Various Composers - Three American Sonatas (Cho-Liang Lin; Jon Kimura Parker)

Information

• Paul Schoenfield - Violin Sonata
• Steven Stucky - Violin Sonata
• John Harbison - Violin Sonata No. 1
• Leonard Bernstein - Canon for Aaron

Cho-Liang Lin, violin

Jon Kimura Parker, piano

Date: 2020

Label: Naxos

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Review

On the evidence of this disc, the violin sonata is alive and kicking in 21st-century America. The form has a fine history in the United States, with examples by Copland (1943), Harris (1942), Mennin (1956), Piston (1939) and Ives (four, 1902-16). Bernstein penned a sonata very early in his career (in 1939!) but is represented here by his brief Canon for Aaron (composed in 1970 to mark Copland’s 70th birthday).The three featured sonatas are all of more recent provenance and, moreover, were written at the behest of the violinist Cho-Liang Lin.

Paul Schoenfeld’s Sonata (2009) is the earliest and largest of the three, stylistically something of a mash-up, its four movements revealing very different inspirations and even dates of origin (the third, ‘Romanza’, for example, is based on an unfinished piece from his teens in the 1960s). The opening ‘Vanishing Point’ derives its structure from David Markson’s novel of the same name, the concluding ‘Freilach’ (Yiddish for ‘a joyous song or dance’) from Eastern European folk models. Its heart, though, is the Intermezzo, the grave beauty – and compositional subtlety – of which belies the rather inconsequential title.

Steven Stucky’s Sonata (2013) is a late work, written three years before his death. There is a rival recording from Nicholas DiEugenio and Mimi Solomon (New Focus) which I have not heard, running some 90 seconds longer overall. A concentrated, often thorny work, it was inspired at several removes by Debussy’s, written at an equivalent moment in his career. Despite the marking, much of the opening Calmo is anything but, but the scherzo finale sparkles. It is, nonetheless, a more straightforward listen than John Harbison’s stark, lean, tonally ambiguous First Sonata (2011), constructed – but not sounding – like a Baroque suite. Lin and Kimura Parker make a sympathetic partnership, performing each work as well as one could hope. Fine sound.

— Guy Rickards

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Cho-Liang Lin (born 29 January 1960) is a Taiwanese-American violinist. Trained in Taiwan, Australia and the United States, he studied at The Juilliard School under Dorothy DeLay. Lin has appeared as a soloist with leading orchestras worldwide while also serving in prominent educational and artistic leadership roles at Juilliard, Rice University and major music festivals. A strong advocate for contemporary music, he has commissioned numerous new works. His recordings on Sony Classical, Decca, BIS, Delos and Ondine have won Gramophone Record Of The Year and Grammy nominations, among other awards.

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Jon Kimura Parker (born 25 December 1959) is a Canadian pianist. Trained in Canada and the United States, including studies at The Juilliard School, he gained recognition after winning Gold Medal at the 1984 Leeds International Piano Competition. Parker has performed at major venues worldwide and collaborates across classical and contemporary genres. He serves as Creative Partner of the Minnesota Orchestra, Artistic Director of the Honens International Piano Competition, and Professor of Piano at Rice University. His discography features music ranging from Mozart and Chopin to Barber, Stravinsky and John Adams.

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