20th Century Contrasts
Jeani Muhonen Foster (flute), Samantha George (violin), William Barnewitz (horn), Eric Segnitz (violin), Marimar Sinfonietta, Concertino, Henri Pensis (conductor)
The Miramar Sinfonietta was founded in the spring of 2000 specifically to record the Fantasy on Two Christmas Carols in honor of what would have been the composer's 100th birthday. The group was later reassembled for the purpose of recording works by outstanding composers, mostly Americans, that have not been recorded as yet, and deserve to be heard. The chamber orchestra consists of some of the finest musicians in the Milwaukee area, all of them engaged in various professional organizations in that area. Jeani Foster is the principal flute of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. William Barnewitz serves as principal horn of the Milwaukee Symphony and the Sante Fe Opera Orchestra. Samantha George is the associate concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony and has also been a member of the Colorado and Hartford Symphony Orchestras. Eric Segnitz is a founding member and solo violinist of the highly regarded contemporary music group, Present Music. Henri B. Pensis, founder and conductor of the Miramar Sinfonietta, was active as professor of music and conductor for a period of 30 years at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Strut | Michael Daugherty | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor |
| For Toru | Lukas Foss | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor, Jeani Foster, flute |
| Concerto-Serenade | William Bolcom | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor, Samantha George, violin |
| Downs | James R. Hanna | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor |
| Five Love Songs | Alec Wilder | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor, William Barnewitz, French horn |
| Music for Strings | Quincy Porter | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor |
| Todo Buenos Aires | Astor Piazzolla , arr. John Adams | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor, Eric Segnitz, violin |
| Fantasy on Two Christmas Carols | Henri Pensis | Miramar Sinfonietta, Henri B. Pensis, conductor |
Reviews
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"This is the sort of music discovery adventure - especially when it comes to American music - that all classical labels should be doing..."
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"The Miramar Sinfonietta offers us some fine performances...Let's hope we hear more from them in the future."
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