Catalog

This is the first major release devoted to the African-American composer Ulysses Kay. Encouraged by William Grant Still, he would study under Bernard Rogers and Howard Hanson at Eastman, and his works are distinctively American in spirit and strength. Of special interest is his music to The Quiet One, one of the first major film scores by a Black composer.

William Bolcom, one of America's most innovative and original composers had an interest in the violin from a young age. This complete collection spans his entire career. We hear his early experimental works through the chromaticism of the 1970's up to the neo-Classical leanings of the 1990s. This music is perhaps the most important contribution by an American composer to the violin and piano repertoire.

Naomi Niskala writes, "It is with great pleasure that I present this second and final volume of Robert Helps' complete works for solo piano (Vol. I is on TROY925)...Helps' piano works vary tremendously in style and language (and) to answer the question of what Robert Helps' music is like, I would have to answer: genuine, honest, and heartfelt, lacking any and all superficiality." Classicstoday.com in reviewing the first volume said "...What most impresses me about Naomi Niskala's solid, intelligent, and caring virtuosity is that she is fully attuned to the substance and spirit of these works, yet does not feel compelled to emulate Helps' own performances...."

This CD celebrates both the 1966 founding of the Center for New Music at the University of Iowa, and the many accomplishments made over four decades. The composers have all been affiliated with the School of Music in one capacity or another, and each presents a unique voice to this collection. This is now the oldest and most successful among such collegiate ventures in the United States.

The versatile and enterprising Paul Freeman, Julia Bentley, Mary Jane Johnson and Louise Toppin here introduce four works for soprano voice and orchestra, pieces which are thoroughly modern yet continue the grand tradition of the concert aria. Robert Lombardo received his master’s degree in composition from the Hartt School of Music. Aria Variata was commissioned by the Chicago String Ensemble and its director, Alan Heatherington. A native of Texas, James Gardner studied under Anshel Brusilow and Peter Herman Adler. Scene for a Diva expressly pays homage to the kind of concert aria composed by Mozart, written as if it were an actual opera aria, complete with dramatic recitativo and cantabile sections. David Baker is Distinguished Professor of Music and Chairman of the Jazz Department at the Indiana University School of Music. Witness was commissioned by Philip Brunelle for the Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota’s 1990-1991 season. They represent the composer’s reverent treatment of heartfelt and timeless spiritual texts. Another distinguished African-American composer, Hale Smith grew up performing both classical and jazz music. He chose these particular Four Negro Spirituals because he was deeply moved by the zeal of the songs. As an outstanding composer and arranger he has captured the essence of these songs with his brilliant orchestration.

Cindy Cox's music emerges from a century whose loyalty oscillates between its concern for pure sound and pure form. But her deep attention to the sound world is held, shaped, and engaged through its purposeful structure, a synthesis that provides a third way. What Cox offers is more than a mere rapprochement one side with its other  but a deep conjunction between them. Cox studied with, among others, Donald Erb, John Eaton, Bernard Rands and John Harbison. Cox's own music is experimental yet has a "grounding" in traditional means of expression, dealing with issues of timbre and musical resonance. She is also an excellent pianist and interpreter, having studied with the famed Lili Kraus.

Daniel McCarthy is a composer whose music defies categorization in the usual sense. With his background in opera, chamber music, rock and jazz, his music is full of rhythmic energy and excitement, with a fresh appeal for today's audiences. As USA Today's David Patrick Stearns has written, "(his works) have the vigor of pop music and the spontaneity of jazz." This recording is a hybrid surround sound recording and can be played on all cds players as well as super audio equipment.

Born in Prague and an American citizen since 1959, Karel Husa is one of our most important living composers and a winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize. He has shown a special interest in band music, and this definitive collection of his works for wind symphony includes Music for Prague 1968, one of the mainstays of the repertoire.

Mat Madness is exercise with attitude–intense yet invigorating. The Zen of Yoga and basic Pilates principles, such as stabilization and precision, inspire the workout. It’s mind/body. Physically, the routine is designed to develop symmetry in major muscle groups. Over time, increased stability and flexibility in joints lower the risk of injury in every day activities through elite athletic performance, not to mention improved posture and neuromuscular coordination. In Susan’s words: “I’ve always loved movement…After two marathons, I sought cross training that would compliment, not compete with my love for running. I discovered Pilates, Yoga, and the stability ball. It didn’t satisfy me to simply attend classes; my over-the-top passion motivated me to teach. So here I am, a full-time fitness professional…with a singular focus on helping you reach your wellness goals…” Susan is an apparatus-certified Pilates instructor, PiYo and Turbo-Kick teacher, and holds a Personal Trainer certification from the American Council on Exercise. Visit the Mat Madness website at www.matmadness.com to learn more about health and fitness-related topics.

Eric Ewazen's music is influenced by a variety of styles and eras, including the motoric rhythms of the Baroque, the formal clarity of the Classical period, and a harmonic language that uses diatonic and even modal voicings. This disc displays his exceptional talent for brass writing, and makes a perfect companion for the Stentorian Ensemble CD (TROY948) that features his Myths and Legends.

Richard Wilson was born in Cleveland. At Harvard he studied composition with Robert Moevs. Today he holds the Mary Conover Mellon Chair in Music at Vassar College and since 1992 has been the Composer-in-Residence with the American Symphony Orchestra for which he gives pre-concert talks. He is also active as a concert pianist. His music is also available on two previously issued Albany CDs: TROY074, which contains Persuasions, for soprano and instruments, Lord Chesterfield to his Son for solo cello, Fixations for solo piano, and the Sonata for Viola and Piano; and TROY 333, Stresses in the Peaceable Kingdom, that features ten choral works.

This debut recording of the Stentorian Quartet reveals how popular the trombone has become as an ensemble instrument. Their exceptional playing of works by some of America's most important composers (including three Pulitzer Prize winners) has created an indispensable disc for fans and performers of brass music. Members of the Stentorian Consort include David Begnoche, Barney McCollum, Brent Phillips, and Jonathan Whitaker.

Founded in 1998, the Equinox Chamber Players Ensemble is one of St. Louis' most dynamic musical groups. They celebrate community life by performing commissioned works inspired by environmental surroundings, historical and present day culture, and everyday heroes. They have appeared on PBS and NPR and have performed for thousands of adults and students. Members of Equinox include Paula Kasica, flute; Jeanine York-Garesch, clarinet; Ann Homann, oboe; Donia Bauer, bassoon; and Carole Lemire, horn.

First ever audio recording of this leading fantasy author's favorite series. Arrows of the Queen, read by Carole Edie Smith, is the first book in a series centered around Valdemar, a world full of fascinating creatures and compelling characters. This story features Talia, a young girl desperate to escape the strictures of her conservative society. Her life is changed in an instance when she encounters a Companion and is chosen to replace the recently murdered Queen's Own Herald. As she begins her training Talia has no idea that a spoiled Princess, some nobly-born bullies, and a conspiracy that will threaten her life will all stand between her and the destiny she must fulfill. (Eight compact discs)

Along with his brother, the symphonist Adolfs Skulte (1909-2000), Bruno Skulte represented a bridge between the Romantic era and the blooming of modern Latvian music. After arriving in the U.S. in 1949 he devoted his energies to Latvian music festivals and choir directing. This nationalistic opera was one of his crowning achievements, and we are proud to present this first recording.

Here's something both old and new for all you Gillis fans: Tulsa was one of the first pieces of Gillis to be recorded (in 1950) and those waiting for a modern recording will be thrilled by this. We also have the premiere recording of his optimistic, patriotic Symphony No. 3, the final part of a trilogy including Symphonies 1 and 2 (TROY888). This is a hybrid SACD release and will play on all compact disc players.

The complete recordings of these works on Albany with the Ohio Light Opera have been a delight to all and we're happy to present this CD featuring their outstanding orchestra performing the wonderful melodies from these classic operettas.

Award-winning flutist Jan Vinci presents a wonderfully diverse program of works from around the world, in all styles and moods. As she writes, "My hope is that this eclectic program of rare gems and premieres will exude passion, create intrigue and fascinate both audiences and performers." First Prizewinner of England's International Performance Competition, Jan Vinci has performed at Alice Tully, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall and Symphony Space, to mention only a few of the worldwide venues where she has given concerts. With a chamber music career spanning more than 20 years, Ms. Vinci performs with Iridescence (flute and harp duo) and Tritonis (flute, guitar and cello). She has commissioned over 15 works and appears on Five Premieres: Chamber Works with Guitar (Albany Records). Dr. Vinci is Senior Artist-in-Residence at Skidmore College. She holds a D.M.A. from The Juilliard School, an M.M. from Cleveland Institute of Music, and a B.M. from Bowling Green State University.

A student of Lukas Foss and Lejaren Hiller, Horwood writes music with an individual stamp, drawing from academic or popular styles, or ranging from Romantic yearnings to avant-garde experimentation. Born in Buffalo, Horwood studied composition and theory at the State University of New York at Buffalo. From 1972-2003 he was a professor of music and humanities at Humber College of applied Arts and Technology in Toronto. His more than 70 compositions constitute a kaleidoscope of the traditional and the avant-garde. His music has been performed in North America, Europe and Japan. The four orchestral works on this CD provide a concert program revealing a composer of substantial musical thought.

Roberto Sierra's Sinfonias burst with color and excitement, mixing popular and classical idioms, reflecting his Puerto-Rican heritage. As he writes, "That is how I hear music: in Technicolor, not black and white. It's not only timbre, it's harmony! I believe that different colors have different emotions." Currently serving as Old Dominion Professor of Composition at Cornell University, Sierra was composer-in-residence with the Milwaukee Symphony from 1989-1992 and with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2000-2001. His three symphonies constitute a revealing window into his evolution as an orchestral composer.

"First Takes" features world premiere recordings of four new works by outstanding American composers from the younger generation: Chris Theofanidis; Paul Moravec; Lisa Bielawa; and Michael Gatonska, beautifully performed by the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC). SONYC was founded in 1999 and is already acclaimed as one of the leading ensembles in New York City. Performing without a conductor, the individual members each have an impact on the artistic process. Whether performing standard repertoire or the kind of new music on this CD, SONYC strives to inspire and educate its audiences.

Composers since the 16th century have reveled in writing sets of variations, exploring the wealth of possibilities in a pre-composed theme, often a hymn-tune. The pipe organ is the perfect candidate for presenting these variations not only because of its connection to the church and hymn singing but because of the myriad variety of colors and textures it offers. Canadian-born Maragaret Kvamme's unique program shows off the organ as the ideal medium for this kind of music. Ms. Kvamme, first-prize winner of the 1993 Naples International Organ Festival Competition, has performed extensively throughout the Bay Area, in Michigan, New York, Arizona, and Ontario, Canada. She has appeared on the "Distinguished Women at the Console" Series in Akron, Ohio. Ms. Kvamme performed this recording on the Felgemaker Organ Opus 506 built in 1889, Holy Cross Church, Santa Cruz, California.

Ezra Laderman is one of the last of that great generation of composers who first made a mark in the late 1940s and early 1950s. These are recent pieces, B'Shert having been written for Hsu. As she writes, The Sonata No. 3 is a spectacular work, with a depth that is both despairing and sublime! Since making her stage debut at age four, Hsing-ay Hsu has performed at such notable venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, Weill Recital Hall and abroad in Asia and Europe. Born in Beijing, Hsu began piano lessons with her parents, and later studied with Fei-Ping Hsu, Herbert Stessin at Juilliard, and Claude Frank at Yale. This recording adds to the comprehensive discography of Laderman's chamber works.

Receiving its first commercial recording in 40 years, Sessions'work is a masterpiece, worthy of comparison to the Alban Berg Concerto. Bolle describes his work as "a group of fragments, some tiny, some larger, which are meant to be heard as a sequence...a ritual/processional that is both a public and private matter."

This CD showcases works by five living American composers born between 1951 and 1977. A thread binds the pieces together, for each work was written in response to significant outside influences: Irish folk music, the environment, or literature. All of the music was written specifically for the duo of Wolfgang David and David Gompper.

A graduate of UCLA, Don Ray is equally at home in the concert hall and the soundstage: you've heard his music on The Twilight Zone, Gunsmoke and Hawaii Five-O. These two works are charming musical settings of the lives and times of his own ex-homesteader.

Fetherolf's music has been premiered throughout the Americas and Europe. He writes, "I have a special love for the cello; I started life as a cellist. My first large orchestral work was a Concerto for Cello and Orchestra." His affinity for string instruments is beautifully demonstrated by the renowned members of the Gamavilla Quartet of Moravia.

A recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in 1962 for the opera The Crucible (TROY025-26), Robert Ward is one of the last of a great generation of American composers whose music is full of patriotic high spirits and optimism, with equal measures of warmth and heartfelt melody.

The music of the outstanding American composer Peter Lieuwen has been described by The New York Times as "an attractive array of shimmering, shuddering sonorities." This recording explores 20 years of music-making in four different genres: large orchestra, small ensemble, solo concerto and chamber concerto.

As renowned trombonist James Pugh writes, "If there's anything (these works) have in common, it's that, while they can all be heard as serious works, they each contain elements of popular music of their time - they combine traditional classical elements with popular harmony and rhythm..."

Gerald Levinson was raised in Connecticut and has been increasingly recognized as one of the major composers of his generation. His principal teachers were George Crumb, George Rochberg and Richard Wernick at the University of Pennsylvania, and Ralph Shapey at the University of Chicago. This is the second Albany CD devoted to the music of Gerald Levinson, following TROY742, a collection of three chamber-orchestra works released in 2005. Critic Paul Griffiths has written, "What must thrill anyone who comes into contact with Gerald Levinson's music is its sheer joy in sound, and the decisiveness with which it sings or dances its way through time...In sympathy with sound, in sympathy with time, Levinson's music is close to the natural phenomena on which all music depends. Two things spring from this. One is that his music can easily evoke other natural phenomena: the sea, the stars, rugged landscapes. The other is that this music is in tune with other kinds of music from around the world. Levinson's resources are classical western: he writes for the symphony orchestra, for the piano, and for chamber groupings of conventional instruments. His disciplines, too, are those of the western tradition. But the east was present in his music even before his first trip there. His works, right through his career so far, exist on companionable terms with Mahler's music and with Bali's, with Ravel's and with Japan's, with Messiaen's and with India's, with Stravinsky's and with China's, with America's symphonic tradition and with Tibet's slow melody. Out of all this he is creating, piece by piece, a world of his own."

Armand Qualliotine was born in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of seven he started his instructions in Jazz Guitar and Electric Bass as well as Music Theory. In 1967 he began his studies of Classical Guitar and Music Theory at Hofstra University. After earning degrees in composition and theory from the Hartt College of Music, SUNY at Stony Brook and Brandeis University, his post-doctoral activities included studying with Pierre Boulez and Milton Babbitt. He has taught guitar, theory, history and composition at Stony Brook, Northeastern University, Brandeis and the Berklee College of Music where is now an Associate Professor of Composition. Awards in his field have included residencies at the MacDowell Colony, the Composers Conference and the Tanglewood Music Center where he was the Leonard Bernstein fellow in composition. He also received the C.D. Jackson Award for outstanding achievement as a composer, First Prize in the Boston ISCM Composition Competition, commissions from Harvard's Fromm Music Foundation, the Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players and a 1988 Guggenheim Fellowship. In 2004 he was nominated to be a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.