecaphony are not diseases, but simply other ways
of making music. I find a lot of it difficult, some of it frankly too
challenging, but am glad that some Listers have over the years underscored
that non-tonal music is devoid of any infections. Were my ears fully
closed to it, I'd be without music by Frank Martin, Roberto Gerhard,
Sandor Veress, Grazyna Bacewicz, Gyorgy Kurtag, and others, including
even William Walton -- and these are just some who've worked in dodecaphonic
forms. The list for atonal composers is leagues longer: shirking them
would be truly injurious to anyone's collection!
Bearing this in mind, here's my few cents' worth:
Wuorinen is not tonal, afaik, nor are Cage or Crumb; Krenek's at the
border of dodecaphony, as far as my ear can make out -- challenging,
but not impassable; Martino may not adhere to a tonal centre, I'm not
sure, but the few clips I've heard suggest an intriguing craftsman worth
considering; I doubt if Lou Harrison composes according to tone rows,
but he's never quite knocked my socks off, nor has Zwilich; I've found
John Harbison uneven; what I've heard of Leo Smit has been good (chamber
music) to fabulous (concertos); Alexandre Tcherepnin's piano music is
likely worth hearing; I have a Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord by
Samuel Adler and suspect that his SQs would be excellent; the Irving
Fine isn't one of the cheap CRIs, but it's money you'll be very glad you
spent; ditto about the price of the Rieti, which is deliciously unusual
though perhaps not as outstanding.
More? I'm glad this is in my collection:
Mennin, Peter: Symphonies 3 {NY Phil./ Mitropoulos. MONO} & 7 {Chicago
Symph./ Martinon}; Piano Concerto. (John Ogdon w.Royal Phil./ Buketoff)
$ 3.99 | AMERICA | ADD | BRO Code: 116346 | CRI CD 741
A grand yet neo-Classical PC, and at least one excellent symphony.
Going on clips of his chamber music, my impression is that George Barati's
a slightly icy neo-classical composer given to economical or spartan
instrumental means. Have also learned (just now) that there's a Symphony
plus on a Naxos, which I've already ordered. The clips of that orchestral
music suggest he's able to serve up something meatier, too, which bodes
very well for this:
Barati {1913-1996}, Cello Concerto {Bernard Michelin w.London Phil./
composer}; Harpsichord Quartet {Baroque Chamber Players of Indiana};
Chamber Concerto. (Philadelphia Orch./ Ormandy) $ 3.99 | AMERICA | ADD
| BRO Code: 116176 | CRI CD 794
Since I like all the composers on this next CD, despite already having
the Trombone Symphony it's also on my wishlist:
Bergsma, Chameleon Variations. Lees, Prologue, Capriccio & Epilogue.
Diamond, The World of Paul Klee. Bloch, Symphony for Trombone & Orch.
{w.H.Prince}; Suite Symphonique. (Portland Youth Phil./ Avshalomov. Total
time: 73'11') $ 3.99 | AMERICA | ADD | BRO Code: 116394 | CRI CD 634
Noel Lee is another composer on CRI; what little I've heard is dodecaphonic
and not to my liking. But -- to take a tangent -- I eagerly await any
sign of CD re-releases of his interpretations of piano music by Stravinsky,
Bartok and John Field, from Nonesuch LPs (there was also an Ives Concorde
Sonata LP, but that's another story). He lets the music speak for itself;
the Stravinsky in particular I found esp. effective for being unaffected
or no-nonsense. I've never heard Field's Nocturnes as simply yet movingly
played.
I remain curious particularly about Halsey Stevens, Rochberg, Starer,
and others. Maybe others will shed light.
Bert Bailey
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