Notes and Editorial Reviews
We all know about composers and instrumentalists who are also writers (Paul Bowles, Ned Rorem, etc.), but what about writers who've seriously pursued classical music? James Joyce is one example, while Anthony Burgess' chamber setting of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land nearly caused as much ado as his novel A Clockwork Orange. Another controversial literary icon, Ezra Pound (1885-1972), more than just dabbled in music composition. For a 15-year period during the 1920s and 1930s the poet lavished a large amount of time and thought over the creation of two chamber operas and a series of solo violin pieces. Other Minds has produced a CD containing excerpts from these works culled from multiple live and studio sources, accompanied by an 81-page book
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packed with essays, texts, and illustrations. The annotations thoroughly examine the evolution of these compositions and the cultural contexts that inspired them, and also offer a comprehensive survey of "Pound performance practice".
So what does the music sound like? The selections from Le Testament and Cavalcanti take their cue from the homophonic vocal music that flourished in the Middle Ages. Melodies are either doubled instrumentally or supported by perfunctory polyphony. This may seem bland on paper, yet the punchy, refreshingly varied instrumentation and intense metric rigor governing Pound's prosody create a lively, angular sound world that stays with you long after the music ends. Think of the stylized simplicity characterizing Virgil Thomson's Gertrude Stein settings, or Harry Partch's vocal music, or early John Cage. The unaccompanied violin pieces are cut from the same cloth and are well suited to Nathan Rubin's hard-swinging, raw-toned interpretive approach. As always with Other Minds, much care, research, and forethought went into producing this fascinating release.
--Jed DIstler, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Le Testament by Ezra Pound
Performer:
Jack Pereira (Percussion),
John Foreman (Percussion),
Harry Van der Kamp (Bass),
Jerome Neff (Percussion)
Conductor:
Reinbert De Leeuw,
John Stringer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
ASKO Ensemble,
Villon Music Theatre Ensemble
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923; USA
2.
Fiddle Music Suite no 1 by Ezra Pound
Performer:
Nathan Rubin (Violin)
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Notes: Composition written: USA (1923 - 1924).
3.
Al poco giorno by Ezra Pound
Performer:
Nathan Rubin (Violin)
Period: 20th Century
Written: circa 1931; USA
4.
Cavalcanti by Ezra Pound
Performer:
Marco Camastra (Baritone)
Conductor:
Robert Hughes,
Marcello Fera
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Other Minds Festival 7 Ensemble,
Arch Ensemble,
Conductus Ensemble
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Notes: Composition written: USA (1931 - 1933).
5.
Frottola by Ezra Pound
Period: 20th Century
Written: circa 1931; USA
6.
Collis O Heliconii by Ezra Pound
Performer:
Robert Hughes (Bassoon),
David Varnum (Bass Baritone),
Nathan Rubin (Violin)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1932; USA
Notes: This selection is a fragment of the work.
7.
Aliter by Ezra Pound
Performer:
Nathan Rubin (Violin)
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Sound Samples
Le Testament de Villon: Brothel Music
Le Testament de Villon: Dictes moy
Le Testament de Villon: Ha, vieillesse felonne et fiere
Le Testament de Villon: Dame du ciel
Le Testament de Villon: Pere Noe
Le Testament de Villon: Freres humains
Fiddle Music First Suite: I. -
Fiddle Music First Suite: II. -
Fiddle Music First Suite: III. -
Fiddle Music First Suite: IV. -
Fiddle Music First Suite: V. -
Fiddle Music First Suite: VI. -
Cavalcanti: Poi che di doglia
Cavalcanti: Sol per pieta
Cavalcanti: Gianni quel Guido
Cavalcanti: Tos temps serai
Cavalcanti: Quando di morte
Cavalcanti: Perch'io non spero
Collis O Heliconii: Carmen LXI
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