CD Review: Music by Women - originally published in the Journal of the IAWM, Fall 2004

"Music by Women: A Celebration"
Rosemary Platt pianist, Sharon Mabry mezzo-soprano
Capstone Records CPS 8714 (two CDs)

This CD set is a remastering of three LPs recorded in the 1980s on the Coronet label and a tape recording made for the CBC. The literary and musical achievements of women through the centuries are celebrated by a careful selection of repertoire for this project. The composers use old compositional forms such as toccata, etude, lieder, theme and variations in combination with twentieth century influences. Compositions by twentieth century composers predominate the repertoire which also includes selections from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As such, this set is a celebration of the achievements by women composers and places them within a historical context.

The first CD contains solo piano music written by several composers, beginning with Elizabeth Vercoe's Fantasy from 1975. This tonal piece is written in six contrasting sections which gently unfold. Jane Brockman's Tell-Tale Fantasy from 1978 has an improvisatory flavour in which two themes undergo transformation through out the work. Brockman also includes short paraphrases from several twentieth century works which include Scriabin's Prometheus Symphony, the sixth piece of Schoenberg's Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19, along with Farben from Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra.

Emma Lou Diemer's Toccata from 1979 is an exciting work which blends classical and contemporary ingredients of musical structure and piano technique. Exciting changes of timbre, which gradually unfold, are produced by the use of extended piano techniques such as hand-dampening the strings, glissandi on the strings and patting the strings. These techniques also increase the level of virtuosity for the performer as the keyboard is often played simultaneously with special effects on the strings.

Ann Callaway's Theme and Seven Variations from 1972 represents an exploration of the harmonic possibilities within a twelve-tone row. While the theme based on the row is used in all of the variations, Callaway's writing is not rigidly serial.

Ruth Lomon's work Five Ceremonial Masks from 1980 is a very powerful piece for solo piano. Lomon is quoted in the liner notes as saying, "The Navajo ceremonies that I have been privileged to witness have touched me deeply. They are a response to our shared primeval awareness: timeless and unifying." Lomon provides descriptive titles for each of the masks: I Changing Woman, II Dance, III Spirit, IV Clown, and V Talking Power. These masks originate from the Yeibichai Night Chant ceremonies which include elements of singing, dance, sandpainting and impersonation of divinities. Spirit is particularly beautiful due to the incorporation of extended piano techniques which add an air of mystery and edge to the timbre.

The first CD concludes with two solo piano works by Ruth Crawford. Crawford's Nine Preludes, written between 1924 and 1928, are relatively short in that they are slightly over twenty three minutes in their entirety. Yet, in this brief amount of time she explores many moods and the full register of the instrument. Influenced by the Romantic and Impressionist composers, Crawford explores dissonance, atonality, complex rhythmic patterns, changing time signatures, irregular groupings and syncopation in these Preludes. Crawford's final work on this release is Study in Mixed Accents from 1930 which is just a touch over one minute long. Crawford experiments with Charles Seeger's theory of "dissonant" melody in which a melodic line is kept dissonant for as long as possible and avoids cadence points. The composer utilizes only sixteenth notes in various groupings which are accented on the first note of each group.

The repertoire on this CD is challenging for the pianist and was effectively interpreted by Rosemary Platt who has a distinguished international career as a pianist and educator. Platt is noted for her promotion of contemporary piano repertoire through recordings and broadcasts.

The second CD begins with Chants, three art songs composed by Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) based on the poetry of Maurice Maeterlinck. Dissonance is used in surprising but effective ways to heighten the meaning of the text. Rhian Samuel's The Kingfisher (poetry by W.H. Davies) and April Rise (poetry by Laurie Lee) from her nature cycle of 1983, Songs of Earth and Air are also included. In these two selections the pianist is an equal partner to the soloist. Dramatic piano passages enhance the meaning of the text while mezzo-soprano Sharon Mabry sings in a narrative style with disjunct vocal lines.

Mary Howe's (1882-1964) Goethe Lieder represent a contrast to Samuel's writing. Howe's five love songs, based on the poetry of Goethe, are short and influenced by nineteenth century art song traditions. The vocal lines are supported by transparent piano accompaniments.

Irreveries from Sappho written in 1981 by Elizabeth Vercoe is a witty combination of ancient poetry and contemporary idioms. Titles such as Andromeda Rag, Older Woman Blues and Boogie for Leda provide a glimpse into the humour of the music. The composer is quoted in the liner notes as saying, "Sappho's three women have clearly distinctive voices, but all three bespeak a fierce pride." Vercoe illustrates this pride musically through the use of musical jokes, subtle incorporation of popular tunes ('Turkey in the Straw' and 'Auld Lang Syne'), and inclusion of popular idioms.

Sharon Mabry is noted for her ability to interpret twentieth century repertoire with sensitivity. She has an active career as a recitalist, educator and soloist with symphony orchestras. She has premiered many new compositions by American and British composers. In addition , her recordings have been broadcast internationally to high acclaim. The art songs of this CD showcase the diversity of her talents.

The last half of the second CD returns to solo piano music. Maria Theresa von Paradis' (1759-1824) Sicilienne, circa 1790 provides and effective contrast to the preceding work by Veroce. While Sicilienne is modelled after the popular Sicilian dance of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in terms of style and form, the harmonic language foreshadows those found in mid-nineteenth century works.

Clara Wieck Schumann's (1819-1896) Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann, Opus 20 provides a glimpse into the pianistic abilities of the composer. These variations which date from 1853 have demanding passagework, arpeggiations, octaves and flowing sixteenth notes which ornament the theme. Clara's Scherzo II, Opus 14 No. 2, possibly written in 1841, also showcases her abilities as a pianist. Dramatic outbursts are contrasted with lyrical sections in a tripartite structure. Although the piece begins and ends in a minor mode, the contrasting middle section is in a major mode.

Lili Boulanger's (1893-1918) Impressionistic piano solo D'un jardin clair dates from 1914 and is the second piece from her collection Trois Morceaux. This is a very graceful piece with a sense of yearning. A rising triad and falling interval of a fifth are the basis for the composition. When listening to this piece one cannot help but wonder what Lili would have accomplished as a composer if she could have lived longer.

The final composition on this release is Thea Musgrave's Monologue from 1960. This piece is also based on the theme and variations format but utilizes all twelve notes found in the chromatic scale. As the piece slowly unfolds the intensity and pace gradually increases with each variation. Eventually a fugue emerges, disrupting the tension and proceeds to a stormy coda.

This CD set has excellent performances and detailed information on the works performed. Publisher contact information is also included for each of the pieces. Aside from the pure pleasure of listening to these compositions, this CD set would be a valuable resource for those teaching courses on the vocal and solo piano music written by women composers.