Aaron Copland - Complete Works for Violin and Piano (Peter Zazofsky; Paul Posnak)

Information

Composer: Aaron Copland

• Violin Sonata
• 2 Pieces for Violin & Piano
• Vitebsk – Study on a Jewish Theme
• 2 Preludes for Violin and Piano
• Duo for Flute and Piano
• Rodeo: Hoe Down (Version for Violin and Piano)
• Billy the Kid: Waltz & Celebration (Version for Violin and Piano)

Peter Zazofsky, violin

Paul Posnak, piano

Ross Harbaugh, cello (Vitebsk)

Date: 2002

Label: Naxos

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Review

Three major works demarcate Aaron Copland’s output for violin and piano, alongside a handful of shorter character pieces and Louis Kaufman’s effective arrangements of the Waltz and Celebration from Billy the Kid. The composer’s early piano trio Vitebsk is a gnarly workout on a Jewish theme that exudes a jagged intensity (contrary to the annotations, the work is heard not as a violin/piano arrangement, but in its original piano/violin/cello scoring). The better-known 1943 Sonata brilliantly bridges Copland’s affable “populist” style with plenty of austere, bony, dissonant jabs. Those attracted to the 1971 Flute Sonata’s lean, lyrical interplay will find these qualities unchanged vis-à-vis the music’s translation into “violinese”.

Violinist Peter Zazofsky’s artistry is best sampled in small doses. His wiry tone suits the music’s starker contours, yet he doesn’t negotiate rapid, wide interval leaps with the same bang-on intonation Gil Shaham displays in his recording of the Sonata with André Previn at the piano. Nor does he match the color, varied sonority, and sustained line Anne Akiko Meyers brings to the Sonata’s central Lento (his wobbly high notes are akin to a singer running out of air). And the bluesy, Gershwin-esque Nocturne from 1926 sounds relatively monochrome next to Maria Bachmann’s sexily inflected account. Happily, Zazofsky’s tone opens up and becomes more expressive during Vitebsk, anchored by Ron Harbugh’s incisive cello playing. Paul Posnak’s rock-solid rhythm and superb articulation are all we can wish for in the piano parts. A rival complete Copland violin music offering from the Terwilliger Cooperstock Duo (Azica 71205) may be difficult to locate, whereas the present release is easily obtainable, inexpensive, and well recorded.

— Jed Distler

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Aaron Copland (14 November 1900 – 2 December 1990) was an American composer. Born in New York City, he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger before returning to the United States, where he absorbed influences ranging from jazz and neoclassicism to folk traditions. Seeking a broader audience, Copland simplified his musical language in the 1930s and achieved international fame with works such as Billy the Kid, Rodeo and Appalachian Spring. He also composed film scores, orchestral and choral works, and later experimented with serialism. Beyond composing, Copland was an influential teacher, writer and conductor.

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Peter Zazofsky is an American violinist. Raised in Boston, he studied with leading teachers including Joseph Silverstein, Dorothy DeLay and Ivan Galamian, and received mentorship at Marlboro. He gained international recognition through major competition prizes, including the Wieniawski and Queen Elisabeth competitions. Zazofsky has appeared as soloist with many leading orchestras and conductors, and toured extensively worldwide. He is first violinist of the Muir String Quartet and serves as Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Boston University, while also giving masterclasses internationally.

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Paul Posnak is an American pianist and music academic. An internationally active concert artist, his career began with a scholarship to the Juilliard Preparatory School at age eight, followed by bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Juilliard. A prizewinner in major international competitions, he has performed at leading venues worldwide and collaborated with renowned vocalists and chamber ensembles. Posnak is especially acclaimed for his improvisations and authoritative transcriptions of Gershwin and Fats Waller. He serves as Professor of Keyboard Performance at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music.

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