This recording presents a portrait of the composer Chinary Ung at a crossroads. Between the years 1974-85 Ung composed only one work, the solo string piece Khse Buon, recorded here by the composer's wife, violist Susan Ung. The hiatus was the result of the Cambodian holocaust, in which members of Ung's family were among the millions murdered. During those years, in addition to his compositional studies, Ung was active in the USA as a researcher and documentarian, preserving not only the Cambodian musical heritage, but working to document other cultures of South East Asia and India. As Ung's output grew he quickly achieved considerable success, including the winning of the Grawemeyer Award in 1989 for his orchestral piece, Inner Voices (1986). This recording is the first in a series that will be devoted to Chinary Ung's music.
Reviews:
“Khse Buon is played with impressive control and commitment by violinist Susan Ung. Child Song is dreamy, partly mournful, partly dance-like. The players make the most of the colors and sound effects of their unusual instrument combination. Seven Mirrors’ playing is admirably clear and idiomatic.” - STRINGS
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Khse Buon (1980)
Susan Ung, viola
Child Song (1985)
Clay Ellerbroek, alto flute; Susan Ung, viola
Elena Mashkovtseva, harp
Seven Mirrors (1997)
Charles Wells, piano
BRIDGE 9277
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