John Carollo, Volere

We last encountered American composer John Carollo on this blog with two really nice CDs of his orchestral works (see July 18, 2011 and November 25, 2011 posts). He's back, with a CD of chamber works which is somewhat different but equally worthwhile. The CD is called Volere (Musica Baudino MBCD 002).

Carollo excels at creating highly evolved modernist chromatic-expanded chamber music. It is music of firm sinew, taut muscle, strong bones. Like in his orchestral music, Carollo (to mix the metaphors) draws bold, hard-edged melodic outlines. But unlike the larger ensemble pieces, he understandably relies less on color and more on black and white contrast, like a finely finished drawing in charcoal as opposed to a full-paletted, extensively worked-over oil painting.

He gives us Two "Metamorphoses" for Solo Viola, the solo Piano Suites Nos. 2 and 3 (the second for two pianos), "Eterna Riconciliazione" and "Volere" for violin and guitar, three Piano Etudes, and the Trio for Piano, Guitar and Violin.

Performances are completely idiomatic and very well realized. The recorded sound is very good for a self-released opus such as this.

In short, we have an excellent sampling of John Carollo the chamber music composer. It is music of great power and seriousness, strongly constructed, rewardingly contentful. This is a music creator of much character and originality. Recommended.

Sean Hickey, Concertos, St. Petersburgh State Symphony, Lande

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!