Arnold Rosner on Naxos
I checked the new releases on Naxos Music Online this morning and was very pleased to see that they have released a recording of Arnold Rosner's Symphony No. 5, Op. 57, "Missa sine Cantoribus super Salve Regina", performed by the Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra with Cleveland's own John McLaughlin Williams conducting. I only had a chance to hear half of it before opening the library, but first impression was that it was the best performance of a Rosner orchestral work that I've heard. The Altoona and Owensboro orchestras, appreciated as their efforts are, are no match for the UNRS, and I've long been an admirer of John's work. It's a gorgeous work, all Rosner. For those who don't know what that is, in this case I'd describe it as the intersection of Edmund Rubbra and Alan Hovhaness. I'll probably have more to say about this when I have my own copy and can give it the attention it deserves. Meanwhile, my congratulations to Arnold.
The fillup is Nicolas Flagello's Missa Sinfonica, which I haven't heard yet. There's been a movement to canonize Flagello as a martyr for the neoromantic cause (the instrument of martyrdom being alcohol). The problem here is that even though Flagello's rhetoric is romantic, the music I've heard is pug ugly. I would expect an orchestral "Missa" to be far less so, so I'm looking forward to giving the guy another chance.
UPDATE 2/4: I congratulated Arnold, and he says HE'S the fill-up. And the Flagello is NOT pug-ugly; it's pretty damn good. I must have heard some late stuff.
Comments
Posted by: John McLaughlin Williams
Posted on: February 4, 2008 08:41 AM
Hello Jeff,
I was unable to leave a comment on the appropriate post. This is about the new Flagello/Rosner orchestral Masses.
Thank you very much for calling attention to our new recording, and I appreciate your thoughtful comments about it. Rosner is truly an American original, and his symphony moved me greatly. You may be interested to know that the recording's producer, Walter Simmons, had been long planning this particular mating of repertoire, his having known both works intimately for some time and realizing that they would be perfect discmates. Reasonable people can disagree, but I find Flagello's work to be uncompromisingly beautiful and well balanced, being so romantic while retaining a perfect amount of existential angst. Literally, the Agnus Dei brought me to tears, though I can understand that its idiom may not be to everyone's taste. For a prime example of the mature composer, I strongly recommend that you and your readers audition Flagello's Symphony No.1.
Email is above, feel free to holla.
Posted by: Jeffrey Quick
Posted on: February 4, 2008 08:48 AM
Sorry about that, John. I get way too much comment spam on this blog (as opposed to my new political blog, go fig)and got overzealous on combatting it. I moved your message over here, and opened it up. As you see from the update, I'm having to eat the "pug ugly" comment. But I HAVE heard some pretty nasty Flagello. Angst I can handle; hey, I like Pettersson. But gray is a bit much. So now I'm going to have to listen to a bunch of it and sort out where and how (or even if) he went wrong. Maybe I got ahold of Nic's equivalent to the Walter Piston Ricercar (a perfectly hideous work that fortunately he recovered from)
Posted by: john Mclaughlin Williams
Posted on: February 18, 2008 01:02 PM
Thanks for your response, Jeff. Tell me what Flagello you've heard that was ugly. I'm quite interested because I've gotten to know the music as well as its composer's philosophy. Beauty was foremost in his mind, coupled with the same angst and weltschmerz found in Mahler. To be fair, Flagello has not always had good performances, and I can tell you that nothing of his is easy to perform.
FYI, next month I have another recording being released that may interest you. With violinist Elmar Oliveira I'm doing Benjamin Lees Violin Concerto coupled with Ernest Bloch's Violin Concerto. The Lees was premiered in the sixties by Ruggiero Ricci, subsequently performed by Henryk Szeryng, but amazingly was never recorded. It's a terrific work, thrilling as Bartok. This will be on Artek, which is distributed by Naxos. Stay tuned.
Posted by: Jeffrey Quick
Posted on: February 18, 2008 01:54 PM
John,
My public recantation is here. . It might be a bit much to offer you my intestines in seppuku next time you're in town, but I'll admit to having copped a 'tude based on way too casual listening. Will be writing on the Passion of MLK and some other things soon.
Posted by: john Mclaughlin Williams
Posted on: March 13, 2008 12:44 AM
Jeff, you can download a copy of Flagello's Passion of MLK here: http://www.amc.net/composers/c_works.asp?ComposerID=18101&ActorID=37683
The Passion isn't one of Flagello's really great works, but it is certainly very good. You really should check out Walter Simmons' book Voices in the Wilderness. There you'll find in-depth accounts of Flagello's compositions.
Any further thoughts on the Rosner?
Posted by: Jeffrey Quick
Posted on: March 13, 2008 09:28 AM
John-
I read Simmons.
What impresses about the Passion is that it works despite being part of a dangerous and generally miserable subgenre (vocal works celebrating national heroes).
I haven't ordered the Rosner yet to do an in-depth. I've had some family tragedy (detailed here and following, if you're interested), and as I'm getting my life back, I'm having to put time and attention into Composers Guild stuff. I'll get to it.
Posted by: MDC
Posted on: April 10, 2008 03:29 AM
You muse about a "generally miserable subgenre"
I know that there's a set of running jokes with some friends of mine about Paul Whear's mighty composition "The Chief Justice John Marshall."
I believe the review of the premiere mentioned something to the effect that "no one left during this work." My musicologist friend remembers the quote exactly. I wish I could.