Eric Sawyer – String Works
Hekun Wu (cello), Elise Yun (piano), Francine Trester (violin), Michael Bonner (cello), Lighthouse Chamber Players, Arden String Quartet
And now something for those who like string chamber music. Eric Sawyer, who has held fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and Harvard, was founding director of the critically-acclaimed contemporary ensemble Longitude. His undergraduate training was at Harvard and he completed his graduate studies at Columbia University and the University of California. His teachers included Leon Kirchner, Ross Bauer, Andrew Imbrie and George Edwards. He currently teaches at Amherst College. Composed from 1999 to 2002, this music reflects Sawyer's belief in the expressive power of harmony; as he writes "While new sonorities, textures and physical rhythms that have infused much recent music are all marvelous additions to the musical lexicon, it is the domain of harmony that can most provide a context of emotional resonance." This is a major discovery for listeners who especially enjoy the modern string quartet form.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| String Quartet No. 3 | Eric Sawyer | Lighthouse Chamber Players |
| Five Bagatelles | Eric Sawyer | Hekun Wu, cello, Elise Yun, piano |
| String Quartet No. 2 | Eric Sawyer | Arden String Quartet |
| Pas de Deux | Eric Sawyer | Francine Trester, violin, Michael Bonner, cello |
Reviews
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"Anyone devoted to well-made 20th Century chamber music will admire and enjoy all four pieces... Sawyer is a composer of considerable skill and stature, and I hope to see more of his music issued soon."
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