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| MS 1519 |
Barbara Harbach 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 has been 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.
Further biographical information on this composer can be
found in my review of Volume 7 in this series, Music for Strings http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/beautifully-crafted-works-for-string.html
and, indeed, on the composer’s own
website www.barbaraharbach.com
The works on this new CD are all billed as World Premiere
Recordings and are again performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra www.lpo.org.uk conducted by David Angus www.david-angus.com
Night Soundings for
Orchestra was commissioned by Thomas F. George and is in three movements. There
is a dynamic opening to Cloak of Darkness
but the music soon settles to an oboe led theme. The dynamic outburst re-occurs
before the gentler theme is taken forward by various wind instruments. The
dynamic outbursts continue to periodically interrupt the music, keeping the
tense overtone of this movement.
Woodwind dominate Notturno,
weaving a mysterious tapestry of night sounds in this imaginatively
orchestrated movement. Part way through, the strings bring a lighter, flowing
nature before the woodwind return weaving some beautiful textures leading to the
hushed coda.
As the title infers Midnight
Tango has a tango rhythm led by a solo trumpet that appears out of the
opening. Soon the music flows forward with just a gentle underlying pulse of
the tango rhythm. Later a little ensemble of strings appears as the tango picks
up with brass bringing a real Latin feel.
This is a most attractive piece idiomatically played by
David Angus and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Gateway Festival
Symphony was commissioned by St. Louis’ Gateway Festival Orchestra for
their 50th Jubilee in 2013.
Confluencity
depicts the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and grows upwards
from a small motif to provide a dynamic opening. The xylophone keeps a rhythm
over which the orchestra rides, with woodwind arabesques. Soon a more flowing
theme arrives with gentle brass overlaid as the two themes merge and overlay as
the movement progresses. Eventually a faster rhythm develops as the music
bubbles up to a climax before flowing forward and speeding to a decisive coda.
Sunset: St. Louis, inspired
by a poem by the St. Louis poet Sara Teasdale, opens quietly, though pensively,
before a rhythmic theme commences a tango. The theme is passed around the
orchestra before a slowly rising and falling motif appears around which the
tango then moves. This is an especially lovely movement, expertly orchestrated.
Solo trumpet announces the opening of After Forever, as the pensive nature becomes even more obvious. This
movement is related to the struggle of Dred and Harriet Scott, slaves who
unsuccessfully sued for their freedom, an event that deepened tensions between
the northern and southern U.S. states. Soon the tension eases, as the music
flows and builds in richness. Little surges of drama and passion alternate with
the flowing music. Eventually a little rhythmic melody arrives, pointed up by quiet
percussion. The trumpet returns to call a note of caution before the music
leads to the more settled coda.
This is another approachable and highly attractive work.
A State Divided – A
Missouri Symphony also takes the theme of the divided politics of the northern
and southern U.S. states with Missouri’s involvement in the Civil War.
Missouri Compromise –
a slave state has an expansive opening though with a hint of melancholy
that eventually leads to a section with a folksy rhythmic snap. A side drum enters
to reinforce the rhythmic elements of the music but the predominant feeling
remains expansive and calm. A tune runs through this work that sounds very much
like a traditional American song.
Skirmish at Island
Mound – African-American regiment brings low strings and a flute to open
this quietly pensive music which rises up with a lighter theme shared around
the wind instruments. The music slowly builds, rhythmically, between wind
instruments in surely another traditional tune. Eventually the music quietens,
the flute returns, before the music moves forward with confidence to the coda.
A trumpet and side drum herald the opening of The Battle of Westport – the battle that
saved Missouri before a swirling orchestral theme joins, thrusting the music
ahead in a marching rhythm around the tune ‘Mourning Glory’. Harbach’s
distinctive orchestration brings some terrific moments as this movement
progresses. There is a slower central section with side drums before the music
leads decisively to the coda.
Jubilee Symphony was
commissioned by the University of Missouri-St. Louis for their 50th
Jubilee in 2013 and was premiered in October that year.
The first movement, Bellerive
takes its title from the historic Bellerive Country Club that became the site
of the new university. The music springs into life as an insistent motif appears
for the trumpet. This theme is developed around the orchestra building and
developing many variants on the theme, becoming more light-hearted with
something of a traditional jig before leading to a final fugal section.
Mirth Day Fiesta draws
on a day of celebration unique to the university that showcases cultures and
ethnicities. A xylophone opens the movement with low brass,
soon joined by a flute and the rest of the orchestra as the music opens out into
a lovely melody. Soon there is a change to a lively dance rhythm followed by
varying rhythmic versions with pizzicato lower strings pointing up the music. The
xylophone gently returns as the music quietens and flows forward with brass
leading ahead before woodwind join for the rhythmic coda.
Tritons Ascending refers
to the mythological mascot of the university. There is a gentle, hushed opening
to which woodwind soon add little motifs before developing into a texture of
woven sounds that flow forward, building in depth to the coda.
Barbara Harbach is an impressive composer who has a depth of
expression underneath the surface attractions of her music.
There is fine playing from David Angus and the London
Philharmonic Orchestra who receive an excellent recording engineered by Mike
Hatch at the Henry Wood Hall, London, England. There are excellent booklet notes.
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