Contemporary Landscapes
Kenneth Fuchs (b. 1956)
Point of Tranquillity (2020)
Russell Platt (b. 1965)
Symphony in Three Movements (for Clyfford Still) (2019-20)
Randall Svane (b. 1972)
Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra (2023)
Wang Jie (b. 1980)
The Winter that United Us (2022)
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra/JoAnn Falletta
rec. 2022/24, Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, USA
Reviewed as a download
Beau Fleuve [59]
The Buffalo Philharmonic under the baton of JoAnn Falletta present four new works by contemporary American composers on this recording. All the pieces were commissioned by the Buffalo Philharmonic. Composers generally use a variety of sources for inspiration and two of the pieces on this CD use art as their starting point. The first of these is from Kenneth Fuchs, who has composed music for orchestra, band, voice, chorus, and various chamber ensembles. His music has achieved significant global recognition through performances and recordngs.
My colleague Rob Barnett reviewed the Chandos release of Fuch’s Orchestral Works, Volume 1 and made this comment: “Fuchs has a brilliant tonal voice and here it is heard through a medium that equates to un-smeared dustless glass”. Orchestral works Vol 2 was reviewed by Paul RW Jackson, who was equally positive: “The whole production and recording are flawless. Dr Fuchs writes music we need to hear in these difficult times”. His piece on this CD, Point of Tranquillity is imagined from an original painting of the same name by Morris Louis (1912 – 1962). Point of Tranquillity was originally composed for wind band but this orchestral version is certainly colourful, with wonderful tonal melodies. It begins with a gentle motif, introduced by the flute, oboe and muted trumpet; it’s then taken up by other woodwind and brass instruments. A fresh, optimistic feel is maintained throughout with periods of upbeat music that stir the soul interspersed with gentle periods remembering the melodies with which the piece opens. Fuchs offers us here a mediative piece with lovely, flowing tunes.
Another work using abstract art as its inspiration is Russell Platt’s Symphony in Three Movements (For Cyfford Still). Platt has composed works for orchestra, chamber ensembles and vocalists. His varied career has included nearly two decades as editor and critic for The New Yorker, and he is now a faculty member of the Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music in Nashville. Clyfford Styll (1904 – 1980) was another painter of abstract pieces. The three movements of Platt’s symphony are a response to four Still works; one in each of the first two movements and two in the third. The symphony is at times tonal and dissonant at others, melodic then overpowering, reflective then busy. The first movement is 1957-D- No. 1 (Feroce) and indeed in 1957 Still painted a work he called 1957-D-No. 1 which now hangs in Buffalo Museum and is described on the Museum website as “Dramatic in its scale and sharp contrasting colours”. The movement begins in a furious almost comical way, somewhat reminiscent of Malcolm Arnold’s work, with unexpected yet engaging musical sounds. It then slows to more gentle music before ending with a dramatic climax. The second movement, September 1955 is the name of another oil painting by Still which also hangs in the Buffalo museum. It’s marked Chaconne: con moto flessible and it is indeed a chaconne played in a spirited, flexible way. There is a gentle yet tense start, then the underlying baseline offers the opportunity for variations played by the rest of the orchestra. The movement remains calm and restrained with occasional high energy bursts of music and drama. The third movement is called 1954/April 1962. In 1954 Still painted an untitled piece which now hangs in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Buffalo Museum also contains a piece by him entitled April 1962. Once again, we hear a range of musical styles in an atmospheric performance. It begins slowly, almost ominously, and gradually gathers pace. Then after a pause, there is a complete change of feel, a gentle melody that slowly builds in intensity until the lively ending.
Probably my favourite piece on the album is Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra by Randall Svane). Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he has been active for the past 30 years as an organist, conductor, and teacher. The soloist is Henry Ward, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal oboist. Written for a solo instrument that is close in approximation to the human voice, this recording of Svane’s piece delivers music that is lyrical, sweet, thoughtful and animated. The first movement is marked Flowing; it’s gentle, melodious, smooth and relaxing with a clear sense of rhythm. The second movement is marked Very slow, continuing as it does the warm melodious feel of the first movement in a delightful but all too brief movement. The final movement Quick and light begins with a jolly, light, upbeat nature, it then becomes reflective again, reminiscent of the first two movements, before returning to the upbeat feel of the finale’s beginning. It’s a lovely piece.
The final piece on the album, The Winter that United Us is from the pen of Wang Jie. The winter in question could well have been the covid pandemic – Jie’s work was written in 2022. It’s a single movement piece which is lively yet at times tense, making full use of all sections of the orchestra; at other times we hear more lyrical sections. The several changes of mood throughout the piece take the listener on something of an emotional rollercoaster. The notes suggest the music is “harkening back to moments of Stravinsky, Saint-Saëns, Barber and even Sibelius”. I could certainly hear suggestions of Stravinsky and even Barber. Within the first two minutes of listening I could hear a fanfare, as well as gentle, ominous, furious and dramatic music. Then a lilting violin melody and maybe I could detect a Lark Ascending. Throughout, we can hear sound waves that move back and forth across the whole of the orchestra, the building energy and pace continue right to the end of the piece.
This is an enchanting CD featuring four contemporary American composers. The overall style is narrative and gentle but with many other styles dotted liberally throughout. The sound recording quality and the professionalism of the orchestra under JoAnn Faletta are, of course, exemplary. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing it.
Ken Talbot
Availability: Buffalo Philharmonic
