New Classical
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These three compositions from Argentinian composer Claudio F. Baroni are a minimalist’s dream come true. That is not to say the work is sparse or in any way designed for the background. Quite the opposite, these performances offer up everything from uneasy silence to dark, thick sustained notes. “in CirCles II (Movs. I-IV)” is presented…
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With more than 30 recording credits to her name, South Korean native Okkyung Lee brings an impressive work ethic to her professional life. Now a New Yorker, the cellist, composer and improviser has released a major new work that marries her cultural roots with the fearless experimentation of a true modernist. Cheol-Kkot-Sae (Steel.Flower.Bird) is a…
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Susan Records has kindly asked me to present the world premiere of Benjamin Louis Brody’s new work “Oscillations” this weekend. Please tune into The Moderns on radioregent.com Sunday at 8 pm (ET). That’s 12 midnight GMT. The piece features Brody on synthesizer, and trombone performances by Alaina Alster and Max Sholl. The players circle around…
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It doesn’t get much more Canadian than Kingston, Ontario. Our former national capital gave birth to The Tragically Hip (and the greatly missed Gord Downie), Bryan Adams and hockey coach/commentator Don Cherry. Even our first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, called it home. Unlike major capitals like Toronto and Montreal, Kingston has remained true to…
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The box set can be a tricky business. Generally produced by obsessives for the similarly afflicted, classical music collections are particularly notorious for digging too deep in an effort to document the under-appreciated. Not so with this lovely new collection from Sweden’s 1631 Recordings. The label has earned an international reputation for issuing quality releases.…
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David Harrington founded Kronos Quartet in 1973, at a time when family obligations made the formation of a new music ensemble a risky venture. To hear him describe those days almost 45 years later, it would seem he had no choice. When you think back to the early days, did you lay out goals for…
The Moderns 