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Navona

Simon Andrews: And That Moment When the Bird Sings

$16.99

Details

Composer
ANDREWS, SIMON
Artist
Kurkowicz, Andrews, Hall-Gulati, G. Vitale, C. Vitale, Stalberg, Zelkowicz, Jaman
Format
CD
Label
Navona
Released
Jun 08, 2018
Catalog #
NV6163
UPC
896931004633

About

Simon Andrews has earned a reputation as a creator of eloquent concert music that blends harmonic complexity and lyricism, introversion and broad gestures, and delicate timbres and bold statements. Here, on his recording debut, he offers up 10 compositions, all of which emphasize his proficiency in both vocal and instrumental music. The opening track, Violin Dialogues I and II, presents violin and piano in conversation. The first Dialogue contrasts two sets of ideas, each instrument's individual voice rising and falling until the two come together in a hard-won consensus. If Dialogue I is oppositional, Dialogue II is conversational, it's narrative more about two characters who agree on the destination and differ only on the best way to reach it. The album's title track, borrowed from the poem "Song" by Seamus Heaney is by turns lyrical and passionate, intimate and robust, as the five performers' instruments weave their way through various combinations. The four movements of For the earth is hollow and I have touched the sky, is a musical response to a concert which the composer attended at the American Composers Orchestra of music by Frank Zappa. An even more pop-cultural reference is the composition's title track and fourth movement, which is a musical representation of a quote from an episode of Star Trek, originally "... for the world is hollow and I have touched the sky." The album's first track to feature solo voice is My dove, my covey, an early lyrical poem by W.H. Auden, performed by a trio of oboe, violoncello and piano. In similar fashion, The heart has narrow banks, a beautiful poem written by Emily Dickenson, was chosen by the composer because it allowed him to create a more flexible harmonic language that could express lyrics such as "blue monotony" and "a wall of unattempted gauze" while keeping a consistent musical thread throughout. Inspired by a visit to New Mexico, Abiquiu Trio displays the impact of the desert landscape and the work of Georgia O'Keeffe on Andrews. The language of all three movements is a response to different facets of those two influences. The music of the piece's final movement, begun during a short stay at Christ in the Desert, a living monastery where church services are intoned to Gregorian chants, is a strong reminder that in addition to his more secular work, Andrews is also noted for his compositions of church music.

Tracklist 11 tracks

  1. 1 Violin Dialogues I and II 16:24
    Track
    1
    Title
    Violin Dialogues I and II
    Duration
    16:24
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Performer
    Joanna Kurkowicz, Simon Andrews
  2. 2 And That Moment When the Bird Sings 07:46
    Track
    2
    Title
    And That Moment When the Bird Sings
    Duration
    07:46
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Performer
    Doris Hall-Gulati, Greg Vitale, Christine Vitale, Kenneth Stalberg, Aron Zelkowicz
    Conductor
    Simon Andrews
  3. 3 I. Flowing 03:24
    Track
    3
    Title
    I. Flowing
    Duration
    03:24
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    The Newstead Trio
  4. 4 II. Slow, Contemplative 05:46
    Track
    4
    Title
    II. Slow, Contemplative
    Duration
    05:46
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    The Newstead Trio
  5. 5 III. Cloches (Bells) 03:11
    Track
    5
    Title
    III. Cloches (Bells)
    Duration
    03:11
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    The Newstead Trio
  6. 6 IV. And I Have Touched the Sky 01:17
    Track
    6
    Title
    IV. And I Have Touched the Sky
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    The Newstead Trio
  7. 7 My Dove, My Coney 04:10
    Track
    7
    Title
    My Dove, My Coney
    Duration
    04:10
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Performer
    Celeste Godin, Andrew Price, Aron Zelkowicz, Simon Andrews
  8. 8 The Heart Has Narrow Banks 03:19
    Track
    8
    Title
    The Heart Has Narrow Banks
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Performer
    Celeste Godin, Simon Andrews
  9. 9 I. Landscape 04:46
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Landscape
    Duration
    04:46
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    Clavino Trio
  10. 10 II. Light 05:30
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Light
    Duration
    05:30
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    Clavino Trio
  11. 11 III. Untitled (Red and Yellow Cliffs) 05:43
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Untitled (Red and Yellow Cliffs)
    Duration
    05:43
    Composer
    Simon Andrews
    Ensemble
    Clavino Trio