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Center: Instrumental And Chamber Music, Vol. 1 / Guild
Toccata

Center: Instrumental And Chamber Music, Vol. 1 / Guild

$10.49
$20.99 Save 50%

Details

Composer
CENTER, RONALD
Artist
Christopher Guild
Format
CD
Label
Toccata
Released
Jan 28, 2014
Catalog #
TOCC0179
UPC
5060113441799

About

Ronald Center (1913–73) is sometimes described as ‘the Scottish Bartók’. His music shows affinities with the music of Busoni, Debussy, Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Vaughan Williams.
The Scottish pianist Christopher Guild is a strong advocate of contemporary and lesser-known repertoire. Christopher’s investigation into the piano music of his homeland will continue with works by Ronald Stevenson, also for Toccata Classics. The youngest-ever winner of the Moray Piano Competition to this day.

REVIEW:

Gathered here are Center’s 13-minute Piano Sonata, 15-minute set of Six Bagatelles, and 9-minute Piano Sonatine, along with nine shorter pieces. Most are first recordings, though the Sonata has been released on both LP and CD three or four times before. One can see why: it’s a strong, well-made showpiece with cascading, propulsive allegros surrounding two idiosyncratic slow movements, the first an atmospheric nocturne that builds a long, gravel-treading melodic line into a climactic restatement introduced by a halo of arpeggios, the second a quiet, involute canon that becomes encrusted with vehement, fastsnapping ornaments before spinning up into a boldly vaulting fugue to bring this initially introverted andante to a stirring conclusion. There’s not a wasted note in this sonata, and though concise it feels “big” both in sound and scale, encompassing considerable substance and variety.

Of the shorter works some are lively trifles, though even these display Center’s penchant for tangy bitonal harmonies. Many of the slower numbers are wistful and some quite beautiful. ‘Columbine’, from the 5-minute triptych Pantomine, and ‘Larghetto’, a 3-minute singleton, are lovely miniature dream-visions. This is one of those collections where each time one listens to it, one finds more to like. And with 28 tracks, there’s a lot to like here.

-- American Record Guide

Tracklist 28 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro molto 04:04
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro molto
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  2. 2 II. Adagio 03:22
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  3. 3 III. Andante - Presto ed appassionato - Allegro 03:01
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Andante - Presto ed appassionato - Allegro
    Duration
    03:01
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  4. 4 IV. Molto allegro 02:02
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Molto allegro
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  5. 5 No. 1. Poco adagio e teneramente 02:13
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 1. Poco adagio e teneramente
    Duration
    02:13
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  6. 6 No. 2. Allegro 02:24
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 2. Allegro
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  7. 7 No. 3. Mesto 05:16
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 3. Mesto
    Duration
    05:16
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  8. 8 No. 4. Energico e ritmico 01:37
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 4. Energico e ritmico
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  9. 9 No. 5. Andantino 02:26
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 5. Andantino
    Duration
    02:26
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  10. 10 No. 6. Vivo 01:13
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 6. Vivo
    Duration
    01:13
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  11. 11 Andante 02:06
    Track
    11
    Title
    Andante
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  12. 12 Sarabande 01:56
    Track
    12
    Title
    Sarabande
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  13. 13 Air 01:59
    Track
    13
    Title
    Air
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  14. 14 No. 1. Pantaloon 01:18
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 1. Pantaloon
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  15. 15 No. 2. Columbine 01:48
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 2. Columbine
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  16. 16 No. 3. Harlequin 01:21
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 3. Harlequin
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  17. 17 Larghetto 02:42
    Track
    17
    Title
    Larghetto
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  18. 18 I. Allegro 02:25
    Track
    18
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    02:25
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  19. 19 II. Poco adagio 03:30
    Track
    19
    Title
    II. Poco adagio
    Duration
    03:30
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  20. 20 III. Vivace 02:09
    Track
    20
    Title
    III. Vivace
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  21. 21 Hommage 03:11
    Track
    21
    Title
    Hommage
    Duration
    03:11
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  22. 22 No. 1. Presto 01:28
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 1. Presto
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  23. 23 No. 2. Andante 02:35
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 2. Andante
    Duration
    02:35
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  24. 24 No. 3. Allegro moto 01:40
    Track
    24
    Title
    No. 3. Allegro moto
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  25. 25 Impromptu 03:55
    Track
    25
    Title
    Impromptu
    Duration
    03:55
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  26. 26 No. 1. Prelude 00:14
    Track
    26
    Title
    No. 1. Prelude
    Duration
    00:14
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  27. 27 No. 2. Poco Adagio 03:41
    Track
    27
    Title
    No. 2. Poco Adagio
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild
  28. 28 No. 3. Toccata 02:03
    Track
    28
    Title
    No. 3. Toccata
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Ronald Center
    Performer
    Christopher Guild