"All three works on [this] disc are here receiving their world premiere recordings. In the above interview, Fuchs explains the compositional techniques he uses in these pieces, each of which is based on elements from Falling Man , an extended scena for baritone, voice, and orchestra composed in 2008–2010.


To expand a bit on his description, Falling Canons and Falling Trio are mirror images of each other. Both are made up of seven sections based on the same sequence of intervals, but canonically (in Falling Canons ) and variations-wise (in Falling Trio ) proceeding in contrary motion. Falling Canons is in seven movements for solo piano, and begins with a canon at the unison, starting on the note B. The second canon, at the second, begins a note lower on A; the third canon, at the third, starts on G, a note below the second canon, and so on.


Falling Trio in one movement for violin, cello, and piano is based on the same interval progression, and also begins on the note B. But this time its sections are variations rather than canons, and they proceed in ascending direction with Variation 1 on C, Variation 2 on D, and so on. The solo piano Canons is perhaps the most modern-sounding of three works on the disc. It has a strange, otherworldly, distant beauty to it, but one that feels cold and remote. Parts of it are reminiscent of the approach Copland adopted for his 1930 Piano Variations . I have to assume that pianist Christopher O’Riley meets all of the technical challenges of the piece and performs it to Fuchs’s complete satisfaction.


Falling Trio , though of similar style and largely made up of similar material, is immediately warmer due to the presence of the two string instruments and, for me, at least, an easier and more rewarding listening experience. In fact, I find the trio a melodically rich and emotionally expressive work. An extended passage beginning at 10:15, with its sustained violin and cello lines above sweeping arpeggios in the piano is something that might have been written by Fauré. Trio21—Kinga Augustyn, violin; Robert deMaine, cello; and Jeffrey Biegel, piano—bring out all of the score’s romantic ardor, as well as its strong rhythmic profile.


Of Fuchs’s “American” String Quartet, I think I can honestly say that the opening movement may be one of the most drop-dead gorgeous things I’ve ever heard, and that I can’t think of another composer since Shostakovich who has drawn such sonorities from a string quartet. This is a masterpiece and, in my opinion, makes Fuchs the greatest living American composer. The work was written for the Delray String Quartet whose members—Mei Mei Luo and Tomas Cotik, violins; Richard Fleischman, viola; and Claudio Jaffé, cello—play it magnificently on this disc.


Kenneth Fuchs’s contributions, especially in the genres of orchestral and chamber music, are considerable and significant. The CDs reviewed here represent but a small sampling of his work, but any one of them are likely to whet your appetite for more. Performances and recordings couldn’t be better. Recommended."

FANFARE: Jerry Dubins

The Heritage of the March Collection remains the largest single march music record series in history. Altissimo is continuing the release of this series with Volumes 3 & 4 in a 2-CD set. Volume 3 features the marches of Fred Jewell & Hermann Blankenburg. Volume 4 features the marches of William P. Chambers & Arthur W. Hughes.

REVIEW:

Each of the two has strong competing recordings as well. In Richard Stoltzman’s version of the Corigliano concerto (RCA), there is more of an emphasis on the music’s jazzy rhythms and the contrast between its expressive and abstract elements. While Eddy Vanoosthuyse may not capture the same sense of spontaneity as Stoltzman, or equal the mournful quality of his playing in the Elegy, his phrasing and control illuminates distinctive details along the way, negotiates the treacherous opening cadenza fluidly, and packs more punch in the powerful closing pages. I call it a toss-up. The same holds true for the Carter concerto, where Vanoosthuyse and Michael Collins (DG) both handle the angular passages with aplomb, and offer an absorbing account of the contemplative episodes. Oliver Knussen, conductor for Collins, is a brilliant interpreter of Carter’s music, and the must-hear DG disc also features the only available recording of Symphonia. But Vanoosthuyse’s conductor, Paul Meyer, is a notable clarinetist himself, and his grasp of these concertos is no less effective. All things considered, this is an exceptional release in every way.

— Fanfare

Heritage of the March is a series of records of marches released from 1973-1980s. It remains the largest single march music record series in history. Volume 2 features John Klohr and Alex Lithgow. Included with the album are extensive notes on composers instrumentation the band and various personal stories from Bob Hoe.

The United States Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants, conducted by Major Albert A. Bader, present to you this arrangement of Christmas carols created by USAF Chief Arr. Floyd E. Werle. This composition is truly a masterpiece, and regarded by some as "one of the finest creations in his career." It was composed as a carol celebration for soloists, mixed chorus, symphonic band, and audience featuring traditional Christmas carols from around the world. This album has been re-mastered from the 1974 LP - the world premiere recording, and only recording of this piece available.

Conducted by Christopher Bell, Chicago’s Grant Park Chorus, “as fine a symphony chorus as any to be found anywhere in the nation” (Chicago Tribune), makes its a cappella CD debut with an all-American program of eight imaginative, moving, and sometimes whimsical works written between 1975 and 25, including four world-premiere recordings. Premieres include Abbie Betinis’s Toward Sunshine, Toward Freedom: Songs of Smaller Creatures. Lee Kesselman’s Buzzings: Three Pieces about Bees offers vignettes based on Emily Dickinson poems. Paul Crabtree’s Five Romantic Miniatures is a set of affectionate tributes to characters from The Simpsons animated TV series. The chorus made its commercial recording debut performing with the Grant Park Orchestra on the 211 Cedille Records release The Pulitzer Project, which attracted international attention. Chicago’s New City said the CD “spectacularly showcased” the chorus’s “remarkable transparency and flexibility.”

The United States Navy Band’s Sea Chanters Chorus recorded this album in order to pay tribute to the many journeys that have enriched the lives of its performers. The music on Journeys ranges from deeply moving to whimsical and has become associated with the ensemble during the geographic and emotional journeys they have taken. This album is truly a timeless expression of the more than 48 years that the Sea Chanters have been providing the world with wonderful music.

Heritage of the March is a series of 185 vinyl records of marches and galops released from 1973 to the early 1980s. It remains the largest single march music record series in history, featuring close to 3,000 different marches. Volume 1 features the great marches of Robert Brown Hall and Carl Teike. Included with the album are notes on topics such as the Heritage of the March series, historical backgrounds on composers, instrumentation, the band recorded, or various personal stories from Bob Hoe.

America has been blessed with an extraordinarily rich heritage of march music. John Philip Sousa, Karl King, and Henry Fillmore rank among the best march composers who ever lived. The Band of the United States Air Force Reserve recorded Military Escort in order to preserve the authentic performance practices of these great American treasures composed by Henry Fillmore. (Altissimo)

The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps performs martial and popular music for hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Comprised of 90 Marine musicians, dressed in ceremonial red and white uniforms, it is known worldwide as a premier musical marching unit. Throughout the summer months the unit performs in the traditional Evening Parades held at the Marine Barracks Washington, and in the Sunset Parades at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The Drum & Bugle Corps travels more than 50,000 miles annually, performing in nearly 500 events across the nation and abroad. The music performed on this album is an example of what you would hear at a performance of this wonderful ensemble.

This album is the fourth in a series of concert band recordings honoring the lives and music of individuals who have made significant contributions to band repertoire and to music education. The Legacy of Robert Russell Bennett honors a man who achieved great fame as an arranger, but always considered his true calling to be a composer. Bennett arranged hundreds of Broadway and film scores and composed operas, symphonies, and concertos. Representing some of the finest musical talent in America, The United States Army Field Band is known around the world as "The Musical Ambassadors of the Army." The Legacy of Robert Russell Bennett features some of Bennett’s greatest works including "1939 World’s Fair: TNT Cocktail" and "Down to the Sea in Ships." Honoring the memory and innumerable musical contributions of Robert Russell Bennett, this album is both inspiring and captivating.

Country Current is the premier country-bluegrass group of the US Navy Band that showcases traditional, contemporary, and original bluegrass compositions. This is … Navy Country features new arrangements of great country classics along with several original compositions from members of the ensemble. From Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" to Josh Turner's "Long Black Train," this album will appeal to any country music fan.

This wonderful album, recorded by The United States Coast Guard Dixieland Band, contains many selections considered to be standards in the Dixieland repertoire. Songs include classics like "Yellow Dog Blues", "Fidgety Feet" and "Wabash Blues". South is a fantastic reflection of the cutting edge of today's Dixieland music. (Altissimo)

Duke Ellington (1899-1974) carries a musical legacy that extends beyond the realms of being a writer or bandleader. His music still stands as a brilliant model of American compositional creativity. Although Ellington had a profound influence in the world of jazz, his mastery extends even further into several other compositional outputs including concerti, tone poems, film scores, ballets, big band arrangements and several operas. The four works found on Duke Ellington: The Symphonic Portrait are some of these masterworks that were eventually arranged for the symphony orchestra. Each selection varies greatly in structure, however Ellington’s visionary compositional style, combined with his discomfort with musical labels such as jazz and classical, resulted in a genre that integrated these distinct styles most effectively.

From simple folk melodies to symphonies in the concert hall, Americans listen to music that encompasses all styles and tastes. As the Musical Ambassadors of the Combat Soldier, the Army Ground Forces Band travels throughout the nation performing the various kinds of music that contribute to our national heritage. This album is a small sampling of the many great tunes that are Made in America. The works of several famous composers are showcased on this album, including Henry Fillmore, Percy Grainger, and Aaron Copland.