Albany Records: The Living American

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New works for violin you will want to experience.

Violinist Timothy Schwarz conceived of this recording as an exploration of works by living American composers who are writing in a wide range of musical styles. Some are heavily influenced by older composers; others are writing in a musical tradition they were not born into, exploring these ideas from the view of an outsider; and still others are taking well established genres and writing in a way that bridges them with the world of classical music. The works on this recording are beautiful, painful, though-provoking, and fun. Violinist Timothy Schwarz has enjoyed a brilliant career as a soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. He served as an Artistic Ambassador for the United States from 1996-2001, bringing American music throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. He is currently on the faculty at Rowan University and a visiting professor at the London College of Music. He is joined on this recording by a stellar group of musicians including Charles Abramovic, Douglas Mapp, and Doug Hirlinger.

Steven Sametz, composer
Fantasia on Lama badaa yatasana (When He Was Bending)
Timothy Schwarz (violin)

Jennifer Higdon, composer
String Poetic: Blue Hills of Mist
Timothy Schwarz (violin); Charles Abramovic (piano)

Jessie Montgomery, composer
Rhapsody No. 2 for Solo Violin
Timothy Schwarz (violin)

Joseph Goodrich, composer
C-Minor Jam
Timothy Schwarz (violin); Charles Abramovic (piano)

Joseph Goodrich, composer
Lacrimosa
Timothy Schwarz (violin); Charles Abramovic (piano)

Joseph Goodrich, composer
The Machine
Timothy Schwarz (violin); Charles Abramovic (piano)

Avner Dorman, composer
Sonata No.1 for Violin and Piano
Timothy Schwarz (violin); Charles Abramovic (piano)

Reena Esmail, composer
Darshan: Raag Charukeshi
Timothy Schwarz (violin)

Dennis DiBlasio, composer
Australian Sketches for violin, piano, double bass, and drum set
Timothy Schwarz (violin); Charles Abramovic (piano); Douglas Mapp (double bass); Doug Hirlinger (drum set)

Review:

…Listening to The Living American might be likened to the experience of walking through the different neighbourhoods of a major city, with jazz or classical playing here and Indian ragas there.…If anyone's equipped to take on such a project, it's Schwarz. Currently Head of Strings at Rowan University in New Jersey and Visiting Professor of Performance at the London College of Music, the violinist made his solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the ripe age of nine and in the years since has established himself as a performer, recording artist, and, obviously, educator. He's long explored the American experience in his work, The Living American arriving almost three decades after his 1995 debut album An American Affair. Schwarz also helped spread the word about American music to numerous foreign countries in his role as an Artistic Ambassador for the United States from 1996 to 2001. It's noteworthy that of the seven composers represented, three are women, Jennifer Higdon, Jessie Montgomery, and Reena Esmail. Whereas the Pulitzer Prize- and three-time Grammy- winning Higdon might be regarded as the quintessential native living American composer of those included, Esmail's as representative of composers who combine elements from different cultures, in her case aspects of Indian and Western classical music… (Tempura)

This new release from multitalented violinist, Timothy Schwarz represents a kind of state of the nation of musical America. It roams from hints of Broadway to jazz to more recognisably classical offerings even managing to take in a musical encounter between America and India.…Schwarz’ charismatic playing is the glue that holds such a disparate programme together and apart from glorious tone and impeccable technique, it is the dynamism of his recreations of these new pieces that sets this disc apart. He is helped enormously by demonstration worthy sound… (David McDade)

New works for violin you will want to experience.

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