Vox/Viola
New Focus, 2019
8/10
Perhaps best known as being a founding member of the International Contemporary Ensemble, Wendy Richman offers us her debut effort of recordings she commissioned for voice and viola and one performer, which allows us the premiere of artists like Ken Ueno, Arlene Sierra and Jason Eckardt, plus many more.
The album leads with the stirring and emotive “He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven”, where Richman’s expressive pipes glide along the meticulous viola in the Christian Carey composition, and “Veiled”, by Stephen Gorbos, follows with the addition of electronics to the sublime texturing.
Close to the middle, David Smooke’s “Extraordinary Rendition” is particularly interesting with its droning, atypical rhythm and manipulations of tonality amid the vocally acrobatic display, and “Cricket-Viol”, by Arlene Sierra, mimics a cricket’s natural chirping with much beauty in its wordless singing.
As we approach the end, “to be held…” benefits from lengthy pitches of viola, voice and electronics wrapped up in a soothing, meditative quality, and Ken Ueno’s “Song For Sendai” exits the listen with Richman’s strong viola prowess and inimitable vocals interacting together with much charm and eloquence.
Richman has an impressive resume that includes playing at Carnegie Hall and festivals around the world, as well as being an educator, and here she displays much ingenuity and unparalleled skill with her profound song craft.
Travels well with: David Liptak- Dove Songs; The Crossing- Rising w/The Crossing