Galina Grigorjeva: Music for Male-Voice Choir

Galina Grigorjeva is a Ukrainian composer who moved to Estonia in her early thirties. She's a deeply spiritual composer, and so the move makes sense. Estonia is the home of Arvo Pärt. Grigorjeva's spirituality expresses itself in a different way than Pärt's. She draws inspiration from Slavonic folk music and Orthodox chant.

This release highlights the connection between Eastern Orthodox sacred music and Grigorjeva's works. Most of the compositions here are based on sacred text and themes. The sound of the male choir is reminiscent of Orthodox chant. But there's more here. 

Grigorjeva uses repeated motifs effectively. Sometimes it creates a pulse that gives the music life. Other times it gives the music a sense of motion, impelling it towards a well-defined climax. 

Grigorjeva's textures are often transparent, but never simple. Motion between lines may be similar, but they're not exactly parallel. Subtle variations color the harmonies. And they also color the character of the text. 

I didn't understand a word being sung. But I was still drawn into the ethereal, contemplative nature of the music. The Estonian National Male Choir under Mikk Üleoja's direction, has a malleable ensemble sound. They can sing with open-throated authority, delivering a rumbling bass thunder. And they can sing with quiet subtlety, creating a soundscape of delectate beauty. 

In 2014 Galina Grigorjeva was awarded the Order of the White Star. It recognized Grigorjeva's twenty years of musical contributions to the Estonian state. As this album makes clear, it was a well-deserved award.  

Galina Grigorjeva: Music for Male-Voice Choir
Estonian National Male Choir: Mikk Üleoja, conductor
Toccata Classics TOCC 0679

 

Yoojung Kim Connects With Scriabin Sonatas

Yoojung Kim delivers an impressive recital recording. Alexander Scriabin is a favorite composer among pianists. He was a massively talented player himself, and over 85% of his published works are for solo piano. His music is rewarding to perform -- and to listen to.

But Scriabin was also an innovator. He kept pushing the limits of tonality, and in the process created his own musical world. There's a strong internal logic in that world, albeit not always obvious. It takes exceptional musicality to plumb the depths of Scriabin's music -- especially his sonatas.

Yoojung Kim is such a talent. Her technique is first-rate ( I'd hardly expect less from a Bridge recording artist). And she uses that technique to reveal the layers of Scriabin's music. She plays his cross-rhythms with incredible accuracy. They enhance the interplay of the lines, making them easier to understand.

The centerpiece of the recital is the three sonatas. The second sonata from 1897 is titled a "Sonata-Fantasy." It shows Scriabin moving away from the traditions of the form. he wrote the Third Sonata, "États d'âme" (Mood) a year later. In it, Scriabin's musical world is more fully developed. And with Sonata No. 4, he arrived at the beginning of his mystical period. 

Kim draws connections between these works. Her performances trace the development of Scriabin's musical thought.

This is a terrific album. And Kim is greatly served by the Bridge recording team. As always, the recorded piano sound is natural. The balance between ambiance and clarity is perfect.

Alexander Scriabin: Piano Sonatas 2, 3, and 4
Fantaisie, Op. 28; Poemes, Op. 32, 63
Morceaux, Op. 57; Vers la flamme, Op. 72
Yoojung Kim, piano
Bridge Records 9578

Missy Mazzoli Dark with Excessive Bright -- Exceptional

 

Dark with Excessive Bright was composed in 2018 with four configurations. The solo instrument can either be a contrabass or a violin (now there's a contrast). The ensemble can either be a string orchestra or a string quintet. There are thus four versions of this work, each having a different character. 

This release starts with the violin/string orchestra version. It concludes with the violin/string quintet version. Hearing both is revelatory. There's a gravitational shift between the two versions. The chamber version sounds lighter and more transparent. All the players seem more on equal footing. 

The orchestral version presents a richer soundscape. And the weight of the ensemble separates it from the soloist. The chamber version is about six musicians playing together. The orchestral version is about many musicians supporting a soloist.

Peter Herresthal is the violin soloist. He gives the music a shimmering, liquid quality that's spot on. And his performances differ in the two versions. Wow. 

Another highlight for me was the Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres). It's an embodiment of the music of the spheres. Inspired by the movement of the planets, Mazzoli creates a work with wheels within wheels. Themes double back on themselves. Sometimes they overlap, other times shifting in and out of phase as they progress. It's an atmospheric work with a lot going on -- if you pay very close attention. 

In Orpheus Alive Mazzoli depicts two key moments of the myth -- when Eurydice dies, and when Orpheus decides to follow her into the underworld. Both moments are stretched out, letting us experience the music and the emotions in slow motion.

If you're not that familiar with Mazzoli's music, this is a great place to start. Especially when you compare the two versions of Dark with Excessive Bright.

Missy Mazzoli: Dark with Excessive Bright
Peter Herresthal, violin
Arctic Philharmonic; Tim Weiss, conductor
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; James Gaffigan, conductor
BIS 2572 SACD

#ClassicsaDay #ClassicalA Week 4

 Big A, little a, what begins with A? The Classics a Day team noticed that August did. And so the challenge for August was set. During the month post music by composers whose last names begin with the letter "A."

There are actually quite a few. And I even found some whose first and last name began with A! Here are my posts for the fourth week of #ClassicalA of the #ClassicsaDay challenge.

08/21/23 Lera Auerbach (born 1973): Icarus

Auerbach is a composer, conductor, and concert pianist. She's won the Hindemith Prize and received commissions from orchestras and choirs throughout Europe and the Americas.

08/22/23 Marianna Auenbrugger (1759–1782): Sonata in E-flat major

Auenbrugger studied with both Haydn and Salieri. Haydn dedicated six of his piano sonatas to her and her sister Caterina. Salieri underwrote the expense of publishing Auenbrugger's sonata after her death.

08/23/23 Josepha Barbara Auernhammer (1758–1820): "Papageno Variations"

Auernhammer was a keyboard virtuoso. She studied with Mozart, who dedicated six violin sonatas to her. 

 

08/24/23 May Aufderheide (1888–1972): Dusty Rag

This was Afderheide's first published rag. She would go on to write dozens more, including "The Thriller Rag" (1909).

08/25/23 Caterina Assandra (c.1590 – after 1618): Duo Seraphim

Assandra was a Benedictine nun and a composer. She published two collections of motets. Op. 1 is lost, but Op. 2, Motetti à due, & tre voci, from 1609 survived. A few of her works have turned up in other collections from the early 1600s.

José F. Vásquez Impressions for Piano Impressive

During his lifetime, José F. Vásquez (1896-1961) was a major figure in Mexican classical music. As a teacher, he founded the Escuela Libre de Música, still in operation. He also founded the Music Department at the University of Mexico. 

As a conductor, he led the University's orchestra (which he also founded). He enjoyed an international career as a conductor. 

And Vásquez composed over 200 works. His catalog included five symphonies, three piano concertos, two violin concertos, and eight operas. And after his death, most of it vanished. I couldn't find many details.  But Vásquez's manuscripts were scattered to the four winds after his death. 

His son has spent the last four decades tracking down his father's music. And as he recovers it, we'll have more recordings like this.

Vladimir Curiel performs all five series of Impressions by Vásquez. Not much is known about these works. He composed all five series (as they're called) in the 1920s. Each piece seems to be a test case. Vásquez starts with a concept and then works through it over the course of a 3-5 minute piano piece.

But don't think these are experiments. Each one is a finely crafted gem. Vásquez shows great imagination. His treatment of his themes varies from piece to piece. For the most part, these seem to be simple pieces to play. But there's a subtly in their simplicity. 

Curiel plays with sympathetic expression and delicate musicality. And it works. I was entranced by the opening track. And the music retained its hold on me throughout the recording. 

These are beautiful miniatures that would benefit any piano program. I'm hoping there are more Vásquez recordings in store. He had a talent that deserves to be celebrated. 

José F. Vásquez: The Complete Impressions for Piano
Vladimir Curiel, piano
Toccata Classics TOCC 0693