Robert Pound: Relics of Memory

"…Although it is unclear if this was Pound’s intention, the three cycles work well together as a tripartite whole. The music, while tonally based, is complex and at times very chromatic. Pound clearly is well-schooled in contemporary stylings. The vocal lines tend to be lyric. He goes to great lengths to have the piano accompaniments reflect the poetry, with numerous instances of “tone painting.” One impressive feature is how the piano music, regardless of its activity level and density, never interferes with one’s ability to hear the vocal line clearly. And while most of the music and texts are serious in expression, Pound is able to provide moments of humor and lightness of air. The Heeney settings are colorful and filled with subtle hints of Irish atmosphere and wit. I must, however, take small issue with the composer for changing Heeney’s words in a couple instances. In the title song he changes the word “coal” to “coral,” then skips the rest of the stanza. While I’m sure that this was done for musical reasons, we lose the allusion the poet wants to make about coal and diamond being different forms of the same substance. And in “The Given Note,” Pound alters the text slightly so that the wife blames her fiddler husband for the seeming incoherence of the wind’s music, while the original makes it clear that this is the fault of the wind itself. I fully understand that composers frequently do omit lines of an original text. But changing the poet’s words, especially when the change alters the meaning of the text, is something not to be undertaken lightly, even when done, as here, with thoughtful consideration. The Kumin cycle is more varied and intense, dealing with the horrors of the early 2000s, juxtaposed alongside brighter, picturesque expressions of untroubling matters and observations. Much of the Muldoon cycle deals with love lost. All three cycles are musically well made and performed, with the Muldoon cycle the most completely successful, evocative and satisfying of the three. The music is well served by its performers. Both tenor William Ferguson and baritone Jonathan Hays have pleasingly colorful voices, with a fine expressive sense. They also harmonize warmly in the duets. Craig Ketter proves to be a responsive, engaging accompanist, with the temperament and command to put across the sometimes quite difficult piano music. In short, this recording will have great appeal to listeners who cherish contemporary art song."