CD Releases
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"Vocal Music "
(TROY741)
D'anna Fortunato, mezzo-soprano
Larry Bell, pianist
Benjamin Zander, conductor
Jean Meltaus
New England Conservatory Youth Philharmonic Orchestra
Children's Chorus
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Reviews:
I have already been able
to review a number of recordings of Larry Bell’s orchestral and chamber
music. This is however the first disc featuring his vocal music and
including works from both ends of his composing career.
The earliest
work here, Four Sacred Songs Op.20, composed in 1984, was written
“as studies for a larger orchestral work”: Sacred Symphonies Op.23
available on VMM 3016 reviewed here some time ago. Each song is a
setting of a familiar - to American ears at least - hymn tune text.
As might be expected, these settings are generally simple and straightforward,
as befits the popular origin of the texts. The composer can nevertheless
take one by surprise, as in the inconclusive coda of the overtly optimistic
second song, whereas the third song Stand up, stand up, for Jesus
is considerably more tense and harmonically more astringent. The final
song, in much the same vein as the opening one, provides an appeased,
meditative conclusion.
The Immortal Beloved Op.50
is based on the three letters that Beethoven wrote to Antonie Brentano
in July 1912. The music is “permeated with references to Beethoven’s
cycle An die ferne Geliebte” briefly quoted at the very end of the
third and final song. This is not the first time that Bell has written
a piece inspired by or alluding to older composers’ life and works:
Mahler puts in an appearance in the trio Mahler in Blue Light Op.43
and Late Night and Thoughts Op.35. By so doing, he somewhat puts himself
in the shade although his own personality is by no mean obliterated.
Bell nevertheless stays somewhat in the background, particularly in
this song-cycle.
The third song-cycle recorded
here is more recent still. Songs of Time and Eternity Op.64 sets words
by Emily Dickinson. The composer says that “songs 2, 3 and 4 are preoccupied
with the afterlife and a healthy religious scepticism” whereas “the
perspective of songs 1 and 5 ranges from a childlike wonder about
the future to an adult’s obsessions with romantic memory”. Sorry for
this long quote, but these words perfectly sum up the emotional and
poetic content of the cycle. As a consequence, the music is remarkably
varied and contrasted, at times disarmingly simple in the beautiful
first song Will there really be a “Morning” which brought Samuel Barber
to mind. It is slightly ironic in the second song Going to Heaven!,
utterly serious and dramatic in the third song - probably the most
classically conceived of the entire cycle - somewhat troubled in the
fourth song (hints of John Ireland here) and warmly lyrical in the
beautifully moving final song.
The most striking
characteristic of these three song-cycles is the singer-friendly,
expressive vocal writing that flows almost effortlessly, with telling
effects in spite of some deceptively simple inner logic.
Larry Bell’s gift
for memorable tunes is again put to good use in Songs of Innocence
and Experience Op.55, a joint commission from the New England Conservatory
Preparatory School and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Ii is
scored for children’s chorus and orchestra, although there also exists
a version for soprano and piano (Ten Poems of William Blake Op.53).
The work falls into two parts of clearly different character: Songs
of Innocence and Songs of Experience. The former is appropriately
lighter in mood and playful, whereas the latter is more serious and
weighty, with at its centre a solo setting The Sick Rose as well as
a splendid treatment of The Tyger. The cantata concludes with a beautiful
setting of The Voice of the Ancient Bard. The music is supremely crafted
for young performers yet with enough to challenge their performing
skills and make it worth the effort. Just listen to what these youngsters
make of the often tricky rhythms of Spring. The two solo items, Infant
Joy in the first part and The Sick Rose in the second part are sung
with considerable aplomb. This is a very attractive work, much in
the same vein as Howard Blake. It generously repays its young performers’
efforts and makes for a most rewarding experience for players and
listeners alike.
With the pianist-composer
in command, these readings of the three song-cycles have a definite
ring of authenticity, and are warmly recorded. The energy and commitment
of the young performers in the Blake cantata is slightly let down
by what I think is a live recording, though the recorded sound is
quite acceptable. This does not in any way diminish their formidable
achievement.
In short, a generously filled
release that sheds light on another facet of Larry Bell’s varied output.
As I have already mentioned in earlier reviews, his music is tuneful,
colourful, expressive and inventive for all its classical layout.
Hubert Culot-www.musicweb-international.com
(March 2006)
The neo-tonal music of Larry Bell evokes
sharply different reactions from critics, as illustrated by the back-to-back
reviews by Thomas McClain and Mark Lehman (M/A 2004). At the risk
of sounding bland, I have a view somewhere in between. There is no
denying the brightness and tunefulness of this resourceful composer,
but his music can wear thin after a while.
The program of songs offers a bit of variety an
that it traverses the robust tonality of Bell's present style (The
Immortal Beloved) as well as the stormy dissonance of his earlier
one (Four Sacred Songs). Some of the songs here (Will
there Really Be a Morning?, from Songs of Time and Eternity)
are close to pop or Broadway. Bell certainly knows how to spin a lyrical
line (Heart! We Will Forget Him!); he remains a formidable force on
the tonal side of the contemporary divide.
Mezzo D'Anna Fortunato is a bit wobbly for my taste;
the orchestra under Benjamin Zander and choruses under Jean Meltaus
have a bright, vibrant sound admirably suited for the child-like Songs
of Innocence and Experience.
Jack Sullivan-American
Record Guide May/June 2006
