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5.0 von 5 Sternen
Brillliant Premiere of McKay Concerto by Brian Reagin, 4. August 2005
Von Ein Kunde
Brian Reagin gives a brilliant premiere recording performance of George Frederick McKay's 1941 Violin Concerto, originally composed for Jascha Heifetz's Contest in New York. The concerto takes its inspiration from Sibelius and Tchaikovsky as told by McKay, who generally produced more modern sounding works during this period, but chose to compose a piece with much romantic feeling intact for the soloist to expand upon.
The Concerto also had a live performance with the Seattle Symphony led by Richard Hickox in 2001, with two concerts at Benaroya Hall, the soloist being Ilkka Talvi.In this recording McKay also demonstrates his genius in writing music for double string orchestra in the work "Suite on 16th Century Hymn Tunes" which is a tribute to Louis Bourgeois, based on ancient organ pieces. This composition expresses soaring spiritual feelings, as well as sprightly ancient melodies, and includes a movement devoted to the celeste as a main accompanying instrument. "Sinfonietta No.4" by McKay is a completely original an vital work featuring romping fast movements reminding one of the energy of a University town avenue in the 1930's, contrasted by a middle pastorale movement which conjures up a wondrous and almost never-ending homage to the beauty of the Pacific Coast region of America, and the tradition of its native people. "Song Over the Great Plains" presents the onset of Spring in the great open spaces of mid-America, complete with musical images of thunderstorms, wild bird songs, and the blossoming of flowers in desolate regions. The composer did not put this work in any traditional category, but rather said it was "sort of a piano concerto" McKay generally rejected "Opus Numbers" and other musical conventions in the middle part of his career, and composed in a rather natural way for the rest of his life.
During his lifetime his music was given performances by Sir Thomas Beecham, Leopold Stokowski, Arthur Benjamin, Arthur Fiedler, Basil Cameron,Fabien Sevitsky, Carmen Dragon and many other notable conductors. His music is now recorded on 3 albums in the NAXOS American Classics Series. McKay's teachers included Christian Sinding and Selim Palmgren. His students include William Bolcom (Pulitzer Prize), Earl Robinson (Academy Award), Goddard Lieberson (President of CBS Records and producer of West Side Story and South Pacific), John Cage, and Ken Benshoof (Recorded by Kronos Quartet). McKay's recorded music has recently been heard on WQXR New York, Radio France, Radio Australia, CBC Canada, RTVE Spain, KING Seattle, WGBH Boston, NPR Chicago, Radio Sweden, Radio Finland, Classic 99 St. Louis, and many other NPR stations in America. Professor McKay taught at the University of Washington for 40 years (1927-1968)and authored three books on musical technique, as well as conducting the Seattle Symphony several times in his career, and also guest conducted the CBC Radio Orchestra (Vancouver)and the University of Washington Symphony many times. His CD's have been highly recommended by Fanfare Magazine, American Record Guide with 8.559052 receiving 5 stars from Diapason Magazine.
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