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 |  |  | | | | Track Listings | | | 1 Gathering Together (Briggs -1996) | 13:47 | | 2 The Queen of Air and Darkness (Campanelli-1992) | 11:08 | | Virtus, Opus 53 (Brotons -1991) | | | 3 I. Fronesis (Prudence) | 3:19 | | 4 II. Andreia (Fortitude) | 3:22 | | 5 III. Sofrosine (Temperance) | 4:15 | | 6 IV. Dikaiosyne (Justice) | 3:20 | | 7 The Dream Wanderer (Vlahopoulos -1992) | 10:14 | | 8 Ode to Freedom (Downey -1992) | 8:02 | | Total time: | 57:54 |
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| | | | | | MMC New Century: Volume XV | | | Our Price: $9.95  | | | | Item Number: MMC2099 | | Audio Format: DDD | | Released: 5/1/2001 | | Genre: Orchestral | | | | Description | | Excerpts from the Liner Notes (by Peter Bates)
Gathering Together
Composer Roger Briggs took the title for this piece from the poem “The People Gather Together” by Patricia Goedicke: “All over the earth we keep coming together/We keep giving each other these parties/These heart-breakingly beautiful parties.” When one thinks of parties, one also thinks of conversations. That’s precisely what occurs between the two interweaving lines of this piece.
The Queen of Air and Darkness
Says Richard Campanelli about “The Queen of Air and Darkness”: “The title and inspiration comes from Housman’s haunting poem, originally based on a Celtic legend about Cailleach, the Dark Goddess.” On the surface, Housman’s poem seems to have little to do with Campanelli’s symphonic poem. What unites the musical work to the poem can be summarized in one word: fantasy. As a tone poem, The Queen of Air and Darkness constructs a world in which such a marvelous creature as the Queen could appear and perform brash and outrageous deeds.
Virtus, Opus 53
Salvador Brotons’ “Virtus” is a chamber orchestra work scored for piano, percussion, and strings. Using an unusual compositional approach, the composer based the structure of the piece on the virtue divisions as enumerated in Plato’s Republic. “Virtue is the middle point between two extremes,” says Mr. Brotons, “and the truly virtuous man will integrate the three main virtues (Prudence, Fortitude, and Temperance) to reach Justice, the ultimate virtue that integrates the previous three.” Each movement is self contained, with its own conflict and resolution.
The Dream Wanderer
Sotireos Vlahopoulos’ one movement work, “The Dream Wanderer”, is based on a poem of the same title by Alex Demos (1917-1986). The poem is about wandering in dreams that appear and fade. The piece opens with a gentle adagio between piano and strings. The effect is peaceful and serene. Sometimes Vlahopoulos alternates piano and string monologues; other times he integrates them. Halfway into the piece, piano arpeggios quicken the momentum with accompanying tension in the strings. Soon both instruments subside into recondite contemplation.
Ode to Freedom
John Downey’s “Ode to Freedom” begins as grandly as the dream of freedom itself. There is a roll on the snare drum and a brief four-measure introduction by the woodwinds. Then the main theme, as sweeping and vast as Utah’s Monument Valley, appears on-stage.
This quote from the concert premiere summarizes the composer’s feelings: “Ode to Freedom is directed towards people who are young of heart. It is aimed at those who share the inspiring optimism that freedom and its whole concept awakens. . For those just beginning to taste its special feeling, this brief composition, hopefully, can help codify musically some of the intangible inner beauty that freedom generates.” |
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