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Alla BORZOVA (b.
1961)
Songs for Lada (1986-91) (Texts by Alla Borzova, drawn
from Belarussian children’s folk songs, rhymes, games, dances
and lullabies) [35:37]
To the New World (2001-02) [14:13]
Valentina Fleer (soprano) (1-4), Valentina Kozak (folk contralto)
(1, 3-5), Valerij Yavor (dudkas) (2, 5), Christopher Deane (cimbalom)
(3), Kasya Radzivilava (bagpipe) (3), Michigan State University
Children’s Choir (2, 5)
Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin
rec. live, Orchestra Hall, Max M. Fisher Music Center, Detroit,
USA, 15-18 January 2009 (Lada), 24-27 September 2010 (New
World)
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559706 [49:50]
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If you enjoy folk-inspired works, including with children’s
choirs you cannot fail to welcome this disc which came to me
as a great and pleasant surprise.
The main work is brilliantly conceived and wonderfully executed
music of real interest which is maintained throughout its length.
Based on children’s folk songs, rhymes, games, dances
and lullabies it weaves a tapestry of magical proportions using
folk instruments and the voice of a soprano and a folk contralto
who is known as The Golden Voice of Belarus. Each of
its five movements is a joy to listen to with a uniquely fashioned
concept. I was fascinated to notice a short passage in the first
minute of the first movement that reminded me of Copland’s
Old American Songs and I thought that both Copland and
Borzova tried to establish a classical music uniquely of their
countries. The cycle has in its first movement a representation
of birdsong and the final section of the last movement brings
us back full circle with a repetition augmented by a recording
of real birdsong (as with Rautavaara’s Concerto for
Birds and Orchestra). It makes for a charming end to a wonderfully
evocative composition.
The umbrella title of this Naxos collection which includes works
by the likes of Howard Hanson, John Adams, Samuel Barber, Leonard
Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, Charles Ives, Walter Piston,
Ned Rorem, Sousa and many others is an extremely valuable one
but I can’t help wondering if it is correct to include
this disc as part of that series, the major work of which was
written well before the composer arrived in the USA and who
has only lived in the country for thirteen years and whose inspiration
for it is so much a part of Belarus.
On the other hand the other work on the disc which is also quite
original is centred on the very arrival in the USA of the huge
number of immigrants from the world over and seeks extremely
successfully to represent many of the hundreds of nationalities
involved. Imagining a ship laden with people from all over creates
with various leitmotifs a snapshot of many of the ethnic backgrounds
on board. From a central all-embracing “immigrant”
theme we are presented with snatches of music from various sources,
both real (a German melody) and imagined: Ireland, Italy, Latin
America, Africa, China and klezmer sounds to represent the millions
of Jews who left Europe for America. On the ship’s “arrival”
in America we hear strains of jazz from the shore which increase
in volume as the ship draws nearer to the docks. Finally there’s
a repeat of the “immigration” theme which brings
us full circle to the beginning and the thought that America
is a true ‘melting pot’ and music amongst so many
other things is a big beneficiary of this process. The work’s
musical message is profound and worthy and perfectly expressed
in its short fourteen minute length.
Alla Borzova is yet another discovery for me but well worth
it and her other compositions I shall be exploring with relish.
The orchestra, choir and soloists clearly enjoy themselves in
this recording and the result is a truly different musical experience
deserving of high praise.
Steve Arloff
Naxos
American Classics review pages
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