Long Roll: A Tribute to Composer-Percussionist Michael Manion
Gregory Beyer & University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble, William Moersch, Mark Eichenberger, Adam Walton, conductors
This recording is a tribute to composer-percussionist Michael Manion (1952-2012). Manion suffered a disabling stroke in 2009 and a concert in his honor was presented by the University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble directed by William Moersch, including the premiere of Robert Fleisher’s Maniondala, originally composed for Mr. Manion. The broad spectrum of percussion music here, written between 1927 and 2009, includes some of the earliest percussion ensemble compositions—by Alexander Tcherepnin, Amadeo Roldán, Henry Cowell, Shostakovich, and John Cage & Lou Harrison. Three world premiere recordings by living composers complete the album: Fleisher’s Maniondala, Manion’s Long Roll II, and Stephen Lett’s Junta. The University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble was established in 1950 and specializes in the performance of traditional and contemporary repertoire for small and large groups. Gregory Beyer, the soloist for Maniondala is a Fulbright Scholar, composer, educator, and “prodigiously talented percussionist.”
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Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Symphony No. 1 in E Major: Vivace | Alexander Tcherepnin | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; William Moersch, conductor |
| Ritmica No. 5 | Amadeo Roldán | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; William Moersch, conductor |
| Ritmica No. 6 | Amadeo Roldán | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; William Moersch, conductor |
| Junta | Stephen Lett | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; Adam Walton, conductor |
| Ostinato Pianissimo | Henry Cowell | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; William Moersch, conductor |
| The Nose: Entr'acte | Dmitri Shostakovich | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; William Moersch, conductor |
| Double Music | John Cage & Lou Harrison s | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; William Moersch, conductor |
| Long Roll II | Michael Manion | University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble; Mark Eichenberger, conductor |
| Maniondala | Robert Fleisher | Gregory Beyer, malletKAT |
Reviews
- “
"William Moersch and the University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble present this new album that combines some of the early works in the percussion ensemble reprertoire with three 21st-century pieces. The highlight, however, is Gregory Beyer's performance of Robert Fleisher's "Maniondala"for solo malletKAT. It is a combination of prerecorded performances from different Fleisher works and several battery sounds from the mallet KAT. Much of what the soloist plays relates to the other new works on the album, either through motivic material or the soundscape. This makes it an appropriate ending to an impressive percussion release."
- “
"The University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble is an outstanding instrumental group that performs with superb control, musicality, ensemble precision, and a variety of color. Congratulations to their director William Moersch who has selected literature of both historical and lasting artistic value."
*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.