Things Fall Apart
Odekhiren Amaize (narrator), Angela Jones-Reus (flute), Martha Thomas (piano), Todd Mueller (percussion)
Things Fall Apart, a work for voice/narration and small ensemble, is based on the landmark novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It tells the story of Okonkwo, a village leader, who through a series of unfortunate events and the coming of Europeans, ultimately takes his own life. Things Fall Apart was written in 2011 and was commissioned by Odekhiren Amaize, who gave the world premiere performance with the musicians on this recording. Composer Roger Vogel has more than 140 compositions to his credit. He is on the faculty at the University of Georgia. He has received awards and prizes from the Roger Wagner Choral Composition Competition and the Delius Composition Competition, among others. Nigerian-American Odekhiren Amaize has studied voice at the University of Texas at Austin, Indiana University and the St. Petersburg State Conservatory. His other professional teaching and research interests include promotion and marketing of the arts, arts management and creative advertising through literature. He is currently on the faculty at the Canadian University in Dubai. His recordings appear on the Musicians Showcase and MSR Classics labels.
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Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Things Fall Apart | Roger C. Vogel | Odekhiren Amaize, voice and narration, Todd Mueller, percussion, Martha Thomas, piano, Angela Jones-Reus, flute |
Reviews
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"From the very first notes of Things Fall Apart, I knew that this would be a fascinating and captivating work. The raw power of certain sections of this work is perfectly counterbalanced with the gentler, more lyrical portions, the result being a work of con-vincing structural unity. Things Fall Apart demands repeated hearings, and will offer re-wards for many such. Most enthusiastically recommended."
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"The center of attention remains squarely on the baritone vocalist and narrator. He is the Nigerian-american singer Odekhiren Amaize... He has as much presence in the role of prose narrator as he does as a singer, a factor that helps put across a drama tht is all the more moving for its understated style."
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