Excursions for a Pianist
Gerald Berthiaume (piano)
Robert Starer was born in Vienna and received his musical education at the State Academy in Vienna, the Jerusalem Conservatory and Juilliard. He has lived in New York since 1947 and became a United States citizen in 1957. Among his honors are two Guggenheim Fellowships. He was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1994. In 1996 he was awarded the achievement award by the Music Teachers National Association "in recognition of his distinguished career in music and outstanding contributions to his profession as composer and educator." The pianist, Gerald Berthiaume, is currently as Associate Professor of Music at Washington State University where he serves as coordinator of keyboard studies. Prior to his appointment there in 1989, he served in a similar position at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. He is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. This recital of Robert Starer's piano music offers a broad sampling of the music of a wonderful American composer.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Excursions for a Pianist | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
| Sketches in Color | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
| At Home Alone | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
| Three Israeli Sketches | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
| Electric Church | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
| Five Caprices | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
| Sonata No. 1 | Robert Starer | Gerald Berthiaume, piano |
Reviews
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"Finally, there is the First Sonata from 1950 - a substantial three-movement effort with plenty of Prokofieffian drive and bite. My favorites here are the "serious"early compositions - the Five Caprices and the impressive First Sonata; they have the rigor and strength that I also admired in Starer's Two-Piano Sonata. But there are 32 tracks on this disc, and many of them have worthwhile music to offer. The tenth movement of At Home Alone, for instance - it's aptly titled ïDeep Down the Soul' - is a haunting, elusive sequence of rich chordal shadings that I keep playing over and over again without ever quite grasping."
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