Chadwick: Orchestral Works
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Composer: George Whitefield ChadwickConductor: Kenneth Schermerhorn
Orchestra: Nashville Symphony
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2002-07-16
Music Label: Naxos American
Soundtracks:
- Euterpe
- Angel Of Death
- Aphrodite
- Melpomene
- Thalia
Music reviews of Chadwick: Orchestral Works
Music Review: Discovering George Chadwick
Rating: 5 Stars
Many American music lovers remain unfamiliar with the music our country has produced. An excellent way of exploring American music is through the budget-priced Naxos series of American classics. Through this series, I have got to know better the music of Charles Ives, George Rochberg, Alan Hovahness, Samuel Barber, among many others.
This Naxos CD features orchestral music by George Whitefield Chadwick (1854 -- 1931), an American composer who deserves to be remembered. He has been overshadowed by the music of his near contemporary, Charles Ives.
Chadwick was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and pursued a musical career despite strong opposition from his father. After studying in Europe, he modernized the New England Conservatory while serving as its director from 1897 --1930 and teaching a rising generation of American composers.
Chadwick composed orchestral, chamber, and piano music, some of which is available on CD. This Naxos CD features five programmatic orchestral works in an outstanding performance by the Nashville Symphony conducted by the late Kenneth Schermerhorn. It is an excellent way to begin with Chadwick.
I was most impressed with the lightness of these pieces, with Chadwick's use of orchestral texture and color, and with his use of solo instruments, particularly the clarinet, violin, flute, and percussion. Wagner and Richard Strauss were obvious influences on Chadwick, but I hear a great deal of Mendelssohn as well. These pieces move with grace and show a good deal of American character.
Of the five works on this CD, three have titles and themes based upon the Greek muses. The opening piece, "Euterpe" celebrates the muse of music and is my favorite of this collection. It contrasts a variety of musical styles beginning with a dramatic slow opening, continuing through a lively march theme in the strings, and some lovely lyrical passages. This is a light-textured and highly appealing work.
"Melopene" was named for the muse of tragedy. Chadwick's work is heavily influenced by Wagner, but the composer finds his own voice as the work proceeds. There are solos for English horn and cello, dramatic trumpet calls and climactic drum rolls in what is the most solemn work on this CD.
Thalia was the muse of comedy and Chadwick's music returns in this work to lightness and grace. There are impressive solo passages for the clarinet and the horn, the latter of which develops into a singing theme in the orchestra. Much of this work has an endearing swing and almost jaunty character.
The remaining two works on this CD take as themes paintings by two of Chadwick's friends. The tone-poem "Aphrodite" is the longest work on the disc. It is meant to capture Aprodite gazing at the sea and captures several distinct moods. I enjoyed in particular a baccanalian section with swirling strings, brass, tympany, and percussion which is the second major musical image of the work. The piece includes solos for clarinet, violin, snare drum and cello and has a light, impressionistic touch.
The final work, "Angel of Death" begins rapidly and lightly in a manner that hardly suits its title. But the work deepens, and the theme of death is introduced in dramatic fashion by a large drum roll followed by a melancholy solo for the bass clarinet. The work proceeds in the lower strings and closes triumphanly in the brass as Chadwick depicts in music how the creative process triumphs in the end over human mortality.
This CD consists of delighful American music beautifully performed. It will interest listeners wanting to know more about the American experience in art music.
Robin Friedman
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