Paul Freeman Introduces, Vol. 4
Robert Alemany (clarinet), Melissa White (violin), Joan Yarbrough (piano), Louise Toppin (soprano), Robert Russell (narrator), Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Elie Siegmeister received his B.A. from Columbia University. He studied with Wallingford Riegger, Nadia Boulanger and at Juilliard. The Clarinet Concerto, a delightful piece, reflects the composer's involvement with Broadway theatre and his interest in a type of personalized jazz. Gwyneth Walker is a rarity among composers, in that she supports herself entirely by her writing. Her catalog contains over 100 commissioned works. Her artistic and personal goal is to provide music "where it is needed and will be enjoyed." She lives on the Brainstorm dairy farm in Braintree, Vermont, surrounded by more than 200 Holstein cows. Paul Creston's Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra was completed in September, 1942 and was first performed by the High School of Music and Art Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. This is its first recording. Just an Accident? was first written as a Chamber work, commissioned by the Festival of New Music in Wiener Neustadt, Austria for the Webern Centennial in 1983. As a symphonic work for full orchestra it was premiered in America in 1986 with Philippe Entremont and the New Orleans Philharmonic.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra | Paul Creston | Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman, conductor, Joan Yarbrough, piano |
| Clarinet Concerto | Elie Siegmeister | Czech National Symphony Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta, conductor, Robert Alemany, clarinet |
| Just an Accident? | Rene Staar | Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman, conductor, Louise Toppin, soprano, Robert Russell, narrator |
| An American Concerto | Gwyneth Walker | Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman, conductor, Melissa White, violin |
Reviews
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"Here is another volume in the excellent Paul Freeman (mostly) American music series....Performances and recording are top-notch, and as usual, the repertory is refreshingly unfamiliar: Elie Siegmeister's bluesy and lyrical Clarinet Concerto, with guest conductor JoAnn Falletta; Gwyneth Walker's charming American Concerto for violin and orchestra, full of recreated folk, rock, and jazz against a misty orchestral backdrop; Paul Creston's tuneful, snappy Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra; and Rene Staar's grim Just an Accident?, the one European piece, a 1983 meditation on the violent deaths of artists. The performances are highly colorful and involving. In addition, we are introduced to some excellent soloists, the young violinist Melissa White and pianist Joan Yarbrough, who is also executive producer of this gratifying series."
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