At the time of his death in April 2011, Peter Lieberson had planned the present recording, a project he was never to hear realized. The present disc fills out our picture of Lieberson’s accomplishments in the concerto genre, placing the spotlight on two previously unrecorded large-scale works, the Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Viola Concerto. The compositions assembled here complicate the perception that Lieberson’s style evolved straightforwardly, the caterpillar of hard-as-nails maximalism metamorphosing overnight into the butterfly of sweet-smelling neo-romanticism, as exemplified in his masterpiece, "Neruda Songs". The Piano Concerto No. 3 synthesizes elements from Lieberson’s previous efforts in the form, and brings the cycle to a brilliant and dramatic conclusion. Annotator Matthew Mendez calls the Viola Concerto "a big-hearted, eminently songful piece in the Walton mode." Lieberson wrote that: "My entry into composing the Viola Concerto was through my love of the viola sound itself. It's difficult for players, but the expression is very direct, so it's not a difficult piece to hear."
Reviews:
“Bright, emotional and unreserved, Lieberson’s compositions are aural morsels of delight. Lieberson’s neo-romantic expressionism runs the gamut, suggesting joy, apprehension, love, doom and death in a dramatic onslaught of musical brilliance.” - SCENE
“Lieberson knew how to draw the best in timbres and textures and darker sounds from the viola in this striking concerto. Roberto Diaz does a terrific job, extremely well supported by Scott Yoo and the Odense Symphony Orchestra. This release will, I am sure, draw many new followers to Lieberson’s music.” - The Classical Reviewer
“Peter Lieberson’s concertos are seminal works and deserve further exposure. Bridge has done a real service in providing these excellent recordings of his oeuvre. It is hoped that there will be additional volumes in this valuable series.” - MusicWeb International
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Piano Concerto No. 3 (2003)
Steven Beck, piano
Odense Symphony Orchestra, Scott Yoo, conductor
Viola Concerto (1991, 2003)
Roberto Diaz, viola
Odense Symphony Orchestra, Scott Yoo, conductor
BRIDGE 9412
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