American Vignettes: Contemporary Works for Cello and Piano
Though quintessentially American in spirit, the musical snapshots in this album are as diverse as the men and women who composed them. Drawing from influences as disparate as the blues, jazz, Broadway, gospel, folksong and the wild west, these ‘American vignettes’ merge popular idioms into a new canon of the repertoire for cello and piano. The distinctive voices of six US composers, from the late twentieth and early 21st centuries, here come together to weave a virtuosic and colourful tapestry of Americana.
Aron Zelkowicz, cello
Christina Wright-Ivanova, piano
Carter Pann (b. 1972)
Differences (1996) (13:53)
- I. Strand (2:03)
- II. Air (3:54)
- III. Country Dance (3:06)
- IV. Blues (3:03)
- V. Song (1:47)
Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972)
Manhattan Serenade (1995)* (9:36)
- I. Uptown (2:41)
- II. Midtown (3:37)
- III. Downtown (3:18)
Margaret Bonds (1913-1972)
- Troubled Water (c. 1952) (5:58)
Stacy Garrop (b. 1969)
Noir Vignettes (2014)* (14:59)
- I. Murder at Midnight (3:44)
- II. Loaded Gun (4:02)
- III. Femme Fatale (4:26)
- IV. The Last Cigarette (2:47)
Kevin Puts (b. 1972)
- Air (2004) (9:32)
Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
American Vignettes (1988) (18:53)
- I. The Dying, Cowboy (2:40)
- II. Whoa Back, Buck (2:49)
- III. The Water is Wide (4:20)
- IV. Sweet Betsy from Pike (2:00)
- V. Single Girl (4:08)
- VI. She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain (2:56)
*First Recordings
WFMT :
‘A delightful entry point for those unfamiliar with these American composers.’
—Jan Weller, WFMT
Whole Note :
‘Highly entertaining works, superbly played and with outstanding booklet notes by Zelkowicz makes for a really impressive release.’
—Whole Note
American Record Guide :
‘The showstopper work here is Stephen Paulus’s American Vignettes (1988), a set of virtuosic variations on recognizable American folk songs, of similar character to those in Aaron Copland’s em>Old American Songs. Paulus’s settings are more rustic and rambunctious, culminating in a delightfully free-wheeling account of ‘She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain’ that must be heard to be believed. ‘Manhattan Serenades’ (1995), a light, though demanding early work of Gabriela Lena Frank, is also worthy of note, heard here in its first recording. A bluesy central movement is encompassed by two bubbly, jazzy movements, the latter calling for improvisation from both players. Her writing for both instruments is exceptional—cellists and accompanists take note! […]
The best pieces here make this album worth your time—along with the superb playing from Zelkowicz and Wright-Ivanova, who give all these works strong personality, directness, and clarity. Great recorded sound and extensive liner notes.’
—Nathan Faro, American Record Guide