Erb: Chamber Music
Gregory Fulkerson (violin), Audrey Andrist (piano), Lynn Harrell (cello), Bradford Buckley (contrabassoon), Gregg Henegar (contrabassoon), Cavani Quartet
Donald Erb, described by Nicolas Slonimsky in the Bakers Biographical Dictionary of Musicians as a "significant American composer," was born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1927. His orchestral music has been played by literally every major orchestra in the United States and many in Europe, Asia and Australia as well. He has had commissions from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Symphony Orchestra and others. Erb studied at Kent State University, the Cleveland Institute of Music (where he now teaches), and Indiana University. He has received grants and fellowships from the Rockefeller, Guggenheim, and Ford Foundations and has served as composer in residence with the Dallas and St. Louis Symphony Orchestras. Among the many organizations that have honored him are the International Rostrum of Composers, the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| The Watchman Fantasy | Donald Erb | Gregory Fulkerson, violin, Audrey Andrist, piano and synthesizer |
| Aura II | Donald Erb | Lynn Harrell, cello |
| Five Red Hot Duets for Two Contrabassoons | Donald Erb | Bradford Buckley and Gregg Henegar, contrabassoons |
| String Quartet No. 2 | Donald Erb | Cavani Quartet |
Reviews
- “
"Ever wonder what Godzilla's snoring sounds like? Probably like the contrabassoons in Erb's delightfully named duets. They grunt, wheeze, purr and gargle to delightful, entrancing, moving effect. But the real winner here is The Watchman Fantasy, a richly textured work based on an old hymn tune. Fulkerson is superb, coaxing an extraordinary range of emotions from his violin, from the playful to the violent. Harrell is aptly virtuosic in Aura II, a study in sound colors. The Quartet is a brittle, energetic work, the Americanized offspring of Bartok and Ligeti."
*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.