Category Classical
Gernot Wolfgang–Vienna and the West
Fun, varied pieces for piano, winds, strings–some jazzy. Play most!
British Guitar
Modern/contemporary British works for solo guitar–short and sweet! Play!
Scott Wollschleger–American Dream
Abstract, meandering, ambient pieces for solo piano or a mix of percussion, vibraphone, bass. Play!
Catherine Lamb–Atmospheres Transparent/Opaque
Sonic and tonal explorations, intermingling, droning, expressing how sounds can be difficult to individualize, just like the color spectrum and its shades. The Dedalus Ensemble performs (elec. guitar, winds, strings, voice).
Uri Caine–The Book of Days
Prism Quartet performs these 7 movements, sonically expressing each day of the week, telling a story with jazzy inflections. Play!
Chen Yi–Ba Yin (The Eight Sounds)
The Prism Quartet with the Conservatory Wind Symphony Univ. of Missouri-Kansas City perform this Asian-influenced work, both lyrical and dissonant.
Joel Grare–Des Pas Sous La Neige
Very interesting percussion works (cow bell, cymbals drums, etc.)–lyrical, and delicate predominantly. Play!
Tchaikovsky and Dvorak–Serenades
One serenade each of these composers, both formal, well-known and gracious performed by the Archi di Santa Cecilia. Play!
Bradford Terrence Ellis–Tooka-Ood Zasch
Prism Quartet and Mr. Ellis perform this one piece–jungle sounds morph into sax quartet with drums and marching band like rhythms continuing to change into other sound patterns.
Shift
Mostly, quiet, lyrical solo piano pieces by contemporary composers, including Libby Larsen, Sarah Kirkland Snider and Ingrid Stolzel. Play!
Vernacular
Cellist Saeunn Thorstensdottir plays these very abstract solo pieces by Icelandic composers. Plucking, squeaking and other sounds. Halgrimsson’s lyrical. Play!
Just National Guitar
John Schneider performs these great just intonation pieces by Lou Harrison, Tom Johnson and others. Yate’s works more folk, with voice.
Johannes Brahms–The Three Sonatas for Violin and Piano
Romantic, gracious pieces with a singing violin. Play!
Mark dal Porto–Peace, Nature & Renewal
A mix of orchestral pieces, duos and chorales, variable in style. Try the instrumentals!
MIchael John Fink–Celesta
Beautiful, very lyrical, quiet celesta pieces. Play all!
Arnold Schoenberg–and His 17 Fragments
Highly abstract solo piano pieces exploring rhythm, tones, articulations and the expanse of the keyboard. Interesting!
Cello Sonatas of Richard Strauss and Edvard Grieg
One concerto each by Strauss and Grieg, neither of whom is known for chamber works. Grieg struggled with his piece.
KaleidosCoping
Really interesting contemporary works for flute with piano, some oboe. Play!
Maurizio Pisati–Set7
Abstract classical guitar, solo and with accompaniment, some voice. Play!
Citizen–Solo Piano
Bruce Levingston performs pieces from different musical eras, all exploring humanity and emotions. Play!
Nick Revel–Letters to My Future Self
A 30 yr old composer has made pieces for his 50 yr old self with his viola–a soundscape constantly changing, with hidden message in Morse Code! Curious, witty, abstract. Play!
Frederic D’Haene– Music with Silent Aitake’s
Mr. D’Haene describes his musical composition technique as “paradoxophony”–“elements from all kinds of backgrounds that can work together in a mutually reinforcing way.” This CD combines western instruments with the Japanese gagaku orchestra and has lots of droning–very abstract
Mark John McEncroe–Live in Ostrava
Robust symphonic works about life changing and repeating (possibly in futility), recorded live. Short works for symphonies. Play!
Caleb Burhans–Past Lives
Also a member of itsnotyouitsme, here Mr. Burhans musically expresses his grief over the deaths of friends, time lost to addictions and other life issues. Melancholic and beautiful pieces for various instruments. Play!
Caroline Shaw–Orange
Singer/composer/violinist Shaw here explores the form of the string quartet, with echoes of other composers (Bach, Mozart, Ravel…) with contemporary flourishes. Play! (This CD is the first release of a collaboration with Nonesuch and New Amsterdam in releasing works of contemporary composers.)
