AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
MAY / JUNE 2012
COHN: Chamber Music
Eric Grossman, v; Amadi Azikiwe, va; Gerald Kagan, vc; Kenneth Cha, fl; Winnie Lai, ob; Hideaki Aomori, cl; Emi Kagawa, Susan Kagan, Lori Piitz, Vladimir Valjarevic, p Laurel Ensemble; Quintet of the Americas MSR 1285—78 minutes
American composer James Cohn (b. 1928) has flown under the radar of the late 20th Century; but the Newark, New Jersey native, Juilliard graduate, and former Roy Harris student has written in almost every genre and continues to receive commissions. Here, the Laurel Ensemble of California, faculty members at James
Madison University (VA), and several New York musicians participate in a program of his chamber music.
The recital includes his Grecian Festival (2007), a four-movement suite written for and performed by the Laurel Ensemble; the Oboe Sonata (1988), performed by Winnie Lai and Emi Kagawa; the Violin Sonata (2005), performed by Eric Grossman and Vladimir Valjarevic; Three Pieces for Clarinet Alone (1999), performed by Hideaki Aomori; the Viola Sonata (1987), performed by Amadi Azikiwe and Lori Piitz; Baroque Suite for the Flute Alone (1966), performed by Kenneth Cha; Piano Trio No. 2 (2003), performed by Grossmann and Eric and Susan Kagan; and Arkansas Reel (1994), written for and performed by the Quintet of the Americas, originally for a White House concert for President Bill Clinton. Cohn revels in the expressive prism of early modernism, wandering as far back as JS Bach in a neo-classical bent; bringing Eastern European folk idioms into 20th Century rhythms and harmonic language, much like Bartok and Kodaly; and in the final selection, a whirl through the rural South, something Virgil Thompson or William Grant Still may have done. His music is well written, idiomatic, and always has something to say. His works easily complement more famous names on a concert program, but even a compilation such as this one is effective for its sheer variety, imagination, and profundity….
The collaborators on this project, though, are somewhat disappointing. They are competent but not compelling. They play with energy and they give a good introduction to Cohn’s works, but they fall short of the technical refinement and sincere artistry that takes place at the highest professional level. No matter the
composer’s infectious dance rhythm or soaring phrase, the fastidious listener will likely wonder how better musicians would handle the scores.
HANUDEL
MAY / JUNE 2012
COHN: Chamber Music
Eric Grossman, v; Amadi Azikiwe, va; Gerald Kagan, vc; Kenneth Cha, fl; Winnie Lai, ob; Hideaki Aomori, cl; Emi Kagawa, Susan Kagan, Lori Piitz, Vladimir Valjarevic, p Laurel Ensemble; Quintet of the Americas MSR 1285—78 minutes
American composer James Cohn (b. 1928) has flown under the radar of the late 20th Century; but the Newark, New Jersey native, Juilliard graduate, and former Roy Harris student has written in almost every genre and continues to receive commissions. Here, the Laurel Ensemble of California, faculty members at James
Madison University (VA), and several New York musicians participate in a program of his chamber music.
The recital includes his Grecian Festival (2007), a four-movement suite written for and performed by the Laurel Ensemble; the Oboe Sonata (1988), performed by Winnie Lai and Emi Kagawa; the Violin Sonata (2005), performed by Eric Grossman and Vladimir Valjarevic; Three Pieces for Clarinet Alone (1999), performed by Hideaki Aomori; the Viola Sonata (1987), performed by Amadi Azikiwe and Lori Piitz; Baroque Suite for the Flute Alone (1966), performed by Kenneth Cha; Piano Trio No. 2 (2003), performed by Grossmann and Eric and Susan Kagan; and Arkansas Reel (1994), written for and performed by the Quintet of the Americas, originally for a White House concert for President Bill Clinton. Cohn revels in the expressive prism of early modernism, wandering as far back as JS Bach in a neo-classical bent; bringing Eastern European folk idioms into 20th Century rhythms and harmonic language, much like Bartok and Kodaly; and in the final selection, a whirl through the rural South, something Virgil Thompson or William Grant Still may have done. His music is well written, idiomatic, and always has something to say. His works easily complement more famous names on a concert program, but even a compilation such as this one is effective for its sheer variety, imagination, and profundity….
The collaborators on this project, though, are somewhat disappointing. They are competent but not compelling. They play with energy and they give a good introduction to Cohn’s works, but they fall short of the technical refinement and sincere artistry that takes place at the highest professional level. No matter the
composer’s infectious dance rhythm or soaring phrase, the fastidious listener will likely wonder how better musicians would handle the scores.
HANUDEL
PLEASE NOTE:
No reproductions of photos, articles, music or reviews are permitted without permission from the estate of Composer James Cohn
No reproductions of photos, articles, music or reviews are permitted without permission from the estate of Composer James Cohn
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