Customer Reviews

David Winkler: Piano Concerto; Elements Concerti

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Both pieces were magical! A pure listening delight for the music aficionado and the novice. Exciting and brilliant. Bravo!

This is an excellent addition to the Naxos label's acclaimed "American Classics" series. The CD offers an opportunity to hear recent orchestral music by New York-based composer David Winkler in first rate performances. Although firmly rooted in the tradition of the great romantic piano concerto, Winkler's sophisticated post-twentieth century musical vocabulary makes his "Piano Concerto (2006)" a relevant contemporary work. The atmospheric and engaging "Elements Concerti", a violin concerto in four movements: Air, Earth, Water, Fire, also receives a fine reading on this recording.

This CD is full of surprises. The piano concerto series offered a depth and breadth of piano sounds and sensations (with accompaniment) that struck me as both soulful and majestic. I especially appreciated the drama and intensity of #2, Adagio (funebre).
The Elements Concerti really caught my attention. David Winkler manages to successfully capture the spirit and essence of each season through his musical arrangements.
The entire cd kept me guessing, appreciating and smiling.

A great new voice in American composition. These works bring romanticism into the 21st. century. Bravo!