Austin / Abad -Sepectra 2 -Navona CD Grooves.land/Playthek

Details / Tracklist:

: B-A-C-Homage For Viola And Piano ()
: Sleepy Hollow Suite For Piano ()
: Bells And Grass, 5 Songs For Soprano & Oboe ()
11: Icarus, For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra (13:03)
: Random Thoughts, For Saxophone Quartet ()
16: Escape Of The Slinkys (1:38)
17: Grasshopper's Holiday (2:12)

Number of discs:

Description:

Spectra 2 unveils the works of six composers, each of whom tells a unique, memorable story. First up is Elizabeth R. Austin's 'B-A-C-HOMAGE,' an intricately constructed tribute to the German Baroque composer. Based on Bach's name and his "Air on G" respectively, the first and second movements reflect upon the clarity of his work through the lens of Austin's decidedly modern tonal language. John Alan Rose's 'Sleepy Hollow Suite' for piano mesmerizes with a timeless appeal that bridges centuries: aesthetically gratifying and inventive all at once, Washington Irving could fittingly have imagined this as a soundtrack for his eponymous story. 'Bells and Grass,' composed by Juliana Hall, brings five poems by Walter de la Mare to life with only a soprano and an oboe. A related theme could be discerned in Ryan Jesperson's 'Icarus,' a riveting duo for alto saxophone and piano. Like the eponymous mythological character, it starts out soaring, but undergoes a considerable transformation, culminating in a spectacular fashion. There is nothing random about Frank Vasi's saxophone quartet 'Random Thoughts': the four-movement work is so refreshingly tonal, as well as rhythmically and harmonically engaging, that it wouldn't be out of place in an upscale jazz venue. The quirky 'Picasso's Rag' sounds exactly how one would imagine it according to the title - only better. Nancy Tucker brings the album to a close with two of her playful, upbeat compositions. 'Escape of the Slinkys' imagines the life of named perennial childhood toy with bewildering depth of imagination. 'Grasshopper's Holiday,' an unapologetically catchy guitar piece, evokes images of road trips and carefree summers with such cheerful drive that one might find it difficult to stop listening to it on repeat. With it's variegated selection, Spectra 2 packs a veritable punch in just about one hour of music - music composed in Connecticut, but with an artistic appeal that easily transcends the borders of the Constitution State.

Tracks 1, 2 recorded 2013 at The Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford in West Hartford CT. Tracks 3-5 recorded March 4, 2018 at PNC Recital Hall, Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh PA. Tracks 6-10 recorded January 28, 2015 at Kansas Public Radio, University of Kansas in Lawrence KS. Track 11 recorded January 13, 2018 at The Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford in Hartford CT. Tracks 12-15 recorded October 2, 2016 in concert at Cheshire Lutheran Church in Cheshire CT. Track 16 recorded 2005 at Mind?s Ear Studio in West Hartford CT. Track 17 recorded 2014 at On Deck in Northfield CT.

Manufacturer No.:

NVON6188.2

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