Samuel Adler: Chamber and Instrumental Music
The works of Samuel Adler – born in Mannheim in 1928 but long since one of the leading figures of American music – are both modern and approachable: they blend an edgy angularity with long flights of lyrical melody, and are often informed with both a buoyant charge of energy and an impish sense of humour. This conspectus of his chamber and instrumental music covers almost sixty years of his activity as a composer and thus presents a kind of portrait in sound.
Michelle Ross, violin (Tracks 2–6, 9–11)
Michael Brown, piano (Tracks 1–4, 6–11)
Cassatt Quartet (Track 12)
Muneko Otani and Jennifer Leshnower, violins
Ah Ling Neu, viola
Elizabeth Anderson, cello
Listen To This Recording:
- Fantasy for Piano Solo (2014)*
- I Allegro moderato
- II Lento espressivo
- III Allegro molto ma non troppo
- In Memory of Milton for Violin Solo
- Fast and intense – Very slowly – Suddenly fast – Very lively – Very slowly – Like a waltz, gracefully – Fast and intense
- Festschrift: A Celebration for Solo Piano
- Thy Song Expands My Spirit for piano solo
- I Quite fast
- II Quiet and dream-like
- III Fast and very rhythmic
- Very slowly – Fast and very agitated – Very slowly – Fast and with abandon
Violin Sonata No. 2 (1956)
In Memory of Milton for Violin Solo (2012)*
Violin Sonata No. 3 (1965)
Festschrift: A Celebration for Solo Piano (2007)*
Thy Song Expands My Spirit for Piano Solo (1980)*
Violin Sonata No. 4 (1989)
String Quartet No. 10 (2014)*
* FIRST RECORDINGS
Backmesser :
‘The CD documents an individual chapter of the fateful German-Jewish emigration. In addition, it gives a good insight into the very different American musical practice, whose European roots cannot be ignored here. The music of Samuel Adler would also be an interesting case for our performers in Germany.’
— Max Nyffeler, Backmesser