Currents In Time
Navona, 2022
8/10
The American mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen is armed with an impressive set of pipes, and here they’re on display across 14 track from various composers that take help from strings, bassoon and piano.
“Come Up From The Fields, Father” opens the listen with Marianne Parker’s flowing keys alongside the powerful, expressive singing, and “Sea Calm, Moonlight Night, Island” follows with the lone vocals emitting much warmth and intimacy in the Jason Huffman composition.
In the middle, the dreamy bassoon from Darrel Hale complements Ihnen’s bright vocals in the David W. Solomons original, “The Centipede-Le Mille-Pattes” while Michael Hall’s viola and Parker’s piano add much grace to the emotive “Landscapes”, by Regina Harris Baiocchi.
Near to the end, Danya Katok’s brief “‘Tis A Fearful Thing” again showcases the strength of Ihnen’s singing sans music, and Jesse Guessford’s “River House” finishes with Parker’s hypnotic keys alongside the haunting demeanor of a very chilling exit.
A listen that shines in both a cappella and lightly orchestrated situations, Ihnen explores grief, joy, modesty, hubris, self-doubt and unshakable faith and valor on this vocally stirring body of work.
Travels well with: Sang-Hie Lee- Textures In Classics; Gibbs Street Duo- Memories Unsettled