Evan Ziporyn - Frog's Eye (2006)

The lushness and easy melodiousness of these four orchestral works is almost startling, given Ziporyn’s (b. 1959) history, but it is certainly not an unpleasant surprise. An essential element in the texture of this music derives from the large percussion section, reflecting the composer’s intense and life-long interest in gamelan music. ... The gamelan world does not dominate the current release, but it is nearly always lurking in the shadows, if it is not now and again bursting through in a more exuberant fashion.

Gamelan music seems to have an easy way of smiling at the listener, and Ziporyn seems especially attuned to this characteristic. There is warmth in this music that underlies its appeal, which is expressed at once as easy on the ear but also quirky and imaginative. That’s a neat feat. There are four works on the CD, each commissioned by a Boston-area ensemble, as spearheaded by the group performing all of the music for the CD, The Boston Modern Orchestra Project. The composer has stated that the grouping resembles a four-movement symphony, although this was not intended, and indeed, there is a satisfying sense of balance and unity here. The BMOP is not your father’s symphony orchestra. There are several unusual instruments, most notably, a Hawaiian guitar, which makes long swooping slides that sound like nothing so much as cartoon music, especially when answered by musical exclamation points in the brass section. The second work includes poem settings as delivered by the lovely soprano voice of Anne Harley. Ziporyn himself gets into the fray in Drill, with his characteristically expressive bass-clarinet-playing. Cantaloupe delivers a rich and colorful sound that matches the music well. A delightful, nearly revelatory release.


Tracklist:

1 Evan Ziporyn Frog's Eye, for orchestra 12:47
2 Evan Ziporyn The Ornate Zither and the Nomad Flute, for soprano & wind ensemble 15:28
3 Evan Ziporyn War Chant, for orchestra 13:56
4 Evan Ziporyn Drill, for bass clarinet & wind ensemble 11:15



Read more about Evan Ziporyn here.
Read more about the CD here.

3% recovery record is included.

Of related interest:
Evan Ziporyn - Animal Act (1993) Link
Gamelan Madu Sari - New Nectar (2004) Link
Lou Harrison - La Koro Sutro (1988) Link
Lou Harrison - Chamber and Gamelan Works (2006) Link

More contemporary American and European music is available at my blog.