CONTENTSCONGRATULATIONS
TO . . ., 3 LIVE EVENTS Veddy British Music
(Kraft) <> Going Into 'Understated Drive' (Kroll), 6 DOTTED NOTES from … Kraft, Kroll, Greenfest, Hickey, BLC, 16 SPEAKING OUT! Thoughts on the Pulitzer Prize, 17 AN INTERVIEW WITH … David Holzman, 19 THE PRINTED WORD Berger's Reflections (Kraft), 20 THE SCOREBOARD Sperry's Encores (Drogin), 21 RECORDINGSMini but Not Mousy
(Cleary) <> Bell's Echoes of Bela (Cleary) <> Just a Few Will Do (Cleary),
22 RECENT RELEASES, 24 THE PUZZLE CORNER, 25 COMPOSER INDEX, 27 BULLETIN BOARD, 27
WEB SUPPLEMENTA John Adams biography and an interview LIVE EVENTS Boston
Modern Orchestra Project CD REVIEWS Angel
Shadows: Laurel Ann Maurer |
Review
of Concert
Memorial Concert for Edward Cohen Sunday, February 8, 2003, 8:00 PM Slosberg Recital Hall, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA Edward Cohen's death from cancer last year at age 61 is a loss still keenly felt by those on the local new music scene. This memorial concert, presenting four of his works composed within the last 25 years, was a fitting tribute. Like most all his work, the Piano Trio (1992) utilizes a dissonant sonic palette, but surprisingly projects a strongly neoclassic slant on his earnest East Coast ethos. The outer movements, essentially a statement and variant version thereof, exhibit a hearty rhythmic regularity that in places echoes Stravinsky. These surround a weighty, somewhat craggy slow movement that manages to embed a paraphrase of the hymn tune "Rock of Ages" within its clangorous, yet flowing linear writing. Written two years later, the Piano Sonata is also cast in a three part format, but the similarities between the two works end there. The Sonata's first and third movements are darker, more intense, than those of the trio. And the piano work's centerpiece unit, while wholly substantial, contains a goodly share of colorist writing that recalls Messiaen or Ravel-not something one usually associates with Cohen's oeuvre. The two vocal selections heard tonight, despite having different instrumentations and a time gap of twenty tears in composition, show striking similarities. Helen (1997) for soprano and piano and Elegy (1977) for soprano and six players, both set 20th century poetry that hearkens back to Classical subject matter, contain lengthy instrumental passages, and embrace an Atlantic-shore Expressionist sound universe. But the music is not a clone of Babbitt or Wuorinen-Cohen's writing here demonstrates a smooth sense of line and distinctive, well-honed voice. Writing for the singer is both idiomatic and grateful, engaging at times in text-painting effects. Like all else heard this evening, these are intelligent and impeccably crafted selections that possess a clear, yet non-prescriptive formal sense. Performances were excellent. Geoffrey Burleson's presentation of the Sonata exhibited a well controlled ear for color, natty digital technique, and a polished sense of melodic sculpting. Soprano Janet Brown sang the two vocal numbers with sturdy self-assurance, a richly substantial tone, and strong diction; instrumental backing was provided by pianist Yehudi Wyner and a sextet directed by Neal Hampton, which in both cases perfectly balanced expressive speech and subtle support. Heidi Braun (violin), Lynn Nowels (cello), and Shuann Chai (piano) gave a forthright, nicely executed rendition of the Trio. While Cohen has regrettably left us, his vital portfolio of music remains available today. This event proved an excellent place to sample some choice nuggets from that collection. --David Cleary |