Customer Reviews

Joan Tower: Instrumental Music

5 star:		(4)
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Dr. Tower is a well-known American composer and a performing pianist. Her thoughtful music is always filled with interesting melodies and tinged with just enough modernistic dissonance to add interest. I first discovered her music on the Sharon Isbin (classical guitarist)album Nightshade Rounds, where the composition Clocks appeared. Fascinating music, listen to it if you can.

Since as of this writing Amazon has not listed the tracks, I will:

1. In Memory (string quartet)
2. Big Sky (violin, cello & piano)
3. Wild Purple (solo viola)
4. Holding a Daisy (solo piano)
5. Or Like a...an Engine (solo piano)
6. Vast Antique Cubes (solo piano)
7. Throbbing Still (solo piano)
8. Island Prelude (oboe & string quartet)

In Memory is a poignant piece about grief and death, inspired by the loss of a close friend and the 9/11 victims. The one movement piece is string quartet writing at its finest. Big Sky, on which Ms. Tower plays piano, is every bit as deep and contemplative as In Memory as is the very beautiful Wild Purple whose themes make extended use of the viola's lowest string. The piano solos are filled with interesting sounds and vary greatly in mood. Island Prelude features an oboe weaving its way among the strings, and, like In Memory, it is performed by the famous Tokyo String Quartet. Also, like all of the string pieces on this recording, the tempo is andante or slower.

With a tremendous variety of instrumental combinations, this CD is a delight and one that I will enjoy many times. My only complaint is with Naxos who skimped on the quantity of music and gave us only 58:26 minutes of pleasure.

Strongly Recommended

Redgecko

Joan Tower's "Island Prelude" has long been a favorite of mine. The work unfolds with an absolute mastery of control and exquisite orchestration. Choosing between its version for oboe and string orchestra and this version for oboe and string quartet is like choosing between full strings and quartet in Barber's "Adagio for Strings". When you have the Tokyo String Quartet playing, as you do here, you don't miss the warmth of a full flank of string players and you get the added bonus of hearing a lot more detail. The quartet also shines in Tower's "In Memory", one of my favorite works of hers, period. Indeed, the works on this disc are all extremely strong. The piano piece "Throbbing Still" is a stunning tour de force, and pianist Melvin Chen holds nothing back in this great performance. Despite raising their prices to now midprice level (remember the $5.98 Naxos bins?), kudos must be given to the label for generating this recording featuring amazing performers and outstanding American repertoire.

A was introduced to Joan Tower through an on line article and then purchased this
and another CD of her music. Ms. Tower's music though contemporary is not hard on
the ears or experimantal but based on good solid musicianship. I look forward to
hearing more of her music. This CD rates a solid A+

The Instrumental Music of Joan Tower is a most interesting disc in terms of the diversity of music and variety of musical ensembles presented. All instrumentalists demonstrate ability and taste.