Carson COOMAN (b.1982)
Shoreline Rune for string orchestra (2014) [4:56]
Liminal: Symphony No. 4 for orchestra (2014) [23:39]
Prism for organ (2003) [7:25]
Erik Simmons (organ)
Slovak National Symphony Orchestra/Kirk Trevor
rec. Shoreline Rune and Symphony recorded August 22, 2014 at Slovak
Radio Studio, Bratislava
Prism recorded 6 October 2014
DIVINE ART DIVERSIONS DDV24161 [36:00]
I would defy even the most enthusiastic reviewer or listener
to get their head around the complete compositional output of Carson
Cooman. His webpage
indicates that his latest (2015) offering is the Partita Semplice
for organ (manuals only): it is catalogued as op.1123. This is a lot
of music to explore: a tremendous amount to have composed over the last
15 years or so of musical activity. It beats Carl Czerny’s op.861
for a start. Looking at the discography on the same site discloses that
a fair proportion of these works have been recorded. There are more
than 25 Cooman CDs currently listed on the Arkiv catalogue.
The liner-notes explain that Carson Cooman, who was born in 1982, is
an American composer with a ‘catalog of hundreds of works in many
forms – ranging from solo instrumental pieces to operas and from
orchestral works to hymn tunes.’ His studied under an impeccable
list of teachers, including Judith Weir and Bernard Rands. Cooman is
also a concert organist. More than 150 new works have been written for
him by a diverse range of contemporary composers. Not content with composition
and recital work, Cooman writes extensively about musical subjects and
serves as a consultant, advising composers and performers on practical
matters such as estates and archives.
The first piece, Shoreline Rune was written in 2014 and is
assigned op.1083. It is conceived for string orchestra and harp. This
work is dedicated to the British composer and Cooman’s one-time
teacher, Judith Weir. The imagery is based on the idea of the listener
standing on the sea-shore and experiencing an ‘entire tide cycle
compressed into five elongated minutes’. I am not sure where the
Rune — ancient writing, or symbol with mysterious or magical significance
— part of the title enters into the equation, unless it is contributory
to the sense of timelessness that the composer has created in this very
beautiful piece.
Carson Cooman writes that for him a symphony is a piece of music that
‘attempts (in some rather small way) to make an artistic comment
on a ‘big topic’ whether that be emotional/psychological,
societal or natural.’ They are personal responses to ‘big
ideas’ not a ‘comprehensive grand statement’. His
symphonies are not based on any particular instrumentation, duration
or form.
The present Symphony No.4 Liminal ‘addresses climate
change.’ The composer explains that the word ‘liminal’
comes from the Latin word ‘threshold’. It is used when describing
rituals and processes and specifically refers to the ‘quality
of ambiguity that occurs in the middle of the ritual when participants
are not the same as they were before the ritual began, but have not
yet reached the conclusion.’ Cooman does not seem to be making
an overt political argument, but suggests that the ‘earth is (and
perhaps has always been) in a liminal state’. The symphony is
charged with presenting ‘varied soundscapes’. The sound-world
is deliberately blurred and ‘confused’. The orchestration
is wide-ranging: one signature feature is the use made of quarter tones:
the harp is deliberately tuned a quarter tone lower than the rest of
the orchestra. The work is scored for an orchestra of brass, two harps,
and strings.
Cooman writes that ‘the whole symphony could be seen as a journey
from above: viewing contrasting places and observing’. It is a
work that is impressive, even when divorced from its inspiration.
The Symphony No.4 was commissioned by the AR Trust and is dedicated
to the composer Augusta Read Thomas.
The final work is Prism for the organ. This was written in
2003 and was merely op.522. The work is clearly meditative, although
the composer has added the suggestion that it is also ‘cosmic’.
The long-held notes and gently unfolding melodies are truly gorgeous.
Cooman has created an almost ‘Messiaen-ic’ sense of timelessness.
The piece was commissioned by Robert Jan August, Organist at the First
Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth.
This CD is well-presented with an attractive inset. The programme notes
are informative and well-written. The sound quality of the recording
is notable, the playing superb. My only complaint is the duration of
the CD: 36 minutes does seem parsimonious. Surely some other work could
have been included to increase the value of what is an otherwise splendid
production.
I enjoyed this disc. Carson Cooman’s music is beautiful, inspiring
and seductive in equal measure. The three works on this CD are charged
with wonder, mystery and a deep sense of engagement with the world of
nature and society.
John France
