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Forgotten Voices - A Song Cycle for Voices & Strings / Kelly Hall-Tompkins
Avie Records

Forgotten Voices - A Song Cycle for Voices & Strings / Kelly Hall-Tompkins

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Details

Composer
Various
Artist
Kelly Hall-Tompkins
Format
CD
Label
Avie Records
Released
Mar 10, 2023
Catalog #
AV2582
UPC
822252258226

About

Multi-award-winning violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins is the entrepreneurial spirit behind Music Kitchen, the pioneering project that brings top classical music and musicians into homeless shelters, sharing the inspirational, therapeutic, and uplifting power of music with those experiencing homelessness. Founded in New York City, Music Kitchen has presented over 100 concerts to more than 30,000 homeless shelter clients coast to coast, including in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Oakland, Rochester, and internationally in Paris, France. According to the New York Times, “The concerts have an air of authenticity and directness that sometimes does not exist in concert halls.”

Forgotten Voices is a song cycle commissioned by Music Kitchen – Food for the Soul, with support from Carnegie Hall, comprising works by 15 of today’s foremost composers featuring evocative and poignant texts by homeless shelter clients that have provided a profound source of inspiration and reverence. Forgotten Voices premiered to a sold-out Carnegie Hall audience in March 2022 and inspired a short film that has won multiple awards at festivals around the globe, including Winner: Best Cause-Driven Film and Finalist: Best Director and Best Documentary at the Cannes World Film Festival, Winner: Best Short Film at the Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival, and Winner: Best Short Documentary at the Berlin Indie Film Festival.

REVIEWS:

Violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins is the entrepreneurial spirit behind Music Kitchen and the composer of one of the songs. She and 5 other string players, supply accompaniment to the 4 singers. I presume it is she who plays so nimbly in `Music Kitchen Interplay’ by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich with a text from a client who is amazed at what a violin can do and who gives thanks for how Music Kitchen “was a blessing to my hungry body and soul”.

The longest song of the album, Jeffrey Scott’s `Für Mein Vater’, is a setting of the poet’s fond remembrance of his father’s love of Mozart and Brahms, which was rekindled by hearing Music Kitchen perform it. It is sung sensitively by Allison Charney. Each time I listen to these songs I hear something new to like.

The program ends sublimely with Paul Moravec’s `Music is Love’. The words offer a strong statement about the values of this project and of music itself: “Music is love. It’s freedom, awakening. Music is universal. Music unites us all. Music expands our horizons. Classical music enables you to discover yourself.” After about a 20-second pause the song is repeated in a longer version for all four singers in harmony. I suspect this was sung as an encore at the concert. These final two tracks are especially lovely.

Each of the songs brings a message of gratitude or hope even in the midst of personal struggle. Collectively the album conveys consolation and the healing power of love. The songs call for excellent string playing, and these folks produce it brilliantly. The two sopranos sing with great expression and are especially poignant in their softer singing...Blumberg...begins the program with a tender reading of Steve Sandberg’s `Thank You’. Songs texts are included, though they are hardly needed—the singers’ diction is very clear most of the time. I find the songs appealing. I find the mission of Music Kitchen even more appealing.

-- American Record Guide

Tracklist 16 tracks

  1. 1 Thank You 04:21
    Track
    1
    Title
    Thank You
    Duration
    04:21
    Composer
    Steve Sandberg
    Performer
    Jesse Blumberg, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Peter Seidenberg
  2. 2 Für meinen vater 06:18
    Track
    2
    Title
    Für meinen vater
    Duration
    06:18
    Composer
    Jeff Scott
    Performer
    Allison Charney, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Peter Seidenberg, John-Paul Norpoth
  3. 3 My Soul 03:27
    Track
    3
    Title
    My Soul
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Errollyn Wallen
    Performer
    Adrienne Danrich, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Peter Seidenberg
  4. 4 Save It in My Jewelry Box 04:16
    Track
    4
    Title
    Save It in My Jewelry Box
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Jon Grier
    Performer
    Allison Charney, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Peter Seidenberg
  5. 5 Music Kitchen Interplay 04:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    Music Kitchen Interplay
    Duration
    04:24
    Composer
    Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
    Performer
    Mark Risinger, Kelly Hall-Tompkins
  6. 6 You Made My Day 03:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    You Made My Day
    Duration
    03:29
    Composer
    Courtney Bryan
    Performer
    Adrienne Danrich, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Peter Seidenberg
  7. 7 Gretchen's Threads 02:30
    Track
    7
    Title
    Gretchen's Threads
    Duration
    02:30
    Composer
    Kelly Hall-Tompkins
    Performer
    Allison Charney, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  8. 8 From My Heart 05:32
    Track
    8
    Title
    From My Heart
    Duration
    05:32
    Composer
    James Lee III
    Performer
    Allison Charney, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  9. 9 Bad Ass 01:49
    Track
    9
    Title
    Bad Ass
    Duration
    01:49
    Composer
    Kevin Puts
    Performer
    Jesse Blumberg, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach, John-Paul Norpoth
  10. 10 Hooking In 03:51
    Track
    10
    Title
    Hooking In
    Duration
    03:51
    Composer
    Kamala Sankaram
    Performer
    Adrienne Danrich, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  11. 11 All Is Quiet 03:29
    Track
    11
    Title
    All Is Quiet
    Duration
    03:29
    Composer
    Gabriel Kahane
    Performer
    Jesse Blumberg, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  12. 12 A Wonderful Hearing 04:06
    Track
    12
    Title
    A Wonderful Hearing
    Duration
    04:06
    Composer
    Carlos Simon
    Performer
    Adrienne Danrich, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  13. 13 These Strings 03:16
    Track
    13
    Title
    These Strings
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Angélica Negrón
    Performer
    Jesse Blumberg, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach, John-Paul Norpoth
  14. 14 At Peace 03:05
    Track
    14
    Title
    At Peace
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    Beata Moon
    Performer
    Allison Charney, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  15. 15 Music Is Love 03:09
    Track
    15
    Title
    Music Is Love
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    Paul Moravec
    Performer
    Adrienne Danrich, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Alexis Pia Gerlach
  16. 16 Music Is Love (tutti reprise) 04:06
    Track
    16
    Title
    Music Is Love (tutti reprise)
    Duration
    04:06
    Composer
    Paul Moravec
    Performer
    Allison Charney, Adrienne Danrich, Jesse Blumberg, Mark Risinger, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Ling Ling Huang, Andrew Gonzalez, Peter Seidenberg, Alexis Pia Gerlach, John-Paul Norpoth