Customer Reviews

The Music Of Joseph Schwantner / Slatkin, Glennie, National SO, et al

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First of all, the music on this CD is incredible. Joseph Schwantner is one of the true masters of the 20th century. The first 2 selections on this disc (Velocities for solo marimba and the percussion concerto) are inspired performances by Evelyn Glennie with the National Symphony Orchestra & Leonard Slatkin. Unfortunately, someone made an error (in my judgement) when they cast Vernon Jordan in the role of the narrator in "New Morning for the World." This is a work for Narrator & Orchestra using the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. as text which Jordan almost renders unlistenable. There are many instances where Jordan gracelessly plods through the undeniably powerful words of MLK as though he were reading stereo instructions or something of comparable banality. I can only imagine what the resluting recording would have been like if the narrator had been Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Denzel Washington, or even Samuel L. Jackson. I will still highly recommend this CD despite Vernon Jordan's best efforts to make it unlistenable.

This is heavy music. Let me warn you right off the bat. The Percussion Concerto (which I had the opportunity to see spring 1999 with the NSO) is very 'heavy' music. The first movement sets the mood right away with it's loudness and heavyness on the drums. Tides shift when the second movement comes on. Glennie is a master at the suspense and weight of this slow but powerful movement. The third starts out with a variety of percussion instruments and resembles the climax of any modern day movie. It goes right into a marimba 'exercise' and then into some more drumming. The Martin Luther King piece, done in the style of Copland's Lincoln Portrait, is very powerful. Jordan's daring risk of a stressful monotone voice worked well. This is more of a dramatic opinion opposed to a musical one. Marimbas will be marimbas on that first piece. It's neat but nothing exciting.

The music of American composer Joseph Schwantner is some of the best, and sadly, most overlooked in all of Contemporary Classical Music. This CD offers up two of Schwantner's best orchestral compositions, as well as his singular efort into the realm of solo percussion music. "Velocities" for solo marimba was comissioned in 1987 by the marimba virtuoso Leigh Howard Stevens, and premiered by Stevens the same year at the Percussive Arts Society's International Convention. The sweeping melodic lines, symmetrical chromatic harmonies, and rhythmic puctuations of phrases are quite characteristic of Schwantnner's music, and percussion virtuoso Evelyn Glennie delivers a fantastic performance of one of the most difficult pieces in solo marimba literature. The "Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra" was originally comissioned by the New York Philharmonic for their 150th Anniversary Season, and took New York by storm at its 1995 premiere with Chris Lamb as soloist. The work is in traditional three movement fast-slow-fast form. Schwantner's fondness for percussion and ringing instrumental sonorities are quite evident in this piece, which Glennie performs with drive and intensity. The orchestra, however does not share Glennie's characteristic vitality, and clearly shows fatigue by the end of the performance. Even Glennie's performance shows a few questionable spots. The third movement cadenza, while an amazing display of virtuosity, becomes tiresome after Glennie begins her improvised section. The third movement begins with an improvisotory section for the soloist playing Shakere, but Glennie trades this in for a (much more flamboyant) Tambourine, which covers many of the orchestral parts. Overall, however her performance is very accurate amd extremely musical, and she makes performing (arguably) the toughest concerto in the (all-too-small) percussion catalogue look and sound easy. The orchestral work "New Morning for the World" is actually an extended tone poem based on the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The work (which is scored for large orchestra and narrator) displays not only Dr. Schwanter's extreme technical ability and his unbelieveable gift for orchestration, but also a very "intellectual" muscial interpretation of Dr. King's words. The Neo-Impressionistic colours and lyrical string passages give the piece depth and emotional appeal, but sadly, Vernon Jordan's boring and un-emotional reading of the text nearly ruins the dream-like atmosphere of the work. I found myself laughing and at times yelling at Jordan's terrible rendition of Dr. King's words, but this stands second to the wonderful performance of Slatkin and the NSO. If you hae never had the experience of listening to Joseph Schwantner's music, give this disc a try. Don't be discouraged if the music seems foreign and difficult in the beginning, like many composers, Schwantner has created an "intellectual" musical style that may take two or more listenings to become accostomed to. Bravo to Leonard Slatkin for championing the music of one of America's most gifted and most overlooked musicians.

There are two good reasons to own this CD: Joseph Schwantner's wonderful music and Evelyn Glennie's brilliant percussion talents. Scwantner has done what is virtually impossible: He has avoided being derivative and developed a truly unique harmonic language and orchestration of his own.

Schwantner's "Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra" is the new contender for best percussion concerto. The music is completely accessible and exciting, while the soloist tackles shockingly difficult challenges throughout, requiring sure technique and superb musicianship. In this respect, Evelyn Glennie is right on the mark with a persuasive and colorful peformance. Also worthwhile is "Velocities," a "perpetual motion" piece for marimba that, unfortunately, suffers from some rough editing.

But my praise ends when it comes to this performance of "New Morning for the World." For large orchestra with narrator, on a text from great speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, "New Morning for the World" is a true twentieth century masterpiece--fascinating orchestral texture, driving rhythms, soulful chorales, and completely inspiring throughout. Unfortunately, Vernon Jordan's narration is tragically bland. Slatkin indulges in his trademark annoyance: Any time the tempo is below "Allegro," he screeches to a halt, loses all momentum, and allows phrases to collapse, with string players running out of bow and wind players running out of air, while Slatkin himself bumbles onward, oblivious. This is probably the primary reason that Slatkin's recorded legacy has disappeared from the catalog so quickly, and it's a sad window into his notorious ego.

So if the percussion concerto interests you, don't hesitate, but if you're looking for the best recording of "New Morning for the World," seek out the Oregon Symphony's recording with James DePriest conducting or you'll be sorely disappointed.

This has become one of my favorite CD's because of the astounding setting of M.L.King's words. I've never been a "Lincoln Portrait" fan, or enamored of any symphonic works with spoken voice. But Schwantner's piece is an unforgettable exception. The ratio of music to words (about 5/1) is about right. Vernon Jordon's rendition of King's immortal words is profoundly moving, ten times better than Raymond Bazemore's attempt with James DePreist and the Oregon Symphony on Koch. I played Jordon's version, with reverence, as my own private ceremony for this 4th of July, 1999. This piece of Schwantner's should be played in every school.

As for the percussion concerto, it is very good and well played, but hard to get into. The slow movement is a bit overextended. Nevertheless, worth several listenings.

"New Morning for the World" is the true glory of this disk. Buy it for your grandchildren.

I saw Evelyn Glennie play the Schwantner percussion concerto with the CSO and it was one of the most moving and memorable performances I have seen. The reason I am rating this CD low is because of the horrendous editing job on "Velocities." But that's also a good reason to listen to it! If you do a lot of recording and editing, this is a great example of how not to edit. If you listen with headphones, you can hear a lot of jumpy cuts (maybe all of them). Since the piece is very repetitive in spots, you can even hear where they looped passages several times. Now I'm not against editing, just make sure you do a good job so no one notices! Shame on either the producer or editor, or engineer or Evelyn. I'm not sure who is responsible for this hack job. Especially since this recording was all digital and it is not too old (1997) there is just no excuse.

This is a great CD. I saw her perform the Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra in the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. Amazing. She plays with such strength, conviction, and feeling. I had a conversation with her after the concert and she was very encouraging and kind. Evelyn Glennie is in a class of her own.