John Alan Rose presents Ineffable Tales, an album of four of his ensemble compositions, recorded at Reduta Hall in Olomouc, Czech Republic. In addition to...

John Alan Rose presents Ineffable Tales, an album of four of his ensemble compositions, recorded at Reduta Hall in Olomouc, Czech Republic. In addition to renowned soloists Jungwon Choi, Moni Simeonov, the recording features the composer's wife Sing Rose and the composer himself. The album also features the Moravian Philharmonic under the direction of Miran Vaupotic. Rose stuns from the outset with his imaginative piano concerto "Tolkien Tale," a programmatic fantasy with clear Eastern European folk elements. In the first movement "Setting out on a great adventure," the listener, perhaps on a journey with famed hobbit Bilbo Baggins, is introduced to playful syncopations and pentatonic explorations - perhaps in homage to folk explorations of Bartok, Brahms, Dvorak, and Prokofiev. The warm "Lullaby," the second movement, is a short interlude, a breathtaking look at tandem possibilities for keyboard instruments and woodwinds. Concluding the work is "March," a continuation of the fanciful literary journey with musically atmospheric projections of things encountered along the way. Next is "Old Father Time" for cello and orchestra, a nostalgic, yet timeless work demonstrating the composer's mastery of the neo-Romantic style and the complexities of storytelling through music. The two-minute violin introduction to "25,000 Years of Peace" is modern, seemingly improvisational and likewise experimental. The violinist somehow replicates the hollow breaths heard in folk woodwinds. It is meditative and almost religious. Direction is unclear. But then the grand orchestra enters and the listener is transported to the Western frontier in an Ives-like montage of New World folk tune, Native American chant, and Shaker hymnsong. Listeners will enjoy "Ticket to the Theater" featuring soprano, Sing Rose and the dark comedic narration of actor Tyler Bunch. This album is brilliant in every way and is the work of a very thoughtful composer. Ineffable Tales makes the future of the orchestral canon quite bright. Quite bright indeed!