Contemporary Classical II

WIND-UP BIRD Preludes

Ryan Anthony Francis, composer (www.ryananthonyfrancis.com)
Vicky Chow, piano (www.vickychow.com

Released April 19th 2011
tzadik

Wind-Up Bird Preludes : Overture

Wind-Up Bird Preludes : Eternal Half-Moon

Wind-Up Bird Preludes : Empty Guitar Case

Wind-Up Bird Preludes : Bird as Prophet

Wind-Up Bird Preludes : What Happened in the Night I

Wind-Up Bird Preludes : Goodbye

To Speak of Solitude

<p>Excerpt from the album, available from <a href="http://www.soundohm.com/product/Ennio-Morricone-/Controfase/pid/24158/">soundohm.com</a>. First ever commercial release for this Holy Grail 1972 Library LP of brooding avant orchestral, abstract percussion and analogue synth genius. Controfase is an unknown (and almost lost) masterpiece. A shadowed giant of compositional skill and deft application - a moment when all the stars and their cycles align - unique, harmonious, undeniably perfect. From Walter Branchi's skeletal web of processed VCS3 duetting with mournful violin, to Egisto Macchi's demonstrative percussion, jousting Edda Dell'Orso's breathless siren's call, Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai have crafted a radiant, forbidden jewel." ~Alvin Lucia. Originally released in 1973. Features special guest appearances from Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza and Edda Dell'Orso. Shipping on Tuesday

"Deep in the phone-book-sized discography of Ennio Morricone is a series of collaborative free-improv recordings with the avant collective Gruppo di Improvvisazione di Nuova Consonanza, just some of the work that gave him nearly as much esteem in contemporary classical circles as it did among film buffs. (Just ask John Zorn.) And while it might seem strange to consider Morricone part of the library music canon—a soundtrack written without a film in mind is a singular oddity in his catalog—it’s also a good entry point into his avant tendencies. Contro Fase was released in the midst of a repertoire of early ’70s soundtracks that stretched Morricone’s compositional mastery through the context of suspense thrillers, crime dramas, supernatural horror, and the last wave of spaghetti Westerns. Its ominous string section is like Morricone’s permutation of the motifs in the theme to Psycho, which is the kind of thing most people don’t know they want to hear until they know it exists—but the album also seems at home alongside the orchestral minimalism of Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet."
facebook
</p>

Ennio Morricone  - Controfase - soli

Recorded at 2011 at Moscow.
www.sergeyakhunov.com

S. Akhunov - Big elegy to John Cage

Canadian pianist Vicky Chow has been described as “brilliant” (New York Times), “a monster pianist” (Time Out New York), "virtuosic" (New Jersey Star Ledger), and “one of the new stars of new music” (Los Angeles Times). Besides being a member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, she is also a founding member of DUO X88, a piano duo with Dutch pianist Saskia Lankhoorn and GRANDBAND, a six keyboard ensemble with pianists Lisa Moore, Blair McMillen, David Friend, Isabelle O'Connell and Paul Kerekes..Most recently she gave the North American premiere of Steve Reich's work 'Piano Counterpoint' and also the world premiere of a new evening length work by artist/composer Tristan Perich for solo piano and 40 channel 1-bit electronics titled 'Surface Image'. Her next solo projects include commissions from American composers Chris Cerrone, Neil Rolnick, and Canadian composer Adam Basanta and recording releases on the New Amsterdam and nonesuch labels. 

Vicky’s passion for new music has propelled her to work with an A-to-Z of leading composers and musicians such as John Adams, Louis Andriessen, Bryce Dessner (The National) Philip Glass, Glenn Kotche (Wilco), David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth). Her recorded work can be found on the ‘tzadik’, ‘Cantaloupe’,' innova', 'hinterzimmer', and ‘altaVoz’ labels. Her performances can be heard on WQXR, WNYC, CBC and BBC Radio 3. In addition to performing, Ms. Chow also produces and curates “Contagious Sounds”, a new music series focusing on adventurous contemporary artists and composers in New York City. She receives continuous support from the Canada Council for the Arts and has received grants from the Fromm Foundation, Vancouver Foundation, and the BC Arts Council.

Originally from Vancouver Canada, Ms. Chow studied at The Juilliard School with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin before continuing studies at Manhattan School of Music with Christopher Oldfather.

Starting the piano at age 5, she was invited to perform at the age of 9 at the International Gilmore Music Keyboard Festival. She made her orchestral debut at the age of 10 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra made her NY orchestral debut appearance at Alice Tully Hall with the Juilliard Symphony performing Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

www.vickychow.com