RainDances – Canadian Chamber Music

(CLEF Records 05007-2)

ARA Ensemble (Cracow, Poland): Renata Guzik, flute; Katarzyna Marczak, clarinet; Slawomir Kokosza, piano; Marcin Kmiecik, violin; Marcin Bielawski, violoncello
Liner notes in English.

The works on this recording are extremely diverse stylistically, and especially rich in their musical materials. Much care and emphasis has been placed on the selection of the particular compositions that appear on this album. Focus is especially devoted to the rich variety of tonal colours (with particular emphasis on light and dark contrasts), timbres and atmospheric moods which can be evoked by various combinations of the specific and particular instrumentation of the ARA Ensemble. We heartily introduce our avid listeners to the music of Aris Carastathis, Heather Schmidt and Stephen Chatman, well-known Canadian composers and ECCS Members whose works have not been featured on any of our previous collections. You will hear virtually every possible combination of instrumentation featuring violin, violoncello, flute, clarinet and piano on this disk, whether all instruments are featured in a particular piece or singly or in combination by the especial and particular design of the composers. All of the works on the recording, with the exception of those by Carastathis, Sobieraj and Grella-Mozejko, were performed by the ARA Ensemble at the ISCM Polish Section Concert of Canadian Music in Warsaw, Poland on 18 November, 2002. [From liner notes by Jerry Ozipko]

William Pura: RainDances for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello and piano (1992) [11:14]

Keith Denning: Cameos for piano (2001) [four movements, 05:04]

George Andrix: To Spring, 2001 for flute and piano (2001) [04:05]

Rob Morin: Reflections on the North Saskatchewan River for clarinet, violin, violoncello and piano (1996) [05:09]

Aris Carastathis: Variables for clarinet solo (1984, rev. 1992) [two movements, 09:15]

Jacek Sobieraj: In memoriam J. S. Bach for violoncello and piano (1983) [05:44]

Piotr Grella-Możejko: zapada zmrok (Giacinto Scelsi in memoriam) for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello and piano (1983, ed. 2003) [06:37]

Heather Schmidt: Chiaroscuro for flute and piano (2000) [05:22]

Reinhard von Berg: Fünf Bagatellen für Klavier (1968) [five movements, 05:08]

Stephen Chatman: Trio for clarinet, violin and piano (2001) [three movements, 09:43]

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