In March last year I was pleased to review a disc of piano
works by Italian-American composer Michael Vincent Waller http://michaelvincentwaller.com
which I found to be subtle, finely honed compositions that hold the attention in
a strongly magnetic way.
I was pleased,
therefore, to have the opportunity to hear this composer’s new album of chamber
works for XI Records http://xirecords.org,
entitled The South Shore.
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| 2 CD XI 136 |
Michael Vincent Waller lives and works in New York City. His
work incorporates avant-garde sound worlds, connecting them back to a more
traditional, classical beauty. He has also studied world music, specifically
raga, and focused on modal analysis. Waller's chamber works have been
commissioned and performed by the S.E.M. Ensemble, FLUX Quartet, Ensemble
Epomeo, Ensemble Dedalus, Eric Huebner, Jenny Q. Chai, String Noise, Hilo
String Duo, Zentripedal Duo, Project SiS, Cadillac Moon Ensemble and many more.
Waller has studied with La Monte Young, Bunita Marcus, Petr Kotik, and
Elizabeth Hoffman as a graduate of New York University.
This new release brings together a number of works that
range from solo piano to a piece for flute, alto sax, electric guitar, viola,
cello and trombone. Written between 2012 and 2014 these works employ the use of
modal scales.
The first disc of this two CD set opens with Anthems for cello and piano (2014) a
work that perhaps suggest the anthem of a country that has been lost in time. Performed
here by Christine Kim (cello) and Yael Manor (piano) it is a thoughtful piece
built around a fine melody with lovely rich cello textures. It later increases
in tempo rhythmically, briefly before a quiet coda.
Atmosfera di Tempo
for string quartet (2013) features Conrad Harris (violin), Pauline
Kim-Harris (violin), Daniel Panner (viola) and Christine Kim (cello). Here the quartet
weave some fine textures around another lovely melody, showing some fine string
writing from Waller, subtly increasing in emotional intensity as it progresses.
There is a degree of minimalism but such are the subtle variations this proves
to be a particularly attractive work.
Profondo Rosso for
piano trio (2013) was written as a Valentine piece. It has a gentle opening
by the trio before the piano picks out a theme, joined by the cello then violin
to develop the theme. Soon the strings bring little variations over a repeated
piano accompaniment before weaving their themes around each other over the
piano line. It is performed here by Project SiS: Charity Wicks (piano), Pauline
Kim-Harris (violin) and Christine Kim (cello) www.facebook.com/pages/Project-SiS/209974142347970?sk=info#!/pages/Project-SiS/209974142347970?sk=info&tab=page_info
Pauline Kim-Harris (violin), Daniel Panner (viola) and Christine
Kim (cello) join for Per La Madre e La
Nonna for string trio (2012) written for the composer’s mother and
grandmother. A slow and gentle yet rather passionate, searching theme opens the
work before leading through many variations with attractive details from the
players. They provide a beautiful weaving of strings textures before rising in
emotion. Waller packs much feeling into this relatively short work.
Pasticcio per meno ê
più for piano (2014) is a gentle slowly evolving piece, exquisitely
crafted, subtly developing with just a hint of Debussy in the more limpid piano
lines. The music rises a little towards the end but soon returns to its more
tranquil nature. It is beautifully played by Nicholas Horvath.
Esther Noh (violin) and Christine Kim (cello) come together
for La Rugiada del Mattino for violin
and cello (2013) (The Morning Dew) where the two instrumentalists weave a
melody, often repeated and insistent before developing the theme through some
lovely passages.
Tre Pezzi per Trio di
Pianoforte (Piano Trio) (2014) is in three movements with the piano opening
with Pezzo I before being joined in a
lovely flowing theme by the strings. It soon adopts a slow gentle rhythmic
gait, before returning to the opening metre. A gentle piano theme introduces Pezzo II soon joined by the string
players as the melody is slowly developed with a somewhat melancholy feel. A
more passionate central section arrives and, when the music returns to the
slower theme, this more passionate feel is carried through to the coda where
there is a lovely little piano flourish. Pezzo
III continues the weightier passionate feel with the players Yael Manor
(piano), Esther Noh (violin) and Christine Kim (cello) bringing out some fine
textures.
Christine Kim (cello) teams up with Carson Cooman (organ)
for Nel Nome di Gesù for cello and organ
(2013). Cello and organ slowly open Part
I with another of Waller’s fine melodies. The cello brings rich tones
against which the organ adds lighter textures as well as pedal support. As the
music is developed these two players weave some fine sonorities in this fine
theme. In Part II the organ gently
follows a richer cello melody with these players bringing such fine control,
following every nuance.
Carson Cooman brings us Organum
– organ solo (2014) that quickly and gently, rises up in a fine theme that is subtly developed before gaining in
tempo and rhythm as it develops, this fine organist bringing many lovely
colours and textures.
Christine Kim returns for Tacca Prima for cello (2013) a terrific little work that develops
some fine textures as the melody is taken through many attractive variations.
Il Mento Tenuto Alto
for violin (2014) (Keep your chin held high) opens with some lovely
harmonics from the violinist Esther Noh, soon moving the music along with a
hint of the baroque. It broadens as the endlessly inventive variations are
developed. The music becomes faster and more intricate before easing into a slower
melody. It receives a marvellous performance.
The second disc opens with a sextet for an interesting
combination of instruments. Ritratto for
flute, alto sax, electric guitar, viola, cello and trombone (2013) features
the Dedalus Ensemble: Amélie Berson (flute), Pierre Stéphane Meugé
(alto sax). Didier Aschour (electric guitar, Cyprien Busolini (viola), Deborah
Walker (cello) and Thierry Madiot (trombone) www.dedalus-ensemble.fr . It is an
immensely striking piece where some memorable tones and textures are produced
as the simple little melody progresses. When the electric guitar enters it is
used very subtly as indeed are all the individual instruments when they take
the lead. This is a particularly fine work.
Daniel Pannier (viola) and Marija Ilic (piano) are the
instrumentalists in La Riva Sud for
piano and viola (2014), a work
that, in the composer’s words ‘…translates to the South Shore – of Staten
Island…close to my birthplace, where I returned to live.’ A flowing lyrical
piano theme opens the work, soon joined by the viola with many thoughtful
little moments beautifully realised by these players before gaining in
expressiveness midway and weaving some fine passages.
Christine Kim is the soloist for Pupazzo di Neve Partitas for cello (2013), a reimagining of dances
from the Baroque era. Allemande brings
some fine textures and colours to the little theme that is developed most
effectively using the fullest scope of the cello’s range. Courante brings some particularly fine playing as the intricately
written theme is developed before Sarabande
is slowly and broadly developed as more textures are laid and the theme
expanded. Finally we have a lively rhythmic Gigue
that has a lovely rhythmic sway to end.
This is a work that deserves a place in the solo cello
repertoire.
20/21 Ensemble: Itay Lantner (flute), Yael Manor (piano),
Jessica Park (violin), Erin Wight (viola) and Clara Kennedy (cello). www.20-21music.org bring us Variations for Quintet for flute, string
trio and piano (2014). In two sections Variations
I is a beautifully quixotic piece with more fine textures and colours that
develop through some delightful passages. Variations
II has a lovely gentle flow maintained by the piano over which the others
bring a fine melody.
Marija Ilic returns for Return
from The Fork from Miniatures for
piano solo (2014), a folksy little melody, distinctively American that
rises more insistently in the middle.
The four movement Y
for Henry Flynt for cello (2012) features again cellist Christine Kim and
opens with Fuguey Prelude that has a
slowly developed theme, somewhat repetitive in nature that rises higher,
centrally, before falling to some beautifully rich passages. Post-Sonata continues the theme slowly before
picking up the tempo and developing through some passionate moments with some
lovely double stopped textures and much fine passion toward the end. Quarter-Tone Rondo builds on the same
material with a constantly undulating theme that eventually progresses through
some extraordinary textures as the ¼ tones appear just before the end. Slow Scherzo has a repeated rising motif
that is subjected to a variety of subtle variations before tailing off to a
quiet coda.
Again Christine Kim is an excellent soloist.
Daniel Pannier and Marija Ilic are the duo again for Capo Finale for viola and piano (2012) where
the viola leads a melody over a simple piano accompaniment, an exquisitely
beautiful theme that soon picks up in tempo in an insistent version of the opening.
Soon there is another variation, rhythmically flowing and insistent before the piano
leads in another motif that has rhythmic buoyancy yet retaining the same
insistency. There is a lovely coda.
Vocalise for flute
(2014) brings flautist Luna Cholang
Kang in this lovely work that develops through some very fine passages as the
theme is developed, full of variety and invention with some finely played
timbres.
Arbitrage Deux for
clarinet (2013) has similar attractive qualities with clarinettist Katie
Porter drawing some lovely textures from her instrument. This is a work that
surely deserves a place in any clarinettist’s repertoire.
For Arbitrage for
bass clarinet and gong percussion (2011) Katie Porter is joined by Devin
Maxwell (gong percussion). She makes the most of her instrument’s deep rich
timbres as Devin Maxwell adds subtle, controlled gong textures with fine subtle
dissonances as the music slowly weaves ahead. This is a terrific piece.
There are some attractive works here, many reflective in
mood, often very beautiful. Michael Vincent Waller has brought together a fine
array of musicians who are nicely recorded. My download was provided with
interesting notes.
See also:
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