Search - Simpson, Cameron, Puma :: Exhortations

Fascinating disc of new music

08/14/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a music lover, but not a musician. I do try to be open to everything, but have always tended to avoid new music. Like others, I've always thought of contemporary music as "wierd," or "ugly." But a friend recommended this CD to me, and I must say that I am amazed at what I heard. The music, by a composer named Andrew Simpson, is accessible and interesting...there are some really cool sounds and effects, such as in the first piece, called "Summer-Night Songs." The strange combination of saxophone and harp works very well, I think. Three pieces are for a solo instrument, of which the bass piece, "Exhortation III," seemed the most "out there." But my favorite was the "Chamber Concerto." It is energetic, very driving and rhythmic, and even has a couple of memorable tunes. Restores my faith in modern music! Highly recommended."

Refreshingly original solo and chamber music

07/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simpson's music is refreshingly original. "Exhortations" provides some welcome additions to the repertoire of instruments which are featured perhaps less often than they should be on the contemporary music scene. "Exhortation III," for double bass solo, is perhaps the most venturesome of the solo pieces, and Cameron's playing is exhilarating. He manages to execute cleanly passages which push the very limits of the instrument. "Summer-Night Songs" is the CD's most tuneful piece. A duo for soprano sax and harp, it depicts a summery evening interrupted by a passing rainstorm. The unusual combination of instruments, motivated by the desires of the piece's performers, works magnificently because of Simpson's thoughtful scoring and some truly excellent playing. This piece in particular makes superb late-evening listening. "Chamber Concerto," the CD's finale piece, scored for fl, cl, vl, vc, pn, and percussion, is one of Simpson's best-known works, and has received performances from Indiana to New York to Florida. A virtuoso chamber work for all of the instruments involved, "Chamber Concerto" establishes a level of excitement at the opening that is sustained straight through to the end of the piece. A quiet middle movement featuring flute and percussion provides a welcome, palate-cleansing contrast to the driving motion of the outer movements. Simpson's music is enjoying ever-growing recognition in the Washington, DC area, where he lives and teaches, and throughout the country. I first knew him at the Indiana University School of Music, where he was working on a doctorate. His "Chamber Concerto" was the first piece of his that I heard, and his subsequent work has only proven more intriguing and equally enjoyable. Watch out for this composer, folks--he's going to be big news."