Search - Sheila Silver, Gintaras Rinkevicius, Lithuanian Symphony Orchestra Vilnius :: Sheila Silver: Piano Concerto

An accessible contemporary work with real substance

David M. Charvonia | Midland, VA USA | 07/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I will admit to a small bias, as Ms. Silver was a teacher of mine back in the early 70's, but I was completely blown away by the Piano Concerto. I have spent so much time with it, in fact, that I haven't even listened to the solo pieces on the CD yet. One small complaint to get out of the way: a bit too heavy on octatonic scale passages in the first movement (of course one could level the same charge at Debussy with his frequent over-reliance on the whole-tone scale.) It has taken me many long years of suffering through insipid works of Neo-Romanticism, Minimalism, etc. before finding a voice as profound, honest and convincing as Silver's. There is a real and powerful sense of this music drawing from the vast cultural stream that precedes it, and speaking in an individual way to our own time and experience. I urge anyone interested in the future (and present) of concert music to hear this concerto -- I have already described it to friends as a masterpiece. And unlike with many Naxos releases, both the performance and recording are superb."

Derivative

Estelle | 11/20/2003

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Silver's compositions are derivative to say the least. First of all, the solo piano works are hack job reworkings of Debussy. The piano concerto is a boring mishmosh of scales and textures, again derrivative of French impressionism, romanticism, and Bartok. In fact, the last movement even rips off a tune from Bartok. Don't waste your time with this - why not listen to the original sources."

Magnificent 21st century music

Estelle | Washington, D.C. United States | 08/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found listening to this CD a most rewarding experience.It is new music at its best. I loved the first hearing and become even more enthused each time I play it. This is a piece that should be on the program of all the great orchestras both here and abroad."