Composer: Arthur Farwell
Performer: Lisa Cheryl Thomas
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0222
Release: 2014
Size: 197 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Dawn, Op. 12
01. Dawn, Op. 12
Tone Pictures After Pastels in Prose, Op. 7
02. I. Roses and Lilies. Gracefully, with Swaying Motion
03. II. The Sages Dance. In Even Rhythm – Well Accented
04. III. The Stranger. Mysteriously – With Agitation
05. IV. Indifference to the Lures of Spring. Sadly
06. V. The Red Flower. Slowly – Longingly
07. VI. Anywhere out of the World. With Restless Discontent – Not too Fast
08. VII. Evening on the Water. Slowly and Gracefully
09. VIII. A Poet Gazes on the Moon. Sombrely
10. IX. The Round Under the Bell. With Wild Fury
Polytonal Studies, Op. 109
11. XII. In C Minor – G Minor. Moderately
12. XIII. In C Minor – F Minor. Very Moderately
13. XIV. In B Minor – G Minor. Moderately Fast
14. XV. In C Minor – E-Flat Minor. Somewhat Slowly, But with Motion
15. XVI. In D Minor – E Minor. Rather Fast
16. XVII. In F Minor – E Minor. Somewhat Slowly
17. XVIII. In F Minor – F-Sharp Minor. Fast
18. XIX. In G Minor – B Minor. Slowly
19. XX. In E-Flat Minor – A Minor. Deliberately Fast, Without Hurrying
20. XXI. In B-Flat Minor – G Minor. Moderately Fast
21. XXVI. In D-Flat Major – F Minor. Very Moderately
From Mesa and Plain, Op. 20
22. No. 2, “Pawnee Horses”
The American composer Arthur Farwell (1872–1952) is remembered as the leading member of a group of ‘Indianists’ who used Native American tribal melodies.
But Farwell’s stylistic range was much wider than is realised today, taking in elements of impressionism and mild modernism.
This second CD of his piano music presents not only two Indianist pieces but also the early character-pieces Tone Pictures after Pastels in Prose and the experimental Polytonal Studies, which pit two different keys against each other to generate unusual harmonies. Fanfare hailed Vol. 1 of this series with unstinted praise: ‘Lisa Cheryl Thomas is herself of Native American ancestry, and the love she feels for this music is near palpable. Her musicological background work is impeccable, too, as she used facsimiles of Farwell’s manuscripts in preparation for this recording. She pens her own wide-ranging booklet note, also, which itself makes for fascinating reading. Recommended, and the second volume is awaited with enthusiasm’.
Lisa Cheryl Thomas, who holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas, is ideally placed to record Farwell’s ‘Indianist’ music: she is herself of Native American stock, counting members of the Cherokee, Blackfoot and Sioux tribes among her ancestors.