American composer Sean Hickey (b. 1970) comes through as a talent to be heeded on the two-work recording of his music, Concertos (Delos 3448).
All hands make a fine showing: Dmitry Kouzov, cello, Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet, and Vladimir Lande conducting the St. Petersburg State Symphony. The works on this disk are the "Concerto for Cello and Orchestra," and the "Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra."
This is music that has everything going for it--melodic, heroic solo parts, symphonic breadth, dynamic form and a sort of post-romantic dash. Both were written in the last decade but show the influence of, and absorption in the symphonic concerto tradition from the viewpoint of the present. The clarinet concerto has a bit more chromaticism and an expanded melodic-harmonic outlook but both show ample evidence of craft and inspiration.
Sean Hickey has talent and an original take on the music. The performances are first-rate. The Clarinet Concerto was my favorite of the two but there are I am sure many listens to come for me in the years to follow, so check in with me then! Mr. Hickey is for real and the music offers much to the symphonic enthusiast. Give this one your ears!
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