New York, New York!

Super pumped to be presenting a program of FARAWAY SOUNDS --

We're starting off with LA-based composer Andrew Norman's "Sabina", written on his year-long fellowship in Rome as winner of the 2006 Rome Prize. Andrew writes (courtesy of https://www.eamdc.com/psny/composers/andrew-norman/works/sabina/):

"In October 2006 I visited the ancient church of Santa Sabina on Rome's Aventine Hill. I entered very early in the morning, while it was still dark, and as I listened to the morning mass I watched the sunrise from within the church... As I watched the light grow and change that morning, I was struck by both its enveloping, golden warmth and the delicacy and complexity of its effects. I sketched the material for this piece soon after that unforgettable experience."

We move from Rome to Germany (and beyond) for our next piece, Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major. Here, after a flurry of notes and resonance to start the piece (the first movement, entitled Prelude), Bach takes us through the typical rounds of a 17th century dance suite (a playlist for people in powdered wigs, essentially): an Allemande (from Germany, as you might expect from the title), a Courante in the Italian style, a Spanish-by-way-of-the-colonized-Carribbean Sarabande, two French Bourrees, and an English Gigue to cap things off.

Finally, Missy Mazzoli serves us some Uzbek teas with her ten-minute tour de force for viola and electronics, Tooth and Nail. She writes (courtesy of http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/work/4037/47059):

"Tooth and Nail was inspired by the extraordinary musical traditions of Uzbekistan, where jaw harp (also called Jew's harp or mouth harp) plays a prominent role. The jaw harp player consistently plucks the instrument, creating overtones and melodies by changing the shape of his or her mouth, and the central Asian style takes this technique to wild and beautiful extremes. I have created my own version of this music, based on my memories of hearing Uzbek jaw harp players. The electronic part is made up almost entirely of viola samples, allowing the live viola to play in counterpoint with itself."

Andrew Norman - Sabina
J. S. Bach - Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major
Missy Mazzoli - Tooth and Nail