American Contemporary CRI SD 438

various artists compilation - American Contemporary CRI SD 438

Lejaren Hiller - A Portfolio for Diverse Performers and Tape (1974)

Performers: Gregg Smith Singers; Gregg Smith - conductor

tape parts realized at the Experimental Studio, Polish National Radio, Warsaw

"A Portfolio" ... was commissioned by Polskie Radio, warsaw, Poland. The tapes were made in the Studio Eksperimentalne of Polskie Radio in 1973-74 and the performance materials were completed later that year with the help of a faculty fellowship from the Research Foundation of the State University of New York.

"A Portfolio" ... is a composition for up to 10 performers of any sort accompanied by four stereo tapes (8 channels). It is in one long movement, in a completely symmetrical arch form which reaches its climax exactly halfway through. The four tapes are a "Timing Tape" containing voices and a strike tone marking each 32-second period of the score, a "Harmony Tape" containing a prolonged harmonic progression from Eb to A, a "Bell Tape" containing sum and difference tones arranged in peals by change ringing and a "Canon Tape" meant to be interleaved with the performers' music. The voices on the "Timing Tape" are Amanda Hiller and David Hiller, aged 9 and 8 in 1973.

The performers' materials are derived from the composer's previous 50 compositions, starting with "Piano Sonata No. 1" of 1946 and ending with "Six Easy Pieces for Violin and Piano" of 1974. Each performer receives five sheets of music (plus music for an Introduction and a Coda) which are abstractions of a page or so of the earlier pieces devoid of key signatures, tempi, expression marks, tessitura, etc. The performer may perform the sheets in any order, but must make the music performable and expressive and in accord with the harmonic plan.

"A Portfolio" ... was premiered at the Warsaw Autumn in 1974, where it created a storm of controversy. Other performances have taken place in Reykjavik, The Hague and Middelburg, Holland, Rome, Cologne and Santos, Brazil, as well as in the U.S. The first all-vocal performance was by the Gregg Smith Singers in New York City in 1978, and it is this realization of the work that is recorded here. (Lejaren Hiller)

Rolv Yttrehus - Quintet (1973)

Performers: Members of Speculum Musicae (Benjamin Hudson, violin; Virgil Blackwell, clarinet; Michael Parloff, flute; Jerry Grossman, cello; Ursula Oppens, piano); Donald Palma, conductor

The "Quintet" was first performed in Town Hall in 1974 by the Da Capo Chamber Players. The work may be divided in six sections as follows: 1) Exposition in two parts; the first fast, the second slow. 2) Entrance of the bass clarinet whose sinister character causes the other instruments - especially the piccolo - to scamper about frantically. It plays a four-note motive in large note values which has a quasi-isorhythmic function. Eventually the piccolo joins the bass clarinet in canon. When all of this turmoil has worked itself out, the music settles down to a more quiet character. The last four notes of the bass clarinet are the first four notes of the 3) Recapitulation. 4) Grand Canon at the inversion between the violin and the cello serves as a cantus firmus for the more jagged and feroce material of the other instruments. 5) Climax, with the piano as a dramatic virtuoso instrument. 6) Coda, with an expressive conjunct-motion melody in the violin and other instruments. The flute settles down to a low B, the music thinning out and coming to a cadence over this pedal point. (Rolv Yttrehus)

David Maslanka - Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano (1975)

Performers: Phillip Rehfeldt - clarinet; Barney Childs - piano

"Three Pieces" was commissioned in 1974 by Phillip Rehfeldt and Barney Childs for their Clarinet and Friend series. It was completed in 1975 and has since been widely performed.

The first piece is understated - elliptical, secretive, willful. Spidery, sparse textures of the beginning and end surround a central episode of denser, more tonally-oriented material. The piece embodies altogether a deliberate contrary juxtaposition of clarinet and piano.

The second piece, marked aggressive, explosive, is a rough, raucous, bursting movement giving the impression of improvisation, though with the exception of one small section, it is entirely composed. Again there is a deliberate separation of clarinet and piano material. The effect is of two musics occupying roughly the same space but having very little to do with each other. The underlying tonal orientation of the whole piece begins to emerge in the piano writing.

Number three follows with only brief pause. It is a gentle reconciliation of forces leading to a chorale-like passage with clarinet and piano in rhythmic lockstep. There follows a gradual revelation of the key of C# major and a long, ethereal coda for piano alone. (David Maslanka)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Lejaren Hiller - A Portfolio for Diverse Performers and Tape {21:58}

Side 2

1. Rolv Yttrehus - Quintet {12:27}

2. David Maslanka - Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano (1) {5:23}

3. David Maslanka - Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano (2) {2:35}

4. David Maslanka - Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano (3) {6:45}

(1) (2)