Jose Serebrier, Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra; Nestor
Torres, flute; Sara Cutler, harp; Nadia Shpachenko, piano; Ilia Melikhov,
Gnessin Percussion Ensemble, Moscow; Gabriel Goni-Dondi, flute; Solene Le Van,
soprano. Reference Recordings FR-743.
By John J. Puccio
Most classical music fans know Jose Serebrier as a
world-class conductor, but not everyone may know that he is also a composer.
The present disc hopes to rectify that situation by showcasing nine of his
compositions, several of them world-premiere recordings.
For those readers who need a little more information, a booklet note helps out. Maestro Serebrier, “who is one of the most frequently recorded conductors, established himself as a significant composer since his teens, when Leopold Stokowski premiered the 17 year old’s First Symphony to replace the premiere of the Ives 4th Symphony. Serebrier was born in 1938 in Montevideo, Uruguay of Russian and Polish parents. At the age of nine he began to study violin, and at age eleven made his conducting debut. While in high school he organized and conducted the first youth orchestra in Uruguay, which toured and gave more than one hundred concerts over four years.” Serebrier would go on to write numerous other works, and critic Alfred Frankenstein wrote in High Fidelity magazine that Serebrier was “the logical successor to the crown of Villa-Lobos, and the South American to watch.” For the 1968-70 seasons, George Szell named Serebrier the Cleveland Orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence. And so it has gone, with Serebrier winning awards and the adulation of fans worldwide for his music and music-making.
The first two items on the program are among the longest, starting with the Symphony for Percussion, written in 1961 and played by the Gnessin Percussion Ensemble, Moscow, directed by Ilia Melikhov. This one is fun, with drums and cymbals and such coming at us from all angles. Oddly, this is the first CD recording of the piece, its first recording having been done for LP. Whatever, it’s quite entertaining, and I doubt any future recordings will match it for performance or sound.
Next is Serebrier’s Piano Sonata, written in 1957 and premiered by Rudolf Serkin a year later. Here, it is played by pianist Nadia Shpachenko. Although it’s been performed numerous times around the world, this is its first recording. Its “Latin-sounding rhythms” are well served by Ms. Shpachenko, who plays it with a trenchant, clearheaded mind-set and a deft set of fingers.
The final seven selections are briefer than the first two.
These include Danza (from the Flute Concerto with Tango); Tango
in Blue; Candombe (a world premiere recording); Almost a Tango;
Last Tango Before Sunrise; Samson and Buddah (another world
premiere recording); and Colores Magicos (also a world-premiere
recording). Of these, all of which I enjoyed, I liked Danza best of all.
I’m no expert in tango music, but this one is playful, rhythmic, dynamic, and
wholly captivating. Serebrier describes the title piece, Last Tango Before
Sunrise, as intending “to stimulate the spirit of the tango, more for
reflection than the dance floor.” The Colores Magicos (“Magic Colors”)
is undoubtedly the most intriguing (and evocative) work on the program, as well
as one of the longest at about thirteen minutes, so it’s appropriate that it
closes the show.
The disc’s producers were Julio Bague and Mary Megan Peer of Peer-Southern Productions, Inc. and Marcia Gordon Martin of Reference Recordings. The various selections were recorded in 2019 and 2020 at various locations including Spain, Russia, New York, and California.
Given the diverse nature of the recording locations, the sound the engineers obtained is remarkably consistent. Of course, starting with the percussion piece helps, since the sound is sharply etched, spaciously dimensional, and markedly dynamic. The solo piano in the sonata is also cleanly rendered and should delight piano fans. All the items on the disc sound realistic, well balanced, lucid, and wide ranging, including the Malaga Philharmonic. Maybe Reference Recordings did not record this album directly, but be assured it lives up to some of the best things they’ve done.
JJP
To listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click below:
By John J. Puccio
For those readers who need a little more information, a booklet note helps out. Maestro Serebrier, “who is one of the most frequently recorded conductors, established himself as a significant composer since his teens, when Leopold Stokowski premiered the 17 year old’s First Symphony to replace the premiere of the Ives 4th Symphony. Serebrier was born in 1938 in Montevideo, Uruguay of Russian and Polish parents. At the age of nine he began to study violin, and at age eleven made his conducting debut. While in high school he organized and conducted the first youth orchestra in Uruguay, which toured and gave more than one hundred concerts over four years.” Serebrier would go on to write numerous other works, and critic Alfred Frankenstein wrote in High Fidelity magazine that Serebrier was “the logical successor to the crown of Villa-Lobos, and the South American to watch.” For the 1968-70 seasons, George Szell named Serebrier the Cleveland Orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence. And so it has gone, with Serebrier winning awards and the adulation of fans worldwide for his music and music-making.
The first two items on the program are among the longest, starting with the Symphony for Percussion, written in 1961 and played by the Gnessin Percussion Ensemble, Moscow, directed by Ilia Melikhov. This one is fun, with drums and cymbals and such coming at us from all angles. Oddly, this is the first CD recording of the piece, its first recording having been done for LP. Whatever, it’s quite entertaining, and I doubt any future recordings will match it for performance or sound.
Next is Serebrier’s Piano Sonata, written in 1957 and premiered by Rudolf Serkin a year later. Here, it is played by pianist Nadia Shpachenko. Although it’s been performed numerous times around the world, this is its first recording. Its “Latin-sounding rhythms” are well served by Ms. Shpachenko, who plays it with a trenchant, clearheaded mind-set and a deft set of fingers.
The disc’s producers were Julio Bague and Mary Megan Peer of Peer-Southern Productions, Inc. and Marcia Gordon Martin of Reference Recordings. The various selections were recorded in 2019 and 2020 at various locations including Spain, Russia, New York, and California.
Given the diverse nature of the recording locations, the sound the engineers obtained is remarkably consistent. Of course, starting with the percussion piece helps, since the sound is sharply etched, spaciously dimensional, and markedly dynamic. The solo piano in the sonata is also cleanly rendered and should delight piano fans. All the items on the disc sound realistic, well balanced, lucid, and wide ranging, including the Malaga Philharmonic. Maybe Reference Recordings did not record this album directly, but be assured it lives up to some of the best things they’ve done.
JJP
To listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click below:
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