Harlequin’s Rainbow
Robert Xavier Rodríguez (composer), Amernet String Quartet, Rachel Calloway (mezzo-soprano), Daniel Nix (double bass), Mikhail Berestnev (piano), Mary-Margaret Pyeatt (narrator)
Robert Xavier Rodríguez’s (b. 1946) music has been described as “romantically dramatic” and glowing with a physical animation and delicate balance of moods that combine seductively with his all-encompassing sense of humor.” He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Goddard Lieberson Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, among many other prizes. He has served as composer-in-residence with the San Antonio Symphony and the Dallas Symphony. His music appears on more than 20 recordings. The music on this recording includes a song cycle for mezzo-soprano and string quartet based on poems from Albert Giraud’s Pierrot Lunaire. The second work, Romance With a Double Bass is for narrator, double bass, and piano and is based on a comic short story by Anton Chekhov. Performers include the Amernet String Quartet, mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway, bassist Daniel Nix, pianist Mikhail Berestnev, and narrator Mary-Margaret Pyeatt.
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Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| L'arc-en-ciel d'Arlequin (Harlequin's Rainbow) | Robert Xavier Rodríguez | Rachel Calloway (mezzo-soprano); Amernet Quartet |
| Romance With a Double Bass | Robert Xavier Rodríguez | Daniel Nix (double bass); Mikhail Berestnev (piano); Mary-Margaret Pyeatt (narrator) |
Reviews
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An artist whose music embraces humor, heavy attention to mood and might be described as ‘romantically dramatic’, Robert Xavier Rodríguez pens a song cycle for mezzo-soprano and string quartet based on poems from Albert Giraud's Pierrot Lunaire, as well as “Romance With A Double Bass”, which is for narrator, double bass, and piano and is based on a comic short story by Anton Chekhov. The title track opens the listen with 12 chapters, where Rachel Calloway’s stunning mezzo-soprano soars with an expressive presence, as Misha Vitenson and Avi Hagin’s skilled violins, Michael Klotz’s well timed viola and Jason Calloway’s moody cello help cultivate a shifting landscape of exploratory, orchestral dynamics. “Romance With A Double Bass” exits the listen, and places Daniel Nix on double bass, Mikhail Berestnev on piano and Mary-Margaret Pyeatt on narration for the engaging storytelling that’s eloquent and complements the unpredictable and mature musicianship superbly. A listen that continues Rodriguez’s position as an animated and creative composer with a sense of humor, the instrumentation provided by the Amernet Quartet and wordplay from Pyeatt only adds to the appeal of his inimitable vision.
*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.