George Walker: Orchestral Works

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Although George Walker was the first African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize in music (for his Whitman-inspired cantata Lilacs in 1996), his compositions are not nearly as well known as they deserve to be. This release of orchestral selections--much like the 1994 compilation Portrait--offers an inviting entrée into Walker's musical world. It includes the piece that marked the composer's debut in 1946, Lyric for Strings, along with examples of more recent projects, such as the tone poem-cum-narrator Orpheus from 1994. Walker's music is often a rich amalgam of formal design with disparate elements--folk idioms, serial techniques, jazz rhythms, unusual collages of timbre--that are fused into a highly personalized, questing voice. Lyric, with its hint of Samuel Barber, seems to announce a gently guarded elegiac quality that recurs in various guises within subsequent compositions, such as the lovely Poème for Violin and Orchestra. Orpheus draws on one of music's central myths for a tautly constructed musical narrative adorned by Walker's imaginatively fluent orchestration. An excellent example of Walker's modus operandi can be found in the Folk Songs for Orchestra. These moving transformations of simple melodic elements--encased like gems within Walker's sensitive, original, meditative settings--into far-ranging statements invite repeated listening. --Thomas May

Tracks:

George Walker: Lyric for Strings (5:17) - Chicago Sinfonietta / Paul Freeman, conductor
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: October from The Seasons, Op. 37a (4:25) - Dmitry Paperno, pno
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Kyrie from Mass in G minor (3:47) - His Majestie's Clerkes / Anne Heider, director
Johannes Brahms: Intermezzo, Op. 116, No. 4 from Seven Fantasies, Op. 116 (4:16) - Dmitry Paperno, pno
Lita Grier: Andante from Renascence (Concertino for Flute and Orchestra) (3:41) - Mary Stolper, flute
Frank Ferko: Eia mater from Stabat Mater (2:31) - His Majestie's Clerkes / Anne Heider, director
Walter Piston: Prelude from Prelude and Allegro for Organ and Strings (5:16) - David Schrader, organ; Grant Park Orchestra / Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Sergei Rachmaninov: Moment musical in D-flat, Op. 16, No. 5 (4:12)Dmitry Paperno, piano
Thomas Albert: IV from Thirteen Ways (3:28) - eighth blackbird
William Grant Still: Adagio from Symphony No. 1, "Afro-American" (4:18) - Chicago Sinfonietta / Paul Freeman, conductor
Federico Mompou: Canción y Danza No. 1 (3:14) - Dmitry Paperno, piano
Aaron Copland: Midsummer Nocturne (1:53) - Ramon Salvatore, piano
Chevalier J.J.O. de Meude-Monpas: Adagio from Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major (5:48) - Rachel Barton Pine, violin; Encore Chamber Orchestra / Daniel Hege, conductor
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: Alla sarabande from Generations: Sinfonietta No. 2 for Strings (5:35) - Chicago Sinfonietta / Paul Freeman, conductor
Alexandre Tansman: Dialogue from Sutie pour Trio D'Anches (2:06) - The Chicago Chamber Musicians
Fela Sowande: Nostalgia from African Suite (4:14) - Chicago Sinfonietta / Paul Freeman, conductor
Charles Villiers Stanford: Beati Quorum Via from Three Motets, Op. 38 (3:36) - His Majestie's Clerkes / Anne Heider, director
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sarabande from French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816 (5:12) - Dmitry Paperno, piano

Album Description

Some of the most sublime music you've never heard.

Say "adios" to the same old adagios you typically find on serenity-themed CDs of contemplative classical music.

This new disc of calming classics, drawn from 16 different, acclaimed CDs in the Cedille Records catalog, consists of rare gems of relaxing classical music, ranging from symphony and concerto movements to solo piano, choral, and chamber works. Included are the slow movement of a violin concerto by a Black contemporary of Mozart and numerous works by "Romantic" American composers.

Tracks:

O Fortuna (From Carmina Burana) by Carl Orff
March (From The Nutcracker) by Piotr Tchaikovsky
Minuet (String Quartet No 5) by Luigi Boccherini
Molto Allegro (From Symphony No 40. K550) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Hallelujah (From Messiah, HWV56) by George Frideric Handel
Morning Mood (From Peer Gynt) by Edvard Grieg
Thunder and Lightening Polka Op. 324 by Johann Strauss II
Barcarolle (From The Tales Of Hoffman) by Jacques Offenbach
Ave Maria (Ellens Song III, D839) by Franz Schubert
Ride Of The Valkyries (From The Ring) by Richard Wagner
Air On A G-String (From Orchestral Suite No. 3) by J. S. Bach
Bolero (Excerpt) by Maurice Ravel
Gymnopédies No. 1 (From Trois Gymnopédies) by Erik Satie
Gloria In Excelsis Deo (From Gloria In D, RV589) by Antonio Vivaldi
The Swan (From Carnival Of The Animals) by Camille Saint-Saens
Triumphant March (From Aida) by Giuseppe Verdi

Average customer rating:

In complete agreement
beauty from the woodwork

George Walker: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Lilacs: The Music of George Walker

ASIN: B0000049RM
Release Date: 1998-02-03

Tracks:

Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: I. Quarter Note = 63
Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: II. Quarter Note = 40
Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: III. Quarter Note = 52
Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: Lyric for Strings
Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: I. Eigth Note = 88
Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: II. Eigth Note = 72
Serenata for Chamber Orchestra: III. Eighth Note = 120
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: I.
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: II.
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: III.
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: IV.
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: V.
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: VI.
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: I. Going to lay down my sword and shield
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: II. And they crucified my Lord
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: III. My Lord, what a morning
Orpheus for Chamber Orchestra: IV. O Peter, go ring dem bells

Amazon.com

Although George Walker was the first African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize in music (for his Whitman-inspired cantata Lilacs in 1996), his compositions are not nearly as well known as they deserve to be. This release of orchestral selections--much like the 1994 compilation Portrait--offers an inviting entrée into Walker's musical world. It includes the piece that marked the composer's debut in 1946, Lyric for Strings, along with examples of more recent projects, such as the tone poem-cum-narrator Orpheus from 1994. Walker's music is often a rich amalgam of formal design with disparate elements--folk idioms, serial techniques, jazz rhythms, unusual collages of timbre--that are fused into a highly personalized, questing voice. Lyric, with its hint of Samuel Barber, seems to announce a gently guarded elegiac quality that recurs in various guises within subsequent compositions, such as the lovely Poème for Violin and Orchestra. Orpheus draws on one of music's central myths for a tautly constructed musical narrative adorned by Walker's imaginatively fluent orchestration. An excellent example of Walker's modus operandi can be found in the Folk Songs for Orchestra. These moving transformations of simple melodic elements--encased like gems within Walker's sensitive, original, meditative settings--into far-ranging statements invite repeated listening. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

In complete agreement.......2002-02-06

I completely agree with Richard's assessment of this composer. My first exposure, sadly, was the same as his, having heard George Walker only for the first time when WNIB signed off for the final time. Walker's work is deserving of widespread acclaim. It is difficult to place importance on work of our time. We all lack distance in our perspective. But Walker's mind is brilliant and his work on "Lyric" is enormously complex, compassionate, emotive and equal to the works of many past masters. Vaughn Williams comes to mind. High praise? You bet. At the time I type this, this particular disc is not available. But search it out and you will not be disappointed.

beauty from the woodwork.......2001-02-15

this is a fantastic cd, and it really is a shame walker isn't any more well known. when chicago radio station WNIB switched from classical, Walker's peice Lyric was the one that filled in their final classical slot. thus was my introduction to walker so i bought the cd. it's gorgeous and saturated with emtotion, all the works on this cd have huge climaxes and are thick with inner orchestral voices. none of that superficial first violin dominance. Lyric (for strings) is almost Adagio for Strings-esque, in fact when i heard it played on WNIB i almost mistook it for that, but it's a bit less ominous. this comes highly recomended. time to spread the works of walker