Crossroads - American Violin Sonatas / Semenenko, Belogurov
Details
- Composer
- GAY PREVIN SCHEMMER
- Artist
- Semenenko, Belogurov
- Format
- SACD
- Label
- BIS
- Released
- Nov 05, 2021
- Catalog #
- BIS-2545
- UPC
- 7318599925455
About
On this transatlantic album, three American composers born during the first half of the last century rub shoulders with two young musicians from Eastern Europe. A member of the BBC New Generation Artists scheme, the violinist Aleksey Semenenko first met the pianist Artem Belogurov at the Stolyarsky Special Music School in Odessa at an early age. Even if their individual careers have taken to different parts of the world, the two still perform together whenever possible, and here they present three sonatas. Of the composers, the best-known is André Previn who composed his Violin Sonata No. 2 in 2011 for Anne-Sophie Mutter. An improvisatory spirit permeates the work which is in three movements with the markings Joyous, Desolate and Brilliant. Tony Schemmer and Paul Gay are both based in the Boston area and share a background in which jazz and classical genres merge. This is reflected in their sonatas, composed in the 1980s and here appearing on disc for the first time.
REVIEWS:
My tastes in repertoire generally stop with the mid-20th century and I don’t take an active interest in contemporary work. Perhaps that very fact indicates why I responded so favorably to Crossroads: American Violin Sonatas, for here are three composers—two of them still living—who continue the craftsmanship, seriousness of purpose, and tonal communicativeness of the best mid-20th-century American music. These sonatas offer no Postmodern spoofery, nor avant-garde aural assaults. All three composers deftly mix popular elements with their classical technique yet in a way that is integral and natural.
The performances of the Ukrainian musicians are faultless and idiomatic, as is the recorded sound. This delightful disc afforded some new discoveries for me and comes strongly recommended.
-- Fanfare
Semenenko and his duo partner present premiere recordings of jazz-influenced sonatas written in the 1980s. The Schemmer is a particularly joyful discovery.
-- BBC Music Magazine
Tracklist 11 tracks
-
1 I. Joyous 05:49
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Joyous
- Duration
- 05:49
- Composer
- André Previn
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
2 II. Desolate - Fast, Like Shadows 07:39
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Desolate - Fast, Like Shadows
- Duration
- 07:39
- Composer
- André Previn
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
3 III. Brilliant, quasi cadenza 05:19
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Brilliant, quasi cadenza
- Duration
- 05:19
- Composer
- André Previn
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
4 I. Allegro 07:13
- Track
- 4
- Title
- I. Allegro
- Duration
- 07:13
- Composer
- Tony Schemmer
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
5 II. Sandor's Ballad 07:09
- Track
- 5
- Title
- II. Sandor's Ballad
- Duration
- 07:09
- Composer
- Tony Schemmer
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
6 III. Omaggio a Django 02:35
- Track
- 6
- Title
- III. Omaggio a Django
- Duration
- 02:35
- Composer
- Tony Schemmer
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
7 IV. Finale 10:09
- Track
- 7
- Title
- IV. Finale
- Duration
- 10:09
- Composer
- Tony Schemmer
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
8 I. Introduction and Toccata 04:39
- Track
- 8
- Title
- I. Introduction and Toccata
- Duration
- 04:39
- Composer
- Paul Gay
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
9 II. Sonnet 04:14
- Track
- 9
- Title
- II. Sonnet
- Duration
- 04:14
- Composer
- Paul Gay
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
10 III. Idyll 04:06
- Track
- 10
- Title
- III. Idyll
- Duration
- 04:06
- Composer
- Paul Gay
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov
-
11 IV. Games and Epilogue 11:10
- Track
- 11
- Title
- IV. Games and Epilogue
- Duration
- 11:10
- Composer
- Paul Gay
- Performer
- Aleksey Semenenko, Artem Belogurov