Composer: Martin Bresnick, Aaron Jay Kernis, Ezra Laderman, David Lang, Paul Reale, Joseph Schwantner, Christopher Theofanidis
Performer: Robert Blocker
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Nimbus
Catalogue: NI6453
Release: 2024
Size: 641 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Laderman: Decade
02. Lang: Winter Piano
03. Schwantner: Palindrome’s Dance
Lee: Three Novelettes
04. I. Reflection
05. II. Levity
06. III. Blossom
07. Bresnick: Extrana Devocion
Reale: The Pooka’s Revenge
08. II. The Pooka Returns
09. Kernis: Toward The Setting Sun
10. Theofanidis: Wake Up, Called The Voice
“The romantic character pieces of Schumann and Brahms have been my musical companions since childhood. In earlier years, I was immersed in their emotional content. The craft, especially the economy of scale and refinement of compositional technique, captured my attention as a college student…Throughout my career, I have championed new music created by fellow students and colleagues. Shortly after assuming the deanship of the Yale School of Music, it occurred to me that the expansive piano repertoire could be enriched further by contemporary character pieces. These would be in the tradition of the romantic era, each one being three to five minutes in length with an inherent emotional impulse…When asked to compose a contemporary character piece that I would perform and record, my faculty colleagues and friends were most gracious and responded affirmatively…My gratitude and admiration foreach of them is boundless not only for their personal encouragement but also for this significant contribution to the piano repertoire and our musical life.” © Robert Blocker
This release includes compositions from Ezra Laderman (Decade), David Lang (Winter Piano), Joseph Schwantner (Palindrome’s Dance), Warren Lee (Three Novelettes), Martin Bresnick (Extrana Devocion), Paul Reale (The Pooka’s Revenge), Aaron Jay Kernis (Toward The Setting Sun) and Christopher Theofanidis (Wake Up, Calleth The Voice).