Premiere Recordings

Premiere Recordings

Milton Babbitt remains a controversial figure on todayâ€™s musical scene, with his ideas more frequently discussed than his music is actually listened to. This recording contains the premiere recordings of five Babbitt works that span a quarter of a century. The CD opens with a performance of Babbittâ€™s exquisite "Quatrains", sung by the brilliant young American soprano, Tony Arnold. Set to a text by a Babbitt favoriteâ€“John Hollanderâ€“"Quatrains" is a work of great delicacy and subtlety. "Manifold Music" shows Babbitt adapting his language to the organ in a most original manner. Exploiting the instrumentâ€™s potential for colorful registration, Babbittâ€™s demanding score is a spectacular workout for the hands and feet of organ virtuoso, Gregory Dâ€™Agostino. "My Ends Are My Beginnings" has, since its composition in 1978, been regarded by many as one of most difficult-to-play works for a solo woodwind instrument. The workâ€™s dedicatee, Allen Blustine (long-time clarinetist! for Speculum Musicae), gives a heroic reading of this 17 minute solo. "Soli e Duettini" is one of three works with this title. This work, for two guitars, is played by dedicatees William Anderson and Oren Fader. (This premiere recording was previously issued on BRIDGE 9042). The final work is Babbittâ€™s just completed "Swan Song No. 1". It is a remarkable composition for the unusual combination of flute, oboe, mandolin, guitar, violin and cello. CD Annotator Matthias Kriesberg writes, "The experience of hearing Milton Babbitt, who for so long played off the boundaries of musical dimensions against one another, now reign in the extremes so dramatically as to focus the ear on the centered drama of calm voices interacting, is certainly extraordinary. But should we really be surprised? After all, there is a long, rich history of composers who, having definitively proven their ability to wrest music in an entirely new direction, turned their attention inward, ever inward, to contemplate that place, in the words of W.B. Yeats, â€˜where all the ladders start.â€™"
Country USA
Brand Bridge Records
Manufacturer Bridge
Binding Audio CD
ReleaseDate 2003-10-28
UnitCount 1
Format CD
UPCs 090404913525
EANs 0090404913525

Country	USA
Brand	Bridge Records
Manufacturer	Bridge
Binding	Audio CD
ReleaseDate	2003-10-28
UnitCount	1
Format	CD
UPCs	090404913525
EANs	0090404913525

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