Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra; Guy Fraser Harrison, conductor; Sylvia Zaremba, piano; Digby Bell, piano
John Pozdro's Third Symphony eschews the finical and intimate for the breadth and power of the full orchestra. This is as much due to his deep-rooted Midwesterness as to his adherence to the rich traditions of harmonic practice. As the composer himself has so cogently stated: "In this symphony I have tried to realize a clarity and directness of expression akin to the ideals of the classical period. Accordingly, I have framed the four movements in forms and with a tonal scheme congruous with the workings of a 'classical symphony.' The first movement is dance-like, consisting of two sections, each of which is repeated. The third movement is reflective in nature with alternating themes building toward a brief but intense climax. The finale is a rondo with coda. The symphony is cyclic in that the second subject of the final movement is derived from the principal theme of the first movement."
In the Partita For Two Solo Pianos And Orchestra, Spencer Norton's compositional aims lean toward traditional forms, yet the basic ideas, imbued with present-day sounds, result in textures that are high-spirited and contemporary. The composer has written that "the Partita is an eighteenth century form which has undergone considerable revival during the neo-classic trend of the twentieth century. A number of modern examples for chamber groups have been written by such composers as Rieti and Creston, and at least one by Casella is for solo piano and orchestra. I believe, however, that (mine) is the first composition for two solo pianos and orchestra using this form. The first movement, hybrid in form, combines elements of the French overture (the traditional opening movement for this kind of composition), the Entree (a formal march), and the sonata-allegro. No attempt is made to reconstruct the historical style, and the form serves only to give a reminiscence of the period in which it flourished. The Corrente follows the old structure very closely, and, with its flowing melodic line in brisk triple meter, is a true example of this form. The Sarabande is another hybrid, being in fact at least half a Chaconne. It is constructed over a variant of one of the typical ground basses used near the beginning of the eighteenth century. The Gavotte also follows the traditional form, and has a trio section in contrasting style. The Air, which serves as a brief melodic interlude, is not related to any dance form. The Toccata, which concludes the work, is in shortened sonata-allegro form, and serves principally for the display of keyboard and orchestral virtuosity. Repeated note figurations are prominent."
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Full liner notes are accessible via the link above.
John Pozdro: Third Symphony/Spencer Norton: Partita
| MP3/320 | $7.99 | |
| FLAC | $7.99 | |
| WAV | $7.99 | |
| CD-R | $7.99 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
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Third Symphony: Largo - con spirito
John Pozdro
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Third Symphony: II. Allegretto
John Pozdro
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Third Symphony: III. Larghetto
John Pozdro
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Third Symphony: IV. Vivace
John Pozdro
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Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra: I. Sinfonia
Spencer Norton
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Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra: II. Corrente
Spencer Norton
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Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra: III. Sarabande
Spencer Norton
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Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra: IV. Gavotte
Spencer Norton
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Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra: V. Air
Spencer Norton
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Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra: VI. Toccata
Spencer Norton
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