Search - Burton Fine, Max Hobart, Gilbert Kalish :: Aaron Copland: Sextet / Piano Variations / Piano Quartet

THE Copland Chamber disc to have

Homiski | 08/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Aaron Copland (1900-1990) is celebrating the centenary of his birth this year and if you want to treat yourself to his best in chamber music, don't stop, just double-click and pick this one up. His "Piano Variations" from the 1930s are sandwiched between his two chamber masterpieces: the quartet for piano and strings and sextet for clarinet, strings and piano. Gil Kalish gives a powerful reading of the Piano Variations. The Variations became 'in-famous' at Tanglewood when a young Leonard Bernstein used to promote performances of the work. To this day, they still have a bit of 'bite' in them. The other two works recorded on this disc are simply stunning. The BSO players really capture the 'irony' and 'sarcasm' Copland was going for in his Piano Quartet. Although originally his 2nd symphony, Copland 'reduced' it as a sextet for clarinet, piano and strings, when no orchestra could play its 'complex' rhythms. In light of all the 'complex' music in 21st century music, this seems a bit silly, but it is to the listener's benefit that Copland made the reduction and we are left with another chamber masterpiece! (If you are curious about how the original 2nd symphony sounded, check out the Michael Tilson Thomas recording with San Francisco Symphony on BMG/RCA.)"