Paul REALE (b. 1943)
Concerto ‘Dies Irae’ for piano trio and wind ensemble (1982/2015) [22:27]
Piano Sonata No.7 ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’ (1994 rev 1996, 2013) [20:32]
Piano Sonata No.8 ‘Il trionfo della Folia’ (1997/2013) [13:26]
Paul Reale (piano), Walter Ponce (piano),
Mirecourt Trio
California State University Wind Ensemble/David Whitwell
rec. 1982-2013, California State University at Northridge, Schoenberg Hall, University of Los Angeles
MSR MS1693 [56:33]
Now in his mid-70s American composer Paul Reale has a large body of compositions to his credit. Studies with Otto Luening and Chou Wen-Chung in the 1960s were followed by tutelage from George Crumb and George Rochberg. An avowed educator, Reale is represented on this disc by three works, a Concerto for piano trio and wind ensemble and two piano sonatas, one of which is played by the composer himself.
The Concerto ‘Dies Irae’ was written for The Mirecourt Trio, who perform it here. The chant functions as a cantus firmus but the music is neither glowering nor laden with portentous implications, and its three sections are very clearly delineated. This is music of approachable warmth, sporting fine clean sonorities and hints of dance motifs throughout, not least a sinuously sublimated tango theme, as well as bell tolling motifs. There are plenty of opportunities for the fine Mirecourt players, such as the violin cadenza toward the end of the first section, and the cello cadenza in the second, though this is very much an ensemble work. The central panel has rather more conventional piano trio effect though the piano’s brittle attacks add spice. For the finale, the percussion is given its head, the music motoring with energy, stopping to unfold some genuinely lovely romantic phraseology.
The Piano Sonata No.7 was written in 1994 and revised a couple of years later. This recording played by the composer, incorporates further changes that appear in the 2013 version of the work. With its largely baroque movement names – Prelude, Toccata, Aria – and the superscription Veni Creator Spiritus, one might expect neo-classicism but in fact this fast-paced, expressive piece, with its Aria centrepiece sounding attractively aloof, is notable for the exploration of Bach’s theme and its reappearance accompanied by strident chording. Reale claims Zez ‘Kitten on the Keys’ Confrey as an influence in Prelude II, though it must be subliminal, at least to my ears. Nevertheless, the engaging variety of Reale’s writing is amplified by his confidence in ending the work quietly.
The Eighth Sonata (1997/2013) is a more concise single-movement edifice that employs La Folia in fragmentary variant form until the full theme is gradually revealed toward the end of the piece. Though the idiom is very different the effect is not wholly unlike Britten’s Lachrymae. It’s dedicated to pianist Walter Ponce who plays it with sympathy and convincing bravura in the music’s more animated sections.
MSR serves Reale well here; its documentation is attractively laid out – the booklet notes are written by the composer and by Terry King – and the recordings, which come from the years between 1982 and 2013 show Reale’s music in the best aural light. Engaging and enjoyable.
Jonathan Woolf
