Leo Kraft: Chamber Works

On this CD:

1. Pieces (6) for violin with piano obbligato
Composed by Leo Kraft
Performed by Renee Jolles, Christopher Oldfather

2. Line Drawings, for flute & percussion
Composed by Leo Kraft
Performed by Michael Lipsey

3. The Garden of Memory
Composed by Leo Kraft
Performed by Christopher Oldfather

4. "cummingsong" for tenor & chamber ensemble
Composed by Leo Kraft
Performed by Mark Bleeke, Marcia Butler, Sue Ann Kahn, Lois Martin
Conducted by Paul Hostetter

5. Chamber Symphony No. 2 for 16 instruments
Composed by Leo Kraft

Conducted by George Rothman

Tracks:

Sonata, Op. 14 For Flute And Piano: Allegro deciso
Sonata, Op. 14 For Flute And Piano: Scherzo - Vivace
Sonata, Op. 14 For Flute And Piano: Andante
Sonata, Op. 14 For Flute And Piano: Allegro con moto
Duo For Flute And Piano: Flowing
Duo For Flute And Piano: Poetic, Somewhat Mournful
Duo For Flute And Piano: Lively, With Bounce
Chaconne Sonata For Flute And Piano: Lento espressivo
Chaconne Sonata For Flute And Piano: Allegro agitato
Chaconne Sonata For Flute And Piano: Largo
Chaconne Sonata For Flute And Piano: Allegro quieto
Hexachords For Solo Flute
Fantasy For Flute And Piano
Canzone For Flute And Piano

Customer Reviews:

Good interpretation.......2005-09-06

I had the privelege of playing in a master class for her two years ago, and it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. She has great insight into performing pieces with stories that you create inside your mind to accompany the music (found this out when our flute studio chatted with her at dinner the night before). Her interpretation of the Copland Duo is one of the more emotionally revealing performances I've ever heard. This is a good quality flute CD and well worth the money.

My Favorite.......2001-02-07

I must confess - of all of Laurel Ann Maurer's CDs, this one, her first, remains my favorite. The CD is based on a concert she gave at Carnegie Recital Hall (Weill Hall), and I was lucky enough to attend the performance and experience the energy and drama first-hand. For those who weren't there, this recording captures the incredible inventiveness and musicality of these modern and accessible composers. The Copland is divine, the Muczynski is jazzy and vibrant - but to my ears, the outstanding composition is the Kupferman Chaconne Sonata, which was commissioned by Ms. Maurer. At its premiere, the raw energy of the final movement drove the audience to its feet in a roar of appreciation. I feel that same thrill each time I hear it, as though I had climbed a high peak and got an unexpected view of a beautiful new land, so lush and green that it took my breath away. I look forward to hearing more Kupferman selections on her upcoming recordings!

Average customer rating:

Impeccably Crafted Music of Variable Interest

Leo Kraft: Chamber Works

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005UK15
Release Date: 2001-12-18

Tracks:

Six Pieces For Violin And Piano Obbligato: Cantilena - Christopher Oldfather
Six Pieces For Violin And Piano Obbligato: Capriccio - Christopher Oldfather
Six Pieces For Violin And Piano Obbligato: Ombre - Christopher Oldfather
Six Pieces For Violin And Piano Obbligato: Dialogo - Christopher Oldfather
Six Pieces For Violin And Piano Obbligato: Ripresa Del Capriccio - Christopher Oldfather
Six Pieces For Violin And Piano Obbligato: Finale - Christopher Oldfather
Line Drawings: 1/4nt = 144 - Paul Dunkel
Line Drawings: 1/4nt = 66 (Alto Flute) - Paul Dunkel
Line Drawings: Freely - Paul Dunkel
Line Drawings: 1/4nt = 132 (Piccolo) - Paul Dunkel
Line Drawings: Freely; 180 - Paul Dunkel
The Garden Of Memory - Christopher Oldfather
'Cummingsong': The Hours Rise Up - Lois Martin
'Cummingsong': Thy Fingers Make Early Flowers - Lois Martin
'Cummingsong': The Wind Has Blown The Rain Away - Lois Martin
'Cummingsong': Spring Is Like A Perhaps Hand - Lois Martin
Chamber Symphony #2, For Sixteen Instruments: Allegro Energico - George Rothman
Chamber Symphony #2, For Sixteen Instruments: Adagio - George Rothman
Chamber Symphony #2, For Sixteen Instruments: Vivace - George Rothman

Customer Reviews:

Impeccably Crafted Music of Variable Interest.......2003-05-10

Leo Kraft (b. 1922) was a long-time professor at Queens College and possibly best known in that role and as a writer of technical books on music. But he also has been a prolific composer. This disc contains chamber music in various instrumental combinations. "Six Pieces for Violin and Piano," impressively played by Renee Jolles, violin, and Christopher Oldfather, has the violin front and center; the piano truly is, for most of the work, an obbligato instrument. The music in this and all the other works recorded here, save possibly the "Chamber Symphony," is in an impressively crafted, astringent, post-Hindemithian style, often veering into atonality and, sadly, there is little that is memorable. In the "Six Pieces" I was struck by the atmosphere of 'Ombre.' "Line Drawings" for flute and percussion, also very impressively played by dedicatee Paul Dunkel (who plays flute, alto flute, and piccolo), with Michael Lipsey, percussion, strikes me as dry and forgettable except for the perky fife-and-drum fourth movement.

"The Garden of Memory" for harpsichord is played by Oldfather on a perculiar sounding harpsichord; could there be added reverb? It uses free tonality to explore baroque forms, a toccata and fugue manqué. "cummingsong" for tenor and chamber group is set to four e e cummings poems in slightly hysterical (perhaps expressionist is the better term) style and sung drily by tenor Mark Bleeke.

Finally, a piece that struck a chord with me: "Chamber Symphony No. 2, for Sixteen Instruments," conducted by George Rothman (conductor of the terrific Riverside Symphony in New York). The Chamber Symphony has some real juice in it, employs some jazzy, Bernsteinian rhythms and harmonies, features some creative percussion licks, and it swings in its outer movements.

All of the music here is unmistakably that of an American academic and much of it sounds dated. Still, the Chamber Symphony is worth hearing, and indeed if the style described is your dish you can be assured that the performances are lovingly prepared and presented.

Tracks:

Sevilla - Norbert Kraft
Estrellita - Elias Barreiro
Ritual Fire Dance - Norbert Kraft
En Los Trigales - Bryan Townsend
Fandango - Norbert Kraft/Bonnie Silver
Danza Espanola, Op.37/2-Oriental (Spanish Dance No.2) - Donal Wilson/Peter McAllister
Maxixe-Choro - Elias Barreiro
El Decameron Negro Balada De La Doncella - Bryan Townsend
French Ste No.5 in G, BWV816 - Donal Wilson/Peter McAllister
Torre Bermeja Op.92/12 - Norbert Kraft
Prld No.4 in e - Bryan Townsends
Danza Espanola, Op.37/6-Jota (Rondella Aragonesa) (Spanish Dance No.6) - Norbert Kraft/Bonnie Silver
Danza Guarani - Elias Barreiro

Average customer rating:

The Latin Guitar Collection (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000013HY
Release Date: 1996-06-18

Tracks:

Menuet, Op.11, No.6
8 Etudes: Op.35, No.22 in b
8 Etudes: Op.31, No.19 in A
8 Etudes: Op.35, No.17 in D
8 Etudes: Op.6, No.9 in d
8 Etudes: Op.6, No.6 In A
8 Etudes: Op.6, No.11 in e
8 Etudes: Op.35, No.13 in C
8 Etudes: Op.6, No.12 in A
Minuetto, Op.22
Menuett
Andante
6 Etudes: Leccion 15
6 Etudes: Leccion 29
6 Etudes: Leccion 19
6 Etudes: Leccion 26
6 Etudes: Estudio 17
6 Etudes: Leccion 24
Rosita: Polka
Marieta: Mazurka
Sueno: Mazurka
Adelita: Mazurka
Mazurka En Sol
Estudio Brillante
Gran Vals
Endecha
Lagrima
Alborada: Capriccio
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Maria: Gavota
Preludio No.1
Preludio No.11

Tracks:

Concierto De Aranjuez: Allegro Con Spirito
Concierto De Aranjuez: Adagio
Concierto De Aranjuez: Allegro Gentile
Con: Allegro Preciso
Con: Andantino E Andante: Cadenza
Con: Allegretto Non Troppo
Con No.1, Op.99: Allegretto
Con No.1, Op.99: Andantino Alla Romanza
Con No.1, Op.99: Ritmico E Cavalleresco/Quasi Andante/Tempo I

Tracks:

Maria Luisa - Gerald Garcia
Cancion De Cuna - Gerald Garcia
Joropo - Gerald Garcia
Prld (for Olga) - Gerald Garcia
Danza Brasileira - Gerald Garcia
Milonga - Gerald Garcia
Carora - Gerald Garcia
Natalia - Gerald Garcia
Drume Negrita - Gerald Garcia
Ste in D: Preludio - Gerald Garcia
Ste in D: Allegro Burlesco - Gerald Garcia
Ste in D: Andantino - Gerald Garcia
El Diablo Suelto - Gerald Garcia
Nelly - Gerald Garcia
Alfonsina Y El Mar - Gerald Garcia
Campero - Gerald Garcia
Romantico - Gerald Garcia
Acentuado - Gerald Garcia
Triston - Gerald Garcia
Compadre - Gerald Garcia
Tango En Skai - Gerald Garcia

Tracks:

Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 1: Allegro/Andante
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 2: Orientale: Andante
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 3: Energico
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 4: Villanesca: Allegretto Alla Pastorale
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 5: Andantino Quasi Allegretto
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 6: Rondella Aragonesa: Allegretto Poco A Poco Accelerando
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 7: Allegro Airoso
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 8: Assai Moderato
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 9: Molto Allegro Brillante
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 10: Allegretto
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 11: Largo A Piacere/Andante Con Moto
Twelve Spanish Dances: No. 12: Andante
Escenas Poeticas, Book 1: Berceuse
Escenas Poeticas, Book 1: Eva y Walter
Escenas Poeticas, Book 1: Danza De La Rosa