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| MS 1258 |
MSR Records have already issued a number of recordings of Harbach’s music covering orchestral works, chamber works, organ music and vocal music. This current release is volume 7 in this series.
Barbara Harbach, professor of music at the University of
Missouri-St. Louis, has a large catalogue of works, including symphonies,
operas, works for string orchestra, musicals, works for chamber ensembles, film
scores, modern ballets, pieces for organ, harpsichord and piano, choral anthems
and many arrangements for brass and organ of various Baroque works. She is also
involved in the research, editing, publication and recording of manuscripts of
eighteenth-century keyboard composers, as well as historical and contemporary
women composers.
In June, 2009, her musical, Booth! was premiered at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
in New York City where it won a competition at the Tisch School of the Arts. O Pioneers! – An American Opera was
premiered, in October, 2009, at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the
Touhill Performing Arts Center.
Harbach has toured extensively as both concert organist and
harpsichordist throughout the United States and Canada, and overseas in Bosnia,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Romania, Serbia and
Russian Siberia.
Harbach holds academic degrees from Pennsylvania State
University (B.A.), Yale University (M.M.A.), Musikhochschule (Konzertdiplom) in
Frankfurt, Germany, and the Eastman School of Music (D.M.A.). In 2002, she
received an honorary doctorate in music, Honoris Causa, from Wilmington
College, Ohio for her lifetime achievement as a composer, performer, editor and
publisher.
Barbara Harbach initiated Women in the Arts-St. Louis, a celebration of the achievements of
women creators for which she was the recipient of the Arts Education Award from
the Missouri Arts Council, the Missouri Citizen for the Arts Award, the Yellow
Rose Award from the Zonta International Club of St. Louis and the University of
Missouri-St. Louis, College of Fine Arts and Communication, Faculty Excellence
Award. In 2007 she was awarded the Hellenic Spirit Foundation Award and, in
2011, she was awarded the Grand Center Visionary Award for ‘Successful Working
Artist,’ the Argus Foundation Award, and the YWCA Leader of Distinction Award
in the Arts.
The first work on this disc is Harbach’s three movement Sinfonietta (2010). The strings descend
from heights in the opening of Hommage, a
movement dedicated to all lost love
and loved ones. This is a melody that has depth and sadness, with some rich
sonorities in the basses as the music swirls forward with lovely string sounds.
The music quietens to a hush before gently moving on to a rhythmic section
pointed up by pizzicato violins before opening out in the flowing melody of the
opening. Harbach certainly knows how to use strings to great effect.
Jeu Jeu takes a
theme from Harbach’s opera O Pioneers and is a lively, rhythmically buoyant
movement that has a fine transparency with, again, the basses pointing up the
music. Soon there is section that
recalls the melancholy thoughtfulness of the opening movement before the music returns
to the rhythmic nature of the opening. Pastiche
opens with a fresh, joyous, syncopated theme that eventually bounces forward
full of life.
This is a terrific piece that should take its place
alongside some of the great works for string orchestra from the past.
In Memoriam: Turn
Round, O My Soul (2010) is a eulogy and elegy for All Souls Day opening on
the lower strings before the rest of the orchestra join in this lovely, flowing
theme, full of deep feeling. Harbach keeps the music moving, as though not
wishing to dwell too long on such painful memories. The music rises to a central
passionate climax only to end gently.
Freedom Suite (2010) is inspired by the life of Harriet and
Dred Scott, slaves who sued for their freedom in 1847. It is also in three
movements with the first, Harriet Scott –
A Strong Woman opening with rustic dance rhythms. Although this theme is
based on a spiritual, the strings do hint at a repeated ‘ho down’ tune but with
much subtlety in this attractive section. Another spiritual arrives in the slow
section, a more nostalgic passage with a melody for the cellos. The dance
rhythms return leading to the coda where the two themes are overlaid.
Eliza and Lizzie – Let
My People Go has a magnificent opening high in the strings before a flowing
melody, punctuated by a bass pulse arrives. This leads to another hushed
section before another fine melody with individual instruments weaving throughout
the string orchestra. Another hushed section appears before the main melody
joins, bringing a strong sense of yearning.
The music rapidly rises up to open Freedom – At Last before a fugal section arrives with some terrific
writing for strings where, underneath, the melody of another spiritual can be
heard. A timeless sounding slower theme arrives but soon the theme of the opening
returns for the coda.
This is another terrific piece so well crafted.
Two Songs from the
Sacred Harp (2010) has two movements, The
Morning Trumpet where the orchestra announces the theme before it is taken
into a more flowing version decorated by a solo viola, then violin before being
subjected to a fugue and Chester
where swirling strings lead to a theme that enters low in the strings. The
upper strings continue to swirl over the bass theme before the various sections
of the string orchestra each enter, with the theme, in another fugue. The
movement concludes with the return of the opening.
The three movement Demarest
Suite (2009/10) was commissioned by the Northern Valley Regional High
Scholl in Demarest, New Jersey. The suite
opens with Echoes of Our Youth
with a rhythmic pulse in the lower strings before the rest of the orchestra enter,
flowing forward in a fine melody. Soon a less confident variation intrudes
before returning to the opening theme, though still subjected to hesitant
moments as well as confidence swirling sections before leading to a confident
coda.
With Remember the
Ladies Tango a moderately paced tango rhythm soon becomes more flowing,
though with the rhythmic pulse remaining. There is often a slight Mediterranean
flavour to this music.
Joyous Day places
a string quintet within the double string orchestra. This movement sparkles
right from the opening with a dance rhythm that allows the music to move
forward.
An upward rising motif opens Nights in Timisoara (2010) with the orchestra soaring before
settling to a quieter, slower moving melody, full of feeling. Soon a dance
rhythm appears with pizzicato violins in a tango rhythm around which the
orchestra moves. The music slowly builds before falling to allow another dance
rhythm that is played in fugue. The opening rising motifs return to lead
quickly to the conclusion on a pizzicato note.
Lilia Polka (2009) is
great fun in this arrangement of a Polka by Kate Chopin (1850-1904) so deftly arranged
by Barbara Harbach.
David Angus and the strings of the London Philharmonic
Orchestra give terrific performances of these works. Barbara Harbach is
revealed here as a fine composer whose beautifully crafted works will give
endless enjoyment.
The recording, from the Henry Wood Hall, London is first
rate and there are excellent booklet notes.
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