Recent Releases No. 81 (CD/Streaming Reviews)

 by Karl Nehring

Pat Metheny: Side-eye III+. Metheny: In on It; Don’t Look Down; Make a New World; Urban and Western; SE-O; Our Old Street; Risk and Reward; So Far So Good. Pat Metheny, guitars, sounds, synths; Joe Dyson; drums; Chris Fishman, keyboards, piano, organ; + Daryl Johns, bass; with Brandee Younger, harp; Luis Conte, percussion; Vincent Petrani, accordion; vocals – Mark Kibble, Natalie Litza, Kim Fleming, Kim Mont, San Franklin, Stephanie Hall, Joel Kivbble, Terry White, Armand Hutton; Leonard Patton (vocal on SE-O); James Francies (organ on Urban and Western). Green Hill GHD6626

Guitarist Pat Metheny (b.1954) has enjoyed a long and productive career that has taken him to venues large and small all around the globe. In addition to leading his own ensembles, he has played with a veritable who’s who of jazz musicians. He was turned on to jazz at an early age by his older brother Mike (who became a jazz trumpeter) when Mike brought home records by trumpeter Miles Davis and guitarist Wes Montgomery. He began practicing in earnest, honing his skills by sitting in at local venues in the Kansas City area. While still a teenager, Metheny was recruited by vibraphone master Gary Burton to join his group; in addition, at age 18 Metheny became the youngest guitar instructor ever at the University of Miami and then at 19 taught at Berklee. In 1975, with the encouragement of Burton, Metheny made his first recording as a leader, Bright Size Life, for the ECM label. He has made dozens of recordings over the years, both in group and solo settings, to date earning him an impressive 20 Grammy awards; moreover, he is the only artist ever to have won Grammys in 10 different categories.

In 1977, he formed the Pat Metheny Group, which began as a quartet built around the nucleus of Metheny on guitar and the prodigiously gifted keyboard player and composer Lyle Mays (1953-2020). By the time I took my young sons to their first-ever concert in the fall of 1981 to see the PMG, the original bassist and drummer had been replaced and the group was now a sextet. Over the ensuing decades, Metheny has made some memorable music, never resting on his laurels or being content to play his familiar compositions over and over again. He has always strived to create something new, pushing himself as a composer and arranger as well as a guitarist. From his earlier albums with his Pat Metheny Group (Still Life Talking and We Live Here are noteworthy examples highlighting his melodic gifts, along with those of his gifted keyboard companion, the late Lyle Mays) through his final album with the group, The Way Up, which is virtually a through-composed symphonic-style piece by Metheny that strains against the limitations of a small jazz ensemble, Metheny followers could sense that he was more than just a guitarist, he was a composer whose chosen instrument was the guitar. 

 

In 2020 he returned to the studio with a new group to release From This Place, a flowingly lyrical album that included some symphonic accompaniment. At 76 minutes, it was an impressive achievement, emphasizing once again Metheny’s gift for composition as well as his prowess on the guitar. Then in 2021, he released his first overtly classical recording, Road to the Sun, which finds Metheny stepping back as a performer and forward as a composer, penning a solo piece for classical guitarist Jason Vieaux and an ensemble piece for the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. He does perform one composition, however, but not one of his own: Für Alina by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, which Metheny performs on his one-of-a kind custom-made 42-string “Pikasso” guitar (you can read our review of that album here).

 

On this new 2026 release, Metheny has returned to the group format. “Side-eye” refers to a concept where Metheny has searched out promising young musicians and when he has found those especially promising, has appeared with them in live shows and in some cases, as with this current configuration, Side-eye III, taken them on tour and made a recording. (I’ve got tickets for their live show in Cincinnati in April.) Side-eye III + finds Metheny expanding his musical palette by augmenting his basic guitar/keyboard/drums trio format not only with bass, but also with additional instruments – check out the organ grooves on Urban and Western and SE-O – and voices, the latter offering subtle texture and depth to several of Metheny’s tunes. Metheny is a master of melody, which seems to flow through him from on high through his mind to his fingers, whether picking or strumming. My only quibble is the mix of the drums, which is a bit too forward for my taste. Other than that, Side-eye III+ is both a musical and sonic knockout.

 

Sarah Kirkland Snider: Forward Into Light. Snider: Forward Into Light; Drink the Wild Ayre; Eye of Mnemosyne; Something for the Dark. Metropolis Ensemble; Andrew Cyr, Artistic Director/Conductor. Nonesuch 075597893243

 

American composer Sarah Kirkland Snider (b. 1973) writes, “I love writing music for orchestra. I delight in having a large palette of colors and an oversized canvas on which to explore remote psychological interiors and discursive narrative journeys.” The title piece that opens the program on this CD certainly draws on a large palette of instrumental colors as she crafts what she describes as a “meditation on perseverance, bravery, and alliance, informed by the American wowmen’swomen’s suffrage movement… Rather than narrate history, the piece distills the inner weather of belief and doubt: what it means to endure isolation, harassment, incarceration, even force-feeding, in service of a larger ideal.” The piece is intricately crafted, contains some interesting sonorities, but its lack of meaningful melodic content holds it back from making a lasting impression. Much the same can be said for the final two pieces on the program, Eye of Mnemosyneand Something for the Dark. Both are well-crafted but on the abstract side; neither is likely to inspire much repeat listening. The highlight of the program is Drink the Wild Ayre, which is a reimagining of a piece that Snider originally composed for the Emerson String Quartet’s final season. The version here is for harp and strings; although not suffused with hummable melodies, Drink the Wild Ayre has a sense of flow and coherence that holds up to repeated listening and provides genuine musical enjoyment.

 

Streaming Summaries:

 

Huw Watkins: Fanfare for the Hallé; Symphony No. 2; Concerto for Orchestra. Hallé Orchestra; Sir Mark Elder, conductor, Hallé CDHLL7569

 

British pianist and composer Huw Watkins (b.1976) first came to my attention as a chamber musician when I had seen on Twitter (now X), where I followed him, that he was doing some chamber recordings as a pianist. When I recently came across this new orchestral release, I was surprised, for I had no idea that he was a composer – and of symphonies, no less! This was a release that I definitely had to hear. Although I was not quite sure what to expect, what I had seen from Watkins on Twitter a few years ago led me to believe that what I was about to hear would not be discordant and jarring. Other than that, I wasn’t sure what to expect. To be honest, I hoped I wouldn’t find it dry, boring, and quickly forgettable. Although the brief (1:42) opening Fanfare for the Hallé might not be all that memorable, neither is it dry or boring – it’s a joyous little romp for 11 brass instruments, a fun way to open the program. Moreover, the musical mood established by the fanfare seems to carry over into the opening of movement of the symphony, making for a smooth transition, carrying listeners right along and inviting them to listen closely as the music unfolds. 

Symphony No. 2 (composed during the COVID lockdown) is in three movements, which broadly speaking are in the familiar fast-slow-fast pattern. To my ears, the ending seems abrupt – the music just seems to end, as though Watkins could not quite figure out what to do for the final bars – but please don’t take that as a major criticism, for other than that, the final movement is excellent. The music throughout the symphony is tonal, melodic, engaging – in short, it is a work that invites repeated listening. The same can be said for the Concerto for Orchestra, also in three movements, also well worth a listen – or several. It will be fascinating to see what the future holds in store for Huw Watkins.

 

Pekka Kuusisto: Willows. Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending; Caroline Shaw: Plan & Elevation – I. the Ellipse; II. The Cutting Garden; III. The Herbaceous Border; IV. The Orangery; V. The Beech Tree; Ellen Reid/Kuusisto: Desiderium; (Traditional): Weeping Mary (Arr. by Nico Muhly based on an arrangement by Thomas Bartlett); Kedron (Arr. by Nico Muhly) [Adapted for Chamber Orchestra by Bernard Rofe; Saro (Arr. by Nico Muhly) [Adapted for Chamber Orchestra by Bernard Rofe]; How Come That Blood (Arr. by Nico Muhly) [Adapted for Chamber Orchestra by Bernard Rofe); Way Go, Lily (Arr. by Nico Muhly) [Adapted for Chamber Orchestra by Bernard Rofe]; Wedding Dress (Arr. by Nico Muhly) [Adapted for Chamber Orchestra by Bernard Rofe]. Pekka Kuusisto, violinist and conductor; Norwegian Chamber Orchestra; Sam Amidon, guitar, banjo, vocals. Platoon PLAT29192

 

Back in 1995, the Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto (b. 1976) became the first musician from Finland to win the International Sibelius Violin Competition, where he was also awarded a medal for the best performance of the eminent Finnish master’s Violin Concerto. Although his name may not be immediately familiar to many readers, we have reviewed several of his previous appearances on various recordings: as soloist in a violin concerto by Icelandic composer Daniel Bjarnson (you can read that review here), as soloist in a violin concerto by Nico Muhly and a pair of works by American composer Philip Glass (that review may be found here), and together with violinist Colin Jacobsen, he shares the solo violin spotlight on the composition Prince of Clouds by the British composer (currently residing in New York) Anna Clyne (that review is here).

What Kuusisto has brought us here is an eclectic blend, a mixed bag, a strange brew. For those who might be interested, there is a YouTube video of an interview with Kuusisto in which he explains some of the background behind the making of Willows (you can find that video here), with an emphasis on The Lark Ascending, which opens the program. It’s an unusual performance of the familiar Ralph Vaughan Williams piece; interestingly, Kuusisto plays with an aura of rawness rather than sweetness. As you listen to this Lark, you can feel an undertone of raw emotion, stirring feelings of grief, loss, lament. However, these feelings are subtle, as Kuusisto’s playing is not mawkish or exaggerated. It’s a beautiful performance: different, but beautiful. No matter how many versions of RVW’s beloved masterpiece you have heard, I would urge you to give this one a serious audition. I’m not saying it’s the best, but it’s certainly one of the most moving and memorable.

It’s also the highlight of the release. Plan and Elevation by the Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Caroline Shaw (b. 1982) unfolds over five relatively brief movements that are miniature sketches fore string orchestra. After the emotional intensity of The Lark Ascending, their more measured tone serves lighten the mood. Buth things get intense once again in Desiderium, by another Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Ellen Reid (b. 1983). Desiderium is a Latin term that refers to an intense desire or longing, especially in terms of a feeling of loss or something or someone lost or gone. Arranged and performed here on solo violin by Kuusisto, it is certainly intense; probably easier to absorb if seen in concert rather than heard in recording. The program closes, oddly enough, with folk songs sung by Kuusisto’s friend Sam Amidon, an American-born singer who now resides in England. Perhaps one or maybe two songs followed by another instrumental composition might have made sense, but ending the album with a half-dozen just seems, well, strange. 

 

Overall, then, Willows is very much a mixed bag. Still, Kuusisto’s performance of The Lark Ascending is well worth giving a listen. 

Four Views of the Holy (CD Reviews)

by Karl Nehring

Each of the four recordings reviewed below is of music expressing religious faith. Although the music on all four recordings seeks to express religious faith rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the means of musical expression take decidedly different forms, from quiet contemplation to joyous jubilation. 

 

Arvo Pärt: And I Heard a Voice... Pärt: Nunc dimittis; O Holy Father Nicholas; Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen; *Für Jan van Eyck; Kleine Litanei; And I heard a voice… Vox Clamantis; Jaan-Eik Tulve, conductor; *Ene Salumäe, organ. ECM New Series 2780 

 

Those readers who follow Classical Candor on a regular basis (thank you!) may recall that we recently reviewed a DG release from the young Latvian pianist Georgjis Osokins of piano music by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, who celebrated his 90^th birthday on September 11, 2025 (you can find that review here). But Pärt is more celebrated for his choral compositions, the majority of which center on religious themes and have a sound which evokes feelings of reverence and spirituality. We have also reviewed several choral recordings of Pärt’s music in the past, including a Harmonia Mundi release from 2020 (you can find that review here), a BR Klassik release from 2021 (you can find that review here), and a 2023 ECM release that also includes some works for orchestra (which you can find here). As you can no doubt infer from the titles listed above, this latest release on ECM is suffused with a sense of the holy from start to finish. Founded by conductor Jaan-Eik Tulve in 1996, the Estonian vocal ensemble Vox Clamantis is composed of twelve singers who share a passion for early polyphony and contemporary music, and here they sound just right giving voice to Pärt’s compositions – small enough to bring clarity, but large enough to bring weight. Recorded in Haapsula Cathedral in Estonia, the transparent sound quality allows the listener to get lost in the music. The liner notes discuss the works and include the texts, plus several photographs. It’s a beautiful release.

Radiant Dawn. Alec Roth (b. 1948): *Night Prayer; Thomas Tallis (c1505-1585): O nata lux de lumine; Eleanor Daley (b. 1955): Grandmother Moon; Deborah Pritchard (b. 1977): *The Light Thereof; Sir James MacMillan (b.1959): O Radiant Dawn; Tallis: *Dum transisset Sabbatum; Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179): O gloriosissimi; Roxanna Panufnik: (b.1968): Hearken; Robert White (1538-1574): *Christe, qui lux es dies II; Richard Barnard (b.1977): *Aura; Judith Bingham (b. 1952): Enter Ghost; Owain Park (b.1993): Sommernacht; Joseph Rheinberger 1839-1901): Abenlied; MacMillan: *In splendoribus sanctorum; Geoffrey Burgon (1931-2010): *Nunc dimittis. The Gesualdo Six (Guy James, Alasdair Austin, countertenor; Joseph Wicks, Josh Cooter, tenor; Michael Craddock, baritone; Owain Park, bass); Owain Park, conductor; with *Matilda Lloyd, trumpet. Hyperion CDA68665

 

When I received this album for review, my immediate assumption was that it was a 21^st-century version of an ECM release titled Officium (ECM 1525) from 1994 that featured the vocal quartet The Hilliard Ensemble (David James, countertenor; Rogers Covey-Crump, tenor; John Potter, tenor; Gordon Jones, baritone) accompanied by famed jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek improvising on his horn as the ensemble sang sacred texts in a monastery, a recording that caught the attention of the general public through radio play and went on to become an unlikely best seller. However, beyond the obvious difference of trumpet rather than saxophone, Radiant Dawn also differs from Officium in that Matilda Lloyd plays a less prominent role than did Jan Garbarek, appearing as she does on fewer than half the tracks; moreover, when she does appear, her trumpet is sometimes not as prominent a part of the musical tapestry as was Garbarek’s saxophone. On the tracks Enter Ghost by Judith Bingham and In splendoribus sanctorum by James MacMillan, however, her trumpet stands front and center. The variety of composers included means that there is no single musical style or textual message to be found here; however, the majority of the tracks are rooted in religion and ritual, and as the liner notes proclaim, “plainchant threads this programme together – sometimes finely woven into the structural framework, and at other times as a fragment of the composer’s imagination.” As usual with with Hyperion, the liner notes are excellent and include texts. Warmly recommended for fans of vocal music.

Joel Ross: Gospel Music. Ross: Wisdom Is Eternal (For Barry Harris); Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); Protoevangelium (The First Gospel); Hostile; The Shadowlands; Nevertheless; Word for Word; Repentance; The Sacred Place; A Little Love Goes a Long Way; Frank Schoen: *Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ; Betty King Jackson: **Calvary; Ross: ***The Giver; To the Throne (The Mercy Seat); Be Patient; The New Man; ****Now and Forevermore.  Joel Ross, vibraphone, celeste, glockenspiel, drums; mellotron; Josh Johnson, alto saxophone; Maria Grand, tenor saxophone; Jeremy Corren, piano; Kanoa Mendenhall, bass; Jeremy Dutton, bass; with *Laura Bibbs, vocals; *Geoff Gallante, piano; **Ehep Nkwelle, vocals; ***Andy Lewis, vocals, guitar; ****Brandee Younger, Harp; ****Laura Bibbs, flugelhorn; ****Austin White, synthesizers. Blue Note 006022488058292

 

This past spring I was fortunate enough to catch Joel Ross’s Good Vibes in concert. The band – the same sextet that form the nucleus here – played nonstop for more than an hour in one continuous stream, musical phrases appearing, getting passed around among the group, disappearing, perhaps to reappear later in a subtly different form or tempo (you can read more about their performance here). The title of the album and the titles of its tracks might well lead many potential listeners to expect Gospel Music to be a collection of church music – hymns, spirituals, and such. Rest assured, friends, this album is a jazz album, not a collection of jazzified instrumental covers of hymn tunes. But that’s not to say it’s not spiritually oriented. According to Ross in the March 2026 issue of the jazz magazine Downbeat, “the album represents nothing less than a musical trip through the Holy Bible.” Ross’s liner notes present a spiritual thought for each of the 17 tracks, along with references to specific Bible verses. But the spirit I hear in the opening track, Wisdom Is Eternal (For Barry Harris), is the spirit of Johann Sebastian Bach, who seems to be hovering invisibly over Ross’s shoulder as he plays (you can watch a video of the group performing "Wisdom Is Eternal” here). While Wisdom has a fairly measured, Bach-like feel, Ross and his fellow players are also capable of a more frenetic – although still disciplined – groove, as on the energetic track Hostile (you can watch the band perform "Hostile" here). There are a few tracks with vocals that lean more toward a genuine gospel music feeling, but the underlying jazz element is still there. All in all, Gospel Music is a compelling witness to the power of music to express human striving for something beyond human imperfection. 

Ron Carter and Ricky Dillard: Sweet, Sweet Spirit. Clara H. Scott: Open My Eyes (1895); F.M. Bartlett: Everybody Will Be Happy (1921); Francis Jane Crosby: Pass Me Not (1868); W.R. Stevens: Farther Along (1927); Traditional: Just a Closer Walk with Thee; Charles Austin Miles; In the Garden (1912); Cleavant Derricks: Just a Litte Talk with Jesus (1937); Will I. Thompson: Softly and Tenderly (1880); Robert S. Arnold: No Tears in Heaven (1935); Doris Akers: Sweet, Sweet Spirit (1962) [all songs arranged by Ronald L. Carter, Sr., and Ricky Dillard]. Motown Gospel/Capitol/Blue Note 603488384759

 

Ron Carter (b. 1937) is a legend in the world of jazz. Perhaps best known for being the anchor of the legendary Miles Davis Quintet (Miles Davis, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano; Ron Carter, double bass; Tony Wiiliams, drums), he has appeared on more than 2,200(!) recordings throughout his career – jazz, folk, rock, R&B, hip-hop, big band, soundtracks, crooners, poets – and is still actively touring today with his Foursight jazz quartet at the age of 88. Ricky Dillard (b. 1965) is an American gospel songwriter, singer, and choir director. The album is intended as a tribute to Ron Carter’s mother, the late Mrs. Willie O. Carter. Her favorite hymns were often sung in the Carter household, and late in her life, when she was in an assisted living facility, Ron recorded arrangements of ten of her favorite hymns he had made for his upright bass so that she could enjoy them during her final days. To give those beloved hymns a new dimension and share them with a wider audience, Carter turned to Dillard; together, the pair crafted arrangements combining the voices of the choir with Carter’s bass lines. The end result is highly energetic praise music sung with sincerity and devotion. You can see a video of Carter, Dillard, and choir performing the hymn Pass Me Not (by following this link). If you’ve never encountered gospel music before, you’re in for quite a treat. My only quibble about this release is the way the liner notes are printed – teeny-tiny font, low-contrast, virtually unreadable. Other than that, Sweet, Sweet Spirit is sweet indeed.

Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (CD Review)

by Ryan Ross

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73; Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98. Edward Gardner, conductor; Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Chandos CHSA5248

 

The myth that Brahms’s Second Symphony is “pastoral” took hold quickly and has persisted with stubborn tenacity. In 1943, Olin Downes was still comparing it to Beethoven’s Sixth and praising its supposed “vernal loveliness” (see his note on the work in Elie Siegmeister’s The Music Lover’s Handbook). Perhaps for this reason, not a few recorded performances positively drag the first movement’s Allegro non troppo. Like Han Solo jettisoning his cargo at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser, some conductors see this marking and abandon the Allegro. (Claudio Abbado’s metronome marking of approximately quarter note = 108 in his 1988 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic is one example. See DG 427 643‑2.) In truth, this tendency afflicts many performances of other works — don’t get me started on Sibelius 3. Happily, Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic proceed pace-wise on the right foot, and it’s just one of many things that go absolutely right in their splendid account.

Indeed, I feel that the other successful elements of this performance naturally flow from the crucial decision to move things along. When the tempo lags in other interpretations, dynamics and articulation often stand out in negative ways. For example, take the robust dotted-rhythm theme beginning at Rehearsal E in the first movement. A sluggish beat often leads to those rhythms sounding labored (as in Giulini’s tedious slog with the Vienna Philharmonic — DG 435 348-2.) Gardner and Company dispatch them with even precision, maintaining a necessary momentum. In the second movement we have more good things happening downstream from a firm tempo. The bright sound here lends to a sense of vigor blended with gravitas. No section gets bogged down by trying too hard to be “deep.” Likewise, a crisp, brisk third movement showcases the span’s intricate detail while providing attractive flair. The finale keeps up the strong balance of the previous three: the rousing nature of the music feels robust without being oppressive. (One so often experiences the opposite in other recordings.) Everything is wonderfully thought-out and controlled. This is one of the best Brahms 2’s I have ever heard.

If I question the myth of Brahms’s Second being “pastoral,” I cannot deny that it is a very different work from its youngest brother. Gardner and his musicians do bring off a decent enough Fourth. But their struggle to adjust to its different complexion results in an effort inferior to that described above. A solid momentum, crisp articulation, and bright sound are not enough for this symphonic swan song. At times they can even be misplaced. An emotional fullness that can easily overburden the Second should be a consistent ingredient for the wistful, decidedly weightier Fourth. As I suggested in another review of Gardner, this is precisely the area in which he tends to under-impress. 

Put simply, this Brahms Fourth is polished but too detached…even genteel. Almost throughout the sound feels slight. Straightaway in the first movement we need bolder colors. Gardner supplies sleek precision in spades, but he fails to deliver the force of personality that define the best readings I have heard (for example, Klemperer/Philharmonia, Kleiber/Vienna Philharmonic, and even Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic). The dynamic punch especially is always withheld. The second movement is perhaps this account’s high point. Even if the atmosphere is still not quite magical, Gardner does implement some better sound contrasts and hues, perhaps helped by the slower tempo direction. But the back half again consistently leaves me wanting more. The Allegro giocoso third movement begins with a spirited romp that should positively clobber (or even “Kleiber”) the listener upside the head with its initial tandem of short themes. We absolutely need the Brahms of the Academic Festival Overture’s drinking songs here. Gardner does not quite oblige. As if to compound this, the contrasting theme at Rehearsal A is too delicate. It should be softer, yes, but not quite this “pretty.” Much the same could be said for large stretches of the finale. Too much sounds almost routine, with important themes and gestures (such as the ben marcato largamente material starting at measure 33) not “played into” enough. A stiff upper lip doesn’t get the job done in Brahms 4.

I would give this recording a mild recommendation if both performances were at the level of its Brahms 4. Second-tier respectability is better than much that I’ve heard. But to say that purchasing it for the Brahms 2 alone is an easy choice would be an understatement. Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic not only keep the interpretive quality up for every one of its movements (not something to take lightly), but they have the measure of the whole in a way equaling the catalogue’s finest. It’s not overselling things to call this a contemporary classic.