Some new-to-me composers

About a month ago, violinist Hillary Hahn named 26 composers who she had commissioned for encore pieces to add to her repertoire. This list was a treasure trove to me, because only three names were familiar to me as "serious composers." I went to the web to find at least snippets of music by the others, and found a dozen or more composers whose music speaks to me.

Among them was the 33-year-old  Mason Bates, whose music I found on a CD of works performed by Claremont Trio. And yet this CD was even more wonderful to me because it included another two composers who I had not heard from before: Paul Schoenfield and Leon Kirchner. Here then are my notes from the first hearings of four of the works on this CD.

Zwilich, Ellen Taaffe 1939-(1985)-
Trio. 1. Allegro con brio; 2. Lento; 3. Presto
Claremont Trio (Kwong, Donna (pno); Bruskin, Emily (vln); Bruskin, Julia (vc))
An exciting set of movements that seem to finish long before necessary. This performance has the three instruments at even intensity of expression, but the piano seems to be undermiked at times. The music itself, though clearly derived from the Second Viennese School, passes frequently between rows and arpeggiations that offer a strong sense of where the home base is, even when the music hits a high fly to out to the outfield.

Kirchner, Leon 1919-(1949)-2009
Trio. 1. [No name]; 2. Largo
Claremont Trio (Kwong, Donna (pno); Bruskin, Emily (vln); Bruskin, Julia (vc))
This music is at once ethereal and erudite, a bit removed from emotive, personal expression. The slow movement offers more to hang onto, even with a wealth of slithering harmonic centers.

Kirchner, Leon 1919-(1949)-2009
Trio II
Claremont Trio (Kwong, Donna (pno); Bruskin, Emily (vln); Bruskin, Julia (vc))
If you decide on listening, be sure to devote quiet time to focus on this work. Though it is relatively demanding, it is especially rewarding in how the harmonic and melodic elements come together in the last two minutes. Harmonics in the cello come as a surprise almost, echoed then moments later by harmonics in the violin at the last phrase.

Bates, Mason 1977-(2002)-
String Band
Claremont Trio (Kwong, Donna (pno); Bruskin, Emily (vln); Bruskin, Julia (vc))
This piece jumps everywhere and back, with tips of the hat to superb trains of thought that have come before. What's consistent is the work's cohesive use of the many disparate styles. At first, one hears lots of repetitions of the same tone, beautifully shimmering texture that seems much more than a "mere" piano trio of three performers. The shimmering flows into a hoedown with brightly exclaimed accents. A strong juxtaposition comes with full-on long notes over staccato-pizzicato and short figures; shifting into a lilting, swinging period then gives over, once again, after the midpoint, to a return to the repeated tones under a long fluid line.