0:00:33 Ildikó Szabó Peter Eötvös (1944- ): 2 Poems to Polly (1998) Heritage Hungaroton (2020)
0:13:02 Maximilian Hornung w/ Andris Poga: Deutsches SO Berlin Sulkhan Tsintsadze (1925-1991): Cello Concerto No. 2; Episode II; Andante molto Cello Concertos of 1966 Myrios (2018)
0:22:14 Liana Issakadze (v): Georgian CO w/ Eldar Issakadze (cello) Sulkhan Nasidze (1927-1996): Concerto for Violin and Cello Kartuli Musika Orfeo (1992)
0:46:41 Ildikó Szabó Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967): Cello Sonata, Op. 8 (1915, premiered 1918) Heritage Hungaroton (2020)
1:25:21 Inbal Segev w/ Marin Alsop: London PO Anna Clyne (1980- ): Dance Elgar & Clyne Cello Concertos Avie (2020)
1:53:34 Camille Thomas w/ Mathieu Herzog: Brussels Philharmonic Henry Purcell: “When I Am Laid in Earth” Dido’s Lamento (Arr. for Cello and Strings by Mathieu Herzog) Voice of Hope Deutsche Grammophon (2020)
0:00:30 Anna Clyne (1980- ): On Track Lisa Stepanova E Pluribus Unum Navona
0:09:52 Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending (1914/20) Jennifer Pike (v) & Martin Roscoe (p) Elgar & Vaughan Williams Violin Sonatas, etc. Chandos
0:24:47 Charles Ives: Symphony No. 4 (completed 1924): IV. Finale. Gustavo Dudamel: LA Philharmonic Charles Ives: Complete Symphonies Deutsche Grammophon
0:34:02 Walter Kaufmann (1907-1984): Septet (before 1945) ARC Ensemble Kaufmann Chamber Music Chandos
1:11:13 Arvydas Malcys (1957- ): “Blackthorn Eyes”(2004) Ippolitov-Ivanov Quartet Malcys & Vasks Piano Quartets Naxos
1:25:11 Pawel Łukaszewski (1968- ): “Veni Creator” Jan Łukaszewski: Polish Chamber Choir „Schola Cantorum Gedanensis” The Very Best of Łukaszewski Dux
1:38:42 Ed Bennett: “Freefalling” David Brophy: RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra Psychedelia NMC
1:48:37 Linda Buckley: “From Ocean’s Floor”; I. Fil Duine (Gráinne speaks of Diarmuit) Iarla O’Lionaird w/ Crash Ensemble & Linda Buckley (electronics) O Iochtar Mara (From Ocean’s Floor) NMC
1:53:01 Galya Bisngalieva: “Kantubek” Galya Bisenglieva Aralkum One Little Independent
2:01:45 Anna Clyne: << Rewind<< Andre de Ridder: BBC Symphony Orchestra Mythologies Avie
It seems really odd – like, really odd – that I wasn’t aware of Anna Clyne until a track on Lisa Stepanova’s E Pluribus Unum album last summer and then the full-on stunning cello concerto “Dance” for Inbal Segev that came out a short time after. Clyne’s work has been championed, performed and recorded by artists I pay close attention to (e.g. Jennifer Koh, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, the Knights…) and has been released on labels I always keep an eye on (e.g. Tzadik, Cedille, Avie). Now, four months on from learning of her existence, I wouldn’t hesitate to call Clyne one of my favorite composers of all time. I have listened to everything I can find and I pretty much love it all. I’ve found a lot: Clyne’s prolific and works in multiple media, and frequently collaborates with artists in other fields. Her early electro-acoustic stuff is fierce and that vigor has remained consistent; in the pieces she’s written over the last eight years she has shown an uncommon sense of melody, dynamics and effect, and she applies it to music that is intricate and consistently intriguing… Tonal and heavyweight at the same time.
I needed that. Along with Dolt 45’s defeat in the November election, my introduction to Clyne’s music represents one of the few highlights of 2020 in my weary world. I think/hope this program of her work will make your 2020 a little brighter, too.
One final note: I have played the Stepanova and Segev turns on previous shows and will reprise each in the next two weeks. Two hours is way too short for composers like this…
0:00:32 “Masquerade” (2013) Marin Alsop: BBC Symphony Orchestra from Mythologies (Avie, 2020)
0:10:42 “A Wonderful Day” (2013) Bang on a Can All-Stars live, 2015 (WQXR channel, Youtube)
0:16:45 “Night Ferry” (2012) Riccardo Muti: Chicago SO from Riccardo Muti Conducts Mason Bates & Anna Clyne (CSO, 2014)
0:41:42 “Prince of Clouds” (2012) Jennifer Koh & Jaime Laredo w/ Vinay Parameswran: Curtis 20/21 Ensemble from 2 x 4 (Cedille, 2014)
0:58:06 “Shorthand” for cello & string quintet (2020) Musicians from The Knights feat. Karen Ouzounian, cello world premiere performance, 2020 (Caramoor channel, Youtube)
1:11:07 “Three Sisters” Concerto for Mandolin & String Orchestra (2017) Avi Avital w/ Nicholas McGegan: Detroit SO world premiere performance, 2019 (Detroit SO channel, Youtube)
1:31:07 “Sound and Fury” (2019) Catherine Larsen-Maguire: Scottish Chamber Orchestra live, 2020 (Scottish CO channel, Youtube)
1:50:57 “Fits and Starts” for cello, backing cello & tape (2003) Benjamin Capps (cello) & Anna Clyne (backing cello & tape) from Blue Moth (Tzadik, 2012)
Mid-century, Andrzej Panufnik (1914-1991) was probably foremost among a group of Polish composers that included Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Bacewicz and Gorecki. After defecting in 1954, he did not find the Western musical world particularly welcoming, which is a shame because his music was – and is – as catchy and engaging as anything written in the 20th Century, despite the complex theory that girds it. Not counting the large body of work completed before WWII, which burned, he wrote 10 symphonies, five concertos, and a sizable body of chamber music while living in England. And it’s all really good, at least everything I’ve heard so far. It is music that people who are not classical music fans would like. Or love.
Panufnik’s life storyis worth reading about. He survived WWII in Poland, playing underground concerts in Warsaw as part of a piano duo with Lutoslawski (classical music is the jazz of Europe, it is worth remembering…) and writing anthems for the resistance, the most famous of which can be heard in this program. All of his work up to the war’s end, however, was incinerated, and he had to start over. Stalinite art censors in Soviet-bloc postwar Poland drove Panufnik to defect, which – for the youngsters out there – was dangerous and complicated. Settling in the U.K. (he was regarded as suspicious by American authorities, then in the McCarthy-ite commie-hunting frenzy…), he faded into the background, despite support from no less then Ralph Vaughan Williams and commissions from the world’s top conductors and orchestras. He was, in the end, appreciated in England towards the end of his life, and was knighted; in Poland, which he returned to only after the Soviet bloc collapsed, he is a giant. He is considered a top-tier composer in Europe, moreover.
Panufnik’s daughter Roxanna (1968- ), meanwhile, has established herself as one of England’s preeminent composers on her own merits. Her chamber music, songs and choral works have been recorded by labels like EMI, BIS, Signum and Chandos.
This is a great show, featuring music by both father and daughter.
Roxanna Panufnik – Memories of My Father; I. O Tu, Andrzej Brodsky Quartet w/ Robert Smissen (va) & Robert May (c) Messages: Chamber Work for Strings, Andrzej & Roxanna Panufnik Chandos
Andrzej Panufnik: Suita polska, “Hommage à Chopin”: I. Andante (Arr. R. Panufnik) Clare Hammond Reflections – Solo Piano Works of Andrzej and Roxanna Panufnik BIS
Andrzej Panufnik: Suita polska (Hommage a Chopin) (1949) (version for flute and string orchestra) Lucasz Borowicz: Polish NRSO w/ w/ Lukasz Dlugosz (f) Andrzej Panufnik: Symphonic Works, v. 3 CPO
Andrzej Panufnik: Sinfonia rustica (Symphony No. 1, 1948/1955) IV. Allegro Lukasz Borowicz: Polish Radio SO Andrzej Panufnik: Symphonic Works, v. 2 CPO
Andrzej Panufnik: “Warszawskie dzieci” (Children of Warsaw) Sara LeMesh (soprano) and Allegra Chapman (p) live performance Youtube
Andrzej Panufnik: Violin Concerto (1971) Piotr Plawner w/ Jürgen Bruns: Kammersymphonie Berlin Polish Violin Concertos Naxos
Roxanna Panufnik: “Zen Love Song” Barnaby Smith: VOCES8 and Kiku Day Roxanna Panufnik: Love Abides Signum
Andrzej Panufnik: Symphony No. 10 (1988, rev. 1990) Kazmierz Kord: Warsaw National PO A. Panufnik Cello Concerto & Symphonies 3 & 10 Accord (PL)
Andrzej Panufnik: Cello Concerto (1991, premiered 1992)Mstislav Rostropovich w/ Hugh Wolff: London SO NMC Panufnik Cello Concerto (single) NMC
A. & R. Panufnik: Modlitwa Brodsky Quartet w/ Robert Smissen (va) & Robert May (c) Panufniks Chamber Music Chandos
Concentration Camp 