Los Angeles Times critic mark Swed writes: "It is almost easier to think of Paul Chihara as several different composers. There is the Chihara whose sensitivity to exquisite instrumental color has made him a favorite with such performers as conductor Seiji Ozawa and the Sequoia String Quartet. There is, however, a strong theatrical side to Chihara which expresses itself in works for dance, musical theater and film. And there is Chihara's love for American popular music of the 30s and 40s." Many of these traits turn up in this panoramic survey of Paul Chihara's recent chamber and orchestral music: The Piano Trio Ain't No Sunshine is based on a blues ballad; the Piano Quintet is based on an Italian World War II diary; Minidoka is based on Chihara's memories of his childhood years spent at the American WW2 camp for Japanese/Americans, Minidoka; and An Afternoon on the Perfume River, commissioned by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, takes its title from a poem by a North Vietnamese poet. Chihara has brought together a number of today's leading performers in this moving, superbly played recording.
Reviews:
“All the performers here are first class, especially Roge and the Ysaye, and this makes an excellent introduction to this worthy composer if you haven’t already encountered him before.” - Audiophile Audition
“Chihara has a great melodic gift matched with a capacity to spin out variants on his tunes, exploring their implications in myriad ways. There’s both rigorous craft and playful fantasy at work here, hand in hand.” - Fanfare
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Ain't No Sunshine (2006)
Yael Weiss, piano; Mark Kaplan, violin
Clancy Newman, violoncello
Piano Quintet ('La Foce') (2007)
Pascal Rogé, piano; Ysaÿe String Quartet
Minidoka (1996)
Alan R. Kaye, clarinet; Richard O'Neill, viola
Barbara Allen, harp; Daniel Druckman, percussion
An Afternoon on the Perfume River (2002),
Odense Symphony Orchestra, Paul Mann, conductor
BRIDGE 9267
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