Paris Quintet
I’ve posted before about friend and fellow Stan Kenton fan, Terry Vosbein. His latest work, Paris Quintet, is yet another delight. At that link he talks about the inspiration for the piece and how he stayed in a little place right off the Seine while he was writing it. A serious hardship when you compare it to how he usually spends his summers, at the library of the University of North Texas — let’s see: Denton, Texas or Paris, Denton, Texas or Paris (don’t rush me) — but clearly one that paid off in the music.
First impressions: the music just flows from instrument to instrument. And it seems like each of the instruments is playing naturally in its own characteristic style. I thought some of his earliest works seemed to be saying, “Listen to this, dammit!” That’s far behind him now. His music soars and sings.
The performance is masterful, and this may be one piece from Terry’s catalog you might have second thoughts about giving to students, because the slightest touch of unsureness or heaviness would kill it, I’d think. It’s hold-onto-your-hats, let’s-play-this-sucker, musicians only, please. It was recorded at a new music festival in Birmingham, Alabama last July, and after I’d posted part of this review to the Kenton list, Terry told me about the players: a group called Luna Nova:
Flute – James McMurtery (lives in NY and freelances), Clarinet – Ted Gurch (Atlanta Symphony), Violin- Helen Kim (Julliard grad, wife of Ted Gurch), Cello – Craig Hultgren (Birmingham Southern College), and Piano – Adam Bowles (Birmingham Southern College).
And he commented on their performance:
This was their third performance of the composition and they finally hit it. When they began the third movement at a much quicker tempo than the previous performance a few months prior, I was nervous. But they soon showed me I had nothing to worry about.
It’s a pure joy: a meringue of cool, clear light filled with tart raspberries and whipped cream. Go listen, follow along in the score if you like, and let me know what you think.